As the United Nations prepares to open the 81st session of the General Assembly on September 8, a question is emerging in Kosovo: Who will represent the country in New York?
Political leaders from around the world are expected to gather at UN Headquarters, with the high-level general debate scheduled for September 22–26 and September 28.
For Kosovo, however, the issue comes at a particularly sensitive political moment.
The Kosovo government has not confirmed whether caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti will travel to the United States to represent the country. Kurti attended last year’s UN General Assembly high-level week, where he held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the gathering.
International-relations experts say Kosovo’s institutional uncertainty could complicate its representation abroad.
Professor of international relations Dritëro Arifi argues that Kosovo needs representatives with a clear and full political mandate, particularly because the country is not a UN member state and therefore relies heavily on bilateral diplomacy and meetings on the margins of the General Assembly.
According to Arifi, having acting officials represent the country at major international gatherings could weaken Kosovo’s position and political weight in diplomatic meetings.
Former diplomat Blerim Canaj shares similar concerns. He says that representing Kosovo at a forum as significant as the UN General Assembly through acting officials, while the Assembly itself is not fully functional, could undermine the country’s institutional legitimacy.
A critical diplomatic stage
The UN General Assembly remains one of the world’s most important diplomatic platforms, bringing together representatives of all 193 UN member states. While Kosovo is not a member of the organization, the annual gathering provides an important opportunity for Pristina to hold bilateral meetings, strengthen alliances and lobby for international support.
This year’s 81st session will be presided over by Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman and will run from September 8, 2026, to September 7, 2027. Its theme is “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.”
With Kosovo still navigating political uncertainty, the choice of who speaks for the country in New York could carry significance beyond protocol.
The question is no longer simply who will attend the UN General Assembly — but who will have the political legitimacy to speak for Kosovo on the international stage.
