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

Good afternoon, everyone!

 

PGA THANKS ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, NORWAY, AND ALL PARTNERS FOR SUPPORTING CAMPAIGN AGAINST PLASTIC POLLUTION

The President of the General Assembly has thanked the Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, and Norway, for their strong the support for the ‘Play it Out’ Concert against plastic pollution, which took place in Antigua on Saturday.

Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa said that partnership with Antigua and Barbuda, Norway, UNOPS, the Krimm Group (TKG) and Lonely Whale was crucial to help turning the tide against single-use plastics.

The PGA is grateful also to the international performers, goodwill ambassadors and advocates who helped in bringing awareness for her global campaign.

During the concert, in Antigua, ‘The Antigua & Barbuda Declaration’ was launched and opened for signatures. The document is aimed at encouraging all Caribbean countries to further the steps being taken to eliminate the use of single-use plastics and end the pollution of the oceans.

More information on our dedicated website: https://www.un.org/pga/73/playitout/

 

WHOOPI GOLDBERG TO LAUNCH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHICAL EXHIBITION ON PLASTIC POLLUTION

Tomorrow, 4 June, the President of the General Assembly will join Oscar-winner actress Whoopi Goldberg, to unveil a photo exhibition by National Geographic at the UN Visitors Centre Hall, here in New York. The event will take place from 6 pm to 8 pm.

The exhibition is part of the campaign to beat plastic pollution. The PGA and Whoopi Goldberg will be joined by the Permanent Representative of Monaco, H.E. Ms. Isabelle Picco and the National Geographic Society’s Chief of Content, Communications and Public Affairs, Ms. Kalee Kreider.

This exhibition, a partnership between National Geographic and the Office of the President of the General Assembly, is supported with funding from the Government of Monaco, and will effectively ‘tell the story of plastics’.

The UN will be the first stop on a global tour for the ‘Planet or Plastic?’ photo exhibition.

 

GA MEETS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF POLITICAL DECLARATION ON HIV/AIDS

President Espinosa is chairing the plenary meeting on the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the political declaration on HIV/Aids – Item 11. The meeting analyses progress on the eradication of the epidemic.

In her opening remarks, the PGA highlighted the role of the GA in drawing international attention to the commitment to the fight against HIV/Aids including the 2030 Agenda, which plans to eradicate HIV by 2030.

The meeting is being attended also by the Secretary-General’s Chef de Cabinet, Ms. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, the acting Executive Director of UNAIDS, Ms. Gunilla Carlsson, and representatives of Member States, UN agencies among others.

Ms. Espinosa said that thanks to collective efforts, in 2017 a record number of 21,7 million people living with HIV received the antiretroviral medicines, an average of five and half times more than 10 years ago.

The PGA said that in order to win the battle against new infections and the epidemic entirely, it will be necessary to implement initiatives for key vulnerable groups in regard with services for prevention, treatment and anti-discrimination measures.

Ms. Espinosa also said that more must be done to close gaps in financing to tackle HIV/Aids, and that the world still has time to take urgent measures to deliver on the promise of eradicating HIV/Aids by 2030.

 

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ELECT NEW PRESIDENT TOMORROW

Tomorrow at 10 am., the General Assembly will meet to elect the new President of the GA.

The Ambassador of Nigeria, H.E Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, will stand for election as the candidate nominated by the African Group.

 After the vote, in the afternoon, there will be a stakeout in front of the GA Hall where you will be able to ask your questions to the incoming PGA.  

We will keep you up-dated on the exact timing for the stakeout. This is all from us. Do you have anything else?

 

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