By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Justice Abdulai, a private legal practitioner and lecturer at the UPSA Law School, has expressed strong reservations about the relevance of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), describing it as a “talk shop” for world leaders.
Speaking on GBC’s Current Agenda on Saturday, September 27, 2025, Abdulai said the annual UNGA sessions often serve more as platforms for political showmanship rather than delivering meaningful solutions to global challenges.
“If I have to be honest, I have not been an follower of the UN General Assembly for obvious reasons. It comes across as just a talk shop for world leaders to showcase themselves on the world stage. Nothing useful really comes out of it,” he stated.
He further argued that key global decisions that should benefit vulnerable nations are often overshadowed by geopolitical interests. According to him, powerful countries—especially the United States—have used the Assembly as a “political tool” rather than as a space for genuine international cooperation.
Citing examples, Justice Abdulai referenced cases where some countries and leaders, including the Palestinian leadership, have been denied visas to attend the Assembly, describing the practice as undermining the very principles on which the UN was established.
“The UN was created to safeguard all of us, but it has instead become an instrument for certain countries to achieve political objectives. That is not its purpose,” he said.
Justice Abdulai concluded that until the UNGA refocuses on its mandate of protecting and supporting all member states equally, it risks continuing as a symbolic event with little real-world impact.
