Where do all 193 Member States meet to discuss world issues?

The 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) opened at the UN Headquarters in New York City, the first in-person format since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. World leaders and civil society representatives will meet until Sept. 27 to discuss critical global issues.

Opening on Tuesday, Sept. 13, New York City closed a number of streets last weekend due to increased traffic as heads of state and government officials from 193 Member States deliberate in the General Assembly Hall in Midtown Manhattan and prepare for high-level meetings.  

The convening’s theme, “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges,” recognizes the critical moment in world history due to complex and interconnected crises including the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, unprecedented humanitarian challenges, climate change, and growing concerns about the global economy. Jy’Mir Starks, a junior legal communications major and B.A.-J.D. candidate at Howard University, believes climate change should be a primary concern for world leaders.

“The top priority should be the ongoing climate destruction we have endured that has led to drought and flooding. The abnormal climate has disrupted social habits and practices and increased the death toll,” Starks said. 

Key occurrences during the annual two-week multinational conference include the formal transition of the new President of the General Assembly (PGA), as Hungary’s Csaba Kőrösi will succeed the Maldives’ Abdulla Shahid, the highly anticipated Transforming Education Summit, and the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Declaration Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. 

South Asian nations are expected to focus on the climate crisis during their engagement with world leaders. Pakistan’s recent catastrophic flooding and the global response will likely dominate discussions at the UNGA. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited Pakistan in early September and has made amplified appeals for support. 

The UNGA meetings are significant to India, which continues to seek a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The international non-governmental organization, Human Rights Watch (HRW), believes world leaders should commit to ensuring accountability for human rights violations by the Chinese and Russian governments and other major offenders.

African leaders, members of the African Union, and the three African UN Security Council members – Ghana, Gabon, and Kenya – are expected to face pressure to support the Security Council adding the ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia to its formal agenda. 

Leaders from the European Union (EU)  have declared their focus to uphold the UN Charter and the rule of law. EU nations have cited a number of priorities, including addressing the global ramifications of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, supporting access to quality education, promoting sustainable development and human rights, fighting climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, and shaping the global digital agenda and strengthening global health security. 

Esperance Bwenyi, who received her master’s in international economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and bachelor’s in political science from Texas Christian University, believes illicit financial flows should be a priority during the convening.

“Whether countries directly plunder resources or create a safe haven- the illegal capital flows is a crisis. As our leaders discuss Ukraine, climate change, supply chain challenges, and displacement, it is equally important to address who and what is illegally profiting from these disruptions,” she said. 

Blake Spencer, a junior nursing major from Flint, MI, believes the UN can do more to improve social, economic, and political conditions. 

“The United Nations is a functional part of our global capitalist society and has proven they have conflicted interests and issues of proper governance multiple times. Young people need to be aware and understand the decisions made by the UN,” Spencer said.

This week’s schedule for the UNGA can be found here. 

Copy edited by Nhandi Long-Shipman

Every September, world leaders convene at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the opening of the next session of the UN General Assembly to discuss the most pressing global challenges and ways to address them.

Some refer to the week as “UNGA week” because many people love a good acronym. If you have ever wondered what the General Assembly is and why it is important, here is a short Q&A to inform and prepare you as the 71st session of the UN General Assembly begins today.

Q. What is the UN General Assembly?

 A. Through the Charter of the United Nations, the UN General Assembly (or sometimes referred to as UNGA) was created in 1945 as the forum for multilateral coordination. It is the arm of the UN dedicated to discussion and policymaking. The General Assembly meets from September to December each year, and as needed following the New Year.

Q. Who participates?

A. Everyone has a voice at the UN General Assembly – that’s part of what makes it so important and special. All 193 Member States of the UN are part of the General Assembly and have a vote on business such as budgeting, new members, and resolutions for peace and security. A General Assembly president is elected each year. For 2016 – the 71st session – it is Peter Thomson of Fiji.

 Q. Why is it important?

 A. If we think back to why the UN was created in 1945, which was to create a safer and healthier world for all in the aftermath of World War II, we can appreciate the importance of bringing nations together to prevent another world war, promote peace, and create a better world for everyone.

Today, 71 years since its creation, in an era of complex global challenges, the UN General Assembly continues to be a vital venue for multilateral dialogue and cooperation. It plays a significant role in establishing international law and making recommendations on how to address global issues.

Many people often say that if the UN didn’t exist, we would have to invent it.

Q. What will happen at the opening of this year’s General Assembly?

 A. The opening if the General Assembly provides a unique opportunity to convene leaders from every sector across the world to discuss today’s toughest problems – from the refugee crisis to climate change to antimicrobial resistance – and how to solve them. The next session of the General Assembly starts on September 13 and high-level general debate, when many Heads of State and Government come to the UN and speak, begins on September 20.

To learn about nine key issues at the top of the agenda this year, read this blog from UN Foundation Senior Vice President Susan Myers.

In addition to the meetings that happen within the walls of the UN, company leaders, journalists, advocates, and the general public come together at a number of side events in New York to advance solutions to some of our most pressing global problems.

Q. How can I get involved?

A. There are many ways to get involved during the General Assembly if you’re in New York or anywhere around the world. The UN livestreams most of the sessions on UN TV, which you can watch from the comfort of your desk or couch. Also, there are many interactive side events including the Social Good Summit on September 18 and 19, and the Global Citizen Festival on September 24.

For more information about the UN General Assembly, visit: http://www.un.org/en/ga/about/index.shtml.

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