HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MIROSLAV LAJČÁK

United Nations Headquarters, New York

1 May 2018

 

PRESIDENT BACK IN NEW YORK AFTER MEETING POPE & ADVISERS IN ROME

  • The President is back in the office today after a visit to Rome and the Holy See.
  • There he met with Pope Francis. They discussed peace, migration, sustainable development and the fight against global warming.
  • In a separate meeting with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, he discussed sustaining peace and ongoing negotiations for the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
  • The President also held his 3rd meeting with his Team of External Advisers.

 

PRESIDENT HOSTS TWITTER CHAT AHEAD OF YOUTH DIALOGUE

  • The President held his 6th Twitter chat this morning.
  • It was billed as a warm-up for his Youth Dialogue, which he will be convening on 30 May.

 

VESAK REMINDS US TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES THROUGH SOLIDARITY

  • At 6:30 this evening, the President will address the Commemoration of the International Day of Vesak, in the General Assembly Hall. It has been organized by the Permanent Missions of Sri Lanka and Thailand.
  • He is expected to say that, although the United Nations was not born from any religion, the timeless principles of Buddhism remain important, to the work we do.
  • He will say that the message of Vesak reminds us to overcome global challenges through solidarity.

 

SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM TALKS BEING HELD TODAY & TOMORROW

  • On Security Council reform, the fourth informal meeting of the Inter-Governmental Negotiations are being held today and tomorrow.
  • The Co-Chairs have proposed that Member States focus this time on: Categories of Membership; the Question of the Veto; and Regional Representation.

DRAFT RESOLUTION ON U.N. DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM CIRCULATED TODAY

  • The President has circulated to Member States the final draft of the resolution on the repositioning of the UN development system. This draft is the culmination of more than six weeks of intensive consultations.
  • Among other things, it requests the Secretary-General to strengthen the authority and leadership of United Nations Resident Coordinators on the ground.
  • It also decides to separate the functions of the Resident Coordinator from the UNDP Resident Representative.
  • The draft will remain under silence procedure until Friday at 1:00 p.m. If there are no objections by that time, then the draft will go to the General Assembly plenary for consideration.