UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Charter and the United Nations itself represent a collective promise for a better future world, said Philemon Yang, president of the outgoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), on Tuesday.

UN member states made that clear at the General Assembly meeting to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter in June, said Yang at the closing of the 79th UNGA session. "Let us prove that multilateralism can deliver faster, and smarter, for everyone, everywhere."

Yang said the 79th session took place in a context marked by growing uncertainty, witnessing an intensification of conflicts in Gaza, Haiti, Myanmar, Sudan, Ukraine, and many other regions.

In addition, the world is witnessing inequality and injustice, which erode the trust in our institutions, a climate crisis, whose consequences are hitting hardest those least responsible for it, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are drifting dangerously off course, he said.

To address these global challenges, the UNGA entrusted important mandates at its 79th session, said Yang, adding that over the past year, the General Assembly conducted work in each of the three pillars of the United Nations.

In the area of peace and security, the UNGA held meetings devoted to the most pressing conflicts around the world, and its actions for peace were perhaps most visible in the call for an end to the suffering in Gaza, he said.

The second pillar -- defending human rights -- took on a new urgency this year, marked by worrying setbacks, said the UNGA president, adding that addressing the third pillar, sustainable development, the General Assembly focused on essential tools to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.

In his remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the 79th session took place during a profoundly tumultuous moment for the human family, including conflicts, divisions, inequalities, poverty, injustices, displacement, hunger and another year of record-breaking heat.

"Together, this Assembly faced these challenges and worked to discuss, debate and develop common solutions to address them," Guterres said, commending the work performed by the outgoing president, whom he considered to have presided over the General Assembly with wisdom, vision and skill, while working to forge multilateral solutions and providing a powerful voice for Africa.

The founders of the United Nations in 1945 recognized a fundamental fact -- the strength of the United Nations depended on the commitment of countries to look beyond solely national interests -- and to consider instead what we could achieve by standing as one, said the UN chief.

"So as we mark our 80th anniversary, let's carry this spirit forward, and ensure we continue rebuilding trust and delivering results and peace for all people, everywhere," Guterres said.

At the closing of the 79th UNGA session, Annalena Baerbock was sworn in as president of the 80th session, which will open Tuesday afternoon. ■