Nearly 130 heads of state are expected in New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly as global conflicts and emerging challenges dominate discussions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel to the United States from September 20 to 23 for a series of high-level engagements and will address a session titled “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All”.
Erdogan will also attend the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, according to Türkiye’s Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran.
World leaders are gathering as the post-World War II international order faces growing pressure, while the UN itself continues to face questions about its effectiveness and relevance.
US President Donald Trump is expected to return to the UN rostrum for a second consecutive year. Discussions are likely to focus on the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as the risks posed by artificial intelligence.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will not travel to New York and is instead expected to hold talks with Trump in Washington on Thursday.
The UN is also facing uncertainty over its next secretary-general. Antonio Guterres is due to leave office at the end of 2026, while no clear frontrunner has emerged in the race to succeed him.
Diplomats said the 15-member UN Security Council could hold high-level meetings on the Russia-Ukraine war, artificial intelligence and conflicts in the Middle East.
Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group described the UN as being in an ongoing crisis, despite some improvement from the previous year.
The United States avoided losing its vote in the General Assembly by paying $725 million towards the organisation’s regular budget this week. However, Washington still owes the UN more than $1 billion and continues to call for spending cuts and reforms.
AI risks draw global attention
Artificial intelligence is also expected to feature prominently at the General Assembly.
The meeting comes after several AI industry leaders called for a coordinated slowdown in developing the technology. They warned that increasingly advanced systems could eventually improve themselves and escape human control.
Guterres has said AI will be a major issue during the gathering. He has urged countries developing advanced AI systems to establish common safeguards to prevent a race that could create serious global risks.
The secretary-general has repeatedly called for international governance of artificial intelligence.
The UN established an advisory body on AI in 2023, bringing together technology executives, government officials and academics.
Middle East remains key focus
The Middle East will remain another major focus of discussions as the conflict involving Iran and Israel continues to affect the region and the global economy.
Recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthis have also threatened shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising concerns about further pressure on energy prices.
Guterres said a military solution to the situation in Yemen would be difficult. He also said the UN envoy for Yemen was making significant efforts to advance negotiations.
However, peace efforts remain stalled as Iran and the United States continue to exchange strikes, while Trump has threatened further escalation.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Wednesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to speak on Thursday. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will again be unable to attend the gathering in person after the United States denied him a visa.
The General Assembly is expected to vote on allowing Abbas to address the session by video.
Diplomats also expect a high-level meeting on the conflict in Sudan to take place on the sidelines of the assembly, although a major diplomatic breakthrough is considered unlikely.
Russia-Ukraine war and food security
The more than four-year-old Russia-Ukraine war will also feature prominently on the agenda.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are scheduled to address the General Assembly.
Diplomats said Zelenskyy is expected to seek international support for Ukraine ahead of another difficult winter.
The UN Security Council has been unable to take decisive action to end the conflict because Russia, a permanent member, holds veto power.
Trump has previously expressed frustration over his efforts to broker an end to the war, which he identified as a priority at the beginning of his second term.
The US president spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month, although it remains unclear whether Trump will meet Zelenskyy in New York.
Guterres has highlighted the war’s impact on civilians, food security and global energy prices.
He said restrictions on shipping through the Black Sea were creating additional problems and called for safe movement of Ukrainian and Russian exports of food, fertilisers and energy through the waterway.