UN: World leaders can attend annual UN meeting in person

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has decided to let world leaders attend their annual gathering at the U.N. General Assembly in September in person -- or deliver pre-recorded speeches if COVID-19 restrictions prevent them from traveling.

General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir, a strong supporter of in-person meetings, said in a note from his office to the 193 U.N. member nations circulated Monday that significant efforts have been made to ensure that the U.N. is able to host an in-person high-level week from Sept. 21-30.

Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic kept world leaders from coming to New York for their annual meeting for the first time in the 75-year history of the United Nations. Instead, pre-recorded speeches from leaders were shown in the General Assembly Hall, introduced by a single diplomat from each country.

This year, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters Monday it will be “a hybrid set-up” with some leaders delivering their speeches in person in the assembly chamber and some video statements.

Bozkir’s office said the assembly president worked closely with member states and the U.N. system to ensure that high-level week could “benefit from in-person diplomacy” among leaders.

As the situation for COVID-19 has improved in New York, Bozkir has allowed the number of delegates in the General Assembly Hall to increase from one to two, and for the high-level week a speaker plus three delegates will be allowed in the vast chamber, according to the note.

The 193 member nations will now be able to determine their level of representation at the high-level meeting, known officially as the general debate, it said.

“To ensure that all member states have an equal opportunity to participate in high-level week the option for member states to send a...