UN: behind the scenes of an Extraordinary General Assembly

The headquarters of the United Nations Organization (UN) in New York, September 9, 2020. Daniel SLIM / AFP

By: Carrie Nooten Follow

2 min

It is usually the most anticipated week on the diplomatic agenda: all leaders who can flock to New York in mid-September for the UN General Assembly.

The opportunity to make their views heard, and to negotiate between two corridors more effectively and discreetly.

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Many delegations gathered around the Head of State, given the attraction of the Big Apple for shopping and shows.

The New York police are on their toes, and they shut down the neighborhood loudly.

And if you fall into a traffic jam caused by the visit of the American president, you are wasted your day.

None of that this year.

New York took a very long time to come out of its torpor, and the United Nations has measured how unreasonable it is to send diplomats from 193 countries in the midst of the pandemic.

As she celebrates her 75th birthday this year, the corridors of the organization are almost deserted… and the meeting rooms are almost all virtual.

UN, behind the scenes of an Extraordinary General Assembly, this is a Grand Report by Carrie Nooten.

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