You’ve probably seen the photos. A person sits high up on a marble dais, flanked by the Secretary-General and a bunch of assistants, holding a gavel that looks like it belongs in a museum. Most people call this person the President of the UN. But that isn't exactly right. The United Nations doesn't have a "President" in the way a country has a CEO or a Commander-in-Chief. What we're actually talking about is the President of the General Assembly—or the PGA, if you want to sound like a diplomat.
It’s a weird job. Honestly, it’s one of the most prestigious positions on the planet that almost nobody can name.
Philemon Yang, the former Prime Minister of Cameroon, currently holds the seat for the 79th session. He took over from Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago. It’s a role that rotates every single year. One year you're representing a tiny island nation; the next, you're a powerhouse from a massive continent. This rotation is baked into the UN’s DNA to make sure no single region hogs the spotlight. But does the PGA actually have power? Or are they just a glorified moderator for the world’s most expensive debating club?
The President of the UN General Assembly vs. The Secretary-General
People get this mixed up constantly. Antonio Guterres is the Secretary-General. He’s the face of the UN, the guy who flies into war zones and gives the "code red for humanity" speeches. He runs the bureaucracy.
The President of the UN General Assembly is different. Think of the PGA as the Speaker of the House, but for 193 countries. They don't run the staff; they run the meeting. When the world’s leaders show up in New York every September for High-Level Week, the PGA is the one keeping the clock, calling on the President of the United States to speak, and trying to keep the peace when things get heated.
It’s a position of immense soft power.
You don't get a veto. You don't have an army. You do, however, have the "bully pulpit." If the PGA decides that the theme of the year is "Sustainability" or "Digital Equity," the entire global agenda shifts slightly in that direction. Philemon Yang, for instance, has focused heavily on African development and global peace. It’s about setting the vibe for the world's most important room.
How You Actually Get the Job
It’s not a popular election. You can't just run a bunch of TV ads and hope for the best. The process is strictly geographic. The world is divided into five groups: African, Asia-Pacific, Eastern European, Latin American and Caribbean, and Western European and Others.
📖 Related: Fire in Idyllwild California: What Most People Get Wrong
They take turns.
Every year, it’s a different group's "go." In 2024, it was Africa’s turn, which is how we got Yang. Usually, the regional group agrees on a single candidate behind closed doors. They hash it out, trade some favors, and present a consensus pick. But sometimes? Sometimes it gets messy. Every once in a while, two countries from the same region can't agree, and then the whole General Assembly has to vote by secret ballot. It’s like high school student council but with nuclear weapons and trade embargoes on the line.
The term is strictly one year. You get in, you try to make your mark, and then you’re out. It’s a sprint, not a marathon.
Why the Gavel Matters
You might think a gavel is just a piece of wood. At the UN, it’s iconic. The original gavel was actually shattered in 1955 during a particularly rowdy session. Iceland had to donate a new one. Then that one disappeared. It’s a whole thing.
When the President of the UN General Assembly bangs that gavel to open the session, it’s the only time all 193 member states are officially "in the room" as equals. From the tiniest micro-state in the Pacific to the giants like China or the US, everyone gets one vote. The PGA is the guardian of that equality. In the Security Council, the "P5" (Permanent Five) hold all the cards. In the General Assembly, the PGA ensures the little guys get a voice.
The Reality of "Power" in New York
Let’s be real for a second. The General Assembly resolutions aren't legally binding. Unlike the Security Council, the GA can't authorize a military strike or slap a country with mandatory sanctions. Because of this, critics often call the President of the UN a "paper tiger."
But that’s a bit cynical.
👉 See also: Who Is More Likely to Win the Election 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
The PGA acts as a mediator. When two countries are at each other's throats and won't talk to the Secretary-General, they might talk to the PGA. It's a neutral ground. The President can convene "High-Level Meetings" on specific crises—think climate change, pandemics, or the debt crisis. These meetings often create the framework for future treaties. They build the "moral consensus" of the world.
If the PGA says the world is failing on a specific issue, it makes headlines. It puts pressure on governments. It’s a slow-burn kind of influence.
Recent Presidents and Their Legacies
Looking back helps you see how the role changes based on the person.
- Csaba Kőrösi (Hungary, 77th Session): He was a data guy. He pushed hard for "science-based solutions." He didn't want just political speeches; he wanted evidence.
- Abdulla Shahid (Maldives, 76th Session): He was the "Presidency of Hope." Coming from a nation literally sinking due to sea-level rise, he made climate change the absolute center of everything.
- Maria Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador, 73rd Session): Only the fourth woman to ever hold the post. Think about that. Out of nearly 80 years, only four women. She focused heavily on plastic pollution and gender equality.
The lack of gender diversity in the role is a huge talking point in the hallways of the Secretariat. It’s a glaring issue. For a body that preaches equality, the list of past Presidents is very male-dominated. There is a growing movement to ensure that future rotations prioritize female candidates, but since the regions decide their own nominees, the UN central leadership can’t really force it.
The Logistics: Life at the Top
What does the day-to-day actually look like? It’s brutal.
The President of the UN General Assembly lives in a residence in Midtown Manhattan. They have a small, dedicated team—the Office of the President of the General Assembly (OPGA). Interestingly, the UN budget for this office is surprisingly small. The PGA often has to rely on their home country to "second" diplomats or provide extra funding. This creates a weird dynamic where wealthy countries can technically run a "flashier" presidency than poorer ones.
Their calendar is a nightmare of "bilaterals." That’s diplomat-speak for one-on-one meetings. A typical Tuesday might involve meeting the Foreign Minister of Japan at 9:00 AM, a group of NGOs at 10:30 AM, and then presiding over a four-hour debate on the situation in the Middle East.
✨ Don't miss: Air Pollution Index Delhi: What Most People Get Wrong
Misconceptions That Just Won't Die
The biggest myth? That the President of the UN can fire people or change the UN Charter. They can't. They are a servant of the rules, not the master of them. They follow the "Rules of Procedure," a thick book of parliamentary law that governs how every meeting is run.
Another one: People think the President is "above" their home country. While they are supposed to be impartial, they are still a diplomat from their nation. They don't lose their citizenship or their ties. Balancing the interests of Cameroon (in Yang's case) with the interests of 192 other countries is a tightrope walk. If you lean too hard toward your home country, you lose the room. If you ignore your home country, you might not have a job to go back to.
Why You Should Care in 2026
We live in a fractured world. The Security Council is often paralyzed by the veto—if Russia and the US don't agree, nothing happens. This has made the General Assembly, and by extension its President, more important than they’ve been in decades.
When the Security Council fails to act on a peace and security issue, the General Assembly can step in under a resolution called "Uniting for Peace." The PGA becomes the conductor of that process. We’ve seen this happen with the conflict in Ukraine and the crisis in Gaza. When the "big powers" are stuck, the world turns to the President of the UN General Assembly to find a way forward.
What's Next for the Presidency?
The push for reform is the big story right now. There’s a lot of talk about making the PGA’s office more independent from national funding to prevent "influence buying." There’s also the "Veto Initiative." This is a new rule where, if a permanent member of the Security Council uses a veto, the PGA must convene a meeting of the General Assembly within 10 days to discuss it.
It forces the big powers to explain themselves to the rest of the world. It’s a massive shift in the power balance, and the PGA is right in the middle of it.
Actionable Insights for Following the UN
If you want to actually understand what’s happening in global politics, don't just watch the headlines. The President of the UN General Assembly is the barometer for where the world is heading.
- Watch the "PGA’s Morning Brief": The office usually puts out updates on what’s being debated. It’s the best way to see which crises are about to boil over.
- Follow the Thematic Debates: These aren't just talk shops. When the PGA calls a debate on "AI and Human Rights" or "Sea Level Rise," it usually signals that a new international treaty is being drafted behind the scenes.
- Check the Regional Rotation: Want to know who the next President will be? Look at the calendar. If it’s Latin America's turn, start looking at the top diplomats from Brazil, Mexico, or Colombia.
- Read the "Summaries": At the end of their term, each PGA writes a summary of the session. It’s the "State of the World" report that actually matters because it reflects the consensus of 193 nations, not just one government’s spin.
The job of the President of the UN is one of the hardest balancing acts in existence. They are a moderator, a mediator, and a moral compass, all wrapped into a one-year term. It’s not about having the power to command; it’s about having the patience to listen. In a world that seems to have forgotten how to talk to itself, that might actually be the most important job there is.
Focus on the General Assembly's official website or the UN Journal to see Philemon Yang’s current schedule and the specific resolutions being pushed this month. Understanding the "vibe" of the GA tells you more about the future of international law than any single news cycle ever could.