The 81st session of the UN General Assembly formally opened on 8 September 2026, with Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman sworn in as Assembly president. But the main event — the high-level General Debate — began Tuesday, 22 September, under the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.” Nearly 130 heads of state and government gathered in New York for the debate, held in the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters, with sessions running from 9am to 2:45pm and 3pm to 9pm local time across the week.
Secretary-General António Guterres opened proceedings with a sobering address, warning that global fault lines are widening and insisting that “the power of law must prevail over the law of power.” He pointed to wars, rising temperatures, and artificial intelligence as evidence the world is drifting toward fragmentation rather than cooperation. The message carried extra weight given Guterres leaves office at the end of this year (31 December 2026), with the race to succeed him — via UN Security Council straw polls, still ongoing — already underway in the background of high-level week.
Trump’s Address Dominates the Day
By tradition, Brazil opened the debate (a custom since 1955), followed by the United States as host nation — a lineup that ensured President Trump spoke early. Trump used the speech to defend America’s use of military force against Iran, Venezuela, and elsewhere. On Iran specifically, seven months into the US-Iran war, he framed a stark choice: strike a deal, or “annihilate the Islamic Republic” entirely — adding he did not expect an agreement before the US midterm elections. He also rejected international efforts to regulate AI, calling any “globalist scheme to control” it unacceptable, and, per CNN, described the International Court of Justice as “evil.” Separately, Trump signed an Arctic security agreement with Denmark and Greenland on the sidelines.
Other major speeches offered contrasting notes. French President Emmanuel Macron, delivering his final UNGA address as president, said France would continue to support the International Court of Justice — a direct counterpoint to Trump. New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, in his first UN speech since taking office in July 2026, pledged that Britain would lead efforts to develop global AI standards, calling AI “the key to economic growth.” European Council President António Costa is due to address the Assembly on behalf of the EU on Thursday, 25 September.
Beyond the podium, the day’s undercurrents were unmistakable: the US-Iran war was driving up oil prices globally, Ukraine continued holding off a Russian invasion, and the Gaza war’s aftermath weighed heavily on discussions. Underscoring the anxiety around AI raised repeatedly from the podium, the UN Security Council added a dedicated meeting on artificial intelligence to its agenda for Wednesday, 23 September.
Day one also saw multilateral diplomacy outside the main hall. On Monday, 21 September, Costa joined Canada and Kenya in convening the “Partners for Multilateralism” summit — a coalition including Australia, Barbados, Brazil, and India — aimed at reinforcing international law and cooperation amid rising great-power tension.
Looking ahead: the General Debate continues through Saturday, 26 September, pauses Sunday, and resumes for a final day on Monday, 28 September. Scheduled side meetings include : Right to Development anniversary (23 Sept), sea-level rise (24 Sept), pandemic preparedness (25 Sept), Durban Declaration anniversary (28 Sept), and nuclear disarmament (29 Sept). The selection of the next Secretary-General remains unresolved.
