The United Nations General Assembly announced that it would not meet in person during its upcoming session because of the coronavirus.
Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the president of the assembly, said on Monday that the group has met every year for the past 75 years but that it is “impossible” to have the 193 member nations send diplomats and staff to New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“World leaders cannot come to New York because they cannot come simply as individuals,” he said. “A president doesn’t travel alone. Leaders don’t travel alone.”
“We cannot have them in person as we used to — what happened in the last 74 years — but it will happen,” he added.
Muhammad-Bande said that further details about how the assembly plans to convene virtually will be released in the future. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres previously recommended that the heads of state send pre-recorded messages to the assembly while sending only one New York City-based diplomat to meet in person.
Muhammad-Bande said it will depend on how the pandemic progresses through September. He said it may be possible for “maybe a hundred or so” to gather in person but did not offer any further details.
In a typical year, the General Assembly draws thousands of diplomats from around the world. This year was expected to have a more significant crowd for the body’s 75th anniversary. Muhammad-Bande said a political resolution has been discussed between leaders to plan to commemorate the anniversary even if it cannot be done in person.
New York has been one of the hardest-hit areas by the pandemic in the U.S. The state has just begun to reopen after months with a stay-at-home order in place. As of Tuesday, New York had 30,458 COVID-19 deaths.
