The 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly marked a break from the past as world leaders addressed the annual UNGA event virtually, an unprecedented session in the history of the UN due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The theme for UNGA 2020 was “The future we want, the United Nations we need; reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism.” World leaders addressed an increasingly polarized UN on its 75th anniversary, with the pandemic high on the agenda, along with other issues of global concern. The UNGA 2020 was chaired by Turkish diplomat, Volkan Bozkir who was the President of the 75th session.
President Donald Trump’s pre-recorded speech to the UNGA’s 75th session reflected his foreign policy postures calling America a peacemaker for brokering Israel’s normalization of ties with Arab states. He accused China of being an aggressor and for being responsible for spreading the coronavirus. The UN, he said “Must hold China accountable for their actions.”[1] President Trump also attacked Iran in his speech, calling it a sponsor of terror.
