From September 2011 to September 2012, Ambassador Nasser Abdulaziz Al-Nasser of Qatar presided over the 66th session of the "world's parliament" - the United Nations General Assembly. It was a critical moment in international affairs as the UN responded to a range of global challenges, from the world financial crisis to the Arab Spring. In A Year at the Helm of the General Assembly, Al-Nasser presents a high-level look inside the organization, assessing its strengths and weaknesses, its successes and struggles. He recounts dramatic moments, such as replacing the Libyan delegation, and a tireless schedule of overseas travel, including joint visits with the Secretary-General to Libya and Somalia. His work takes him from major international summits such as the Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Rio+20) to the European Parliament, which he was the first General Assembly President to address, to academic institutions from Oxford to Moscow to Morocco. Al-Nasser structures the book as he did his 66th session, around four main themes or "pillars: " mediation, UN reform, natural disaster prevention and response, and sustainable development.He offers a wide range of recommendations to intergovernmental institutions, to states, to the public sector, and to individuals. Al-Nasser was determined to leave behind a General Assembly that the people of the world could look up to and depend on. This volume is a testament to all that he accomplished in that regard, and a unique resource for those interested in knowing more about the world's most representative body at a crucial moment in history.

Natural and human-made disasters are increasing around the world. Hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, and resultant famine, floods, and armed conflicts are constant reminders of the frailty of our human race. Global warming may cause whole island states to be submerged as the oceans rise. In the past these acute and recurring crises have been met by the international community responding to UN and media appeals. The economic collapse of nations is now a reality; some of those most affected had been traditional, generous donors to disaster relief operations. It is unlikely-probably impossible-that they will be able to continue to contribute overseas when their own domestic needs are unmet.
A recent New York Times front page report suggested that one of the few domestic issues to have bipartisan support was to cut the foreign aid budget. This book analyzes the global economic forecast and the United Nations pattern of philanthropy, provides a case study of how one nation with a tradition of giving will cope in the face of a marked reduction in flexible funds, and then provides thoughtful chapters on new approaches to disaster preparedness and disaster response. Among the contributors are the Director of UNESCO, the UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Assistance, the Secretary General's Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, and fresh suggestions from three well-known global entrepreneurs.
All royalties from this book go to the training of humanitarian workers.