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Political Editor

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa last night left for the United States to attend the first face-to-face United Nations General Assembly after a two-year hiatus spawned by Covid-19.

The President, who was seen off at the Robert Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Cabinet Ministers, senior Government officials and service chiefs, is expected to join other Heads of State and Government for the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which is coming on the back of the Russian/Ukraine conflict, and the disruptive Covid-19 pandemic.

UNGA 77, which began in earnest yesterday with President Mnangagwa contributing to the debate on sustainable education virtually, will see world leaders converge to deliver speeches laying out their governments’ top priorities.

UNGA is the main policy-making organ of the UN and meets annually for regular sessions between September and December each year.

This year UNGA 77 is running under the theme, “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges”, that recognises challenges that world nations are facing in the wake of climate change, forced labour, unilateralism and other complex global challenges.

For the last two years, UNGA has been taking place virtually through pre-recorded speeches.

President Mnangagwa is expected to address the UNGA during the course of this week.

In his opening remarks, UN secretary-general Mr António Guterres said the general debate must provide hope and solutions to the divisions characterising the modern world.

“Our world is blighted by war, battered by climate chaos, scarred by hate, and shamed by poverty, hunger and inequality. As fractures deepen and trust evaporates, we need to come together around solutions. People need to see results in their everyday lives, or they will lose faith in their governments and institutions, and they will lose hope in the future.

“That hope can indeed only come through the dialogue and debate that are the beating heart of the UN and that must prevail next week against all divisions,” he said at a press briefing on September 14.

On his part, the new president of the General Assembly, Mr Csaba Korösi said he would use his tenure to push for solutions to widening geopolitical divides and protracted uncertainty through “solidarity, sustainability, and science”.

“Responding to humanity’s most pressing challenges demands that we work together and that we reinvigorate inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism and focus on that what unites us.

“It is our mission to come together when there are disagreements and to build bridges when there are deep divides.”