Indian Minister to Address UN General Assembly Amid Ongoing Geopolitical Tensions

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will address the annual high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 26. The 81st session of the UN General Assembly will begin on September 8, with world leaders addressing the 193-member organisation during the General Debate from September 22 to 28. According to a revised provisional list of speakers released on Friday, Jaishankar is scheduled to address the General Debate during the afternoon session on September 26. He also addressed world leaders from the UN lectern last year. Brazil will be the traditional first speaker when the General Debate opens on September 22, followed by the US. US President Donald Trump is also scheduled to address world leaders on September 22, marking his second address to the UN General Assembly during his second term in office. The year-long 81st session will be presided over by Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, who was elected in June to lead the 193-member organisation. The high-level session, regarded as the busiest diplomatic period of the year at UN headquarters, comes amid continuing geopolitical conflicts, including the months-long US-Israel war against Iran. The conflict has had a wider impact on countries in the Global South and least developed nations, with rising food and fuel costs linked to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.