At the end of a busy week at the General Assembly, President Kutesa holds bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Sweden; the President of the Parliament of Montenegro; a Member of the United States House of Representatives; and the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth

Note attributable to the Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly

United Nations, New York, 21 November 2014

President Kutesa meets with Ranko Krivokapic, President of the Parliament of Montenegro. UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

At the end of busy week, H.E. Mr. Sam Kahamba Kutesa, President of the General Assembly (PGA), chaired on 21 November 2014 a Joint Debate on the Report of the Security Council. On the same day, Member States held a meeting on the Follow up to the commemoration of the two-hundredth anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. On the previous day, President Kutesa chaired in the morning the High Level Meeting to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In the afternoon, the Assembly held a meeting on the Consideration of the Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan.

On 21 November, President Kutesa met with H.E. Ranko Krivokapić, President of the Parliament of Montenegro. They exchanged views on the priorities of the 69th session, including the Post-2015 Development Agenda and its implementation, climate change, gender equality and women empowerment, cooperation between regional organizations and the United Nations, revitalization of the General Assembly and the reform of the Security Council. Both Presidents underscored the important role of parliaments in the elaboration and implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

President Kutesa meets with Christopher Smith, Member of the United States Congress. UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

On the same day, Hon. Christopher Henry Smith, the United States Representative for New Jersey’s 4th congressional district since 1981 who was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Marie Smith, paid a courtesy call to the PGA. They exchanged views on aid, cooperation, trade and the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda.

President Kutesa meets with Ahmad Alhendawi, SG’s Envoy on Youth. UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

President Kutesa also met with Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth. The PGA commended the Envoy’s work, and congratulated him on the organization of the Youth Forum that took place in the Economic and Social Council in June 2014. The Envoy briefed the PGA on the upcoming events such as the launch of the yearlong campaign on the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the United Nations World Programme of Action for Youth. The PGA reiterated his determination to further support the efforts by the Secretary-General’ Envoy on Youth, mainly as they relate to the post-2015 development agenda.

President Kutesa meets with H.E. Mr. Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden. Photo Lisa Laskaridis Sarmiento

On 20 November, President Kutesa met with H.E. Mr. Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden. Mr. Löfven, who was on his first visit to the United Nations in New York after being confirmed as Prime Minister of Sweden on 3 October 2014. The Prime Minister reiterated the importance his government places on engagement with the Organization, particularly in the areas of peace and security, disarmament, health, environment, gender equality and the post-2015 development agenda and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) processes. On behalf of the General Assembly, President Kutesa thanked the Government of Sweden for its support. The PGA underlined the need for more financing and global partnerships. The President and the Prime Minister also exchanged views on the review of the peace-building architecture and strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations.