US President Joe Biden speaks during the 2022 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Bloomberg
US President Joe Biden speaks during the 2022 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Bloomberg
US President Joe Biden speaks during the 2022 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Bloomberg
US President Joe Biden speaks during the 2022 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Bloomberg

World

UNGA 2023 schedule: A guide to which nations are speaking and when

The General Debate of the 78th General Assembly in New York begins on September 19

Adla Massoud
Adla Massoud
United Nations

September 18, 2023

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The annual meeting of the United Nations is taking place at its headquarters in New York and top officials will discuss the yearly agenda and global issues.

The war in Ukraine and the climate are expected to dominate discussions. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday spoke to the global gathering in person for the first time about the need to uphold the UN Charter in Ukraine.

The high-level week begins with a summit aimed at energising worldwide efforts towards the UN's 2030 development goals, which have been experiencing significant delays. This summit is scheduled for Monday, September 18.

At the start of the General Debate this week on September 19, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will present his annual report on the state of the world.

The UN’s 193 member states will be provided with a platform and 15 to 20 minutes to address the international community.

As is customary, Brazil's leader will be the first national figurehead to address the hall on Tuesday followed by US President Joe Biden.

After that will be a quick succession of world leaders over the course of the following six days.

This is the complete schedule of countries due to be speaking at the 78th UN General Assembly in New York:

Tuesday, September 19

Morning: Brazil, United States, Colombia, Jordan, Poland, Cuba, Turkey, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Guatemala, Hungary, Switzerland, Slovenia, Uzbekistan.

Afternoon: Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Algeria, Argentina, El Salvador, Kyrgyzstan, Paraguay, Peru, Mozambique, Panama, Nigeria, Uruguay, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Palau, Senegal, Germany, Japan.

Wednesday, September 20

Morning: Seychelles, Rwanda, Cyprus, Namibia, Romania, Suriname, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ghana, Lithuania, Ecuador, Slovakia, Finland, Bulgaria, Guyana, Croatia, Angola, Latvia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Honduras.

Afternoon: Estonia, Comoros, Dominican Republic, Moldova, Sierra Leone, Monaco, Chile, Mongolia, Mauritania, Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Marshall Islands, Botswana, Italy, Spain, Sao Tome and Principe, Belgium, Lebanon, Libya.

Thursday, September 21

Morning: Yemen, Central African Republic, Malawi, Kiribati, Zimbabwe, East Timor, South Sudan, Guinea, Burundi, Serbia, Dominica, Sri Lanka, Congo, Kenya, Micronesia, Montenegro, Palestine, European Union.

Afternoon: Nauru, Guinea-Bissau, Albania, Sudan, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Uganda, Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Greece, Norway, Nepal, Kuwait, France, Austria, Chad, Togo, Denmark.

UNGA's best moments over the years

  • Likened to diplomatic 'speed dating', UN General Assembly gives the world's top diplomats a chance to meet in person. The assembly has played host to a number of famous moments over the years. AP
    Likened to diplomatic 'speed dating', UN General Assembly gives the world's top diplomats a chance to meet in person. The assembly has played host to a number of famous moments over the years. AP
  • Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi famously addressed the UNGA for more than 90 minutes in 2009. Photo: UN
    Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi famously addressed the UNGA for more than 90 minutes in 2009. Photo: UN
  • Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said in 2006 that he could smell sulphur in the UN chamber after George W Bush spoke, likening the US leader to the 'Devil'. Photo: UN
    Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said in 2006 that he could smell sulphur in the UN chamber after George W Bush spoke, likening the US leader to the 'Devil'. Photo: UN
  • Mr Bush at UNGA in 2005. Photo: UN
    Mr Bush at UNGA in 2005. Photo: UN
  • The UN Headquarters in New York. Residents of the Big Apple brace themselves for two weeks of traffic chaos as UNGA takes place. EPA
    The UN Headquarters in New York. Residents of the Big Apple brace themselves for two weeks of traffic chaos as UNGA takes place. EPA
  • South Korean ambassador to the UN Cho Hyun speaking in the chamber. Reuters
    South Korean ambassador to the UN Cho Hyun speaking in the chamber. Reuters
  • Cuban leader Fidel Castro addressing the General Assembly. Photo: UN
    Cuban leader Fidel Castro addressing the General Assembly. Photo: UN
  • Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005. Photo: UN
    Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005. Photo: UN
  • Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority, addresses UNGA. Photo: UN
    Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority, addresses UNGA. Photo: UN

Friday, September 22

Morning: North Macedonia, Israel, Mauritius, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Pakistan, Barbados, Thailand, Andorra, Saint Lucia, Fiji, Luxembourg, Bangladesh, Iraq, Antigua and Barbuda.

Afternoon: Vietnam, Solomon Islands, Lesotho, Cambodia, Georgia, Gabon, Ireland, Grenada, Tuvalu, Haiti, Tonga, United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, Bahrain, Bahamas, Sweden, Madagascar, Costa Rica.

Saturday, September 23

Morning: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Cape Verde, Somalia, Laos, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Azerbaijan, Russia, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines, New Zealand, Armenia, Iceland, Egypt.

Afternoon: Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Belarus, UAE, Nicaragua, Oman, Belize, Eritrea, Burkina Faso, Brunei, Tunisia, Venezuela, Cameroon.

Tuesday, September 26

Morning: India, Jamaica, Bhutan, Cameroon, Zambia, Nicaragua, Holy See, Syria, Maldives,North Korea, Benin, San Marino, Canada, Vanuatu and Morocco.

– The order of nations can change on a daily basis.

Priyanka Chopra and other guest speakers at UNGA 2022

  • Priyanka Chopra speaks at the United Nations General Assembly. Photo: Instagram / priyankachopra
    Priyanka Chopra speaks at the United Nations General Assembly. Photo: Instagram / priyankachopra
  • Chopra was at the event as part of her role as Unicef Goodwill Ambassador. Photo: Instagram / priyankachopra
    Chopra was at the event as part of her role as Unicef Goodwill Ambassador. Photo: Instagram / priyankachopra
  • Amanda Gorman recites a poem during an event called SDG Moment at the UN headquarters. AP
    Amanda Gorman recites a poem during an event called SDG Moment at the UN headquarters. AP
  • The SDG Moment at UN General Assembly is meant to highlight the urgency and importance of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. AP
    The SDG Moment at UN General Assembly is meant to highlight the urgency and importance of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. AP
  • 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai addresses the UN's Transforming Education Summit. EPA
    2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai addresses the UN's Transforming Education Summit. EPA
  • K-pop group Blackpink also called for action against climate change ahead of the UN General Assembly. The comments marked a year since the group became advocates for the UN's Sustainable Development Goals — the first Asian act to earn the title — for the Cop26 climate conference in 2021. AP
    K-pop group Blackpink also called for action against climate change ahead of the UN General Assembly. The comments marked a year since the group became advocates for the UN's Sustainable Development Goals — the first Asian act to earn the title — for the Cop26 climate conference in 2021. AP
What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

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MORE ON AFRICAN SECURITY
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?

If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.

Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.

Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.

Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).

Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal. 

Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.

By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.

As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.

Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.

He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.” 

This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”

Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.

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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

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3. Hajj

4. Shahada

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Updated: September 26, 2023, 1:38 PM
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