NEW YORK Sept 23, 2026 – Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will lead Malaysia’s delegation to the 81st United Nations General Assembly from today until Sept 27, with Kuala Lumpur expected to restate its commitment to multilateralism, international law and a stronger, more effective United Nations.
Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the UN Datuk Nadzirah Osman said the visit comes as multilateralism is under growing scrutiny and faces a widening trust deficit.
“During a time when multilateralism is under scrutiny and facing this growing trust deficit, the international community must move beyond words and commit to collective and concrete action. No country can actually address today’s global challenges alone,” she told Malaysian media at her office on Tuesday, ahead of Mohamad’s arrival.
This is the third time Mohamad has led Malaysia’s UNGA delegation since taking over as foreign minister in December 2023.
The 81st session is themed “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All”. It focuses on rebuilding confidence in global cooperation amid geopolitical, technological, economic and environmental shifts. The General Debate runs from Sept 22 to 28.
Mohamad is scheduled to deliver Malaysia’s national statement at about 4.30pm on Sept 26, New York time. Key issues are expected to include strengthening multilateralism and defending international law, Palestine and tensions in the Middle East, UN and Security Council reform, the development gap and the Sustainable Development Goals, and the UN80 initiative.
Before the debate, he will attend several high-level meetings. On Sept 24 he is due at the ministerial meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission, the OIC Annual Coordination Meeting of Foreign Ministers, a ministerial meeting in support of UNRWA 2026, and a high-level session on the existential threat of sea-level rise.
On Sept 25 he will join the high-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, the 50th annual meeting of G77 and China foreign ministers, and the Hague Group extraordinary ministerial meeting in defence of international law.
He will also attend the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem, where he is expected to deliver a national statement, and the high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of the UN Alliance of Civilisations.
Nadzirah said Mohamad is scheduled for bilateral meetings and courtesy calls with counterparts and prominent figures from Nepal, Iran, Kuwait, Ghana, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Algeria. He is also due to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to strengthen cooperation and compare notes on regional and global issues of common concern.
Some of the talks are expected to cover technical cooperation and efforts to make the UN system more effective, including through the UN80 initiative.
On Malaysia’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2036–2037, Nadzirah said Kuala Lumpur will actively seek support from member states ahead of the June 2035 election. Malaysia last sat on the Council in 2015 and 2016. She said the candidacy reflects the country’s commitment to international peace and security.
Asked about women in UN leadership, she noted that the organisation has never been headed by a woman since 1945, despite numerous UN programmes on women’s issues. Seven candidates are now in the running for secretary-general, four of them women, including former national leaders. The selection process is ongoing and Malaysia will continue to monitor it.
Mohamad will also host a dinner for the Malaysian diaspora in New York on Sept 26, to meet Malaysians working and studying in the city and nearby areas.
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