World leaders are gathering in New York City this week for the annual United Nations General Assembly, bringing a packed schedule of discussions on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, artificial intelligence, climate change and other global issues.
The gathering is also expected to have a major impact on people trying to get around the East Side of Manhattan.
Around First Avenue near the United Nations, barricades are up and several road closures are already in place ahead of the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly.
The general debate begins Tuesday, with heads of state and government expected to address the Assembly through Sept. 26 and again on Sept. 28.
Among the major issues expected to be discussed this week are the war involving Iran, the Russia-Ukraine war, relations with China and growing concerns about artificial intelligence.
“It is the first responsibility of any government to protect its citizens — including from the threats of artificial intelligence. National action is essential. But global coordination is also indispensable,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said.
And despite rising oil costs around the globe due to the war between the United States and Iran, some experts believe many world leaders will remain aligned with the United States.
“I would not expect necessarily a big alliance against the United States. The U.S. is still too powerful, and nobody’s interested in a major economic downturn because of the size of the economy of the United States,” said Daniel Naujoks, a professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
President Donald Trump is expected to address the Assembly on Tuesday.
Before that, City Hall has confirmed that Mayor Zohran Mamdani will meet with Trump on Monday at Gracie Mansion.
Over the weekend, Mamdani released a video on his X account welcoming the U.N. General Assembly to what he called “the world’s city.”
“The U.N. hasn’t achieved world peace. It didn’t end all wars, but its enduring existence represents our share of duty to work through humanity’s biggest challenges together rather than through war. New York City has proudly welcomed the world for the U.N. General Assembly. We’re proud to continue that tradition this year,” Mamdani said in the video.
Nearly 130 heads of state and government are expected to attend High-Level Week in person. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are both expected to speak.
The Trump administration also granted visas last week to top Iranian officials, including the country’s president, so they could attend the meeting.
Meanwhile, China’s president, Xi Jinping, is once again expected to skip the U.N. General Assembly and instead meet with Trump for one-on-one talks in Washington, D.C.
The competing approaches to the gathering are also stirring debate over the United Nations’ relevance in addressing global crises.