Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) during the high-level General Debate, which will be held from September 24 to 30. According to the provisional speakers’ list issued by the UN, Prime Minister Modi will participate in the General Debate on September 26. This will be his first UNGA address since becoming Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive time and his first UNGA address in three years.
Concerns of Western Countries and Bilateral Summit
This address comes at a time when some Western countries have expressed concerns about Prime Minister Modi’s bilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This meeting marked Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Schedule of the High-Level General Debate of the UNGA
As per the provisional speakers’ list, the “Head of Government” of India is scheduled to speak on the afternoon of September 26. It is important to note that this list is not final; the United Nations regularly updates the provisional list to accommodate changes in attendance, schedule, and speaking slots of leaders, ministers, and ambassadors.
Brazil traditionally opens the debate, and it will inaugurate the high-level session on September 24. Following this, the United States President Joe Biden will deliver his final address of his current term, addressing global leaders from the prestigious UN platform ahead of the US Presidential election in November.
Prime Minister Modi’s Previous Addresses at the UNGA
Prime Minister Modi, who historically took oath for the third time last month, last addressed the annual high-level UNGA session in September 2021. Last year, he visited the UN Headquarters on June 21, where he organized the International Day of Yoga at the North Lawn of the UN Headquarters and then went to Washington D.C. for a state visit with President Biden.
UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report and Future Summit
UN Secretary-General António Guterres will present his report before the start of the General Debate, followed by the address of the President of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. During the high-level week, Guterres will also host an ambitious Future Summit at the UN Headquarters, with action days on September 20-21 and the summit on September 22-23.
Treaty for the Future and Global Digital Compact
World leaders will gather at the United Nations to adopt a treaty for the future, which includes a global digital compact and a declaration on future generations. The UN has described this summit as a high-level event aimed at creating a new international consensus for better securing the present and future.
The UN stated, “Effective global cooperation is becoming essential for our survival, but achieving it has become difficult in an environment of mistrust, as the structures reflecting today’s political and economic realities have become outdated.”
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