The first day of the 81st UN General Assembly General Debate exposed sharp divisions over war, artificial intelligence, migration and Africa's place in global decision-making.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, from Cape Town, called for an immediate halt to escalating armed conflicts, describing the ongoing war as 'madness' that is costing innocent lives unnecessarily.

Ramaphosa told journalists on the sidelines of the Africa Energy Indaba. 

The European Union Commission has announced the bloc's intention to suspend financial aid to Israel over its war in Gaza.

The Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement during the State of the Union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday.

The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, has called for an urgent Summit for Peace and Against War in the wake of recent developments in the Middle East.

Maduro says the summit should be held as soon as possible in light of the growing danger of a conflict that could trigger a global nuclear war.

Egypt has hailed Namibia's position in Israel's war on Gaza, which calls for an end to attacks and for Israel to refrain from engaging in provocative acts against the Palestinian people.

President Hage Geingob has called on the UN Security Council to act swiftly and ensure that resolutions regarding the rights of the people of Palestine to live in peace are respected and for them to determine their own future.