Event Recap & Video: Dennis Francis, President of the UN General Assembly

Event Recap: H.E Dennis Francis, President of the UN General Assembly

On December 5th, SIPA had the honor of hosting His Excellency Dennis Francis, President of the UN General Assembly for a talk on "Rebuilding Trust and Reigniting Global Solidarity" in conversation with Professor Daniel Naujoks, director of SIPA's International Organization and UN Studies specialization. If you missed the event, you can watch the recording here.

In front of 150 faculty and students in the room, as well as 100 online participants, Francis emphasized that "It is true that there is a deficit of trust, particularly among the general public in the United Nations. But it is not quite accurate to suggest that governments mistrust or lack trust in the UN. In fact, the evidence suggests quite the opposite." On the other hand, Francis spoke of the existing mistrust among UN member states, which has reshaped global geopolitics. Beyond military and economic power, he highlighted the importance of "prestige as power," noting the increasing competition for influence in today's multipolar world, particularly with the emergence of new powers in Asia and Latin America. He described the current global environment as challenging but stressed the importance of compromise in negotiations, emphasizing the incentive for participating rather than abstaining from international cooperation. Francis also shared that effective multilateral collaboration sometimes requires taking diplomats out of the formal negotiation formats at the UN and encouraging informal discussions between state representatives which can create trust and better relationships.

Addressing the public's lack of trust in the UN, Francis acknowledged the damage to the Security Council's reputation in conflicts such as Ukraine and Gaza. However, he clarified that when the Security Council fails, it doesn't equate to the UN's failure as a whole. He stressed the importance of the General Assembly, which he described as a world parliament, and its focus on development, human rights, addressing violence against women and girls, and climate change.

In response to Professor Naujoks' question about the UN General Assembly's role in promoting peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability, Francis spoke of the modern complexities of conflict, including engagements through social media in instances like Ukraine and Gaza. Stressing the necessity of cultivating peace for the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he addressed a frequent criticism of the UN's role as a mere 'talk shop.' He countered such critiques by reaffirming the importance of the UN as a talk shop: "while you are talking, you are not on the battlefield".

Francis concluded by emphasizing the inseparability of peace and prosperity, highlighting the unsustainability of a world with a vast wealth gap. He urged for collective efforts to work towards peace and justice, emphasizing that it is morally and ethically imperative to treat everyone as equal for a stable global society.

After the main public talk, Francis met with 25 of our students in a small group setting. In conversation with students, he advised the next generation of leaders on the importance of education, threats of misinformation and social media, youth empowerment, violence against women, as well as the role of the Caribbean on the international stage - as the President hails from Trinidad and Tobago.

You can watch the event recording here.