Scholz left for New York

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) began a multi-day visit to New York. As a spokesperson for the federal government told the AFP news agency, the chancellor’s plane left Berlin on Saturday afternoon. Scholz will deliver a speech at the upcoming United Nations Summit on Sunday. The chancellor is likely to use his visit ahead of the UN general debate to hold talks with a number of heads of state and government. He is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.

The six-day UN general debate begins on Tuesday and is preceded by the so-called conference on Sunday and Monday. The UN member states want to adopt an agreement for the future that lists in five chapters and about 50 points how the global challenges of the 21st century can be overcome through international cooperation. Germany and Namibia in South Africa played a key role in the negotiations for the agreement.

Scholz will not address the general debate at the UN General Assembly this year. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) will take up this role on Thursday. The discussion, in which about 130 heads of state and government from around the world are participating, is under the impression that violence is increasing in the Middle East. It seems that the war in Ukraine is once again the main topic of speeches and discussions at the UN headquarters.

yb/lan