Closing remarks by Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the General Assembly: 105th plenary meeting.
‘Unequal, challenging and ground-breaking’
In a heartfelt speech before closing the 75th Assembly’s final meeting, outgoing President Bozkir noted that his tenure took place amidst a “tumultuous, historic, transformative, unequal, challenging and ground-breaking year”.
“From the earliest moments of my Presidency, we knew that COVID-19 would dominate our agenda. However, I can now say that it has reinforced our belief in a more effective and more responsive UN”, he said.
Before stepping down, Mr. Bozkir made a series of recommendations that ranged from strengthening the Assembly to realigning “a serious mismatch in the way this Organization treats its employees and the world’s highest political office”.
He also suggested a shift from focusing on procedures “at the cost of substance” to a “more streamlined, priority driven agenda” and to prioritize the UN as a single entity of respect, integrity and progress.
Before bringing down the gavel for the last time, he called for a moment of silent prayer or meditation.
