UN General Assembly opens 81st session in New York

The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly convenes today at UN Headquarters in New York. Opening proceedings will feature addresses by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the incoming session president, Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh, who will formally take the oath of office during the morning session.

The annual High-Level Week, slated for September 22–26 and September 28, will gather more than 100 heads of state and 46 heads of government alongside foreign ministers and diplomatic delegations for the General Debate. A series of bilateral and multilateral sideline summits are scheduled throughout the ministerial period.

A central institutional focus over the coming year will be the selection of the next UN Secretary-General, as António Guterres concludes his second term on December 31, 2026, after leading the global body since 2017.