AI in focus as world leaders gather in New York
Nearly 130 world leaders are gathering in New York for the UN General Assembly’s high-level week, which begins on Tuesday.
AI development is one of the major issues, but alongside the main summit, a steady stream of bilateral meetings is also taking place.
There is no shortage of topics for discussion at the opening of the General Assembly’s 81st session in New York, at a time when concerns regarding AI, war, global warming, and rising costs are sweeping across the globe.
AI development has moved to the forefront of global concerns—driven by rapid progress, a lack of industry oversight, and numerous unknowns.
"Not giving up"
Another burning issue is the future of the UN; speculation is expected regarding who will lead the organization after António Guterres steps down at the turn of the year.
Guterres says he has been reflecting on the global challenges facing humanity, he writes on X.
"We cannot give up the fight for a better world for all," he writes.
Trump meets Macron
Alongside the main summit, many leaders are also holding one-on-one meetings. US President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold private meetings with the leaders of France, the UK, and Ukraine, among others.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrives fresh from the archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon—a French territory off Canada's Atlantic coast—where he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Macron also plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
However, several leaders will not attend the meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping is meeting Trump in Washington on Wednesday but is sending a different representative instead of attending the major summit himself. Neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor India’s Narendra Modi is participating.
Sweden’s delegation is led by Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard.
Facts
The UN and the General Assembly
The United Nations was established during the final stages of World War II. The UN Charter was signed by 51 member states in the summer of 1945 and entered into force on October 24 of that same year. Today, the UN has 193 member states.
Its work is led by the Secretary-General and is largely based on the UN Charter.
Key bodies where decisions are made include the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
In the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, each of the 193 member states has a seat and a vote. Decisions take the form of resolutions, which are not legally binding on member states. However, they are considered morally binding as they reflect world opinion. A new General Assembly session begins every year in September. This is also when the general debate takes place, during which leaders from member states address the assembly, hold bilateral meetings, and put forward initiatives.
Source: UN
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