Why Does Brazil Always Speak First at UNGA?

Anthony Hahn
Associate Manager, International Strategy & Global Initiatives, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

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 traces to 1947 and Brazil's then-Foreign Minister, Oswaldo Aranha, who presided over the First Special 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.

From 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. Plus, speaking first meant laying out positions before hearing from others. And so, while the debate on the fairest method of selecting a speaking order was ongoing, no one offered to speak first consistently. By the 10th session in 1955, Brazil's head of delegation to the UN, João Carlos Muniz, simply stood up and formally requested to speak first. The request was granted, cementing what had been an occasional practice into a tradition that has mostly continued to this day.

a man in a suit sitting at a desk with a microphone — Oswaldo Aranha, Former President of the United Nations General Assembly

There have only been a few exceptions to this tradition. Notably, in 1983 and 1984, following the U.S. invasion of Grenada, the United States seized the moment, speaking first to address the Assembly in the immediate aftermath. 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 get first priority, then heads of government, and finally foreign ministers or their stand-ins. This rule applies across the board. If your country's real decision-maker is a prime minister or chancellor while a monarch holds the ceremonial top job, sorry, you're waiting behind the crown.

Some traditions in global diplomacy are not born from grand strategy. The quirky historical footnote of Brazil's longstanding first-speaker status at UNGA is a perfect example, born from a simple act of stepping up when no one else would.