Both leaders are heading to New York on Sunday for a series of engagements during the “high-level” week. President Michael D. Higgins is set to deliver a speech at the UN Summit of the Future on Sunday at UN headquarters. His address will highlight the importance of food security in Africa and call for a revitalized United Nations.

President Higgins will also join Harris, Martin, and other world leaders for the opening of the annual high-level general debate on Tuesday.

Taoiseach Harris will attend the Summit of the Future, co-chair one of the four interactive dialogues, and participate in high-level events focusing on the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine. He will also hold bilateral meetings with other leaders, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Ahead of the events, Harris emphasized that his primary focus would be “on the grave situation in the Middle East.”

“The international community’s immediate priority must be a ceasefire and a hostage release deal. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is catastrophic, and we urgently need to scale up aid. Protecting UN and other humanitarian workers is essential, and all sides must exercise restraint to prevent further escalation.”

Harris, who recently met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv, also noted that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Sudan would be key topics of discussion.

Tánaiste Martin remarked that the UN event is “a key international moment for Ireland and the world.”

“I look forward to collaborating with partners, including those with whom we may disagree, to find solutions and build a more peaceful, prosperous, just, and sustainable world. I will also engage with various counterparts to address the urgent conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine, and Sudan.”

On Sunday, Martin will attend a working dinner with other ministers, focusing on the Middle East, hosted by the International Peace Institute. On Tuesday, he will participate in the opening ceremony of the General Assembly and conduct a series of bilateral meetings with foreign ministers.