Opening of the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly

The Montenegrin delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Filip Ivanović, attended the opening of the General Debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 24 September 2024.

As per tradition, the opening remarks were delivered by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and President of the 79th General Assembly Philemon Yang. Following them, Brazilian President Lula da Silva and US President Joe Biden addressed the assembly.

This year's General Debate is titled "Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations." During the debate, high-level officials from UN member states will have the opportunity to address global challenges and propose solutions.

Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović, representing Montenegro, is scheduled to deliver his address on Friday, 27 September.

Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović meets with the Foreign Minister of the Marshall Islands

As part of his working visit and participation in this year’s UN General Debate, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović met with Kalani Koneko, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, on 24 September 2024.

During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović reiterated Montenegro’s request to establish formal diplomatic relations between the two countries. He also presented Montenegro's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2026-2027 period.

Minister Koneko expressed the Marshall Islands' readiness to swiftly establish diplomatic ties and emphasised the desire to strengthen relations, particularly in the multilateral sphere, considering their respective candidacies within the United Nations.

Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović meets with representatives of the American Jewish Committee

On the sidelines of the General Debate in New York, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović met with representatives of the American Jewish Committee on 24 September 2024.

During the meeting, both sides recognised the importance of Montenegro’s relations with the United States and Israel. Discussions centered on opportunities to strengthen overall cooperation, with Ivanović emphasising Montenegro's openness to exploring initiatives that could foster closer ties in areas of mutual interest. He also stressed Montenegro’s stance on the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza to stop the suffering of innocent civilians.

In response to the Committee’s inquiry, Ivanović provided an update on Montenegro’s EU accession process, reaffirming that full EU membership remains the country’s primary foreign policy goal.