UN General Assembly President Csaba Korosi said in an interview with UN News that the world is suffering mightily from a lack of trust and he will use opportunities and science-based evidence to find solutions to build trust among nations.

"We are in a very dire situation [regarding the need to build trust]. And we must acknowledge that the UN is a mirror of the general (state of) the world. But the UN has always had another feature. It has shown solutions. It (has) shown opportunities," said Korosi.

Noting the General Assembly's role as a global forum for dialogue, Korosi said opportunities exist to build trust among nations in the iconic Assembly Hall.

With this in mind, Korosi plans to regularly host "fireside chats" among UN diplomats where they can have open and informal consultations on difficult issues. "I think it can build a bit of trust," he said.

Mentioning the theme for the UN body's 77th session – Solutions through Solidarity, Sustainability and Science – Korosi highlighted the role of science in the body's decision shaping.

"Member states are struggling with declining trust (and) division. Our task is to find solutions based on evidence; solid evidence that can help us move forward. Science can provide science-based evidence," he said.

"We are not asking scientists to tell us what to do. We are asking scientists to show us the options and to show us what might be the consequences of our actions or inaction. Science should be invited as a 'supporter,' but ultimate political decision-making remains with the member states."