UN General Assembly opens today: Guterres to deliver his final address
The 81st session of the United Nations' 193-member General Assembly opens in New York under the theme "Better Together," with a high-level week running Sept. 22-28 expected to draw more than 150 heads of state and government.
RastinewsThe 81st session of the General Assembly, which brings together world leaders and foreign ministers each year at UN headquarters in New York, opens today. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2026, will preside over the opening for the last time.
Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman will preside over the General Assembly. Following a tradition dating back to 1955, Brazil will speak first after the president, followed by the United States as host nation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will speak fourth on the opening day, marking his 16th address to the General Assembly.
Main theme: "Better Together"
This year's General Assembly convenes under the theme "Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights." More than 150 heads of state and government are expected to attend, along with numerous vice presidents, deputy prime ministers and senior officials. The agenda includes strengthening the multilateral system, rising geopolitical competition, climate change, artificial intelligence and nuclear disarmament.
Leaders are expected to address conflicts and crises around the world, both from the podium and in bilateral meetings. Topics likely to come up include the ongoing situation in Gaza, strikes on Iran and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Russia-Ukraine war, the Cyprus issue, the conflict in Sudan, and humanitarian crises in Myanmar and Haiti.
Dispute over Netanyahu's arrest
One issue looming over the General Assembly is whether the International Criminal Court's 2024 arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be enforced. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has argued that Netanyahu should be arrested under the ICC warrant, though he said he lacks independent legal authority to do so and that the step would have to come from the federal government. The U.S. administration has said Netanyahu will not be arrested. Visa requests from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials were rejected once again.
Guterres's last General Assembly
For Guterres, whose term ends at year's end, this session marks his final General Assembly address. He is expected to call for strengthening multilateral cooperation and reaffirming commitment to the core principles of the UN Charter. The new UN Secretary-General is due to take office on Jan. 1, 2027; the selection process is still underway.