The 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) will open on Tuesday, 10 September 2024. The first day of the high-level General Debate will be Tuesday, 24 September 2024, continue through Saturday, 28 September, and conclude on Monday, 30 September 2024.
Provisional Schedule
– Opening of the 79th session: 10 September 2024
– General debate: from Tuesday, 24 September, to Saturday, 28 September, and on Monday, 30 September 2024
– Summit of the Future: Sunday, 22 September, and Monday, 23 September 2024
– High-level plenary meeting on addressing the existential threats posed by sea level rise: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
– High-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: Thursday, 26 September 2024
– High-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance: Thursday, 26 September 2024
The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly marks a crucial milestone in the global effort to accelerate progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The highly anticipated Summit of the Future, held during UNGA, underscores the urgent need for enhanced international cooperation to address pressing challenges such as climate change, poverty and inequality, while also tackling the impacts of ongoing conflicts and global health crises. The UN Department of Global Communications will hold its flagship SDG Media Zone during the high-level week 23-27 September, with impactful in-depth interviews and dialogues on global issues that matter to people everywhere.
22-23 September: Summit of the Future
Heads of State and Government will gather at UN Headquarters in New York on 22-23 September 2024 to address the critical challenges and gaps in global governance exposed by recent global shocks. This Summit aims to reaffirm commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Charter while enhancing cooperation and laying the foundations for a reinvigorated multilateral system. The Summit will result in a negotiated Pact for the Future, an action-oriented document aimed to bolster global cooperation and adapt to current challenges effectively for the benefit of all and for future generations. In addition, the Secretary-General of the United Nations is convening the Summit of the Future Action Days on 20 and 21 September 2024 to generate additional opportunities for the engagement of all actors.
24-28 September, 30 September: General Debate
World leaders will gather to engage in the annual high-level General Debate under the theme, “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations”. Heads of State and Government and ministers will explore solutions to intertwined global challenges to advance peace, security, and sustainable development.
25 September: High-level plenary meeting on addressing the existential threats posed by sea level rise
The High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise will convene global leaders, experts, and stakeholders to address the urgent and escalating threat of rising sea levels. This meeting will focus on building common understanding, mobilizing political leadership, and promoting multisectoral and multi-stakeholder collaboration and international cooperation towards the objective of “addressing the threats posed by sea-level rise”. Participants will work towards developing comprehensive solutions and actionable commitments to combat sea-level rise, ensuring a resilient and sustainable future including for small island developing states and low-lying coastal areas.
26 September: High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
The High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) presents an opportunity for countries and stakeholders to renew efforts and accelerate progress in combating the growing threat of AMR. This meeting will serve as the foundation for executing policies and ensuring accountability for strengthening health systems against AMR. Building on the momentum of previous declarations and commitments, participants will focus on enhancing international cooperation, promoting the responsible use of antimicrobials, and advancing the development of new treatments to safeguard global health.
26 September: High-level Meeting: International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
Achieving global nuclear disarmament is the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations. It was the subject of the General Assembly’s first resolution in 1946, which established the Atomic Energy Commission (dissolved in 1952), with a mandate to make specific proposals for the control of nuclear energy and the elimination of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction. This annual High-level plenary meeting commemorates and promotes the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
Theme
The theme for the general debate of the 79th session of the General Assembly is “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations”.
The theme and additional information about the general debate can be found in “Arrangements for the high-level meetings and the general debate of the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly United Nations Headquarters, 22 to 30 September 2024: Information note for delegations”
Issues
The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will address a range of issues, including:
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The 79th session is a key milestone in the global effort to accelerate progress towards the 17 SDGs.
Summit of the Future
This first-of-its-kind summit will bring together leaders, advocates, and activists to determine how to better meet the needs of current and future generations. The summit will take place on September 22 and 23, 2024.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
The UNGA will include high-level meetings on AMR to enhance international cooperation, promote responsible use of antimicrobials, and develop new treatments.
Sea-level rise
The UNGA will include high-level meetings on the global threat of sea-level rise.
Water and food nexus
The Special Rapporteur on the rights to safe drinking water and sanitation will present a thematic report on “Water and food nexus: a human rights approach to water management in food systems”.
General debate
The theme for the general debate is “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations”.
Some speakers at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) include:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
India‘s “Head of Government” is scheduled to address the UNGA 79 on September 26, 2024.
Jamila Ibrahim
Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development is scheduled to speak at the UNGA 79.
Bosun Tijani
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy is scheduled to speak at the UNGA 79.
Ambassador Philemon Yang
The President-elect of the UNGA 79 is a seasoned diplomat who served as Prime Minister and Head of Government from 2009 to 2019.
The high-level general debate of the UNGA 79 is scheduled to take place from September 24–30, 2024.
President
– The UN General Assembly elected Philemon Yang, former Prime Minister of Cameroon, as president for its 79th session which gets underway in September.
– President-elect Yang has served as the chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Africans of the African Union. This Panel is responsible for examining candidacies for important positions within the African Union, such as those of African Union Commissioners.
– Yang was chairperson of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
– The 79th session of the General Assembly will convene on September 10, with the body’s high-level general debate starting on September 24, 2024.
UN General Assembly (UNGA)
– The General Assembly is the UN’s most representative body, comprising all 193 Member States.
– Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly is the main policy-making organ of the Organisation.
– It provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter.
– It also plays a central role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law.
– The Assembly meets from September to December each year (main part), and thereafter, from January to September (resumed part), as required.
– In addition to its regular sessions, the Assembly may meet in special and emergency special sessions.
– Each of the 193 Member States in the Assembly has one vote. Votes taken on designated important issues – such as recommendations on peace and security, the election of Security Council and Economic and Social Council members, and budgetary questions – require a two-thirds majority of Member States, but other questions are decided by a simple majority.
Functions and powers of the
General Assembly:
According to the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly may:
– Consider and approve the United Nations budget and establish the financial assessments of Member States.
– Elect the non-permanent members of the Security Council and the members of other United Nations councils and organs and, on the recommendation of the Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General.
– Consider and make recommendations on the general principles of cooperation for maintaining international peace and security, including disarmament.
– Discuss any question relating to international peace and security and, except where a dispute or situation is currently being discussed by the Security Council, make recommendations on it.
– Discuss, with the same exception, and make recommendations on any questions within the scope of the Charter or affecting the powers and functions of any organ of the United Nations.
– Initiate studies and make recommendations to promote international political cooperation, the development and codification of international law, the realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and international collaboration in the economic, social, humanitarian, cultural, educational and health fields.
– Make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of any situation that might impair friendly relations among countries.
– Consider reports from the Security Council and other United Nations organs.
The role of UNGA president
– The General Assembly elects a president and 21 vice-presidents at least three months before the opening of the session over which they are to preside.
– The president and vice-presidents will assume their functions only at the beginning of the session for which they are elected and shall hold office until the close of that session.
– The vice-presidents are elected according to a pattern that ensures equitable geographical representation.
– The president shall declare the opening and closing of each plenary meeting of the session, direct the discussions in plenary meeting, ensure observance of rules of procedure, accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions. He/she shall rule on points of order and, subject to these rules, shall have complete control of the proceedings at any meeting and over the maintenance of order.
– The president may, in the course of the discussion of an item, propose to the General Assembly the limitation of the time to be allowed to speakers, the limitation of the number of times each representative may speak, the closure of the list of speakers or the closure of the debate.
– He/she may also propose the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting or the adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion.
– If the president finds it necessary to be absent during a meeting or any part thereof, he/she shall designate one of the vice-presidents to take his place. A vice-president acting as president shall have the same powers and duties as the president.