The role of the President of the General Assembly has changed in the last decades from a largely ceremonial position into one of critical import towards guiding and executing the will of the General Assembly. However, the resources designated to the office, by the GA itself, have failed to keep up with its new role, leading the structural failures.

In this 11-page article, written by well-known Danish diplomat Ambassador Tomas Anker Christensen, who served as the Chef de Cabinet of the Office of the President of the General Assembly during the 70th and 71st sessions, discusses the history of the office, the political shifts and specific mandates which have led to its increase responsibilities, the current funding and functional issues within the Office, and potential solutions to the issues.