PRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA GRAYLEY, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA

Good afternoon, everyone!

Bonjours à toutes et à tous on this French Language Day and International Day of Happiness!

 

PGA: SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION IS THE BACKBONE OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION

The President of the General Assembly has delivered a statement at the second High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation, also know as BAPA + 40, under the theme the: “Role of South-South cooperation and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: challenges and opportunities”.

Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa spoke at the opening of the event in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the importance of South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

She also said that this is a powerful tool in the efforts to eradicate poverty.

The PGA believes that it has generated positive outcomes such as connecting people and communities and helping to restore trust and effectiveness in multilateral actions.

Ms. Espinosa stressed that South-South cooperation is the backbone of regional integration. It does not replace cooperation between the North and the South, and that Official Development Assistance, ODA, continues to be crucial and must be implemented.

Before delivering her speech, Ms. Espinosa visited the inauguration of the South-South Cooperation Exhibition, and she held a bilateral meeting with the President of Uruguay, H.E. Tabaré Vázquez. Both leaders talked about regional cooperation, multilateralism and the Agenda 2030.

As we speak, Ms. Espinosa is meeting the President of Argentina, H.E. Mauricio Macri, and she will hold a bilateral meeting with the Argentine Foreign Minister, H.E. Jorge Faurie. Later today, the PGA will meet representatives from Bangladesh, Romania, the European Commission and the Ibero-American General Secretariat.

 

PGA SENDS CONDOLENCES TO AFGHANISTAN AFTER HEAVY FLOODS, REITERATES SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE AFFECTED BY CYCLONE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

The President of the General Assembly has sent her condolences to the people and the Government of Afghanistan after heavy floods affected the country.

More than 122 thousand people have been affected by the floods in the western and central parts of the country, which also caused loss of life.

This morning, the PGA issued a tweet reiterating her solidarity with the people in the southern African countries of Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe who are suffering the destruction and devastation left by the tropical cyclone Idai, which passed through the region last week. Ms. Espinosa thanked humanitarian organisations for their tireless work on the ground to assist the victims.

This is also from us. I am now happy to take your questions.

 

Website:

https://www.un.org/pga/73/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/UN_PGA

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/unpga

YouTube:

https://bit.ly/2S7Wl3q