The High-Level Week of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) concluded with 189 speakers, including 124 Heads of State and Government and 45 ministers, having addressed the UNGA during the General Debate. UNGA President Annalena Baerbock said the General Debate revealed “we are capable of finding the strength to lift up our common leadership, to find collective solutions, and to take the right path at the crossroads.”
Throughout the Debate, speakers emphasized, inter alia, the importance of the rule of law and the need for accountability, inclusion, and a UN that is at the heart of a strong multilateral system.
Addressing the Assembly at the closing of the General Debate, the UNGA President pointed to “moments of energy – even electricity – where we felt the collective will to do better, to reach further.” She urged delegations to take the High-Level Week’s discussions back to their capitals and implement processes in ways that can help the UN deliver better.
The General Debate took place from 23-27 and on 29 September 2025. It was part of the UNGA High-Level Week, along with other high-level events, including the Climate Summit 2025 on 24 September, during which nearly 100 countries shared plans for, or updated, their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) ahead of the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 30) in November.
On 22 September, the annual SDG Moment sought to accelerate progress during the final five years of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs. Convening three months after the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), the first Biennial Summit for a Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Global Economy took stock of commitments relating to financing the SDGs and explored ways to strengthen collaboration between multilateral institutions for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. During a dedicated event on 25 September, Member States launched the Global Dialogue on AI Governance.
Convening from 24-25 September, the ENERGYNOW SDG7 Action Forum 2025 served as the platform to sustain momentum on energy action and drive ambition in the lead up to the third review of SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) by the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in 2026 and the SDG Summit in 2027, which will kick off official discussions on the direction of sustainable development beyond 2030. [UN Meetings Coverage: 29 September 2025] [UN News Story] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on UNGA 80 Opening]