PM Modi likely to address world leaders at UN General Assembly high-level meet in September

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address world leaders during the highlevel meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 25 according to a preliminary schedule released ahead of the annual gatheringModis proposed address is scheduled for the afternoon session which is currently listed as running from 3 pm to 9 pm New York time In India this corresponds to the early hours of September 26The timing could however be revised when the final speaking schedule is released The programme may be adjusted to make the Prime Ministers address more convenient for audiences watching in IndiaModi among key leaders at UNGAModi has participated in six highlevel United Nations sessions since becoming Prime Minister beginning with his appearance in 2014The upcoming gathering will be held during the 81st session of the General Assembly which will be presided over by Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman He was elected president of the General Assembly in JuneThe theme for the new session is ldquoRestoring trust managing transformation A United Nations that delivers for allrdquoThe theme comes at a time when the UN is dealing with multiple geopolitical conflicts questions over multilateral cooperation and growing challenges linked to global security and developmentUNGA highlevel week begins on September 22The highlevel week is scheduled to begin on September 22 bringing presidents prime ministers monarchs and senior government representatives from across the world to New YorkTraditionally Brazils president delivers the opening address followed by the President of the United StatesUnder UN protocol heads of state including presidents and monarchs are generally given speaking slots before heads of government and other senior representativesBeyond the formal speeches in the General Assembly chamber the highlevel week is also expected to feature hundreds of bilateral and informal meetings among world leaders and senior officialsSeveral major international figures are listed to address the General Assembly during the weekUS President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak after Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the opening dayChinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin however are not currently listed in the preliminary scheduleXi is reportedly expected to travel to Washington for a summit with Trump during the same week instead of attending the UN gatheringIran Ukraine and Russia in focusThe ongoing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz are also expected to add significance to this years UNGA discussionsIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 23 potentially bringing the latest developments involving Tehran and the strategic waterway into focusThe conflict between Russia and Ukraine will also feature prominently with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov listed among the speakersPakistan PM also scheduled for September 25Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is currently scheduled to address the General Assembly during the same afternoon session as Modi on September 25Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is listed for September 24 while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also scheduled to speak on the same dayThe presence of leaders from countries involved in ongoing geopolitical disputes is expected to make the highlevel week an important platform for diplomatic engagementFocus extends beyond formal addressesWhile speeches from the General Assembly podium traditionally attract global attention the UNGA highlevel week also provides an opportunity for leaders to hold bilateral meetings and discuss issues away from the public spotlightFor India Modis participation is expected to provide an opportunity to engage with other world leaders on bilateral ties global security development and Indias role in multilateral institutionsThe final schedule is expected to be confirmed closer to the opening of the 81st General Assembly session Modis September 25 speaking slot therefore remains subject to possible changes in timing and programme arrangementsWith inputs from IANS