General Assembly Adopts Three Texts Covering Road Safety, International Days on Coffee, Wellness, as United States Opposes All

General Assembly Adopts Three Texts Covering Road Safety, International Days on Coffee, Wellness, as United States Opposes All

After hearing an address by the President of the Philippines, the General Assembly today adopted three draft resolutions concerning an upcoming high-level meeting on global road safety, as well as two international observances - all of which were opposed by the United States.

The first such text was the draft resolution titled "Scope, modalities, format and organization of the high-level meeting on improving global road safety" (document A/80/L.46), adopted by a recorded vote of 149 in favour to 1 against (United States), with no abstentions. The representatives of Argentina, Belarus, Türkiye, Russian Federation and the United States delivered explanations of vote.

By its terms, the Assembly decided that the high-level meeting will be held at UN Headquarters in New York on 20 and 21 July with an overall theme of "Scaling up and accelerating implementation of commitments to halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030". It will consist of a plenary debate and two multi-stakeholder panels, bookended by opening and closing segments, and will aim to adopt a concise, action-oriented progress declaration for adoption by the Assembly.

The Assembly also adopted the draft resolution titled "International Coffee Day" (document A/80/L.44), introduced by Brazil's representative, by a recorded vote of 150 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 1 abstention (Canada). The representatives of Mexico and the United States spoke in explanation of vote.

Through that text, the Assembly decided to designate 1 October as International Coffee Day and invited all relevant stakeholders to observe the Day through activities aimed at raising awareness of the importance of coffee and its economic, social and environmental impacts.

Finally, the Assembly adopted the draft resolution titled "International Wellness Day" (document A/80/L.45), introduced by the representative of Nepal, by a recorded vote of 143 in favour to 1 against (United States), with no abstentions. The representatives of Mexico, South Africa and the United States delivered explanations of vote.

By the text, the Assembly proclaimed 15 April as International Wellness Day, inviting all relevant stakeholders to observe the Day with a view to promoting awareness of the benefits of practising wellness.

In other business, the Assembly appointed Chile as a member of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People while taking note of Ecuador's decision to withdraw from the same.

And following a request from the representative of the United States for a secret ballot to appoint members of the Board of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, the Assembly decided to do so at a date to be announced.

President of the Philippines Addresses Assembly

Prior to today's action, the Assembly heard an address by President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.

Welcoming him to the Assembly, Courtenay Rattray, the Secretary-General's Chef de Cabinet, highlighted Filipinos' contributions to the United Nations as diplomats, peacekeepers, humanitarian workers and essential support staff. "The Philippines has supported UN peacekeeping for more than six decades, with women now comprising more than half of its deployed personnel," he noted. He pointed to the country's role as advocate for climate justice given its vulnerability to natural disasters. Global challenges demand "solidarity, principled leadership and a renewed commitment to multilateral solutions", he said.

Picking up that theme, President Marcos stressed that, "in this critical decade, the world needs the Security Council to not only reflect responsibility and power - it must also reflect perspective". Offering a voice from the Indo-Pacific - "the strategic centre of gravity of the twenty-first century" - he said the Philippines can speak for developing States, climate-vulnerable nations and middle-income countries. He spotlighted his country's contributions to UN peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, climate action, South-South cooperation and the rule of law. "When the UN demands, the Philippines responds," he declared.

He recalled that his country championed social issues at a time when doing so was unpopular and when gender equality was still a contentious issue. The Philippines also has a long-established open-door policy to refugees, and has consistently advocated for the rights of migrants, including seafarers. "Our contributions across the whole spectrum of UN work - since its inception - are borne out by history," he said, adding that the UN needs steady, committed, experienced hands amidst mounting challenges and uncertainty. "We humbly offer ours," he said, noting his country's candidacy to serve on the Security Council for 2027-28.