Making the United Nations Relevant to all PeoplePRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA GRAYLEY, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA
Good afternoon, everyone!
PGA MEETS PRESIDENT OF GHANA AND VISITS HISTORIC SITE
Today, the President of the General Assembly is meeting the President of Ghana, H.E. Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo, in Accra, the country’s capital city.
This is the last day of the PGA’s official trip to Central and West Africa. She previously visited Nigeria and Chad.
During this visit, Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa has praised Ghana’s strong commitment with implementing the Sustainable Development Agenda and Climate Action. She also discussed the country’s cooperation with the UN and Ghana’s support to the PGA’s agenda and her seven priorities.
Ms. Espinosa met with representatives of the Government, the Parliament, civil society, youth and UN officials.
In a tweet, the PGA spoke of her visit to the Agbogbloshie Market and Adbrska, where she met women committed to empowering other women and girls.
Earlier today, Ms. Espinosa embarked on a short tour of the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, a UNESCO heritage site. Built in 15th Century as a gold trading post, the site was turned into a fortress for the transatlantic slave trade in the 17th Century.
Ms. Espinosa paid tribute to men and women who suffered the horrors of slave trade and laid a wreath in their memory.
She also honoured the resilience and courage of those who fought to end slavery.
Ms. Espinosa called for a concerted effort to eradicate modern slavery and noted that more than 40 million people today are victims of forms of forced labour.
The PGA said that the heritage of Cape Coast Castle reminds us all of the urgent “need to push back against emerging trends of racism, xenophobia and religious intolerance”.
She will be back in New York tomorrow, 11 May.
More on the President’s visit to Africa on our website www.un.org/pga/73
MS. ESPINOSA SENDS LETTER TO MEMBER STATES AND UN DEPARTMENTS ON HER CAMPAIGN AGAINST SINGLE-USE PLASTIC
The President of the General Assembly sent a letter to Member States and all Heads of Departments and New York based offices sharing details of her campaign ‘Play it Out’ against plastic pollution and single-use plastic.
Ms. Espinosa noted efforts by UN offices in Nairobi, Bangkok and Geneva to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics and the plans for New York to follow suit.
The President of the General Assembly is grateful for the great support the campaign is receiving and has encouraged all to be conscious of single-use plastic consumption out of the premises as well.
In her letter, the PGA outlined three steps to demonstrate how the UN is delivering on the Sustainable Development Agenda and its commitment to the environment by: reducing use of single-use plastics, where possible, and avoiding them into the building, by disposing responsibly and also by inspiring change.
Antigua and Barbuda and Norway have been partnering with the PGA’s Office on the campaign against plastic pollution. On 1 June, Antigua will host the ‘Play it Out’ concert with several international performers including Grammy Award winner and US singer Ashanti.
More details on our website: www.un.org/pga/73
INTERACTIVE DIALOGUES ON NEXT PGA TO START ON MONDAY
As we announced yesterday, Ms. Espinosa will chair the next informal interactive dialogues with candidates for President of the General Assembly next session. The dialogue is scheduled for Monday, 13 May.
The election for the next PGA will take place on 4 June.
Member States have received one candidacy which was nominated by Nigeria. H.E. Ambassador Tijjani Muhammad Bande will stand for election. The PGA has asked her followers on Twitter to send questions.
The interactive dialogues will start at 10 am. in the Trusteeship Council and are expected to conclude at 12 pm.
GA WILL HOST HIGH-LEVEL DEBATE ON INEQUALITY AND INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT
On Tuesday, 14 May, the General Assembly will convene a High-Level Thematic Debate on Addressing Inequality toward Inclusive Development. The meeting will take place at the Trusteeship Council from 10 am. to 6 pm.
Several panelists are expected to speak in the morning including the Senior World Bank Vice President, Mr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Mr. Vladimir Cuk, the Executive Director at the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and James Kenneth Galbraith, from the University of Texas.
The second panel on best practices from national and regional perspectives toward inclusive development will bring together State Ministers from Egypt and Hungary as well as UN representatives. For a complete list of panelists, please go to our website.
PGA CONGRATULATES CPLP ON DAY OF THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE
And two final notes: the PGA has congratulated the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) and all speakers around the world on marking the International Day of the Portuguese Language and of Culture in CPLP, which is celebrated every 5 May.
This evening at 6.30 pm., all Portuguese-speaking Missions will be marking the International Day with guests at a reception in the lobby area. Ms. Espinosa is travelling but wishes to convey her congratulations to all.
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And as we announced yesterday, our live briefings here will be resumed on Thursday, 16 May, but you will receive a written copy of the PGA’s Press Briefing, every day, from my colleague Mark Seddon.
This is all from us. Do you have any questions?
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