UNGA speeches spotlight Colombia no-show, Bolivia defiance and Taiwan backing

Speeches by Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas drew the spotlight at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, even though the Palestinian leader was not present after the United States denied him a visa. But the day also brought a series of other developments as leaders from around the world took the podium.

From Colombia's president skipping his debut address to Bolivia's president striking a defiant note, the speeches reflected domestic pressures as well as global concerns. Ghana's president appeared to respond to Donald Trump's remark about "annihilating" Iran, Paraguay renewed its backing for Taiwan, and even the temperature inside the UN building became a talking point.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella chose not to address the gathering in person, even though it was his first chance to do so since taking office last month. During his campaign, he had promised to avoid foreign trips so he could focus on Colombia's internal problems, especially urban crime and violence linked to illegal armed groups. Vice President Jose Manuel Restrepo spoke in his place and said he was delivering the president's own words.

The speech opened by praising Colombia's resilience after a powerful earthquake killed at least 289 people last month. On security and economic growth, the message was that the government was trying to change the course of "a country that is well aware of its difficulties but also of its enormous potential". "Believe in Colombia," De la Espriella said through Restrepo. "I don't promise you a perfect country, but I assure you that I am working tirelessly to build a nation that is safer, more prosperous and with more opportunities for its people."

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz Pereira, just 10 months into office, used his speech to push back against turmoil at home. His presidency has been hit by political ruptures, corruption scandals and street protests, while contaminated petrol damaged more than 10,000 vehicles and fuel shortages sparked anger. He also faced an almost eight-week siege of the seat of government by protesters demanding his resignation.

Even so, Paz said the economy was improving, fuel shortages were being managed and people were looking ahead. Socialism "does not put food on the table", he said, adding that Bolivia, by electing him, "decided to engage in a change and a transformation and to not turn back to the past". He ended with one of the sharpest lines of the day: "Long live the fatherland, damn it! Long live Bolivia."

Ghana President John Dramani Mahama appeared to refer to Trump's speech on Tuesday, in which the US president suggested he might "annihilate" Iran. "No human civilisation deserves to be annihilated, and certainly not a member of the United Nations," Mahama said. He also pointed to recognition of a resolution on the crimes of the transatlantic slave trade and thanked the 123 nations that voted for it.

Mahama said, "No race is superior. No nation is inferior. No child's life is worth less because of the language they speak, the faith they profess, the colour of their skin or the land of their birth." He added, "This is the unyielding moral foundation upon which the United Nations must stand."

Inside the UN headquarters complex, the weather indoors also became a subject of discussion. After the secretary-general had kept temperatures warmer during the summer as a cost-saving step, complaints emerged on Thursday that the press briefing room felt freezing during a press conference on global education. One correspondent went to get a shawl, others zipped up their jackets, and many left with cold hands. UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq laughed and said of the room, "It's whatever the weather is like outside – and more."

Paraguayan President Santiago Pea used his speech to speak about tensions in the Indo-Pacific and restate his country's support for Taiwan. "Paraguay stands, and I say this loud and clear, with Taiwan," he said. Paraguay is the only South American country to recognise Taiwan and one of 12 worldwide. Pea said tensions in the region matter globally because Taiwan is central to microchip manufacturing. "What happens there is not merely a regional matter ... It affects Japan, all of East and Southeast Asia, and, above all, it affects the global economy," he said. "Anyone who pretends that this is far away or too distant simply has not understood the 21st century."

As the General Assembly continued on Thursday, the day's speeches and side moments captured a wide range of concerns, from domestic political troubles and global conflict to historical justice, strategic alliances and the small discomforts of diplomacy.

With PTI Inputs

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