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The 65th UN General Assembly will also focus on sustainable economic development and contentious debate on reforms of the global organisation’s systems.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was met at JF Kennedy International Airport by Ambassador to New York, Mr Chitsaka Chipaziwa and other embassy staff.
President Mugabe will join more than 100 other world leaders at the 65th Session of the General Assembly, which begins in earnest today.
He is accompanied by First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, ministers Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign Affairs), Olivia Muchena (Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development), Henry Madzorera (Health and Child Welfare) and Paurina Mpariwa (Labour and Social Services), and other senior Government officials.
The ministers’ portfolios are largely concerned with key result areas directly linked to attainment of the MDGs.
The Millennium Declaration of 2000, signed by 189 countries, saw signatories pledging to achieve the eight targets by 2015.
Experts say developing countries have largely placed attainment of the MDGs at the centre of their development agenda.
However, large numbers of donors have failed to honour their aid commitments while
Western nations are accused of focusing more on the US-led military-informed interventionist methods rather than on developmental approaches.
President Mugabe is expected to address the General Assembly — whose 65th Session is being presided over by Switzerland’s Joseph Deiss — later this week.
World leaders are also expected to review progress in reform of the UN and its structures.
President Mugabe has consistently called for changes to the UN system, with particular emphasis on the democratisation of the Security Council.
The West has often abused the Security Council to impose its will on Third World countries.
UN peacekeeping operations in Africa, the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe and the Middle East will also be under review with debate focusing on budgets and related issues.
The General Assembly will also assess how much progress has been made on resolutions passed at major UN conferences and summits over the past year.
After the session, President Mugabe is expected to travel south to Quito to receive an Honorary Doctorate in Civil Law from a university run by the Anglican Church of the Province of Ecuador.
Online Reporter