Credit: MAE

On Thursday 24 September 2026, Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade reported that Grand Duke Guillaume and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Xavier Bettel, had travelled to New York from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 September for the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

According to the ministry, Luxembourg’s Head of State delivered the country’s address during the General Debate of the General Assembly, presenting Luxembourg’s positions and priorities concerning the main international challenges.

Grand Duke Guillaume, accompanied by Minister Bettel, held bilateral talks with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, King Abdullah II of Jordan and the President of Mongolia.

Minister Bettel, for his part, held bilateral exchanges with his counterparts from Costa Rica, Suriname and Ghana, as well as with the Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Minister Bettel also participated in the signing ceremony of the Global Green Bond Initiative (GGBI), in the presence of the European Commissioner for International Partnerships and the President of the European Investment Bank. According to the ministry, Luxembourg supports this flagship initiative of the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to mobilise private investment for climate and environmental projects in low- and middle-income countries, with the fund based in Luxembourg.

Minister Bettel also participated in the follow-up meeting on the New York Declaration on Palestine, under the auspices of the President of the French Republic, the British Prime Minister, the Canadian Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.

The ministry noted that, one year after Luxembourg’s recognition of the State of Palestine, the country remained fully committed to the two-state solution, which it described as “the only viable path towards lasting peace between Israel and Palestine”.

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, Minister Bettel also participated in a meeting devoted to the international protection of refugees.

He also participated in a meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union with their counterparts from the countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Finally, Luxembourg’s Head of State and Minister Bettel participated in a reception with the Luxembourg community based in New York.

They also paid tribute to the victims of the attacks of 11 September 2001 by laying a wreath at the 9/11 Memorial.