UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The outgoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) has succeeded in spotlighting critical global issues, including the urgency of restoring respect for international humanitarian law, said UNGA President Philemon Yang.

In a written interview with Xinhua, the UNGA president said that while the past year has brought significant challenges -- from trade tensions and environmental disasters to persistent threats to global peace and security -- the 79th session of the UNGA demonstrated a clear commitment to advancing the UN's three foundational pillars: peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development.

The Summit of the Future, held at the opening of the session, marked a renewed commitment to multilateralism through the adoption of the Pact for the Future, Yang said, adding that following its adoption, UN member states actively engaged throughout the session in discussions to support its implementation, with a particular focus on mobilizing efforts at the national level.

The observance of the 80th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter also served as a powerful reminder of the enduring need for global cooperation. For a generation scarred by the Great Depression, two world wars and the Holocaust, the UN Charter was a bold commitment to dialogue, diplomacy and cooperation, according to the UNGA.

"This session has succeeded in spotlighting critical global issues: the urgency of restoring respect for international humanitarian law; for even war has rules and they must be respected," Yang said.

The 79th UNGA session was also successful in launching a Second International Decade for People of African Descent to fill the remaining gaps and address the challenges that still face people of African descent, and in reclaiming the continued importance of peacekeeping and highlighting the need to commit to it through the funding of African Union-led peace operations, he said.

In addition, with the adoption of the Sevilla Commitment, the General Assembly also came together to strongly support the need for effective financing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, said the UNGA president.

"And lastly, I would underline the historic step taken by the General Assembly in establishing new mechanisms for advancing artificial intelligence -- an Independent International Scientific Panel and a Global Dialogue on AI Governance," Yang said. "These mechanisms position the UN as the most representative and inclusive body to shape the future of this groundbreaking technology." ■