Approximately 130 heads of state and government will convene in New York from September 22 to 28 to address pressing global issues and articulate their positions on matters spanning peace and security, climate action, public health, and sustainable development.
The general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly will take place from Tuesday, September 22, through Saturday, September 26, before resuming on Monday, September 28. This year’s proceedings will be guided by the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all.”
Key Issues on the Agenda
Alongside the General Debate, a series of high-level meetings will focus on specific global challenges throughout the week.
September 23: Development and Climate
A high-level meeting will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, originally adopted by the General Assembly in 1986. Participants will assess its ongoing role in advancing human dignity, equality, participation, and equitable access to economic resources.
On the same day, leaders from developed and developing nations, vulnerable states, and major energy producers and consumers will gather for an event focused on climate action and a just transition. Discussions will centre on accelerating the energy transition, strengthening energy security, advancing climate justice, and addressing the worsening climate crisis a decade after the Paris Agreement.
September 24: Sea-Level Rise
World leaders, experts, and other stakeholders will convene to confront the growing threat of rising sea levels. The discussions will aim to secure greater political commitment and international cooperation, with particular emphasis on small island developing states and low-lying coastal areas.
September 25: Pandemic Preparedness
A one-day high-level meeting will focus on preventing, preparing for, and responding to pandemics and other public health emergencies. Under the theme of a multilateral and intergenerational approach grounded in equity and solidarity, the meeting is expected to produce a political declaration agreed through consensus.
September 28: Racism and Racial Discrimination
The UN will observe the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted at the 2001 World Conference Against Racism. The meeting will focus on galvanising public support for its implementation and intensifying efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
September 29: Nuclear Disarmament
The high-level programme will continue on September 29 with a meeting dedicated to the UN’s long-standing objective of nuclear disarmament, first addressed in the organisation’s inaugural General Assembly resolution in 1946.
Beyond these meetings, additional high-level discussions will cover issues including peace and security, health, climate, and the governance of artificial intelligence.
