‘This is not 1945’: General Assembly president gavels open new session aimed at restoring global trust

The UN General Assembly gavelled open its 81st session on Tuesday at UN Headquarters as the incoming president pledged to restore public trust in the institution during a time of war, humanitarian crises and intensifying climate change.After officially receiving the iconic Icelandic wooden gavel from outgoing Assembly president Annalesa Baerbock, Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh outlined a key theme for the year: Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.“We must make the United Nations fit for the future,” he said, underlining the importance of hearing voices from civil society. “We have a situation where trust is in deficit. This is not 1945. This is the 81st session. The world has moved on. The Organization must move on, and I’ll help that process.”Here’s a snapshot of Mr. Rahman’s priorities:Silence the guns, amplify the voices: Peace, security and justice for allNo one left behind, no country left out: Sustainable development through accelerating the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Our planet, our pact: Climate resilience and environmental sustainabilityRights and protection: Human rights, humanitarian action, protecting refugees an...