New york: President Bola Tinubu will take the stage at the 80th Session of the high-level General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York on September 24.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Tinubu is slated to speak on the second day of the event, as per a revised provisional list of speakers obtained from the UN headquarters.
The Nigerian leader is scheduled to address fellow world leaders during the afternoon session, around 8:30 pm local time (2:30 pm Nigerian time). Tinubu will be the 17th world leader to speak on the second day of the general debate, as indicated by the provisional list. The assembly will feature a gathering of 195 world leaders, including 98 heads of state, five vice-presidents, 44 heads of government, four deputy prime ministers, as well as 37 ministers, one crown prince, and four chairs of delegation.
Traditionally, the President of Brazil, Luiz da Silva, will be the first to present his address to the 78th session, followed by the U.S. President, Donald Trump, as the traditional second speaker due to the host country’s status. Sources at the UN have mentioned to NAN that the list is subject to updates, and Tinubu’s speaking slot may change if he does not attend the general debate in person.
According to UN traditions, Heads of State are generally slated to speak on the first and second days, while vice-presidents commence speaking from the third day. In 2024, Vice-president Kashim Shettima represented Tinubu on the first day of the debate, maintaining Tinubu’s slot, a move diplomats described as unusual per tradition. This exception was attributed to the goodwill Nigeria enjoys within the international community and the diplomatic efforts of Nigerian diplomats at the UN.
Movses Abelian, Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management, noted that the ‘revised list reflects changes in the level of representation (upgrades and downgrades) and reflects exchanges among Member States.’ Abelian added that the list would continue to be updated until the start of the General Debate as Member States communicate changes.
The theme for the general debate of the 80th session of the General Assembly is ‘Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights’. NAN reports that the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 80) commenced on September 9 with the inauguration of a new President, Annalena Baerbock of Germany. Baerbock urged Member States to unite in addressing global crises, ranging from war and poverty to climate change, as she took her oath on the original 1945 Charter and pledged to lead with courage and inclusiveness.
A former Foreign Minister of Germany, Baerbock becomes only the fifth woman in history to preside over the General Assembly. She accepted the Assembly’s ornate gavel from her predecessor, Phil©mon Yang of Cameroon. The high-level General Debate will be held from September 23 to September 29.
The high-level week will commence on September 22 and continue through September 30, during which world leaders will gather for the general debate and a series of conferences. These include the High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the UN, the SDG Moment, and the High-level Meeting on the 30th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women. Additionally, there will be the Conference on Palestine and the Two-State Solution, the Climate Summit, and the High-level Meeting to Launch the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, among others.
