World leaders to submit pre-recorded video statements for UN General Assembly

Heads of state and government will not be physically attending the annual United Nations General Assembly session in September due to a coronavirus pandemic and the high-level session goes virtual for the first time in the UN's 75-year history. World leaders will submit pre-recorded video statements the 193-member organisation has decided.

The landmark 75th session of the UN General Assembly will begin on September 15. The General Debate is held at the beginning of each session of the General Assembly and usually runs for over a week when leaders and ministers from the 193 UN member states address the world from the iconic lectern in the General Assembly hall.

The General Assembly adopted a decision on Wednesday that "each Member State, observer State and the European Union can submit a pre-recorded statement of its Head of State, which will be played in the General



Assembly Hall during the general debate of the Assembly at its seventy-fifth session.

The new format will mean that it will be for the first time in the world organisation's 75-year history that global leaders will not gather at NewYork City for the high-level week that annually brings thousands of diplomats, government officials, civil society members and media persons from around the world.

The General Assembly meeting to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations will take place on September 21 and the Declaration will be formally adopted at the meeting. The General Debate of the 75th session of the Assembly will commence from September 22.

Along with the General Debate and 75th anniversary commemoration, key sessions will also be held virtually at the UN, the Assembly decided.