What to watch at the UN General Assembly
21/9/2026: The UN General Assembly will try to focus attention on multilateralism in a me-first era, respect for international law, the climate crisis, and the governance of artificial intelligence. But those with power and the loudest voices may still set the agenda.
Source: The New Humanitarian
What is UNGA, and why does it matter for global development?
17/9/2026: The UN General Assembly is the only UN body with universal representation, granting all 193 member states an equal vote, making it the official policymaking organ of the UN. More about about the General Assembly and why it matters for global development.
Source: Devex
US pays the UN $800M in budget dues
15/9/2026: The Trump administration has finally paid the UN more than $800 million to cover the costs of its regular budget dues for 2025, along with a fraction of its peacekeeping obligations. The payments avert the prospect of the US losing its vote in the forthcoming UN General Assembly, but leave Washington with billions in back dues.
Source: Devex
Trump administration nominee chosen to lead World Food Programme
12/9/2026: Luke Lindberg, a senior US Department of Agriculture official, has been chosen to lead the World Food Programme, making him the youngest person to head the agency. The final decision to appoint Lindberg coincided with US assurances to pay more than $700 million in its regular budget dues for 2025. It remains unclear whether the two issues were linked.
Source: Devex
UN tells the world: Stop making Africa look small
4/9/2026: By 164 votes to one, the UN General Assembly has endorsed a resolution promoting map projections that more accurately reflect the true size of continents – the culmination of an African-led campaign against the 16th-century Mercator projection. The US cast the sole vote against.
Source: UN News
Being serious about peace
30/8/2026: The path to self-determination of what is today independent Timor-Leste and Nepal’s emergence from a 10-year civil war are case studies of successful peace-building through intense UN involvement. Candidates for selection as the next UN secretary-general should take heed of the lessons learned.
Source: PassBlue
Call for accountability for Myanmar atrocities against the Rohingya
25/8/2026: Human rights organisations around the world have called on the UN Security Council to intensify efforts to seek accountability for past and ongoing crimes committed by the Myanmar junta against Rohingya communities. Over 1.2 million refugees remain in camps in Bangladesh.
Source: Human Rights Watch
Ambitious Global Tax Treaty remains within reach
13/8/2026: As the fifth round of negotiations concludes, the draft text of a UN Global Tax Treaty is moving towards a fairer allocation of tax on multinational profits between countries. Negotiations will continue until mid-2027.
Source: Greenpeace International
US withholds dues to UN, again
31/7/2026: Since President Donald Trump returned to power in January 2025, the US has yet to pay its share of the UN’s regular budget. The US owes $2.2 billion on administrative dues and another $1.8 billion for peacekeeping. The latest setback may have been provoked by US anger over reappointment of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Source: Devex
Can the next UN chief fix a broken Security Council and an empty bank account?
24/7/2026: Six candidates vying to become the next UN Secretary-General have faced questions in a public dialogue. Highlights of their answers reflect public expectations of the successor to António Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister who has led the UN for nearly 10 years.
Source: PassBlue