Action Time Is Now!

Curtains have finally dropped on the 72nd UN Ordinary General Assembly in New York, USA and attention is now focused on how well proposed solutions to problems that have almost held the world captive would be undertaken. As diverse as were the challenges that rallied over a hundred Heads of State and Government to the UN headquarters, so too were the ideas on how well they could journey out of the quagmires to guarantee a decent living for the population.
In effect, all and sundry sought several ways of materialising the theme of the just-ended session, “Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for all on a Sustainable Planet.” A noble assignment indeed on the path of the founding fathers of United Nations, who over 70 years ago from the ashes of war and division, fashioned the UN on underpinning values of peace, dialogue and international cooperation.
If speeches and declarations made during the over a week of deliberations in New York are anything to rely on, then one could confidently say that world leaders, from the biggest to the smallest countries, are conscious that the future of humanity and planet lies in their hands. Resolving to build a better future for all people, including the millions who have been denied the privilege to lead decent, dignified and rewarding lives, as has been the case in the 72nd UN Ordinary General Assembly, is certainly heart-soothing. Ending escalating poverty as well as saving the planet are no-nonsense challenges world leaders must surmount, else the globe crumbles under their heavy weights. God forbid!
Like the UN Secretary General rightly put, “we have mapped the road to sustainable development, it will be for all of us to ensure that the journey is successful and its gains irreversible,” world leaders absolutely need to move from the talk of New York to real action. The length and depth of the world crises today are such that no time should be wasted in acting.  Delaying solutions to the risk of nuclear conflict, international terrorism, unresolved conflicts and violation of international humanitarian law, rising inequality, cyber criminality, refugee crisis, sustainable development and climate change will be synonymous to jeopardizing the future of today and future generations.
Success requires breaking away from the past that has at best been lukewarm. Numerous declarations and resolutions hitherto taken, the various United Nations development decades likewise the plan of action and other agendas adopted by the United Nations...