The United Nations General Assembly High-Level week takes place every September, usually during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of the new General Assembly session.

High-level week, made up of the General Debate and High-level meetings, is the annual gathering of Heads of State and Government at the UN. During the General Debate, world leaders take it in turns to deliver statements to the General Assembly, highlighting their commitments to international cooperation and outlining their foreign policy priorities and perspectives on key global challenges.

States also have the right to reply in response to each other’s statements; any responses are delivered at the end of each day. High-Level meetings also take place across the week on key topics for international cooperation, such as climate action, nuclear disarmament and pandemic response.

UNGA week tends to attract a lot of media attention due to the high-profile speakers; this is the only General Assembly debate that Heads of State and Government regularly participate in. Permanent Representatives to the UN continue the work of the General Assembly throughout the rest of the year.