Every September, the United Nations General Assembly brings politicians from around the world to Manhattan to discuss key issues on a global scale, from education and the environment to trade and globalization.
The General Assembly, one of the six main branches of the UN, kicked off Tuesday and runs through Oct 5. But the part of the General Assembly that most New Yorkers are familiar with — the General Debate, when many world leaders come to town — begins Sept. 25.
This year marks the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly and the General Debate’s theme is “Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.”
Scroll down to learn more about the UN General Assembly and this year’s General Debate.
A brief summary of the UN General Assembly
The General Assembly was created under the United Nations charter in 1945. The assembly’s 193 members, each representing one country, are considered the chief deliberators and policymakers for the United Nations. It is the only UN body that has equal representation from every member nation and often has a hand in the codification of international laws.
Where and when the General Assembly takes place
The General Assembly will convene at UN headquarters, 405 E. 42nd St. in Manhattan, every weekday from Sept. 18 to Oct. 5.
The General Debate runs from Sept. 25 through Oct 5. Per rules, it should last nine days, but the debate’s goals can typically be accomplished in a shorter amount of time. There are two sessions per day, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., though end times are flexible depending on how closely speakers stick to their time allotment.
What will be discussed at this year’s General Debate
Among other events, there will be a high-level meeting on Sept. 24 related to global peace in honor of what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday; a meeting to discuss the fight against tuberculosis will be held on Sept. 26; and on Sept. 27, the UN will host a one-day review of the progress made on preventing and controlling noncommunicable diseases.
Will President Donald Trump attend?
While the General Assembly began on Tuesday, the president isn’t expected to appear at the summit until next week, when the General Debate begins. Trump will also preside over the United Nations Security Council, which is convening at the same time. The role of chairman of the UN Security Council rotates, and the last time a U.S. president was in charge of the meeting was in 2014.
General Debate speakers
There are dozens of speakers from member nations scheduled on each day of the General Debate, including representatives from the U.S., Mexico, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Each speaker is generally given about 15 minutes to deliver their statement. Brazil has been the first member nation to speak at the General Debate since 1955, a tradition mainly because it had historically always offered to speak first while other member nations were reluctant to start the dialogue. The United States is always second since it is the host country, and the speaking order from the third slot forward is decided based on myriad criteria, including preference, level of representation and geographic balance.
NYC traffic due to the General Assembly
Aside from the politics, the General Assembly has gained a reputation in the city for the traffic it causes. With so many notable world leaders in the same place at the same time, security on the East Side of Manhattan near the UN building is beefed up and the NYPD regularly closes streets for short periods of time throughout the day while presidents, prime ministers and other dignitaries are ferried back and forth between where they’re staying and UN headquarters. For a list of street closures, click here.
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