At the UN, American nationalism goes against calls for multilateralism

On the first day of the United Nations General Assembly, American President Donald Trump developed his usual nationalist argument on Tuesday September 22, remaining deaf to calls for multilateralism defended in particular by the head of the United Nations and French President Emmanuel Macron.

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Contrary to the American isolationism expressed during this annual high mass in New York, the tenant of the Élysée called to “stand straight alongside the United Nations”, saying he feared a “return of the law of the jungle”.

Before him, the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres – whose mandate ends in December – had also called for respect for the principles of international law, pleading in particular for cooperation between world leaders on artificial intelligence.

Mired in his conflict with Tehran, very unpopular with the Americans, Donald Trump has both threatened to “annihilate” Iran if necessary and considered finding an agreement with this country “just after” the November legislative elections in the United States, which promise to be difficult for his Republican Party.

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Unusually, the US president followed his teleprompter. And it is in a relatively measured tone that the champion of “America first” opposed any “globalized project” to regulate artificial intelligence, going against the grain of certain leaders in the sector who have been sounding the alarm for several weeks.

“Long live the UN”, says Emmanuel Macron

For his last speech as president at the UN, the French head of state delivered a vibrant plea in favor of the institution, guardian of a “civilized international society”.

He also paid tribute to the outgoing 77-year-old Secretary General, ending his speech with a warmly applauded “long live the UN”.

An agreement signed on Greenland

Immediately after his speech from the podium, Donald Trump participated in the signing with Denmark of an agreement on Greenland putting an end to a major crisis with the Europeans, after having threatened to purely and simply attach this autonomous Danish territory to the United States.

Also readDonald Trump signs agreement with Denmark and Greenland after months of tensions

The text provides for the United States to build two new military bases in the south and east of the territory. It also recognizes the sovereignty of Copenhagen and the right of the Greenlanders to self-determination. A “formidable (…) agreement for everyone”, according to Donald Trump.

New call to regulate AI

The UN chief particularly addressed the nations “that have the greatest AI capabilities”, that is to say China and the United States, asking them to “establish channels of dialogue, transparency, trust and cooperation”.

Emmanuel Macron urged all states “attached to their independence” to develop alternative AI in order to depend on neither the United States nor China.

Also readArtificial intelligence: the United States offers a dialogue “mechanism” to China

Even if Donald Trump is resistant to international supervision, his Minister of Finance proposed to China on Sunday the establishment of a notification mechanism between the two countries in the event of an incident.

Palestine in people’s minds

Referring to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, Antonio Guterres estimated that “the violence, population displacements and the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank” by Israel “raised the specter of ethnic cleansing”.

“We cannot let the two-state solution disappear before our eyes,” he insisted, as this prospect seems to be receding.

Emmanuel Macron spoke of “a spectacle that shames us” when speaking of the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged leaders meeting in New York to “immediately” begin the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, destroyed by the war waged by Israel in response to the Hamas attacks of October 7.

Brazilian President Lula on campaign

The Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, took advantage of the platform to issue warnings, faced with fears of foreign interference in the electoral campaign which pits him against far-right candidate Flavio Bolsonaro, close to the Trumpist sphere.

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“We have a modern and solid electoral system, under the watchful eye of a pluralistic society and a free press,” he stressed, vowing to prevent “enemies of democracy, whether domestic or foreign, from undermining the popular will.”

Cuba’s anger

In New York, the Cuban government reacted strongly to statements by Donald Trump assuring that the “communist regime” would “fall”, without saying when or how.

Also readCuba: United States sanctions President Diaz-Canel and members of the Castro family

“The United States government is incapable of accepting that Cuba is, and has the right to be, a fully independent and sovereign country,” denounced on X the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodriguez, who heads the Cuban delegation in New York.

With AFP