The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week, which will take place from Sunday, September 22, to Monday, September 30, 2024, at the UN Headquarters in New York, is set to be a crucial moment for international diplomacy and cooperation.
As world leaders converge under the theme, “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations,” the event promises to address some of the most pressing global challenges, from climate change to inequality, ongoing conflicts, and health crises.
The goal of this year’s High-Level Week will be the most important progress in implementing the 17 Goals for Sustainable Development that were claimed by UN bodies to be achieved by 2030. These goals eliminate poverty in the world and promote peace, prosperity, and equipment safety for the planet. But now, with new and longstanding challenges continuing to present themselves, the world is further from achieving these goals than it has ever been. Nevertheless, the assembly will reaffirm these actions by providing the opportunity, will and determination to tackle these barriers and speed up actions to build a safer and fairer world.
A Moment of Reckoning: The Summit of the Future
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week kicks off with one of the more engaging items on the agenda: The Summit of the Future, taking place from September 22-23, 2024, where leaders, decision-makers and other interested parties in the room will address among other sideline issues, the state of affairs in global governance and these concerns will hopefully be remedied, given how they have become more piquant over the years. The COVID-19 pandemic, protracted wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and global warming are just some of the indicators that something is wrong with the order. The summit is set to reevaluate the level of affectation concerning multilateralism with a view to creating a more robust, collaborative and supple framework that can effectively confront global problems.
One of the substantive issues outlined in the agenda will be the Pact for the Future, a working document developed during the negotiations which is believed to specify activities directed towards enhancing global interaction. The pact will call on people to reaffirm their respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and the essence of the SDGs while encouraging the development of a new order that will manage both today’s and tomorrow’s issues. Simply put, the Summit of the Future would like to see collective action for peace throughout the world amped up, and there are no obstacles to addressing governance issues that would impede such inclusion.
In addition to the summit itself, UN Secretary-General António Guterres will convene the Summit of the Future Action Days on September 20-21, designed to create further opportunities for engagement across sectors. The action days will include input from various actors in civil society, the private sector, and international organisations, all of whom will play a crucial role in shaping the future of global governance.
The official opening of the Summit of the Future on September 22 will be preceded by a pre-opening segment at 8:30 a.m. in the General Assembly Hall. This will feature a short video summarizing the key events from the Summit of the Future Action Days, followed by a special performance by Grammy-winning singer Renée Fleming, who will perform two songs from her award-winning album, accompanied by stunning visuals from National Geographic.
SDG Moment 2024: Rallying Global Action
The SDG Moment 2024, scheduled for September 24, is expected to be one of the highlights of the High-Level Week. This session will shine a spotlight on the 17 SDGs, which are currently off track. Despite the daunting challenges, the SDG Moment will showcase inspiring examples of progress from around the world and emphasise that transformative change is still possible between now and 2030.
This year’s SDG Moment is essential, primarily because of the worrying trends of global poverty, inequality, and environmental challenges. Many SDGs have had their goals delayed due to the issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the problems caused by climate change have been worsening. At the same time, the SDG Moment will draw attention to progress in transition that can be fair and inclusive concerning food systems, renewable energy, and connectivity enhancements that are required to realise the SDGs.
As part of the meeting convened by Secretary-General Guterres, the SDG Moment 2024 will seek to bring forth the importance of transformation as both an option and a necessity. The session shall further highlight the contribution of political will, financial investments toward SDGs and international and intergovernmental cooperation in facilitating achievement. It will look into how social protection, decent work, and access to the internet could help uplift the underprivileged. In particular, they will look for ways to transform the food systems to solve hunger problems, activate energy change to overcome net emissions and ensure that the technologies reach youth, women, the elderly, and disabled people.
The SDG Moment 2024 aims to inspire renewed efforts toward achieving the 2030 Agenda by highlighting these successes. It will also serve as a critical follow-up to the 2023 SDG Summit, ensuring the momentum generated last year is sustained and built upon.
A Packed Agenda of High-Level Meetings
In addition to the Summit of the Future and the SDG Moment, the 79th UNGA session will feature a series of high-level meetings and events throughout the week, each addressing specific global challenges. These events are expected to provide critical opportunities for dialogue, cooperation, and action on various issues that require urgent attention.
On September 25, a High-Level Plenary Meeting on Sea-Level Rise will convene world leaders, experts, and stakeholders to discuss the escalating threat posed by rising sea levels. Sea-level rise has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, particularly for small island developing states and low-lying coastal regions vulnerable to climate change’s impacts. The meeting will focus on building a common understanding of the issue, mobilising political leadership, and promoting multisectoral collaboration to develop comprehensive solutions
.The meeting will begin with opening statements from key speakers before moving on to multi-stakeholder discussions on the definition of themes. They will cover, among other things, the legal issues surrounding the increase in sea levels, sources of funding for adaptation and resilience, the socio-economic and cultural effects of rising seas, and the use of data and science as a basis for risk assessment and decision-making.
Then, on the agenda is health, and a High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) scheduled for September 26 will follow. The alarming rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and its related infections is now a global challenge to health and food security. Such a meeting would enable world leaders to restate their resolve on AMR. Importantly, it is an opportunity to outline the next steps, including strengthening health systems, the responsible use of antimicrobials, and the more rapid development of new treatments.
As drug-resistant infections know no borders, AMR is a collective challenge that requires coordinated international action. The meeting will build on the momentum generated by previous declarations and commitments, focusing on enhancing global cooperation in the fight against AMR.
Nuclear Disarmament on the Agenda
On September 26, the UNGA will hold a High-Level Plenary Meeting in honour of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. This annual event reaffirms the global community’s commitment to achieving nuclear disarmament, a goal that remains as urgent as ever, given the ongoing risks posed by nuclear weapons.
Despite significant reductions in the number of deployed nuclear weapons since the end of the Cold War, over 12,000 nuclear weapons still exist today, and modernisation programs are underway in several countries. The international arms-control framework, which has played a crucial role in maintaining global security, has come under increasing strain in recent years. The collapse of key treaties, such as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019 and the suspension of Russia’s participation in the New START Treaty, has heightened concerns about a renewed arms race.
Frustration is growing among many UN member states over the perceived slow pace of nuclear disarmament. The High-Level Plenary Meeting will serve as an opportunity to educate the global public on the benefits of eliminating nuclear weapons and to reaffirm international efforts toward achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world.
The 79th UNGA High-Level Week is shaping up to be one of the most important gatherings in recent history. As world leaders grapple with challenges that transcend national borders, the sessions provide a critical forum for dialogue, cooperation, and the reaffirmation of global commitments to peace, development, and sustainability.
