Inside UNGA 2026: Key Dates, Global Leaders, and the Agenda for New York

Nearly 130 heads of state and government are set to take the podium at the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York as the high-level general debate opens. The debate serves as the key event of the UNGA session, which commenced on September 8 under the leadership of Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh as president.

When is UNGA 2026?
The debate opens on Tuesday, September 22, running through Saturday, September 26, and resuming on Monday, September 28, with no sessions scheduled for Sunday. Daily sessions take place from 9am to 2:45pm local time and from 3pm to 9pm. Speakers are expected to follow a voluntary 15-minute limit, and meetings will continue until every scheduled speaker has addressed the assembly.

Who is speaking at UNGA 2026, and when?
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will open the session by introducing his annual report and delivering what is expected to be his final address. UNGA President Khalilur Rahman will then formally open the debate. Following tradition, Brazil will speak first, a practice established in 1955. The United States, acting as the host country, typically speaks second, with President Donald Trump anticipated to take the podium on Tuesday morning. Speaking orders for other member states are determined by representation level, preferences, and geographic balance, with the Holy See (Vatican City), the State of Palestine, and the European Union also participating.

Where is the UNGA held?
The UNGA takes place at the UN headquarters along the East River in Manhattan, New York. While early sessions were held in cities like London and Paris, nearly all sessions since 1952 have been hosted at the New York complex. Notably, the US has denied visas to Palestinian officials for the second consecutive year, leading President Mahmoud Abbas to address the UNGA via prerecorded video.

What is on the UNGA 2026 agenda?
The 81st UNGA centers on the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all”. Scheduled high-level meetings will address climate action, the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, sea level rise, pandemic preparedness, the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration against racism, and the elimination of nuclear weapons. Additional focus areas include conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, artificial intelligence, and the race to succeed Antonio Guterres.

Who will be the next UN chief?
With Antonio Guterres's second and final term concluding on December 31, the UN Security Council (UNSC) is conducting straw polls to recommend a successor. Seven candidates remain in the running: Rebeca Grynspan, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Ivonne Baki, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Rafael Grossi, Macky Sall, and Olara Otunnu, following the recent withdrawal of Michelle Bachelet.