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16 September 2026, New York, United States – More than 130 delegates gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 14 September for a UNITAR briefing to strengthen their understanding of the procedures, priorities and working methods of the 81st session of the General Assembly.
Held ahead of the new session, the Briefing for Delegates on the 81st General Assembly and the Main Committees provided practical guidance on the General Assembly’s programme of work, elections, draft resolutions, Main Committees and Rules of Procedure, as well as the relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council.
The annual programme forms part of UNITAR’s longstanding support to diplomats preparing for the General Assembly and High-Level Week. Since 2017, UNITAR has convened the annual programme in partnership with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nations and the Forum of Small States.
Preparing delegates for the 81st session
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The briefing brought high-level UN officials and Member State perspectives together. H.E. Burhan Gafoor, Permanent Representative of Singapore to the United Nations, delivered welcoming remarks, while Dr. Djibril Diallo, Chef de Cabinet of the President of the 81st General Assembly, attended on behalf of the President and delivered the keynote address.
Opening the programme, Rabih El-Haddad, Director of UNITAR’s Division for Multilateral Diplomacy and Head of the UNITAR Representation Office in New York, highlighted the value of practical preparation as delegates begin work on the new session.
The briefing drew 130 participants in person, with an additional 1,078 online viewers via UN Web TV.
Understanding the General Assembly's work
The briefing brought together experts from across the United Nations to give delegates a practical understanding of the structures and procedures that shape the General Assembly’s work.
Kenji Nakano, Chief of the General Assembly Affairs Branch, and Rommel Maranan, Associate Intergovernmental Affairs Officer, outlined the programme of work for the 81st session, including elections and the submission of draft resolutions. Sonia Elliott, Chief of the Disarmament and Peace Affairs Branch, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council Affairs Division, and Emer Herity, Secretary of the Economic and Social Council, Economic and Social Council Affairs Branch, provided an overview of the work of the Main Committees.
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The briefing also addressed the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, with Vita Onwuasoanya, Secretary Legal Officer in the Office of the Legal Counsel, Office of Legal Affairs, and Dziana Pranichnikava, Legal Officer, outlining key procedural considerations for delegates.
To complement these sessions, Beatrix Kania, Director and Chief of Protocol, provided practical guidance on protocol and diplomatic engagement at United Nations Headquarters.
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Navigating the wider UN system
The briefing concluded with a focus on the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly. Blanca Montejo, Senior Political Affairs Officer, provided an overview of the respective roles of the two principal organs and their relationship within the UN system.
As the 81st session gets underway, the briefing provides delegates with a practical reference point for engaging with the General Assembly and its committees throughout the session.