Streets around the UN headquarters in Midtown Manhattan will be cordoned off, roadblocks erected and security increased and tightened, as world leaders gather to take the pulse of the planet during a week of high-level events and come together to tackle global challenges to deal with.
The 78th session of the UNGA will start on September 6 and will be followed by a series of important meetings and summits on September 18, not forgetting of course the General Debate, where each Member State will have a global platform to focus on issues of international interest.
This is what you should pay attention to at UNGA 78:
1. Take the pulse of the world
President of the 78th United Nations General Assembly Dennis Francis, of Trinidad and Tobago, will open the annual General Debate on September 19, where world leaders will discuss accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the theme Restoring trust and rekindling global solidarity.
All UN member states and observers have the right to address the legendary General Assembly Hall and through September 25, their representatives will present and explore solutions to numerous intertwined global challenges to promote peace, security and sustainable development .
A practice established in 1955 at the 10th UNGA continues today, with Brazil taking the stage first, followed by the United States, as host of the UN Headquarters, and the entire UN membership.
Watch live or visit our UN Meetings Coverage, where colleagues prepare daily summaries in English and French.
2. Sustainable Development Goals – The SDG Summit
As the centerpiece of the UNGA 78 high-level week, the SDG Summit will be the central platform for Heads of State and Government to provide political leadership in implementing the 2030 Agenda, the far-reaching global action plan aimed at achieving the 17 SDGs .
Kicking off the high-level week from September 18 to 19, the SDG Summit aims to mark the beginning of a new era of progress towards the goals, slowed and culminating in the adoption of a forward-looking political declaration.
The 2030 Agenda is a promise, not a guarantee. Halfway through (the agenda was launched in 2015), that promise is in grave danger. Development progress faces the combined impacts of climate disasters, conflict, economic downturn and lingering impacts of COVID-19.
“The September SDG Summit must be a moment of unity to provide renewed impetus and accelerated action towards achieving the SDGs,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said.
The two-day event will serve as a rallying cry to reignite the momentum. It also aims to provide high-level political guidance, map progress and emerging challenges and mobilize further action towards the 2030 finish line.
Read more about the SDG Summit here.
3. Climate justice, the movers and doers
On September 20, world leaders will try to put words into action at the Climate Ambition Summit. The event is a political milestone in delivering on the message to tackle the worsening climate crisis and will focus on three acceleration tracks: ambition, credibility and implementation.
The big problem: how can the world best transition from emissions-producing fossil fuels to green, clean energy?
The UN Secretary General’s ‘to do’ lists identify concrete actions needed from government, business and financial leaders, from his Climate Action Acceleration Agenda to a guide to five crucial actions the world must take to accelerate the shift to renewable energy.
“Now must be the time for ambition and action,” the UN chief has said. “I look forward to welcoming pioneers and doers to my Climate Ambition Summit. The world is watching and the planet can’t wait.”
Read more about the Climate Ambition Summit here.
4. Shaping a brighter post-pandemic world
World leaders will consider the best path ahead, from preparing for future pandemics to building sustainable economies, with the overarching goal of improving the health of people and the planet.
Safer world: The UNGA President and the World Health Organization (WHO) will convene a meeting on pandemic preparedness for heads of state and government on 20. Leaders are expected to adopt a declaration aimed at mobilizing political will at national, regional and international levels. Read more here.
Health for everyone: A meeting on universal healthcare on September 21, lessons learned from COVID-19 will be discussed alongside evidence-based recommendations to accelerate progress toward healthcare for all by 2030. Read more here.
Have the conversation: Also on 20 September, a high-level dialogue on development finance aims to provide political leadership and guidance on the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda 2015, a UN framework for mobilizing resources to achieve the SDGs. It also expects to identify progress and emerging challenges, as well as ways to achieve further successes. Read more here.
Tackling the TB epidemic: A high-level meeting on the fight against tuberculosis will take place on September 21 with the main objective of carrying out a review of progress in the context of achieving the goals set out in the 2018 Political Declaration and in the SDGs. Read more here.
5. Get ready for the summit of the future
During a ministerial meeting on September 21, delegates will lay the foundation for the September 2024 Summit of the Future.
The UN Secretary General wants this event to build a new global consensus on preparing the world for a future full of risks but also opportunities.
Ministers will discuss how the multilateral system can address emerging global risks and challenges and present concrete, ambitious proposals to strengthen and transform the global system.
Member States are expected to agree on an action-oriented “pact for the future”.
Read more about the preparatory meeting here.