Oscars of Diplomacy: High-level UNGA week starts with focus on SDGs, climate action

UNGA High-Level Week: 193 world leaders to gather for SDG Summit, Climate Ambition Summit, General Debate and more to discuss global priorities. UN chief urges leaders to come together for real, practical solutions and compromise for a better tomorrow. Summits to review 2030 Agenda, tackle climate crisis, address global cost-of-living crisis, inequalities and tech disruptions.

Heads of State and Governments, world leaders and foreign ministers have arrived at the UN headquarters for the annual high-level week described as the 'Oscars of Diplomacy’, with agendas of Sustainable Development Goals, financing for development, climate action and pandemic response taking centrestage as global priorities at the session.

At the high-level 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which begins on September 18, the global organisation will host a series of summits that will bring together Presidents and Prime Ministers and leaders.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who attended the G-20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi and the G-77 and China meeting in Havana earlier this month, said this week, "begins the greatest G of all – the G-193 – the High-Level Week of the General Assembly. It is a one-of-a-kind moment each year for leaders from every corner of the globe to not only assess the state of the world – but to act for the common good.

"Action is what the world needs now. We will be gathering at a time when humanity faces huge challenges – from the worsening climate emergency to escalating conflicts, the global cost-of-living crisis, soaring inequalities and dramatic technological disruptions. People are looking to their leaders for a way out of this mess." The week will open with the 2023 SDG Summit on September 18-19 that will review the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and provide high-level political guidance on transformative and accelerated actions leading up to the target year of 2030 for achieving the Goals, the UN said.

Convened by President of the General Assembly Dennis Francis, the Summit will mark the half-way point to the deadline set for achieving the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. "It will be the centerpiece of the High-level Week of the General Assembly. It will respond to the impact of multiple and interlocking crises facing the world and is expected to reignite a sense of hope, optimism, and enthusiasm for the 2030 Agenda.” From September 19 through September 26, 193 world leaders and foreign ministers will one by one take to the lectern in the UN General Assembly hall and enunciate their positions on global issues at the General Debate, the central event of the high-level week. As is tradition, Brazil will open the General Debate followed by the US, with President Joe Biden arriving in New York on Sunday to attend the UNGA session.

The theme of the General Debate is ‘Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all.’ External Affairs Ministers S Jaishankar will address the debate on September 26.

On September 20, the General Assembly will convene its second High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development since the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. The dialogue will aim to renew global commitment to financing at the highest political level.