From Zia to Bush: Political families who addressed the UN
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At the beginning of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, discussion centers around the Zia family. From this family, former president Ziaur Rahman addressed the UN, while his wife, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, delivered speeches.
Now, their son Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is going to deliver a speech. Although such an occurrence on the world stage is rare, it is not unprecedented. In some places, fathers and sons; in others, fathers and daughters; and elsewhere, husbands, wives, and children have addressed the UN platform.
Several political families across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and America have set such precedents.
Ziaur addressed the 11th Special Session of the UNGA on 26 August 1980. Records of that speech exist in official UN documents. Khaleda addressed the UNGA several times. Tarique is going to deliver his first speech at the 81st session of the UNGA on Wednesday.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered the first speech at the UN in 1974. Later, his daughter Sheikh Hasina addressed the same stage multiple times as prime minister.
Three members of India’s Nehru-Gandhi family have also addressed the UN. As India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the UNGA in 1948 and 1960. His daughter Indira Gandhi, as prime minister of India, spoke at UN sessions in 1968 and 1985.
Later, her son Rajiv Gandhi represented India at the UNGA as the country’s prime minister in 1985 and 1988.
In the United States, both father and son in the Bush family spoke at the UNGA as presidents. George HW Bush was the 41st president of the US and addressed the UNGA several times between 1989 and 1992. His son George W Bush was the 43rd president and spoke at annual UNGA sessions every year between 2001 and 2008.
Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike family is also prominent on this list. SWRD Bandaranaike addressed the UN as prime minister of Sri Lanka in 1956. His wife Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the world’s first female prime minister and spoke several times at the UNGA during the 1960s and 1970s.
Their daughter Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga also spoke at the UN as president in the 1990s and 2000s.
In Pakistan’s Bhutto family, a similar precedent exists with a father and daughter. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto addressed the UN in the 1960s and 1970s as both prime minister and president.
His daughter Benazir Bhutto, as the first female prime minister in the Muslim world, spoke at UNGA sessions in 1989 and 1996.
In Indonesia, the Sukarno family is also notable. The country’s first president, Ahmad Sukarno, delivered a historic speech at the 15th session of the UNGA in 1960. In 2023, UNESCO recognized the address as a world’s documentary heritage item, under the “Memory of the World” program.
Later, his daughter former president Megawati Sukarnoputri carried forward her father’s legacy by addressing the UNGA session during her 2001-2004 tenure.
The Djojohadikusumo family from the same country shares this achievement. Sumitro Djojohadikusumo led Indonesia’s diplomatic delegation to the UN during the early period of the country’s independence and delivered significant speeches.
Later, his son President Prabowo Subianto delivered his first address at the 80th session of the UNGA on 23 September 2025.
In Thailand’s Shinawatra family, a brother and sister have both addressed the UN stage as prime ministers. Thaksin Shinawatra represented Thailand at various international meetings during his tenure as prime minister. His sister Yingluck Shinawatra also addressed the UNGA as prime minister.
In Malaysia’s Razak family, both father and son spoke at the UN as prime ministers of the country. Abdul Razak was the country’s second prime minister. His son Najib Razak, served as sixth prime minister, addressed the UNGA in 2010, 2013, and 2014.
Precedents of such political families also exist in the Middle East. In Jordan’s Hashemite royal family, King Hussein bin Talal and his son, King Abdullah II, both represented Jordan on the UN stage. Records show regular participation by Abdullah II in the UNGA.
In Qatar’s Al Thani family, both father and son addressed the UN as Amirs. Former amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani both highlighted Qatar’s position on the global stage. Sheikh Tamim has also been speaking regularly in the UNGA’s general debate in recent years.
Syria’s Assad family also held power in the country for a long period. Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar al-Assad both represented Syria internationally as presidents.
Similarly, in Gabon’s Bongo family, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kabila family, and Togo’s Gnassingbé family in Africa, fathers and sons held power as heads of state.
