Issues before 73rd session of UN General Assembly - Part II

The 73rd regular session of the UN General Assembly opened at United Nations headquarters, New York, on Tuesday.

The colourful ceremony was presided over by the president of the UN general assembly, Ambassador Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces of Ecuador, and UN secretary general Antonio Guterres.

As mentioned in last week’s opinion, the Ugandan delegation will focus attention on the economic, financial and social questions of the agenda. Due to constraints of space, I was unable to do justice to the critical issues for Uganda and African countries and these are today’s subject for discussion.

Economic and financial issues
The economic and financial issues will be considered in the second committee and they include agenda items 9 to 31. Agenda 9 is the Report of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Although it’s one of the six main organs of the United Nations, under the UN charter ECOSOC is required to submit an annual report to the General Assembly which includes Council decisions and resolutions, forwarded for approval and appropriate action.

Agenda item 10 titled, “Return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin” was submitted by former president Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (now DR Congo) in 1973 at the 28th regular session of the UN General Assembly.

I recall the occasion vividly because 1973 was the first time I attended the UN General Assembly and I witnessed Gen Mobutu deliver eloquently an important address to the General Assembly.

As a result of pressure and efforts by the UN, former colonial powers such as Belgium, France and UK have returned some works of art which were plundered from Africa by colonialists during the 19th and 20th centuries, but a lot remains to be done.
For example, in Belgium, which was the target of Mobutu’s initiative, two big museums in Brussels which I have visited are fully stocked with rare and beautiful art works from DR Congo, Burundi and Rwanda which were Belgian colonies until early 1960s.

During visits to the “Africa Museum” and the “Colonial Museum” in Brussels, I even spotted some items which were looted more than 100 years ago from West Nile sub-region which was until 1915 part of a colony called the Belgian Congo.

Item 14 deals with follow up to the “2001 – 2010 decade to roll back malaria in developing countries, particularly in Africa,” but the key issue for the second committee is agenda item 21 titled, “Sustainable development” which is divided into 10 sub-items.

Under item 21, the second committee will, inter alia, consider implementation of UN programmes for sustainable development; protection of the global climate for present and future generations; challenges and problems of the environment; disaster risk reduction and ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

The above issues touch the lives of all human beings and collective efforts to enlarge understanding and find solutions to the problems they cause is welcome.

The advancement of women will be addressed under agenda item 30. In this regard, the General Assembly will discuss three reports of the UN committee on the elimination of discrimination against women and trafficking in women and girls - a disgusting, degrading and shameful practice which sadly has become rampant in Africa, including Uganda.

UNGA 73 will also consider intensification of global efforts to eliminate female genital mutilation as well as intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

These are challenges and problems which affect the lives of millions of Africans, including Ugandans; global efforts to stamp them out deserve the support of the government and people of Uganda.

The UN system has since 1962 generously supported the people of Uganda during good, difficult and trying times. It is the wish and hope of the people of Uganda that United Nations and, especially the UN secretary general will not be a passive onlooker as Ugandans once again face a gloomy, turbulent and uncertain future.
I wish UNGA 73 every success.

Mr Acemah is a political scientist and retired career diplomat.
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