UN General Assembly 2026: Dates, speakers, and key sessions

The 2026 United Nations General Assembly general debate opens Tuesday, September 22, in New York, with nearly 130 heads of state and government expected to address the 193-member body. The debate runs through September 26 and resumes September 28, with daily sessions from 9am to 9pm local time. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opens the session with his final annual address, followed by UNGA President Khalilur Rahman. Brazil speaks first by tradition, with US President Donald Trump expected second. The Holy See, Palestine, and the European Union are also invited, though Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will address by prerecorded video due to US visa denials. The 81st UNGA theme is "Restoring trust, managing transformation," with high-level meetings on climate, sea level rise, and nuclear weapons. The race to succeed Guterres continues, with seven candidates remaining after Michelle Bachelet withdrew, and no appointment expected this week.