Pakistan calls for enhancing UNGA credibility

Emphasising the United Nations General Assembly's status as the only UN forum with universal representation, Pakistan has urged the 193-member body to enhance the credibility of its decisions by setting up a mechanism to monitor the implementation of its own resolutions.

"This authority is explicit whenever the Security Council is unable to act or is prevented from acting," Ambassador Munir Akram said in a debate on revitalising the work of the General Assembly.

In this regard, the Pakistani envoy cited the Oct 27 Assembly resolution calling for a "humanitarian truce" in Israel's war on Gaza after the Security Council was stymied by the major powers' use of votes.

In such circumstances, he added, the voice of the entire membership had not only moral but also considerable legal force, noting that the assembly's recommendations created obligations for the entire international community and the UN system.

"We hope that the members of the Security Council will also adhere to this General Assembly resolution."

Ambassador Akram emphasised that the General Assembly, under the UN Charter, had vast complementary and residual authority in relation to the promotion and preservation of international peace and security.

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The assembly’s role in peace and security also extended to addressing the root causes of conflicts and disputes and promoting the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and UN resolutions, he pointed out.

"While we need to improve the Assembly's processes and methods of work, the revitalisation of the Assembly is a political issue, not one of process alone," Ambassador Akram said.

But, the Pakistani envoy added, "The Assembly's deficiencies arise from the inability and, in large measure, the unwillingness of some of its major member states to allow it to fully utilise its authority and potential."

Further, he said, "The Assembly is authorised to consider and approve the UN budget and arrangements regarding the budgets of certain specialised agencies. Efforts to erode the authority and role of the Assembly's Administrative and Budgetary (Fifth) Committee must be resisted.

"The role of the Committee for Programme and Coordination needs to be strengthened, and ACABQ needs to be told to avoid arbitrary positions in its budgetary recommendations."