President Rajapaksa will be the 16th speaker of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly that convenes today. It will be President Mahinda Rajapaksa's seventh address to the General Assembly.

The President is also due to hold bilateral talks with several heads of state and government.

Around 140 heads of state and government are scheduled to attend this year’s General Assembly which will bring the largest number of world leaders together to discuss important questions such as those on peace and security among the full spectrum of international issues covered by the UN charter.