Every year since the 10th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1995, Brazil has been the first to address the delegation, followed by the United States.
About UNGA
- The UNGA is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN.
- Its powers, composition, functions, and procedures are set out in Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter.
- It also establishes numerous subsidiary organs to advance or assist in its broad mandate.
- The UNGA is the only UN organ wherein all member states have equal representation.
Why does Brazil always get to speak first?
- Brazil has been the first speaker at the UNGA annual general debate for over six decades now.
- While some assume that the order is determined alphabetically, this is not the case.
- This tradition dates back to the early years of the United Nations, following its formation soon after the end of World War II.
- In those days, most countries were reluctant to be the first to address the chamber.
- Brazil, at the time, was the only country that volunteered to speak first.
So, why does the US go next?
- In the list of speakers, the United States always goes second after Brazil as it is the host nation.
- US President Joe Biden addressed the chamber on Tuesday, detailing his vision for a new era of diplomacy in his first-ever UNGA speech.
How is the order of the remaining speakers determined?
- After the US and Brazil, the order of speakers depends on a number of factors.
- Generally the order is determined by the rank of the representative — heads of state, heads of government, crown princes, and foreign ministers would be amongst the initial speakers, followed by deputies and ambassadors.
- Other criteria like geographic balance also play a role in determining the order.
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