New York: The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was officially opened on Tuesday by Philemon Yang, the newly appointed president from Cameroon. In his inaugural address, Yang underscored the urgent need for global cooperation to tackle pressing challenges such as climate change, ongoing conflicts, poverty, and hunger.

Yang highlighted the devastation caused by armed violence in regions such as Sudan, Haiti, Ukraine, and Gaza, and the lingering impact of poverty and hunger worldwide. He stressed that international cooperation remains the most effective way to address these borderless issues, drawing inspiration from the UN Charter.

“We must harness our collective resources and ingenuity to achieve humanity’s greatest aspirations—peace, justice, and sustainable development,” Yang stated.

Key priorities of his tenure include promoting unity in diversity, advancing peace, sustainable development, gender equality, and human dignity. Yang also reiterated the need to reform the UN Security Council and revitalize the General Assembly, while preparing for the upcoming Social Summit 2025.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres echoed Yang’s sentiments, calling the General Assembly "the place where solutions are made" for today's global challenges, including revitalizing the Sustainable Development Goals, addressing political divides, and mitigating the climate crisis.

Yang was sworn in during the closing of the 78th session of the UNGA, taking the helm at a time of heightened global tensions and complex crises.