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

Good afternoon!

PGA LEADS TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF PRESIDENT BÉJI CAID ESSEBSI, PRESIDENT OF TUNISIA, AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY HALL

Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa has chaired a plenary meeting at the GA Hall to pay tribute to the memory of the President of Tunisia, H.E. Mr. Béji Caid Essebsi, who passed away on 25 July.

Ms. Espinosa led the plenary in a minute of silence to honour the memory of the late Head of State.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, and H.E. Mr. Sami Bougacha, Ambassador of Tunisia and Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission to the UN.

In her remarks, Ms. Espinosa expressed her deepest condolences on behalf of the GA to the people and the Government of Tunisia.

She recalled the vital role which President Essebsi played in the democratic transition of his country. He also was a great advocate for multilateralism and the values of the United Nations.

Ms. Espinosa said the President Essebsi’s legacy to promote democracy, sustainable development and human rights for the Tunisian people must continue.

The PGA concluded her remarks by saying that President Essebsi’s was a transcendental figure for his country, his región and for the world.

PGA’S AGENDA:

This morning, the President of the General Assembly met with the Palestinian Permanent Representative, H.E Mr. Ryad Mansour.

She later presided over the plenary meeting on the cooperation between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum.

The PGA will have a working luncheon with the Secretary-General.

This afternoon, she will hold separate bilateral meetings with the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the UN, H.E. Ms. Karen Pierce, and the Permanent Representatives of Georgia, H.E. Mr. Kaha Imnadze, and of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Vitavas Srivihok on the co-facilitation process of the political declaration on the Universal Health Coverage.

More details on our website www.un.org/pga/73 and on Ms. Espinosa’s Twitter account @UN_PGA

Website:

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

Twitter:

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https://www.instagram.com/unpga

YouTube:

https://bit.ly/2S7Wl3q