Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York City from Sunday to Wednesday, marking his first appearance at the high-profile gathering since taking office. His visit comes at a moment of geopolitical upheaval, with war raging in the Middle East and U.S. President Donald Trump pushing back against multilateralism, leaving the future of the UN under a cloud.
Carney will not address the Assembly directly; instead, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand will speak later next week. However, Carney will meet with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, global heads of state, and CEOs to discuss peace, security, human rights, and international collaboration. Canada, along with several allies, is expected to recognize an independent Palestinian state during the session, a move that risks provoking the United States. Washington has already vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and has revoked visas for Palestinian leaders, though the General Assembly voted to allow President Mahmoud Abbas to speak by video.
Observers say the Assembly could become a pivotal moment for the UN as it faces what experts are calling one of its most serious existential crises. Trump has ordered a review of U.S. participation, withdrawn from the Human Rights Council, and frozen funding, raising questions about the future of the institution. “This is probably the biggest crisis the UN has faced since its founding,” said Fen Osler Hampson of Carleton University. “One of its biggest supporters is turning its back on the institution.”
For Canada and its allies, the challenge will be deciding how to fill the leadership void left by the U.S. while balancing fiscal pressures and rising global tensions. Carney is expected to use his time in New York to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to multilateralism, co-host a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and strengthen economic partnerships in the face of Trump’s tariff regime.
“We have the resources the world needs and the values to which others aspire,” Carney said in a statement. “At this hinge moment in history, Canada is leading with strength — creating new opportunities for Canadian workers and investing in peace, security, and reliable global partnerships to build a safer, more resilient, and more prosperous world for all.”