UN chief calls for unity on opening of 69th General Assembly

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday said the 69th session of the UN General Assembly (GA) opened as the world was confronted with an " unprecedented level of crisis" and called for unity among members to overcome it.

"Member states should show their unity," he told reporters at a press conference just before the formal GA opening. "We are living in an unprecedented level of crisis and trouble on top of all these regional conflicts which are mostly, I think, man made."

"We have a lot of natural calamities and diseases, like Ebola," Ban said. "This is really a time when the GA and all intergovernmental bodies and the Security Council should be united. "

"Often member states bring their national perspectives to the Security Council or the GA," he said. "The good point, and purpose, of this organization is that when they bring their national perspectives and experiences and visions, after deliberations -- whether these have been smooth -- they all should come out with a global vision for international peace and security."

"We should always work for unity and the common good of the international community," the UN chief said. "That's what the charter of the UN demands of us and that's what people are demanding us to do."

GA President Sam Kahamba Kutesa also echoed Ban's remarks Tuesday.

At a press conference, Kutesa was asked about unilateralism versus multilateralism in the face of current crises, particularly involving the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

"I am delighted to see there is an attempt by the actors trying to build coalitions, rather than acting unilaterally. And, I've heard that (U.S. President Barack) Obama has said he wants to seek a Security Council resolution to be able to forge this coalition in the Middle East against ISIS," he said.

"Unilateralism has always caused problems, but when you act with the United Nations and bargain with the international community we have always seen a greater success," Kutesa said. "We should be able to return to this and forge forward and bring it about in this session" of the GA.