Making the United Nations Relevant to all PeoplePRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA GRAYLEY, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA
Good afternoon, everyone!
PGA ESPINOSA WELCOMES FORMER PGAs TO MEETING ON TRANSITION
The President of the General Assembly is meeting today with former PGAs and the President-elect of the 74th session of the General Assembly.
Presidents Joseph Deiss of the 65th GA session, Peter Thomson of the 71st session and Miroslav Lajčák of the 72nd session are attending the meeting, which was convened by the PGA, as a follow-up discussion before the end of the current session.
The first-time former PGAs held such a meeting was in February, when President Espinosa invited them to New York.
The main objective of this second meeting is to provide support and assistance to the President-elect of the 74th session of the General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN.
Participants are discussing issues related to the transition period (the annual retreat, the handover report and other tools) as well as appropriate measures to ensure a successful presidency by the PGA-elect, both in terms of institutional memory of the PGA’s Office as well as transparency and accountability.
The morning follow-up session will be continued by a luncheon with the current PGA, the President-elect and the former PGAs.
More information on our website: www.un.org/pga/73
PGA TO TAKE PART IN NELSON MANDELA INTERNATIONAL DAY
Tomorrow, 18 July, the PGA will take part in the annual observance of Nelson Mandela International Day.
Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa will speak at the opening of the UN GA meeting at 10 am. to mark the International Day.
Nelson Mandela International Day was established by the UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/64/13 in November 2009, in recognition of the South African leader’s contributions to conflict resolution, race relations, reconciliation, the promotion and protection of human rights, gender equality, the rights of children and other vulnerable groups, and the fight against poverty.
Later in the day, the PGA will join over 100 volunteers in a public service activity at the Brownsville Community Culinary Center, in Brooklyn to interact with and help to serve a hot lunch to members of the community.
The event is organized by the NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, UN Department of Global Communications, the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly and the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the UN, in collaboration with the Melting Pot Foundation. The Nelson Mandela International Day 2019 is an opportunity to reflect on his life and legacy, and to follow his call to “make the world a better place.”
The Nelson Mandela International Day 2019 is an opportunity to reflect on his life and legacy, and to follow his call to “make the world a better place.”
PGA’S AGENDA
Ms. Espinosa started her day with a meeting on the transition into the upcoming session of the General Assembly. This will be followed by a luncheon with PGA Espinosa, the former PGAs and the PGA-elect.
This afternoon, Ms. Espinosa will meet the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), H.E. Ms. Gabriela Cuevas.
The PGA will hold separate bilateral meetings with the Deputy Foreign Secretary of Mexico, H.E. Ms. Martha Delgado, and the Minister of Commerce and Industry of Oman, H.E. Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy.
This is all we have for now. Do you have anything else?
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