Tradition plays a big role at the United Nations.
This is why Brazil always gets to speak first, followed by the US.
This tradition started during the formation years of the UN, which was established following the end of World War II in 1945, Netwerk24 reports.
In those days, no country wanted to be the first to speak. Brazil would eventually volunteer to speak first and this then became the tradition.
The US speaks second because that country hosts the UN General Assembly.
According to the UN’s website, a complex algorithm is now used to establish the sequence of speakers.
Geographical balance is one of the criteria being considered.
While speakers are generally expected to keep their speeches to a maximum of 15 minutes, this is not always the case. The late Fidel Castro of Cuba spoke for four-and-a-half hours in 1960.
The 2018 General Assembly of the UN kicked off in New York on Tuesday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is in that city, where he has been meeting with business people and will address the UN as head of state.
*Netwerk24 reporter Sarel van der Walt is a political journalist accompanying the president by invitation of the Presidency and the department of international relations, to report on events in New York for Media24's publications.