On 17 September 2007, the 61st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) formally ended with outgoing President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa handing over the gavel to President-elect Srgjan Kerim.

In her concluding remarks, Sheikha Haya commended Member States’ willingness to modernize the UN by, inter alia, finalizing the consultations that recommended concrete options to strengthen International Environmental Governance. She also noted that the consultations on System-wide Coherence had made some progress, emphasizing that Member States were less divided on substance than on the process itself. A few days earlier, Sheikha Haya had indicated in a letter to Member States that no agreement had been reached on the follow-up on the report entitled Recommendations contained in the Report of the High-level Panel on UN System-Wide Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance and the Environment: Report of the Secretary-General, proposing that UNGA adopt a decision ensuring that the consultations continue during its 62nd session. On 18 September 2007, Srgjan Kerim officially opened the 62nd session of UNGA, remarking that true revitalization of UNGA will only happen if all Member States jointly address five priority issues: climate change; financing for development; achieving the Millennium Development Goals; counter-terrorism; and renewing UN management, effectiveness and coherence.
Links to further information
UNGA President’s statement, 17 September 2007
UNGA President’s letter, 14 September 2007
UNGA Press release, 18 September 2007