UNGA 2026: What is the UN General Assembly and what happens at the meeting?
- The United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week (UNGA) takes place in New York every September.
- The 81st session will focus on restoring trust and managing global transformation, with High-level Meetings covering climate action, sea-level rise, pandemic preparedness and the right to development.
- Alongside the assembly, the World Economic Forum will hold its Sustainable Development Impact Meetings, convening leaders from politics, business and civil society.
Every September, world leaders from United Nations member states gather at the organization’s headquarters in New York to debate the most important global issues.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 – WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
This year’s 81st session takes place as the UN enters its ninth decade at a pivotal moment for multilateral cooperation. Geopolitical tensions, conflict, pressure on development financing, rapid technological change and a warming planet continue to test the international system.
The UN itself is also undergoing a period of change. Its UN80 Initiative, launched in 2025, is moving from review towards implementation, with reforms focused on improving efficiency, reviewing mandates and streamlining the UN system. At the same time, the process to select a successor to Secretary-General António Guterres – whose second term ends on 31 December 2026 – is underway.
Against this backdrop, the theme of UNGA 81, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All”, places renewed emphasis on cooperation and the ability of multilateral institutions to deliver tangible results.
As talks kick off this month, here’s what you need to know about the UN General Assembly.
