Robert Mugabe in New York, US despite being on US travel sanctions

PRESIDENT Mugabe arrived in New York in the United State of America on Saturday to attend the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Session starts tomorrow with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon calling on world leaders to unite in the face of the myriad of devastating crises to uphold human dignity, rule of law and principles of the UN Charter.

World leaders gather at a troubled time for the UN that analysts say risks going the way of its predecessor, the League of Nations, that twice failed to save the world from the scourge of war.

Then it was the sabre-rattling Germany, but today it is the nation that plays host to the UN, the United States that is war-mongering all over the world.

Mr Ban expressed hope that world leaders will be able to tackle the horrendous violence in Syria and Iraq, where conflict and governance failures spawned by US expansionism have provided a breeding ground for extremism.

The Palestinians once again cry for justice in the wake of "yet another needless and devastating war" in Gaza, Israelis and Palestinians seem more polarised than ever.

International consensus, Mr Ban said, was critical to address the challenges posed in an increasingly complex world.

He said world leaders must act against serious threats to global and regional peace and security including in Ukraine, Libya, Mali, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. In Nigeria, the advances of Boko Haram grow more alarming every day.

Mr Sam Kahamba Kutesa, Uganda's foreign minister who was elected president of the 69th UNGA in June, envisioned a momentous year for the world body as he saw a historic opportunity to formulate a post-2015 development agenda that is transformative, brings tangible results in fighting poverty, and leads to improving lives of all people.

"We will commemorate the 70th anniversary of its founding, the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking Beijing Conference, 15 years since the adoption of the Millennium Declaration and 10 years since the World Summit of 2005," Mr Kutesa was quoted as saying.

President Mugabe, who is accompanied by First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe, Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi; Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere and several senior Government officials, was welcomed at JFK International Airport by Ambassador to the UN Frederick Shava, Ambassador to Namibia Ms Rofina Chikava, wife to Ambassador to the UN Mrs Shava and defence attache Air Commodore Simon Nyowani and embassy staff.

The 193-member's grand debate runs from Wednesday September 24 through Wednesday, October 1, under the theme, "Delivering on and implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda."

The Heads of State and Government will take turns at the podium to deliberate the world's most pressing issues.

Three high-level thematic debates and one high-level event will be convened during this session, according to the UNGA president.

"The main objective of the debates and event is to provide an opportunity for member states and all relevant stakeholders to have in-depth deliberations on the selected topics, in an interactive and participatory manner, with a view to making contributions to the process of formulating the post-2015 development agenda," the UNGA president said.

One of the thematic debates Mr Kutesa has planned for the session will focus on implementing the new development agenda and on how to mobilise resources. And the second debate, to be held in March 2015, will focus on "advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in the post-2015 development agenda."