Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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September 30, 2025 UN
For six days, 194 world leaders, including only 24 women, addressed the UN General Assembly's famed podium. Their statements came amid conflicts, the climate crisis, and debates about UN reform. The week of speeches, summits, and Manhattan's traffic gridlock officially concluded on the morning of September 29.
Here are the key numbersHigh-Level Weeks at the UN.
80th session
The organization celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2025. This anniversary session, which will continue until next September, is chaired by Annalena Baerbock of Germany. The theme of the session is "Working Together: 80 Years of Working Together for Peace, Development, and Human Rights, and the Way Forward."
12,296 participants
During the High-Level Week, in addition to official speeches by world leaders, the General Assembly Hall hosted hundreds of meetings with the participation of delegations and heads of UN agencies.
194 speakers in the General Assembly
Among them are 189 representatives of Member States, Secretary General And President of the General Assembly, as well as three permanent observers – Palestine, the Holy See and the European Union.
4 missing
Afghanistan, El Salvador, Myanmar and Seychelles did not participate in the events.
Afghanistan and Myanmar skipped the meetings due to disputes over their official representation. The Seychelles was unable to attend due to a clash with national presidential elections.
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The President of the UN General Assembly summed up the results of the High-Level Week
"This time I missed the UN General Assembly; it seemed pointless this year," El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele wrote in X, attaching a video of his speech last year.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke with a video message, because he did not receive an American visa to travel to New York.
First and last speakers
Traditionally, since the 10th session of the General Assembly in 1955—with the exception of 1983 and 1984—Brazil has spoken first in the general debate. This year, the speech was given by the country's President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Photo UN/L. Felipe
View of the entrance to the UN headquarters in New York.
The closing remarks on Monday were made by Timor-Leste's Permanent Representative, Dionisiou Da Costa Babo Soares.
Roles of speakers
Heads of State: 83 Vice Presidents: 6 Sovereign Prince: 1 Heads of Government: 41 Deputy Prime Ministers: 4 Ministers: 45 Deputy Ministers: 1 Heads of Delegations: 8
Gender balance: 168 men and 24 women
There are more women than the year before (then there were 19, of which only 5 were heads of state).
This year, eight women presidents (Dominica, Marshall Islands, Namibia, North Macedonia, Peru, Slovenia, Suriname, Switzerland), three prime ministers (Italy, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago), two vice presidents (South Sudan, Uganda), one deputy prime minister (Liechtenstein), as well as eight women ministers and two heads of delegations spoke.
Several countries have stressed the need election of a woman for the post of UN Secretary-General. During his speech, the Chilean representative even formally nominated former President Michelle Bachelet.
The longest speech
US President Donald Trump spoke for 57 minutes 16 seconds.
He abruptly criticized He called the UN and European allies' migration and energy policies destructive, insisted on an "America First" policy, listed his administration's achievements, and presented a 21-point plan for Gaza agreed upon with Israel.
Although UN rules stipulate a 15-minute limit for speeches, in practice speeches often go beyond this limit.
The shortest speech
Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever limited himself to 6 minutes and 44 seconds. He acknowledged shortcomings in the UN's work but supported reforms within the framework UN-80 initiatives, also noting the country's increased defense spending, the development of European cooperation and the fight against transnational crime.
Secretary General
Antonio Guterres held 148 bilateral meetings and delivered 20 speeches, including at at the ceremonial meeting on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the UN and summits on artificial intelligence and climate.
Photo UN/M. Elias
Two UN flags against a wall with the Organization's emblem.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov joked to the UN Secretary-General about the absence of the Russian flag in their joint photograph. In response, Guterres explained that, according to UN protocol, national flags are displayed only for heads of state, not for foreign ministers.
media
The UN office has issued more than 3,300 accreditations to journalists from approximately 150 countries.
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