“It is important that we understand the issues of concern to Member States not only at the global level, but also regionally, noting the differences in priority and emphasis,” said Joachim Harris, Chief of the Digital and Promotion team in the UN’s Department of Global Communications.
His team data crunched all speeches made at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in late September from the 178 world leaders and ministers who laid out what matters most to them.
Capturing the results, his team began with a global analysis then moved across geographical regions.
Here’s what they found:
Africa
Among African world leaders, climate and development featured prominently, as did security. But, the continent itself was the most mentioned topic, according to AI-generated findings.
Asia and the Pacific
Cooperation and multilateralism were common themes among Members States from Asia and the Pacific and across all regions, reflecting a shared commitment to collaborate on global challenges. Calls for reform were also heard, highlighting the desire to continue efforts to improve the effectiveness of international institutions.
Latin American and the Caribbean
Climate was the most mentioned topic by Member States from Latin America and the Caribbean, with the issues of development and peace also featuring prominently in their statements.
Eastern Europe
While globally, climate was the leading issue mentioned most frequently, the war in Ukraine was the most mentioned topic by Member States from Eastern Europe, while Karabakh also featured, a reflection of the upheaval in that region.
Western Europe and other Member States
World leaders from Western Europe and other Member States focused primarily on climate and peace concerns. Human rights, AI, and the war in Ukraine also featured prominently.