September 23, 2026 | 04:42 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Artificial intelligence (AI), the US-Israeli war against Iran, the war in Ukraine, and the escalating climate crisis are set to dominate the agenda on the second day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
The day will bring together world leaders and top technology executives for discussions ranging from the risks posed by rapidly advancing AI to conflicts reshaping global security and the growing urgency of climate action.
Here’s what’s on the agenda for Day 2 of UNGA, as reported by DW.
AI Leaders to Address UN Security Council
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and Hugging Face CEO Clement Delangue are scheduled to brief an emergency meeting of the 15-member UN Security Council on Wednesday.
Their appearance comes amid growing international concern over the pace of AI development, including warnings from within the technology industry that the technology could have consequences that are difficult to control.
Calls to slow AI development have become part of a wider debate over how governments should regulate the technology.
US President Donald Trump, who addressed the General Assembly on Tuesday, dismissed calls to slow AI development as part of a “globalist scheme.” He also brushed aside warnings that unchecked AI development could potentially wipe out humanity within years.
Iran War Takes Center Stage
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to address world leaders for the first time since the war against Iran began in February.
His appearance comes a day after Trump used his General Assembly speech to threaten the annihilation of Iran and said he would drive its people to hell.
The conflict has settled into a tense stalemate, affecting neighboring countries militarily while creating broader economic repercussions around the world.
Iranian and US representatives have held talks on the sidelines of the General Assembly in New York, but a peace agreement remains elusive.
The conflict has also disrupted the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
Ukraine War Returns to Diplomatic Agenda
Russia’s more than four-and-a-half-year full-scale assault on Ukraine will also feature prominently in Wednesday’s diplomatic discussions.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a session on the conflict in the morning, followed by an address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the General Assembly in the afternoon.
Climate Crisis and Fossil Fuel Profits
Climate change will round out the major issues on the agenda, with outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticizing fossil fuel companies over their contribution to global warming.
Guterres accused fossil fuel giants of treating the Earth’s atmosphere like an “open sewer” for emissions and criticized what he described as the greed of “big oil” as armed conflicts continue around the world.
“Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, five major Western oil companies have pocketed nearly half a trillion dollars in profits,” Guterres said.
He contrasted those profits with the $34 billion invested in helping developing countries adapt to a warming world.
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