United Nations General Assembly

FP’s guide to UNGA 80

Follow along with FP’s reporting team and contributors, catch up on our archival U.N. coverage, and receive special editions of Situation Report, our newsletter focused on security and defense, reported on the ground from New York.

Donald Trump speaking behind a podium at United Nations headquarters.
Donald Trump speaking behind a podium at United Nations headquarters.

What We’ll Be Watching for at UNGA

Trump will be the elephant in the room.

Situation Report
John Haltiwanger, Rishi Iyengar
Morgan Ortagus, a woman in her 40s wearing an orange suit jacket, raises her right hand while voting. Other officials and aides sit beside her at a long desk.
Morgan Ortagus, a woman in her 40s wearing an orange suit jacket, raises her right hand while voting. Other officials and aides sit beside her at a long desk.

America’s Infuriating and Irreplaceable Role at the U.N.

Trump (probably) won’t leave the international body—he will just continue to make its life difficult.

Analysis
Richard Gowan
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters on Sept. 24, 2019.
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters on Sept. 24, 2019.

The U.N.’s Magical Thinking About Trump’s Return

Some officials say the president-elect speaks differently about the institution behind closed doors.

Analysis
Stéphanie Fillion
Guterres is shown at a podium.
Guterres is shown at a podium.

It’s Not Too Late to Fix the U.N.

The organization’s current cash crunch is a historic opportunity for reform. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Suzanne Nossel
An illustration of a tattered flag with a globe waving from a makeshift stick flagpole/
An illustration of a tattered flag with a globe waving from a makeshift stick flagpole/

The End of Development

The West’s aid model was always a mirage. It’s time for a realistic alternative.

Essay
Adam Tooze
A U.N. peacekeeper in a blue helmet is seen in profile as he holds the pole of a blue U.N. flag in front of a razor wire border fence. Three other blue-helmet troops are visible behind him, holding rifles and peering at the camera. The landscape beyond the fence is a dusty hill spotted with sparse plants.
A U.N. peacekeeper in a blue helmet is seen in profile as he holds the pole of a blue U.N. flag in front of a razor wire border fence. Three other blue-helmet troops are visible behind him, holding rifles and peering at the camera. The landscape beyond the fence is a dusty hill spotted with sparse plants.

At 80, the U.N. Is Down But Not Out

Despite its many failings, the 80-year-old institution still has a vital role.

Argument
Richard Gowan
Foreign-Policy-Marketing-Homepage-SitRep-UNGA-1000x400-hex5B92E5
Foreign-Policy-Marketing-Homepage-SitRep-UNGA-1000x400-hex5B92E5

Situation Report at UNGA

Reporters John Haltiwanger and Rishi Iyengar will be on the ground, providing an inside look at one of the most consequential gatherings of the year. Enjoy daily editions Sept. 22-26.

FP at UNGA: From FP Events

  • Her-Power-2025-Site_6552c4
    Her-Power-2025-Site_6552c4

    Her Power at UNGA80

    Progress Under Pressure

  • Foreign-Policy-Event-Energy-Forum-2025-Site-FINAL-1500x1000
    Foreign-Policy-Event-Energy-Forum-2025-Site-FINAL-1500x1000

    Energy Forum at UNGA80

    Security, Sustainability, and Growth

  • Foreign-Policy-Event-Health-Forum-2025-Site-FINAL-1500x1000
    Foreign-Policy-Event-Health-Forum-2025-Site-FINAL-1500x1000

    Health Forum at UNGA80

    Renewed Investment for Maximum Impact

  • Foreign-Policy-Event-Tech-Forum-2025-Site-FINAL-1500x1000
    Foreign-Policy-Event-Tech-Forum-2025-Site-FINAL-1500x1000

    Tech & AI Forum at UNGA80

    Reimagining Cooperation in a Digital Age

  • Counterpoint-Site-Email-1500x1000
    Counterpoint-Site-Email-1500x1000

    Counterpoint @ UNGA80

    Live in New York City

  • Foreign-Policy-Event-FOF-Site-1500x1000
    Foreign-Policy-Event-FOF-Site-1500x1000

    Foundations of the Future

    New frameworks for Justice, Accountability, and Multilateral Cooperation

  • Foreign-Policy-Event-FoudationS-Site-1500x1000
    Foreign-Policy-Event-FoudationS-Site-1500x1000

    Risk, Resilience, Results

    The Power of Investing in Locally-led Climate and Health Solutions

  • Foreign-Policy-Event-POP-Site-1500x1000 (2)
    Foreign-Policy-Event-POP-Site-1500x1000 (2)

    The Power of Purpose

Image of a dove on a globe
Image of a dove on a globe

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More on the United Nations

The U.N. Security Council holds a meeting on the theme of “Leadership for Peace” at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on Sept. 25.
The U.N. Security Council holds a meeting on the theme of “Leadership for Peace” at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on Sept. 25.

The United Nations Is Still the Biggest Platform for Global Cooperation

Despite its failure to stop wars, the U.N. has made progress on issues from disease eradication to climate change.

Situation Report
Amy Mackinnon, Jack Detsch
A view of the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Sept. 22.
A view of the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Sept. 22.

Can the United Nations Still Be Effective?

War tends to stymie the international body, but smaller technical agencies still play a crucial role in running the world.

Insider
Ravi Agrawal
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the United Nations headquarters on Sept. 24 in New York City.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the United Nations headquarters on Sept. 24 in New York City.

Biden’s UNGA Goodbye

The outgoing U.S. president had little to offer on Ukraine and Gaza.

Situation Report
Amy Mackinnon, Jack Detsch
U.S. President Joe Biden waves from a podium.
U.S. President Joe Biden waves from a podium.

The World Is Leaving Biden Behind

In his valedictory speech at the United Nations, the president declared that the center was holding. But things are falling apart faster than he can keep up.

Analysis
Michael Hirsh
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at a press conference in New York.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at a press conference in New York.

UNGA Kicks Off Amid Dysfunction

As world leaders descend on U.N. headquarters, a Russian gambit on Sunday underscored tensions at the summit.

Analysis
J. Alex Tarquinio
A view of the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Sept. 22.
A view of the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Sept. 22.

Middle East Tensions Overshadow United Nations Summit

The threat of a second Middle East war is taking away from the "Super Bowl" of diplomacy.

Situation Report
Jack Detsch, Amy Mackinnon
An overheard view shows the large central room at the U.N. headquarters. Representatives of members of the Security Council sit at a large horseshoe-shaped desk at center as they attend a meeting.
An overheard view shows the large central room at the U.N. headquarters. Representatives of members of the Security Council sit at a large horseshoe-shaped desk at center as they attend a meeting.

The United Nations Prepares for a High-Stakes Summit

Along with wars in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine, the issues of sustainability, pandemic prevention, and nuclear weapons are on the agenda.

Situation Report
Amy Mackinnon, Jack Detsch
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at the General Assembly to present priorities for 2024 at the U.N. headquarters in New York.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at the General Assembly to present priorities for 2024 at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

Can the West Revive Multilateralism?

A new survey reveals that support for international cooperation among global south countries is dismally low.

Analysis
Sophie Eisentraut
Members of the United Nations Security Council listen as Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., speaks during a meeting on the Israel-Hamas war at U.N. headquarters in New York City.
Members of the United Nations Security Council listen as Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., speaks during a meeting on the Israel-Hamas war at U.N. headquarters in New York City.

On Gaza, the U.N. Struggles for Relevance

As on Ukraine and other critical issues, the multilateral body is trapped in political theater.

Analysis
J. Alex Tarquinio
U.N. General Assembly President Dennis Francis reads aloud from a laptop screen while sitting at a podium desk in the U.N. meeting chamber. Francis, a middle-aged man wearing a blue suit, is also visible on a video screen hung on the wall next to a large United Nations logo.
U.N. General Assembly President Dennis Francis reads aloud from a laptop screen while sitting at a podium desk in the U.N. meeting chamber. Francis, a middle-aged man wearing a blue suit, is also visible on a video screen hung on the wall next to a large United Nations logo.

What Can the U.N. Do Now?

The president of the General Assembly talks about the organization's possible next steps in the Israel-Hamas war.

Insider
J. Alex Tarquinio
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, wearing a dark green shirt, gestures with his left hand, as he stands behind the U.N. seal to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, wearing a dark green shirt, gestures with his left hand, as he stands behind the U.N. seal to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Zelensky: ‘War Crimes Must Be Punished’

Ukraine’s president made an impassioned plea at the opening of the U.N. General Assembly to bring wrongdoers—such as Russia—to justice.

Dispatch
J. Alex Tarquinio
Head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power stands in front of St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv, on October 6, 2022.
Head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power stands in front of St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv, on October 6, 2022.

Samantha Power on America’s Development Diplomacy

The USAID administrator says U.S. contributions to the U.N. are at a “high watermark.”

Insider
Ravi Agrawal
Linda Thomas-Greenfield appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a hearing regarding her nomination to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 27, 2021.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a hearing regarding her nomination to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 27, 2021.

What Washington Wants From the United Nations This Week

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on reforming the world’s biggest multilateral organization.

Insider
Ravi Agrawal
A wide shot shows a large, round assembly hall room. At the end of an aisle is the front of the room, where U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at a podium beneath a gold United Nations insignia that hangs on the wall.
A wide shot shows a large, round assembly hall room. At the end of an aisle is the front of the room, where U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at a podium beneath a gold United Nations insignia that hangs on the wall.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting the U.N. General Assembly

Not a whole lot. But from Russia’s war to climate change and the global south, changes are afoot.

Report
Amy Mackinnon, Robbie Gramer, Avian Muñoz
The United Nations logo is seen on the back wall of the General Assembly Hall at U.N. headquarters in New York on May 12, 2006.
The United Nations logo is seen on the back wall of the General Assembly Hall at U.N. headquarters in New York on May 12, 2006.

The United Nations Is Convening—and Spluttering

Inertia and rivalries are producing a dangerous breakdown of multilateralism.

Argument
Mark Malloch-Brown
An illustration shows the Statue of Liberty holding a torch with other hands alongside hers as she lifts the flame, also resembling laurel, into place on the edge of the United Nations laurel logo.
An illustration shows the Statue of Liberty holding a torch with other hands alongside hers as she lifts the flame, also resembling laurel, into place on the edge of the United Nations laurel logo.

A New Multilateralism

How the United States can rejuvenate the global institutions it created.

Essay
Gordon Brown
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