US President Barack Obama has told world leaders that the US cannot solve the most pressing global problems alone.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, he urged the nations present to shoulder more responsibility for confronting the challenges.
'If we are honest with ourselves, we need to admit that we are not living up to that responsibility,' Mr Obama said in his debut before the UN General Assembly.
'We must embrace a new era of engagement.'
Mr Obama took the stage widely credited with vast improvement in the tone of US foreign policy after eight years under George W Bush, but with few tangible accomplishments to show for it on major issues.
The session will also be addressed by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
His speech is expected to be closely monitored by the five Security Council members and Germany as the international community seeks ways to engage Iran in talks on its nuclear programme.
The meeting sees the world's top diplomats grapple for resolutions to some of today's most pressing issues, from global warming to the proliferation of nuclear arms and the financial crisis.
Libya's President Muammar Gaddafi will also step up to the UN podium for the first time in his four-decade rule, in addition to the other heads of state and government who will address the 64th session over the coming days.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen will attend today's opening session before returning to Dublin later in the day to deal with issues on the domestic front.
Yesterday evening in New York, Mr Cowen briefed a number of US-Irish business people on the outcome of the Global Irish Economic Forum, which took place at Farmleigh last weekend.
He told them the forum had been an outstanding success.
