Jaishankar to Address UN General Assembly on September 26

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to address the annual high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 26, according to the revised provisional list of speakers released on Friday.

The 81st session of the UN General Assembly will begin on September 8, with world leaders scheduled to address the 193-member body during the General Debate from September 22 to 28.

Jaishankar is scheduled to speak during the afternoon session on September 26. He had also addressed the General Debate from the UN podium last year.

Brazil will traditionally open the General Debate on September 22, followed by the United States. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, who was elected in June, will preside over the year-long 81st session of the General Assembly.

US President Donald Trump is also scheduled to address the General Debate on September 22. It will be his second address to the UN General Assembly during his current term in the White House.

The high-level General Assembly session is considered the busiest diplomatic period at UN Headquarters, bringing together leaders and senior officials from across the world.

This year’s session comes against the backdrop of continuing geopolitical conflicts, including the prolonged US-Israel war against Iran and its wider impact on countries in the Global South and least developed nations. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have also contributed to concerns over rising food and fuel costs.

Key meetings during UNGA session

Several high-level meetings are scheduled during the session, including one marking the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development and another focused on climate action and a just transition.

Other meetings will address the existential threats posed by rising sea levels, pandemic prevention and preparedness, and the promotion of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

The heads of government of Bangladesh and Nepal are scheduled to address the General Debate on September 24, followed by Pakistan on September 25.

Last UNGA session for Antonio Guterres

The 81st General Assembly session will also be the final high-level session for current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. His second five-year term as head of the world body ends in December.

The process of selecting his successor is already underway, with attention focused on whether the United Nations will elect a woman as its next secretary-general for the first time in its eight-decade history.