UNGA 2024: What is the UN General Assembly and what happens at the meeting?

This article was first published in 2018 and most recently updated in September 2024.

Every September, world leaders from United Nations (UN) member states gather at the organization's headquarters in New York to debate the most important global issues.

The 79th edition of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) High-Level Week opened on Tuesday 10 September, with the first day of the General Debate on Tuesday 24 September.

The theme this year is: 'Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations', reflecting the urgent need to get the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track.

Here's what you need to know about the UN General Assembly.

The UNGA, the main policy-making body of the UN, was created under Chapter IV of the Charter of the United Nations, signed in San Francisco on 26 June, 1945.

The Charter outlines its key functions, including “promoting international cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, educational and health fields, and assisting in the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion”.

The assembly meets from September to December each year and then again from January to August, if required. Representatives debate and make decisions on issues such as peace and security and the admittance of new members.

As outlined in the charter, the assembly may approve the UN budget, elect non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, and appoint the secretary-general, among other things.

The UN General Assembly opens with a minute of prayer or meditation and then the formal election of the President.

This year, the president of the 79th session of the General Assembly will be Philémon Yang, a former Prime Minister of Cameroon. Taking the helm, he said his presidency will "prioritize the resolution of conflicts, including the intractable ones in the Gaza Strip, Haiti and Ukraine", adding that "human rights will remain at the core of our General Assembly".

The main event at the UNGA and that generates the most headlines is the General Debate. This year, it is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, September 24, with world leaders each taking turns to speak for around 20 minutes.

The General Assembly votes on resolutions brought forward by member countries, which can be referred to the Security Council to be made binding.

One of the General Assembly’s earliest achievements was to agree on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, outlining global standards for human rights.

Perhaps the biggest win of the UN General Assembly in recent years was in September 2015, when the Assembly agreed on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030. All countries pledged to work together to eradicate poverty and hunger, protect the planet, foster peace and ensure gender equality.

Building on last year's SDG Summit, the UN's Summit of the Future, from 22 to 23 September 2024, aims to identify critical challenges and weaknesses in global governance highlighted by recent global shocks.

Positioned as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance global cooperation", the event will produce a Pact for the Future, covering sustainable development and financing, international peace and security, science and technology, youth and future generations.

On 23 September, a High-Level Dialogue on the Ocean of the Future will take place. The Ocean Stewardship Coalition is bringing together heads of state, UN agency leaders, CEOs from the ocean industry, and finance experts to identify essential factors for both public and private sectors to achieve global progress in the sustainable ocean economy.

Meanwhile, the High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) on 26 September offers a critical opportunity for world leaders to tackle the growing threat AMR poses to global health, food security, and the SDGs - by enhancing international cooperation, promoting responsible antimicrobial use and advancing new treatments.

Alongside UNGA, the World Economic Forum will hold its Sustainable Development Impact Meetings from 23 to 27 September in New York, convening leaders from politics, business and civil society for a series of dialogues on tackling the SDGs. Sessions will cover topics including navigating geopolitical volatility, delivering on COP pledges and increasing digital inclusion.