UN General Assembly: High-level Week 2023 kicks off

The High-level Week 2023 within the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly kicked off. From 18 to 23 September, world leaders will meet to discuss important global issues revolving around peace, development and sustainability. Given the pressing need to focus on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the main topic will be: 'Rebuilding Trust and Rekindling Global Solidarity: Accelerating Action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all'. 

High-level Week is one of the most important events in the international diplomatic calendar held annually in New York. Heads of state and government and their ministers will meet to discuss crucial issues concerning the future of our planet. 

Here are the scheduled events:

18-19 September - SDG Summit: Heads of the state and the government will review progress and challenges in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. Members will negotiate and issue a final political declaration. For information, click here. 

20 September - High Level Dialogue on Financing for Development: this dialogue will bring political guidance on the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (link) which provides a UN framework on resource mobilization for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Closely linked to the SDG Summit, this dialogue will seek to show the progress made and the challenges that have emerged. For more information and to follow the live dialogue, click here. 

20 September - Climate Ambition Summit: António Guterres will call on leaders from governments, businesses, cities and regions, civil society and financial institutions to take action for the future of the planet. The UN leader urges participating individuals and organizations to present innovative, credible and concrete solutions to address the climate and nature-based challenge that can lead to significant progress and respond to the severity of the climate emergency.

For more information, click here.

20 September - High-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response: a political declaration will be adopted following a meeting with the President of the General Assembly, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation. The aim is to raise awareness and mobilize political will regarding future pandemics. 

To read the starting draft of the declaration, click here.

21 September - Preparatory ministerial meeting for the Summit of the Future: the ministerial meeting ahead of the Summit of the Future in 2024 will be an important moment to strengthen global collaboration in addressing current challenges and advancing existing commitments such as the SDGs and the UN Charter, with the aim of creating a more effective multilateral system.

For more information, click here. 

21 September - High-level meeting on universal health coverage: the meeting focuses on the goal of ensuring health for all. Countries and stakeholders will have the opportunity to renew their commitments and accelerate this process. 

Read more here.

22 September - High-level meeting on the fight against tuberculosis: the meeting will be the second meeting on the fight against tuberculosis. The focus is on rapidly ending the TB epidemic through science, finance and innovation, enabling equitable access to prevention, testing, treatment and care.

Click here for information on the preparation of the meeting.

Last update

19/9/2023