World leaders began gathering on Monday for a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session expected to be dominated by the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, rising Western recognition of Palestinian statehood and nuclear tensions with Iran, as the organisation marks its 80th anniversary.
“It’s an important session which marks the UN’s 80th anniversary,” said Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, adding that the Pakistani delegation, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, will play an active role on regional and global issues.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned, “We are gathering in turbulent, even uncharted, waters,” saying international cooperation was “straining under pressures unseen in our lifetimes.”
More than 150 heads of state or government, along with dozens of ministers, will take part in the high-level General Debate beginning on September 23, when US President Donald Trump will be among the first speakers.
Security and participation
Prime Minister Shehbaz, arriving in New York this afternoon, will address the 193-member Assembly on September 26, his third appearance before the body. His speech, according to a foreign office statement, will cover the crisis in Gaza, the right to self-determination in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), climate change and other global concerns.
New York police have implemented massive security measures, deploying thousands of officers and specialised units, including drones, helicopters and harbour patrols, to protect visiting leaders and dignitaries around UN headquarters.
Ahead of the session, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia formally recognised the State of Palestine, joining a growing number of Western nations backing Palestinian statehood as the war in Gaza continues.
Pakistan’s role
“The Prime Minister’s participation in this biggest annual gathering of global leaders will showcase Pakistan’s strong commitment to multilateralism and the United Nations and to highlight Pakistan’s longstanding contribution towards the shared objectives of peace and development,” the statement added.
Read: PM to join Muslim leaders for joint talks with Trump
On climate change, the Pakistani leader will present Pakistan’s perspective, emphasising the need for urgent global action. He will also address the threat of terrorism and the rising tide of Islamophobia worldwide, and highlight Pakistan’s viewpoint on achieving sustainable development goals aimed at reducing poverty.
PM Shehbaz will attend several high-level events on the sidelines of the UNGA session, including meetings of the UN Security Council, the High-Level Meeting of the Global Development Initiative and a Special High-Level Event on Climate Action.
“He will also participate in a meeting of select Islamic leaders with US President Trump to exchange views on issues about regional and international peace and security,” the foreign office said.
The prime minister will hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders and senior UN officials to exchange views on key issues. He will underline Pakistan’s resolve to work with all UN member states to uphold the UN Charter, prevent conflict, foster peace and promote global prosperity in Pakistan’s current role as a member of the Security Council.
Key agenda
On September 22, world leaders will discuss the Beijing+30 Action Agenda aimed at achieving for all women and girls a digital revolution, freedom from poverty, zero violence, full and equal decision-making power, an equal say in peace and security matters and climate justice.
Read more: PM Shehbaz to lead Pakistan at UNGA, meet Trump with Islamic leaders
As the world struggles to keep temperature rises below the internationally agreed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a summit will be held on September 24 to take stock of the pace and scale of the climate crisis. Leaders will present new national climate action plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), outlining measures to address climate change. The summit will also bring together government, business and civil society leaders to drive action across mitigation, adaptation, finance and information integrity.
“This is our moment of opportunity,” said Guterres, noting the summit comes ahead of the COP30 UN climate change conference in Brazil in November.
The new President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock – only the fifth woman in the UN’s 80-year history to hold the position – will preside over the debate under the theme: “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.”
Moreover, Artificial intelligence will also feature prominently. World leaders will meet in New York on September 25 to discuss a framework for inclusive and accountable AI governance.
Guterres cautioned that without “adequate guardrails, AI could further exacerbate inequalities and digital divides and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable. We must seize this historic opportunity… for the benefit of all humanity.”
AI is rapidly transforming industries from self-driving cars and medical imaging to inventory management, financial trading, virtual assistants and real-time language translation. Yet its benefits remain unevenly distributed and carry risks to information accuracy and human rights, including surveillance, with no recognised global body yet to govern its expansion.
Last week, the General Assembly adopted by a wide margin the “New York Declaration,” following a July conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, calling for “just and lasting peace grounded in international law and based on the two-state solution.”
Also read: France, Saudi host summit to back two-state plan as Israel, US boycott
On the Israeli war in Gaza, Prime Minister Shehbaz will call for decisive international action for a ceasefire to end the suffering of the Palestinian people in the besieged enclave.
He will urge the international community to resolve “situations of prolonged occupation and denial of the right to self-determination,” with a particular focus on Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).
