UN debate highlights multilateralism as only way to address global challenges

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- World leaders ended on late Wednesday their first day of the annual debate of the UN General Assembly in New York, putting global challenges in spotlight while stressing the importance of addressing them through multilateralism.

UN General Assembly President Ali Abdelsalam Triki hosts the general debate at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2009. The 64th session of the UN General Assembly kicked off its general debate on Wednesday.  (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

In remarks opening the seven-day event, both UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly President Ali Treki stressed that the world's most pressing challenges can only be solved when countries unite through the United Nations, the most legitimate forum for ensuring concerted global action.

"If ever there were a time to act in a spirit of renewed multilateralism -- a moment to create a United Nations of genuine collective action -- it is now," Ban stated.

Treki told world leaders "multilateralism is the way forward to address global, common-shared problems and it is also the only way to ensure effective and collective action."

Similar proclamations or endorsements were obvious in speeches delivered by many leaders throughout the day.