75th General Assembly of the United Nations, a major international event
This year, for the first time in the history of the United Nations, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations General Assembly will take place virtually, without travel of the Heads of State and Government of Member States. Despite this particular context, the program of the 75th session will be dense, around high-level events in which Heads of State and Ministers will participate via VTC and pre-recorded videos, in particular during the high-level week which will take place between 22 and 26 September, as well as 29 September.
Follow all the news of the 75th session of the General Assembly with #UNGA on @francediplo_en via Twitter, and Instagram and on the Permanent mission of France to the United Nations in New York @FranceONU’s accounts via Twitter, Facebooket Instagram.
Covid-19 and multilateralism at the heart of this 75th session
The global health crisis linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the work of the UN will therefore be a major focus. This year’s high-level week is also special this year with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations, for which the UN launched a major inclusive global debate on the role of global cooperation in building the future we want.
This exceptional context of the year 2020 thus inspired the theme of the general debate: "The future we want, the UN we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism - addressing COVID-19 through real multilateral action".
In addition to the traditional General Debate, the High-Level Week will convene several major events:
- The 75th anniversary of the UN will be celebrated with a High-Level event on September 21.
- Biodiversity will be in the spotlight with a virtual Global Summit on September 30.
- Gender equality will also be a flagship topic with the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action and the organization of a High-Level event on October 1st.
- Finally, the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals will also be at the top of this year’s agenda.
The President of the French Republic as well as members of the government, including Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of State for Tourism, French Nationals Abroad and Francophonie, and Clément Beaune, Minister of State for European Affairs, will participate in these high-level events which are priority themes for France.
France will also organize with Germany an event on the Alliance for Multilateralism on the theme "Our commitment and our contribution to better rebuilding". The High-Level week will be an opportunity for France to reaffirm its commitment to strong multilateralism.
75th UNGA day by day
21 September 2020

Read Emmanuel Macron’s speech for the 75th anniversary of the UN
22 September 2020

Read Emmanuel Macron’s speech at UN General Assembly
23 September 2020
- Read excerpts from Jean-Yves Le Drian’s speech during the meeting of the International Support Group for Lebanon (ISG):
“The recovery of 🇱🇧 is first and foremost the responsibility of the Lebanese political forces. They have taken (…) strong commitments to:
- swiftly form a mission government
- support it in the implementation of the reforms essential to the country's recovery ”
.@JY_LeDrian pic.twitter.com/nM2hNY3BPi— France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) September 23, 2020
“Without reforms, there will be no international financial assistance; if they are implemented, we will spare no effort."
.@JY_LeDrian#ISGLebanon #UNGA— France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) September 23, 2020
[Humanitarian support]
"Aid from the international community must be distributed efficiently, transparently and directly for the benefit of the Lebanese."
.@JY_LeDrian#ISGLebanon #UNGA pic.twitter.com/Wa3bhL5Hfl— France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) September 23, 2020
24 September 2020
Meeting of the UN Security Council
“The rule of the world we live in is interdependence.”@JY_LeDrian spoke during the Meeting of the United Nations Security Council:
➡️Maintenance of international peace and security: Global governance post-#COVID19
Thread ⤵️#UNGA #UN75 pic.twitter.com/fC1eND2Z4i
— France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) September 24, 2020
25 September 2020
Meeting of the Alliance for Multilateralism

Meeting of the Alliance for #Multilateralism
“A year ago, @HeikoMaas and I launched this Alliance (…) to give new impetus to the principles and institutions of multilateralism."
— @JY_LeDrian#MultilateralismMatters pic.twitter.com/6lA9HvhU6q— France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) September 25, 2020
29 September 2020
High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development
📹 @JY_LeDrian speaks at the #UNGA as part of the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development, for a multilateral and global response to the crisis.
The goal: helping countries recover from the #COVID19 pandemic. #Fin4Dev pic.twitter.com/XzkNtu32Z1
— France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) September 29, 2020
30 September 2020
UN Biodiversity Summit "For Nature"
Find out more about France’s policy on biodiversity
Protect #biodiversity, save the planet. The next months will be decisive if we are to meet the challenge.
That's France's message today at @UN #BiodiversitySummit
Find out more about our work on the subject: https://t.co/1MSQzMfS9s#UNGA #UNGA75 pic.twitter.com/tjB0t6HyYj
— France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) September 30, 2020
Meeting of the "Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator" (ACT-A) Initiative
#ACTogether
France calls for all ACT-A stakeholders to adopt shared principles:
- Pooled research and trial results
- @WHO-led global allocation strategy
- A fair & audited price
- Voluntary sharing of IP to increase production
Watch @JBLemoyne's message at ACT-A event at #UNGA pic.twitter.com/ZjNeBoVTp5— France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo_EN) September 30, 2020