Every year since the 10th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1995, Brazil has been the first to address the delegation, followed by the United States.

About UNGA

• The UNGA is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN.
• Its powers, composition, functions, and procedures are set out in Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter.
• It also establishes numerous subsidiary organs to advance or assist in its broad mandate.
• The UNGA is the only UN organ wherein all member states have equal representation.

Why does Brazil always get to speak first?

• Brazil has been the first speaker at the UNGA annual general debate for over six decades now.
• While some assume that the order is determined alphabetically, this is not the case.
• This tradition dates back to the early years of the United Nations, following its formation soon after the end of World War II.
• In those days, most countries were reluctant to be the first to address the chamber.
• Brazil, at the time, was the only country that volunteered to speak first.

So, why does the US go next?

• In the list of speakers, the United States always goes second after Brazil as it is the host nation.
• US President Joe Biden addressed the chamber on Tuesday, detailing his vision for a new era of diplomacy in his first-ever UNGA speech.

How is the order of the remaining speakers determined?

• After the US and Brazil, the order of speakers depends on a number of factors.
• Generally the order is determined by the rank of the representative — heads of state, heads of government, crown princes, and foreign ministers would be amongst the initial speakers, followed by deputies and ambassadors.
• Other criteria like geographic balance also play a role in determining the order.

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