President Nicușor Dan will lead Romania’s delegation to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, according to information released Friday by the Presidential Administration. On September 23, the head of state will deliver Romania’s national statement in the General Assembly plenary during the high-level segment, which is attended annually by leaders from around the world.
The 81st session of the General Assembly officially opens on September 8, 2026, and the high-level general debate is scheduled for September 22–28, with a break on September 27. The UN has confirmed that this year’s meeting will be held under the theme “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers Results for All. ” According to the Presidential Administration, the president’s speech will focus on reforming the United Nations, as well as on Romania’s contribution to ensuring international peace and security.
Nicușor Dan is set to reaffirm Romania’s support for an international order based on rules and norms, in a context marked by Russia’s war against Ukraine and other international conflicts and crises. UN reform will, in fact, be one of the key topics of the session. The president-elect of the 81st session of the General Assembly, Bangladeshi diplomat Khalilur Rahman, has identified peace and security, climate change, human rights, emerging technologies, and UN reform as among his priorities.
The General Assembly brings together all 193 UN member states, each with one vote. Unlike the Security Council, General Assembly resolutions are generally not legally binding, but the assembly remains one of the main global diplomatic forums. The visit to New York will also have an important diplomatic component for Romania.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Nicușor Dan will participate in several events and hold bilateral meetings with heads of state and government. Among the topics promoted by the Romanian side will be Romania’s candidacy for the leadership of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF). The candidate supported by Romania is Dacian Cioloș, a former prime minister and former European Commissioner for Agriculture.
Nicușor Dan officially announced his candidacy in March 2026. At stake is the election of the future Secretary General of the Francophonie for the 2027–2030 term, a decision to be made by the heads of state and government at the Francophonie Summit scheduled for November 2026 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The OIF announced that four candidates have entered the race, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritania, Romania, and Rwanda.
The candidates were interviewed for the first time as part of a formal procedure in Paris at the end of June. Cioloș was also appointed presidential advisor in April, explaining at the time that the position allows him to lead the international campaign for the OIF presidency and to act on behalf of the president in this matter. This year’s attendance contrasts with the decision made by Nicușor Dan in September 2025, when he did not personally attend the UN General Assembly.
Romania was represented at that time by Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu, who delivered the national address in the plenary session. Official UN records confirm that the head of Romanian diplomacy represented Romania at the general debate of the 80th session. When asked later why he did not travel to New York, Nicușor Dan explained that he had made a “cost-benefit analysis” and that he considered it “more useful to be present in the country,” citing political meetings, discussions with investors, a CSAT meeting, and the review of legislative acts.
In 2026, however, the president will personally attend the meeting in New York and lead the Romanian delegation. The Presidential Administration notes that the visit’s agenda is still being finalized, and the complete list of bilateral meetings and events in which Nicușor Dan will participate will be announced closer to the General Assembly.