By the Advisory Council of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA)
The Advisory Council of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area shares the following reflections in advance of President Biden’s address to the UN General Assembly. We fully support the U.S. government’s priorities focused on resolving large-scale conflicts, addressing the humanitarian crises, and building effective, inclusive institutions.
Human rights are the backbone of the UN, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide an essential roadmap for advancing a more prosperous, just, inclusive, and sustainable world.
As the President prepares his final speech as President to UNGA, we appreciate his deep expertise and engagement with these issues. We also recognize that he faces the challenge of balancing domestic political realities, particularly the upcoming elections, with the need to convey key messages that resonate with local and global audiences. With these considerations in mind, we offer our insights on key points President Biden should address:
- Personal Engagement: Tap into the President’s personal voice, long experience, and belief in fundamental values that have shaped his distinguished career.
- Build a Stronger and more Effective UN: In a world grappling with the destructive effects of climate change, global threats to health, persistent poverty, inequality and food security, and rising conflicts, we must help build a stronger and more effective UN—one that is more inclusive, engages women as decision-makers, less transactional, and more focused on collaborative achievements.
- Multilateralism’s Importance: Emphasize the importance of the UN and multilateralism for both domestic and global audiences, conveying a conviction that this is central to U.S. values and policies.
- U.S. Leadership: Reinforce the principles of the UN Charter and illustrate how the U.S. can lead by example in a world facing multiple crises. Highlight the U.S. role in shaping some of the UN’s notable successes through partnerships, emphasizing that only through multilateral institutions can we effectively address the climate crisis and ongoing conflicts. It is crucial to ensure that we do no harm while strengthening these global institutions and striving to live up to our ideals.
- Commitment to the SDGs: Affirm the U.S. commitment to report on progress on the SDGs, both at home and abroad. Emphasize the relevance of the SDGs in creating more prosperous and inclusive nations and recognize that localization must shape our approach to development.
- Collaboration with the UN: Assert that it is in America’s interest to work collaboratively to solve global challenges and engage with the UN, even amidst fluctuations between different U.S. administrations. The U.S. remains focused on empowering all people to have a voice in shaping their futures.
- Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding: Highlight that strengthening conflict prevention and peacebuilding tools is essential in a world filled with conflict.
- Humanitarian Assistance: Address the rising hunger crisis due to conflicts, particularly the famine in Sudan, and acknowledge the overstretched humanitarian system, which is forced to engage in triage among complex emergencies. Reiterate the U.S. commitment as a signal and the largest humanitarian donor, providing both tangible and political support to UN agencies and their partners, and express support and gratitude to those who assist displaced populations.
- Climate Change: Stress the importance of addressing the climate crisis, as mitigation and adaption efforts are the only way to decrease conflict, reduce emigration, and limit its harm, particularly for women and children.
- Language on Gaza: Incorporate language used by Vice President Harris regarding Gaza, including calls for a ceasefire, the return of hostages, and end to civilian casualties, care for harmed families and children, and adherence to international humanitarian law.
- Countering Authoritarianism: Recognize that the rise of authoritarianism, particularly from China and Russia, poses a threat to us all. Authoritarian approaches to multilateralism undermine the basic tenets of international peace and security, and we believe that only through democracy, human rights and good governance can countries achieve sustainable, locally owned results.
- Summit of the Future: View the UN Summit of the Future as an important starting point for discussions on re-energizing and modernizing the UN system, making it more inclusive, accessible, credible, and fit for the challenges of our time.
Yours sincerely,
Sam Worthington, Chair, UNA-NCA Advisory Council; former InterAction
Gayatri Patel, co-Chair, UNA-NCA Advisory Council; Malala Fund
Anne Simmons-Benton, Board Chair, UNA-NCA
Paula Boland, President, UNA-NCA
Dan Baker, Accenture
Dr. Esther Brimmer
Judith Edstrom, former World Bank
A.Edward Elmendorf, former World Bank
Andrew Hyde, The Stimson Center
Anne Howard-Tristani, Tristani Consulting
Hardin Lang, Refugees International
Asma Lateef, SDG2 Advocacy Hub
Alexandria Maloney, Black Professionals in International Affairs
Katherine Marshall, Georgetown University, former World Bank
Stephen F. Moseley, UNA-NCA Past Board Chair
Mary Oakes Smith, American University of Iraq, former World Bank
Ted Piccone, The Brookings Institution
Tony Pipa, The Brookings Institution
Richard Ponzio, The Stimson Center
Yvonne Rivers, Phoebe Marketing
*Organizations listed solely for affiliation purposes
