Leaders from all over the world convene at the UN in New York every September to debate and pass resolutions on the most pressing issues facing humanity.
Every year, on the second Tuesday in September, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) takes place. The new president took office on September 9th, the agenda was adopted, and organizational work started. Delegates have organized committees, met, and prepared for the high-level debate in the days that followed.
The key event where world leaders address speeches before the UNGA takes place on September 23 is the high-level General Debate. The UN website posts the audio of each speech, which is recorded. Although many speeches last longer than 15 minutes, they are expected to stick to a voluntary 15-minute limit.
The debate takes place twice daily, with one morning session starting at 9 am and two at 2 p.m., which are both free from noon until 2 p.m., respectively, followed by a brief lunch break. In the afternoon session, 3 p.m. to p.m. (01:00 GMT) will be held at 3 p.m. Meetings continue until all scheduled speakers are present, though.
At the UNGA, who will speak?
At the UNGA, more than 150 heads of state and government will take the podium. The UNGA president, who is currently Annalena Baerbock, a former German foreign minister, has called the session to order.
Brazil is the first country to speak, a custom that began in 1955 when it offered to start the debate. The host nation is typically the United States, second. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is scheduled to address on his country’s behalf, has been tense with US President Donald Trump, who will follow him in the moment. Trump has accused Lula’s administration of political vindictiveness against former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who was found guilty last week of plotting a coup after losing the 2023 election to Lula.
The speaking order for all other member states is based on the level of government (minister, head of state, minister), expressed preferences, and geographic balance.
Additionally, representatives from the Holy See (Vatican City), the State of Palestine, and the European Union are invited to speak at their respective speaking locations.
Since there are no sessions on Sunday, the debate continues through Saturday, September 27 and resumes on Monday, September 29.
Sessions are livestreamed on the UN’s official channels, and the daily schedule is posted on the UN website. The graphic below shows the speakers for day one.
Where is UNGA held?
The UNGA is held in Manhattan’s East River District, New York City, at the UN’s main headquarters.
The UN owns the complex, which was constructed between 1949 and 1952, and it is regarded as international territory. It serves as the main focal point for international diplomacy.
The campus consists of:
- The Secretariat is the main center for administrative tasks at the UN.
- The hall’s capacity for 1,800 people is the General Assembly.
- The Security Council (UNSC), Trusteeship Council, and Economic and Social Council are all located in the Conference Building.
- Dag Hammarskjold Library: Dedicated to the second secretary-general of the UN (1941-1996)
- features member state artwork and sculptures in North Lawn.
A south annex building and a parking garage building were both constructed in the 1980s to accommodate the UN’s expanding staff and operations.
New York has not always hosted the UNGA. Beginning in London and then adding Paris, the first six UNGA sessions took place in various cities. Nearly all UN sessions have been held at the UN headquarters in New York since 1952, though.
After the US denied Yasser Arafat a visa, the UNGA met in Geneva, Switzerland in 1988, with some notable exceptions.
Palestinian representatives will participate virtually this year because they were once again denied a visa by the US.
The Trump administration’s decision has drawn widespread criticism, with the UN claiming that it violates the Host Country Agreement, which requires US presidents to grant them full diplomatic immunity when visiting New York for annual meetings and other diplomatic events.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNGA took place in almost for the first time in 2020.
What is planned for this year?
The 80th UNGA will be titled “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights.”
Along with other major issues, Palestine’s participation this year is a top priority along with climate change, artificial intelligence, global food crises, and conflicts around the world.
At a high-level summit co-convened by France and Saudi Arabia on Monday, France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco all announced their support for Palestinian statehood. At the meeting took representatives from Australia, Canada, Portugal, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, which had earlier formally recognized Palestine.
157 of the 193 UN member states, which make up 81 percent of the global community, now recognize the State of Palestine as a sovereign nation.
These actions are in line with a growing international trend toward recognizing Palestinian statehood, even as US-specific efforts to grant it full UN membership are blocked, in particular because the US has a long history of vetoing international law resolutions that criticize Israel.
Which country joined the UN when?
Following World War II, the UN expanded from 51 members in 1945 to 193 today, with two non-member observers: Palestine and the Holy See (Vatican City).
Many critics claim that the UN’s goals are increasingly failing to fulfill: preventing future conflicts, promoting international peace and security, encouraging cooperation among nations, protecting human rights, and supporting social and economic development worldwide.
Use the table below to find out when each nation formally acceded to the UN.
How does a nation become a member of the UN?
A nation can participate in UN decisions, abide by the UN Charter, and have access to UN programs and support.
The UNGA mandates that one nation cast one vote for the delegations that are elected from each of the member states.
Other countries’ diplomatic recognition does not equate to UN membership.
A nation must follow the steps below to become a full member of the UN:
- The nation informs the UN Secretary-General that it agrees to the Charter and will carry out its obligations.
- The application is reviewed by the UNSC, which includes 10 non-permanent members (rotated every two years) and five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US). No permanent member is required to veto any of the at least nine affirmative votes required for admission.
- The UNGA must approve an admission recommendation with a two-thirds vote.
Once approved, the nation becomes a full member of the UN, gaining all rights and wider recognition. Its flag is displayed next to the UN’s main entrance, and it has full access to all UN activities, including voting in the UNGA.
How the US abused its veto to prevent Palestine from joining the UN in full.
The UNGA changed Palestine’s status from an observer state to one without a member state in 2012.
Since Palestine is no longer a full UN member, it can still attend meetings and speak in debates. As a result, it cannot vote on resolutions.
UNGA resolution with widespread support, which would have granted Palestine full UN membership, was blocked on April 18, 2024, despite widespread international support.
The US has vetoed UNSC objections against Israel at least 50 times since joining the UN. Because of its constant use, measures aimed at addressing Israeli military actions, settlements, or the occupation of Palestinian territory have frequently been blocked.
Source: Aljazeera
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