UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION CENTER                                                                                               

Washington, DC                   

8 September 2021
@unicdc                                                                                  

September is reliably busy at the United Nations, never moreso than this year. Developments in Afghanistan, Haiti, Yemen and elsewhere; on the Covid-19 pandemic; and in the quickening pace of climate change are the focus of high-level meetings during the UN General Assembly, which begins mid-month.

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, and leaders from around the world address the annual gathering beginning on 21 September. This will be the first year President Joe Biden addresses the General Assembly. Covid-19 restrictions will keep much of the work virtual but public.

At week’s end, Secretary-General Guterres will present “Our Common Agenda” to the General Assembly. The report looks ahead to the next 25 years and represents his vision on the future of global cooperation and reinvigorating inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism. Also this week:

• The UN Security Council focuses on UN peacekeeping, Afghanistan, Yemen and Libya, hearing senior UN officials from the field discuss these situations in sessions that generally are public.
• Other meetings focus on aviation security worldwide, global terrorism, and the rights of children and of people with disabilities.
• Among the international days of note are Literacy Day (on 8 September).

The Week Ahead at the UN

Tuesday 9/7   

• Security Council must not fail the women, girls of Afghanistan, The Elders warn
• UN Humanitarian Coordinator Martin Griffiths briefs reporters about his visit to Kabul, meeting with Taliban
• UN General Assembly’s High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace
• The UN Office of Counter-Terrorismlaunches the UN program on Threat Assessment Models, focusing on aviation security
• The WIDER Development Conferencecontinues through 9/8, focusing on the effects of the pandemic in developing countries, connecting research and policy communities to better address Covid-19
• OCHA, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,hosts a virtual briefing on the humanitarian response plans in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras
• The Committee in the Rights of the Child’s 88th session opens
• The Conference on Disarmament continues its work until 10 September
• The Committee of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 25^thsession continues until 14 September

Wednesday 9/8         

• The Security Council conducts an open debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations; Secretary-General Guterres offers prefatory remarks
• The UN General Assembly commemorates the International Day against Nuclear Tests, marked on 29 August
• International Literacy Day
• ICAO, theInternational Civil Aviation Organization,convenes its annual symposium on global aviation security, through 10 September
• A press conference marks the 25^thanniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
• The President of the UN Human Rights Council discusses its upcoming session
• The Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts on Yemen launches its 4th report

Thursday 9/9

• Security Council meeting on Afghanistan with UN Special Representative Deborah Lyons. Renewal of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which expires this month, is on the agenda.
• International Day to Protect Education from Attack; its commemoration is webcast
• Secretary-General Guterres and others honor former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld on the 60^th anniversary of the death
• The President of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly, Volkan Bozkır, holds a press conference
• OCHA hosts Anticipatory Action: A Commitment to Act Ahead of Crises
• The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs co-hosts Advancing SMART Cities and Urban Digital Transformation to achieve Sustainable Development Goals

Friday 9/10

• Security Council meeting on Yemen with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg
• Security Council meeting on Libya with UN Special Envoy Ján Kubiš
• Secretary-General Guterres presents his Our Common Agenda report and briefs reporters about the upcoming high-level events at the UN General Assembly
• The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperationhosts a discussion of “South-South cooperation: solidarity in support of a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable future” ahead of the UN Day for South-South Cooperation, 12 September

Resources:

Webcast of events  

UN Spokesperson   

  UN Journal 

UN Security Council 

Last Week at the UN

• Afghanistan: UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths tells Taliban that women play a critical role in delivering aid: “ensure their rights, safety and well-being”
  • Major humanitarian crisis looms; UN plans pledging conference 9/13
  • UN warns of urgent imperative to avoid acute Afghan food insecurity
• Syria: Prevent entire generation from being lost: UN Humanitarian Chief
• Ethiopia: Unprecedented funding gap for 7 million facing hunger in Ethiopia: WFP
  • Tigray aid situation worsening by the day: humanitarians
• Haiti: Bringing aid to country at breaking point; waterborne diseases a threat: UNICEF
• Latin America: Unprecedented displacement in Central America, Mexico: UNHCR
• Lebanon: Almost three-quarters of the population living in poverty
• United Nations: Remembering Nobel laureate Ralph Bunche
• Climate: Action essential to cool season of fire and floods worldwide: Deputy UN Chief
  • Subscribe for updates ahead of COP26 and tune in for the ‘No Denying It’ podcast
• Disasters: Five-fold surge in past 50 years, but early warnings save lives: WMO
• Environment: Improving air quality key to confronting global crises: UNEP
• Refugees: Critical gaps in education as just 34% attend secondary school: UNHCR
• Covid-19: WHO urges G-20 ministers to meet pledges, support regional manufacturers