Meloni eclipses Musk; Biden takes the stage

Sep 24, 2024

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Good morning from New York where U.S. President Joe Biden will take the stage at the U.N. General Assembly in one of the final foreign policy speeches of his presidency, against an increasingly dire backdrop in the Middle East.

I’m Suzanne Lynch, bringing you the latest news from New York as world leaders gather for the General Assembly. But first …

MELONI-MUSK DOUBLE-ACT: Just a year ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was feted as guest of honor at the Atlantic Council’s annual gala dinner during U.N. high-level week. Last night it was tech billionaire Elon Musk and Italy’s right-wing leader Giorgia Meloni who stole the limelight at the glitzy black-tie affair in the Ziegfeld Ballroom.

Mutual affection: The love-in between the two was in full evidence at the venue in downtown Manhattan as the billionaire founder of Tesla and SpaceX introduced Meloni in glowing terms — “someone who is even more beautiful on the inside than she is on the outside.” The Italian leader in turn praised Musk’s “precious genius.”

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Meloni’s moment: But ultimately it was Meloni’s night, with Musk making a relatively brief appearance. The 47-year-old prime minister used her 15-minute speech to espouse her vision of conservatism, largely eschewing any reference to the contemporary geopolitical situation.

Western hegemony: In a week where global leaders come together to advance the cause of multilateralism, Meloni instead championed patriotism, hailing the West as “a civilization built over the centuries.” “Our freedom and our values and the pride we feel for them are the weapons our adversaries fear the most,” she declared, citing Conservative philosophers like Roger Scruton and Giuseppe Prezzolini.

Challenging consensus: For Meloni, who has emerged as a political force to be reckoned with in Europe after her party performed well in the European election this summer, it was a coming-out of sorts to the powerful U.S. foreign policy and think-tank world. Read our full run-down, including how Meloni has made inroads with the Republican establishment, here.

Tech bros in town: Meanwhile Musk, who was accompanied by SpaceX executives at Monday’s gala event, isn’t the only tech titan in New York this week. Open AI founder Sam Altman has been holding a series of meetings and events in venues close to U.N. headquarters.

BIDEN SPEAKS AS MIDDLE EAST BURNS

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED: U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in New York City on Air Force One Monday ahead of his much-anticipated speech today to the U.N. General Assembly, the last time he is set to address the body. For a president whose career has been steeped in foreign affairs, fostered during his years on the Senate foreign relations committee, today’s may be one of the most significant swan songs of his final few months in office.

What to expect: “Biden plans to use his time in New York to forcefully make the case that, over the past three-and-a-half years, he fulfilled his promise of a renewed American commitment overseas after President Donald Trump’s tumultuous and confrontational time in office,” our own Jonathan Lemire writes in this walk-up piece. “But the spiking risk of war in the Middle East, combined with the ongoing war in Ukraine and lingering questions about the U.S. pullout in Afghanistan, threatens to tarnish his record and help Trump make the case that the world has become more chaotic since he left the White House in 2021.”

Realpolitik: Today’s address by Biden threatens to be overshadowed by a rapidly escalating situation in the Middle East, where Lebanon is descending into outright war. Israeli airstrikes have left hundreds dead and the Pentagon announced it will send more troops to the region.

Israeli perspective: POLITICO’s Erin Banco reports that Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz outlined his “deep concerns” about the escalation along his country’s northern border in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres Monday, blaming Hezbollah. “Israel is not interested in a full-scale war,” he wrote. “However, we will take all necessary measures to protect ourselves.”

Deep divides: But others have urged Biden to call out Israel’s actions in Gaza. “Foremost we need to hear one thing from President Biden: how he will use his power to end Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and ensure its compliance with international law in both Gaza and the West Bank,” said Oxfam America CEO Abby Maxman.

Backroom diplomacy: Away from the scripted speeches in the General Assembly Hall and the protests outside the building, behind-the-scene negotiations are taking place. President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas has been holding bilateral meetings with leaders, while Jordanian and Qatari representatives are also working the rooms. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is due to address the General Assembly today, has also been holding one-to-one’s, including with European Council President Charles Michel and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

While in town: In addition to his keynote speech, Biden will deliver a climate-related speech this afternoon at the Bloomberg Global Business Forum forum and visit ABC headquarters Wednesday morning for a live interview on the morning TV show “The View” — his first media interview since pulling out of the presidential race. The president made a surprise appearance at the Clinton Global Initiative gathering Monday, where he was presented with the Global Citizen Award — causing traffic chaos in the streets outside in the meantime.

Zelenskyy does the rounds: Meanwhile it was all smiles as Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bilateral Monday. It comes ahead of this afternoon’s Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

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AROUND TOWN

LATE-NIGHT LAUGHS: While most global leaders were wining and dining around town last night, or engaged in some end-of-the-day diplomacy, Canadian leader Justin Trudeau popped down to the Ed Sullivan theater on Broadway for an interview with Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show.” The Canadian leader, whose approval rate has plummeted ahead of an election year, admitted there’s a “lot of frustration” in Canada due to cost-of-living issues. “People are taking a lot out on me for understandable reasons,” he said.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization, was careful not to weigh in on the upcoming U.S. election in a session at the SDG Media Zone at the U.N. on Monday. “It’s up to the citizens of the U.S. to choose their leaders,” he said. But he did take a swipe at the money being poured into defense spending around the world.

The amount of money needed for health care is “a rounding error,” he said, compared to the “staggering amount of investment” in defense. “I have seen countries from many regions proudly announcing an increase in defense expenditure. Of course there is conflict in many places, but do we try and resolve our conflicts using force or do we invest in an alternative, meaning a political solution, peace … rather than investing in weapons to kill each other. The choice is ours.”

LADIES’ MAN: Spanish leader Pedro Sanchez will be among those to be feted by the HeForShe gender equality group tonight at a 10th anniversary bash this evening. Actor Anne Hathaway is due to make an appearance at the event at the legendary Guastavino’s, which was designed by the famous Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino.

MOOD MUSIC: Our very own jazz expert (aka senior foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi) reports that Clinton Global Initiative attendees were treated to the stylings of a live jazz band during their lunch hour. The Pau Jorba Quartet—named after the saxophonist—may have been used to a more intimate crowd than this one, but they jammed away as if it was late night at a club. And in a way, CGI is a club.

STORMING THE STAGE: Things were a little testier over at the Concordia summit. Several protesters rushed the stage at the summit Monday when U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) was talking up his Americas Trade and Investment Act with Paraguay President Santiago Peña, POLITICO’s Mona Zhang reports.

“You’re selling yourself to the fossil fuel industry!” one shouted at Cassidy on stage. “The children of Louisiana’s cancer alley have a 20- to 30-year life span!”

Close shave: The protesters managed to link arms momentarily while chanting “Cassidy causes cancer!” as Concordia security staff dragged them off the stage. “Well, we were talking about freedom. Freedom of speech [and] democracy,” said moderator Andrea Bernal of Colombian news channel NTN24, bringing the conversation back to Venezuela and Nicaragua as the audience applauded.

RECOGNIZING INNOVATION

HELPING TO CHANGE: Everyone likes a good news story, particularly at a time of multiple crises across the world. Today at the Plaza Hotel, some of the most innovative initiatives being developed to tackle climate and environmental challenges will be celebrated as the latest round of finalists for the Earthshot Prize are announced.

Background: Launched by Prince William back in 2020 (alas, the heir to the British crown is not in town this week) the Earthshot Prize awards five winners £1 million to help scale their solutions. The final winners will be announced in Cape Town in November during Earthshot week.

Africa in focus: Playbook spoke to two finalists who will be named today at the event. Based in Ghana, GAYO has developed a new zero waste project that aims to tackle the burning of waste in Africa, in the process reducing air pollution by about 70 percent.

Working with informal waste collectors, Gayo composts and recycles waste, its co-founder Desmond Alugnoa explains.“One of the objectives is to bridge the gap between informal waste workers and local authorities, integrating casual collectors into the system,” he said. GAYO works with 20 local governments across countries in Africa including Ghana, Uganda and Botswana.

Solar power innovator d.light is helping to bring solar solutions to low-income households particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and India. Co-founder Nedjip Tozun explains that the company installs solar systems and equipments in homes, helping to modernize houses while also helping to reduce CO2 emissions. Part of the offering is a financing package. “It’s an important part — the fact that these homes pay a daily rate that is less than they would otherwise pay for kerosene or diesel is critical.”

AGENDA

— High-level general debate of the United Nations General Assembly, 9 a.m., General Assembly Hall. Speakers include Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, U.S. President Joe Biden, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa; Lithuanian President Edgars Rinkēvičs.

— U.N. Security Council meeting, “Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine,” 3 p.m.

— “In Defense of Democracy, combating extremism,” co-hosted by Spain and Brazil, 3 p.m., Conference Room 5, U.N. Headquarters. Speeches by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron also due to attend.

— Day 2 of Clinton Global Initiative 2024 meeting, 8:45 a.m. Speakers include Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general, World Health Organization (WHO); Chef and founder of World Central Kitchen José Andrés; Illinois Governor JB Pritzker; Russian democratic campaigner Yulia Navalnaya; Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley; U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm; Kenya’s President William Ruto; Zoologist Jane Goodall; Bill Nelson, NASA administrator; Bill Clinton; Hillary Clinton; Chelsea Clinton; Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky; Lithuanian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO, Acumen; Jennifer Siebel Newsom, first partner of California; Tom Vilsack, U.S. agriculture secretary; Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani Sadriu; Nadia Calviño, president, European Investment Bank; Dr. Rajiv Shah, president, The Rockefeller Foundation; David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee.

— Bloomberg Global Business Forum, 3:30- 5:30 p.m., The Plaza Hotel. Speakers include President Joe Biden, former New York Mayor and U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael Bloomberg; World Bank President Ajay Banga; Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund; Jane Fonda, actor and activist; Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer, Alphabet and Google; Mark Carney, U.N. special envoy for climate action and finance; Majid Al Suwaidi, CEO, ALTÉRRA.

— The Hub Live, organized by Climate Group at The GlassHouse, 9 a.m. Link here.

— Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit, 9:30 a.m- 11:30 a.m., The Plaza Hotel. Attendees include former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Matt Damon, actor and co-Founder, Water.org and WaterEquity; Justin Bibb, mayor of Cleveland; basketball player Joel Embiid; Mark Carney, U.N. special envoy on climate action; José Andrés, founder, World Central Kitchen; Jay Inslee, governor of Washington.

— Transatlantic foreign ministers dinner hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken; NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg; Morgan Library; 7 p.m.

— “Resilient Voices: Defending Women’s Rights against Pushback,” hosted by the Permanent Mission of Germany to the U.N., co-hosted by HÁWAR.help, Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy, 12:30pm – 1:30pm. Speakers include German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

— Science Summit, Cure, 9 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., 345 Park Ave South. Speakers include Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister of environment, water and agriculture; Issa Faye, Islamic Development Bank; Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa, minister of education of Malawi.

— The Atlantic Council’s Future Forum, 9 a.m., St. Regis Hotel.

— FP Tech Forum @UNGA79: “Accelerating Global Connectivity and Progress Toward the SDGs,” hosted by Foreign Policy, 8:30 a.m., Rockefeller Center.

—The Next 3 Billion, hosted by Semafor; 9 a.m., The Pierre. Speakers include: President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone; Microsoft’s Brad Smith, WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

— Equality Lounge @ Climate Week NYC hosted by Equality Lounge and Deloitte, 9 a.m – 6:30 p.m, Quorum by Convene, Avenue of the Americas. Agenda here.

SPOTTED

— At the Atlantic Council’s Global Citizen Award dinner at Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York, Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni; Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis; CJ Group Vice Chairperson Miky Lee: Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto; Elon Musk; Pfizer’s Albert Bourla; U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell; Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington; Dow Jones CEO Almar Latour; Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt; Italian Ambassador to the U.S. Mariangela Zappia; Peruvian Ambassador to the U.S. Alfredo Ferrero Diez Canseco; Romanian Ambassador to the U.S. Dan Andrei Muraru; Slovak Ambassador to the U.S. Radovan Javorcik; Munich Security Conference CEO Benedikt Franke; Róbert Vass, president of GLOBSEC; Slovenia’s Ambassador to the U.S. Iztok Mirošič.

— German Chancellor Olaf Scholz giving a press conference on the corner of 48th Street and Lexington Avenue.

— At Goal’s House, Tavern on the Green, actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Will Poulter; Prince Harry, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii); Queen Mathilde of Belgium; Catherine Russell, executive director, UNICEF; actor and philanthropist Forest Whitaker; Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo.

— At the Clinton Global Initiative event at the Hilton, President Joe Biden; actor Matt Damon, designer Diane von Furstenberg; Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro; actor Madison Tevlin; Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris.

Thanks to Nahal Toosi, Mona Zhang, Eric Bazail-Eimil, Nick Taylor-Vaisey and editor Sanya Khetani-Shah.

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