new york –
US President Joe Biden reflected on the motivations behind his decision to step back from politics and sent a message to world leaders gathered at a time of increasing division and geopolitical instability.
“Leaders, let us never forget that there are more important things than staying in power,” Biden said Tuesday at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“What matters most is your people,” he said in his final address to the General Assembly.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looked on as Biden stressed the importance of multilateralism, a common theme in Trudeau’s speeches in recent years.
When Biden took office nearly four years ago, he promised to restore American leadership on the world stage, and he spoke of a vision of the world working together to solve its problems.
But near the end of his speech, Biden urged leaders to remember who they serve.
“We must never forget that we are here to serve the people, not the other way around,” he said.
Biden withdrew from the US presidential race in July amid growing concerns about his intellectual ability and ability to win re-election following his disastrous debate defeat against former Republican President Donald Trump.
Vice President Kamala Harris has emerged as the top Democratic candidate ahead of a fierce battle for the White House in November.
Trump has often complained about the United States retreating from its role on the global stage, but Biden, speaking at an annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, said that was the wrong approach.
On Tuesday, Trudeau’s final day at the UN, he is scheduled to attend a high-level meeting on innovating for a sustainable future and combating extremism, and also meet privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trudeau is also due to hold desk talks with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley ahead of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday.
The prime minister is due to return to Canada on Wednesday, when his government will face its first test in the House of Commons since the New Democrats ended their confidence pact with the Liberal Party. Conservative Leader Pierre Poirievre introduced a motion of no confidence in the government in the House of Commons on Tuesday morning.
MPs can vote remotely, but they must be in Canada to do so, meaning Trudeau would need to return to Canada in time for the vote.
Both the New Democrats and the Bloc Quebecois have indicated they plan to vote against the Conservative motion that would prevent the collapse of Trudeau’s government.
Potential attendees wait for tickets to go on sale as they arrive outside CBS Studios for the filming of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” in New York, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Trudeau addressed the vote of confidence during an interview on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Monday night, where he acknowledged that discontent is growing and people are struggling to pay for groceries, rent and gas.
“People want change sometimes, but the reality is, my belief is to continue to fight climate change, to continue to invest in people, to continue to be there to support people. And I’m going to keep fighting,” he told Colbert on his CBS show.
In a wide-ranging speech, President Biden called on countries to continue helping to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression.
“We cannot grow weary. We cannot look away,” Biden said.
Zelenskiy is due to address a special session of the UN Security Council on Tuesday about Russia’s aggression there, and he is due to address the UN General Assembly again the following morning.
Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council and has been heavily criticized for its aggression against Ukraine in violation of the UN Charter.
While Zelenskiy played a central role at the UN last year, the Middle East conflict has also been a major topic at the annual meeting this year.
“All-out war is in nobody’s interest,” Biden said.
Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, is due to address world leaders on Tuesday afternoon, while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are due to speak on Thursday.
The prime minister arrived in New York on Sunday to address the Future Summit, where he said leaders could choose to either turn a blind eye to reality or come together to face global challenges.
Trudeau called on world leaders to come together and adopt the Future Pact, a 42-page blueprint for addressing a wide range of global challenges in the 21st century.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly will deliver a Canadian national statement during the UN General Assembly. The speech will highlight “Canada’s commitment to advancing multilateral cooperation, human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” according to a news release from her office.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.
