Mark's Personal UNGA Preview

Some stories I'll be following during UN Week

Photo by the blowup on Unsplash

Most foreign policy and international affairs journalists dread the annual opening of the United Nations General Assembly. I get it. UNGA tends to be a logistical nightmare. Hundreds of presidents and prime ministers all descend on New York for one short week in September. It’s hectic, to say the least.

But me? I love it!

To use an American sports metaphor, it’s like my Super Bowl. It is the one time of year when everyone is focused on the one thing that I’m most focused on throughout the year.

2023 will be my 17th UNGA in 18 years. (I missed 2015—a big one. It was the year the SDGs were agreed. But still not worth missing the birth of my second child, born in the passenger seat of our old Toyota. Here’s that story, courtesy of the Washington Post. )

Needless to say, I have developed some expertise on UNGA over these years. So with less than one month before the 78th United Nations General Assembly kicks off, I wanted to give readers a personal preview of how I’ll be approaching the week — including some of the key stories and events I’ll be following.

What follows for paid subscribers includes:

• A brief rundown of some of the key events taking place inside the United Nations from Monday, September 18 to Friday, September 22.

• Some notable events happening elsewhere in New York during High Level Week.

• A preliminary rundown some of the stories I’ll be covering

• A sneak preview of my plans for covering UNGA on the newsletter and podcast

• Personal musings about UNGA