62nd UN General Assembly session begins on Sept 18

The General Assembly of the United Nations opens its 62nd regular session on Tuesday, September 18 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The annual general debate which traditionally features statements by dozens of Heads of State and Government and Ministers, will begin on Tuesday September 25.

Several major events will be featured during the sixty-second session, which runs through mid-September 2008. On September 24 there will be a high-level event, organised by the Secretary-General entitled: "The Future in Our Hands: Addressing the Leadership's Challenge of Climate Change"; and following the general debate on October 4 and 5, the General Assembly will convene a High-level Dialogue on inter-religious and Inter-cultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace. In addition, a high-level Dialogue on financing for developing will be held on October 22 and 23 and a commemorative high-level plenary meeting devoted to the follow-up to the outcome of the twenty-seventh special session on children will be convened on December 11 and 12.

Among the other key issues, the Assembly will address are:

Climate change; Financing for development; Implementation of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy; Management reform; Follow-up on measures to achieve the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals.

The Assembly will also continue to consider issues relating to Security Council reform, system-wide coherence, revitalisation of the General Assembly, sustainable development and HIV/AIDS.