Why Brazil has privilege to speak first at UN?

UN General Assembly (UNGA) has conducted its annual sessions since it’s inception in September and October every year. Head of the 193 member nations would address the global issues. 76^th UN General Assembly (UNGA) sessions are going on from September 14^th to 30^th in New York. United Nations was formed in 1945 after the completion of World War II. As per the UN Rules of Procedure, sessions normally commence on "the Tuesday of the third week in September, counting from the first week that contains at least one working day. One nation can always open in every UN General Assembly (UNGA) session for 6 decades of United Nations history.  

Brazil has been the first country to speak in the UNGA for 67 years, despite not being first alphabetically. This has been a tradition since the 10^th UNGA session in 1955. Brazil is not either a host nation or first in alphabetical order. Brazil is not even a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Why the nation has received special privileges at United Nations? The second chance goes to the host country (the US), and then the order of speakers is fixed as per the level of representation, geographical balance, the order in which the request to speak was recorded, and other considerations. This tradition dates back to the early years of the United Nations, following its formation soon after the end of World War II.

Initially, none of the nations is willing to take the chance to address at the UN. Brazil, at the time, was the only country that volunteered to speak first. The tradition will continue from then onwards. Brazil’s top diplomat Oswaldo Aranha presided over the Assembly’s First Special Session. He was also elected president of the second session of the General Assembly. Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro kept the tradition going by delivering the opening speech at the international forum on Tuesday. Brazil’s initiative at UN becomes a tradition as the first speaker.