Published
September 20, 2024
Each year at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the President of the General Assembly opens the session, followed by a statement from the Secretary-General. Then, as tradition dictates, Brazil is the first member state to speak.
Next week marks the 79th UN General Assembly, and for the 66th time, Brazil will be the first to speak. Brazil is neither the host of UNGA, nor is it the first member state by alphabetical order. Brazil is also not a permanent member of the UN Security Council. So, what gives? The reason for this tradition is surprisingly simple: no one else asked for the spot.
A Tradition Born from Practicality: The tradition dates to 1947, involving Brazil’s then Foreign Minister, Oswaldo Aranha, who presided over the first session and was elected President of the second. During the early years of the General Assembly, Brazil began to carve out its influential role at the UN, taking the first speaking slot three times during the Assembly’s first nine years.
However, since the inaugural UNGA in London in 1946, there were concerns about the speaking order. The newly formed UN did not want to give the perception of being dominated by any member state. And so, while the debate on the fairest method of selecting a speaking order was ongoing, no one offered to speak first. In 1955, Brazil’s head of delegation to the UN, João Carlos Muniz, simply stood up and requested to be the first one to speak at the session. The request was granted, setting a precedent that has mostly continued to this day.
There have only been a few exceptions to this tradition. Notably, the United States spoke first in 1983 and 1984, following the U.S. invasion of Grenada, seizing the moment to address the assembly first. Brazil stepped to second place during those years.
What About the Others: After Brazil, the United States, as the host nation, usually follows. The order then becomes a more complex mix of diplomatic representation levels, preferences, and other criteria like geographic balance. Heads of state are prioritized, followed by heads of government, and finally, foreign ministers or their deputies. This rule also applies to member states where the head of state is a monarch or another figurehead (sorry, Britain’s prime minister or Germany’s chancellor).
Some traditions in the world of global diplomacy are not born out of strategy but from a simple act of stepping up. The quirky historical footnote of Brazil's longstanding first-speaker status at UNGA is a perfect example of this, a blend of historical accident and deliberate choice that continues to add a unique flavor to international relations.
About the authors
Anthony Hahn
Anthony Hahn is the Coordinator for International Strategy and Global Initiatives at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
