Many world leaders are expected to make an appearance and speak at the event, including US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jingping. Close to 100 state leaders will be present in New York, although delegations are still relatively small due to the ongoing pandemic.
Prime Minister Xavier Bettel will speak for Luxembourg in New York, while Minister Asselborn has already met with his EU counterparts to discuss pertinent issues ahead of the General Assembly, including the recent submarine contract between the US and Australia, the pandemic, as well as Afghanistan.
In an interview with RTL on Tuesday morning, Minister Asselborn conveyed that EU officials are concerned over the squabbles that the Union is engaged in, most notably in the eyes of Russia and China. We now have to wait what the expected conversation between presidents Macron and Biden will bring, the LSAP politician concluded.
When asked about Afghanistan, Minister Asselborn explained that 17 members of the new Taliban government currently have EU sanctions against them. It is therefore impossible to recognise the administration, also because not a single woman has been appointed.
Minister Asselborn also noted that it becomes ever more evident that the Taliban will not recognise fundamental human rights, which is why humanitarian missions in the country are now more important than ever. According to estimates made by the Red Cross, more than five million Afghans face a hunger crisis already.
Ahead of the first official session, UN Secretary-General António Guterres pleaded that industrialised countries reinforce their efforts to combat climate change. The US, China, and India should set an example instead of waiting for others to follow suit.
