UN General Assembly: What to Watch
The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) opens on September 10, 2024. Global leaders will confront another year of complex crises and conflicts around the world. Businesses and advocacy groups will meet on the sidelines at conferences to discuss the world’s most urgent issues, including climate change, public health, geopolitics and economic and social developments.
While geopolitics is not part of the official UN agenda, there will certainly be addresses by world leaders, resolutions offered and media attention focused on geopolitical events, including the war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, Sudan’s civil war and Venezuela’s recent election. Palestine is seeking full UN membership. African states are seeking permanent seats on the UN Security Council.
More than 300 side events are being hosted by development and advocacy organizations, media groups, think tanks and academia to coincide with UNGA. Here is an overview of both official UN events and noteworthy side events to watch.
- Summit of the Future (Sept. 22–23): UN Member States will adopt the Pact for the Future, which includes a Declaration on Future Generations and a Global Digital Compact. Leaders will address ways to expand cooperation on challenges including peace and security, digital equity, financing development and post-2030 global governance. LINK
- High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) (Sept. 26). This meeting will focus on how countries and stakeholders can accelerate progress in combating the growing AMR threat. It will serve as a foundation for executing policies and ensuring accountability to strengthen health systems, enhance international cooperation, promote the responsible use of antimicrobials and advance new treatments to safeguard global health. LINK
- High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise (Sept. 26): A convening of global leaders and stakeholders to address the escalating threat of rising sea levels. The session will seek to mobilize political leadership and promote multi-sector and multi-stakeholder collaboration towards solutions and commitments to combat sea-level rise and ensure a sustainable future for small island developing states and low-lying coastal areas. LINK
- UN Science Summit (Sept. 10–27): A conference to examine policies and regulatory and financial environments needed to implement and sustain science mechanisms and support global scientific collaboration and inclusiveness across regions, nations and themes. The Summit will prepare inputs for the UN’s Summit of the Future. LINK
- UN Global Compact Leaders Summit (Sept. 24–25): The annual conference focuses on providing the tools, networking, knowledge and inspiration needed to scale the impact of private sector contributions to the UN-led 2030 Agenda. LINK
- Global Goals Week (Sept 20–29): A convening of 170 partners across civil society, business, academia and the UN system with a shared commitment to accelerate action, awareness and accountability to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. LINK
- Climate Week 2024 (Sept. 22–29): As in past years, Climate Week will coincide with UNGA. More than 500 event are planned around New York for business leaders, advocacy groups and civil society organizations to urge business and society to accelerate climate action. LINK
- Clinton Global Initiative (Sept 23–24): The theme of this year’s event is “What’s Working” and will feature leaders across the public, private and nonprofit sectors who are demonstrating success in advancing solutions to global challenges. LINK
- Global Renewables Summit (Sept. 23–24): Public-private summit to discuss the progress, opportunities and challenges of tripling renewable energy globally by 2030 and scaling up renewable deployment especially in emerging markets. LINK
- Concordia Annual Summit (Sept 23–25): This year’s theme is “Navigating a New Era,” with sessions focusing on geopolitics, youth advocacy, sustainability, financial inclusion, health, human rights, innovation technologies, trade and supply chains. LINK
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