PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT VOLKAN BOZKIR

United Nations Headquarters, New York

7 October 2020

 

SPECIAL SESSION ON COVID-19 A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY & MUST HAPPEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, PRESIDENT TELLS MEMBER STATES

  • This morning, the intergovernmental negotiations on the modalities for the General Assembly’s special session on COVID-19 started. The co-facilitators of this process are the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan and the Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada.
  • Addressing the virtual negotiations, the President noted that, in the General Debate, each and every Member State referred to the catastrophic consequences of this pandemic. And there was a strong call by leaders – for the word to come together to address COVID-19 through multilateral action.
  • Stressing that solidarity and cooperation are critical to overcome this unprecedented challenge, the President encouraged all Member States to make the special session a success.
  • He emphasized that the special session provides a historic opportunity and must convene as soon as possible.
  • The goal would be to galvanize action by the international community to defeat COVID-19 and help mitigate its social, humanitarian and economic consequences – and to show those we serve that Member States are pursuing a robust and comprehensive response.
  • The President noted that General Assembly decisions carry significant normative weight. And he stressed that we must speak with one voice and work in solidarity during such challenging times.
  • Asked when the President hoped to hold the special session, the Spokesperson noted that the President had made it clear that the meeting should be held sooner than later. In fact, the President had said it should have been held already.
  • The Spokesperson said that, although negotiations were still continuing, Member States appeared to be coalescing around the dates of 3-4 December. He added that the President was in their hands on that.
  • Asked about the special session’s format, i.e. whether it would be held virtually or in person, the Spokesperson said the modalities were still being discussed by the Member States, including at today’s intergovernmental negotiations. The Member States were still working on a draft resolution that would clarify such points and make the dates final. Consultations on that draft would take place on 9 and 15 October, and afterwards, the resolution would hopefully be adopted.
  • Responding to a question about the special session’s importance, the Spokesperson said that the world was watching the United Nations, to see what it was doing vis-à-vis COVID-19. That was why the President wanted the meeting to take place as soon as possible and to galvanize action.
  • Asked whether the World Health Organization (WHO) would be involved in the special session, the Spokesperson said that the President’s office worked with WHO in general. Regarding the special session in particular, he later noted that it was too early to discuss the involvement of any agencies, given that the modalities had not yet been agreed to by the Member States.


PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT IN LIGHT OF ONGOING ATROCITY CRIMES

  • The President sent a message today to a virtual event organized by the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect. The event was called “Fifteen years of the responsibility to protect: a collective commitment to humanity”.
  • In his message, he said the task of building peace, prioritizing prevention and protecting populations is no less important than it was in 2005. Atrocity crimes are still happening, and they have devastating consequences for societies.
  • He called for States to take urgent measures to protect their populations, including the most vulnerable.
  • His message was delivered by his Chef de Cabinet, Tegan Brink.

 

FINNISH MISSION TO HOST RETREAT ON STREGTHENING GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  • Tomorrow, the President and members of his team will be attending a half-day retreat – called “Towards a Stronger General Assembly” – which is organized every year by the Permanent Mission of Finland.
  • The Spokesperson will therefore not be briefing tomorrow.

 

PRESIDENT FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS IN ARMENIA & AZERBAIJAN, ANY DISCUSSIONS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY WOULD DEPEND ON A MEMBER STATE-DRIVEN PROCESS

  • Asked if the President was following developments in Armenia and Azerbaijan and whether he had a comment on that, the Spokesperson said the Security Council has the principal responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security under the UN Charter.
  • The Spokesperson added that the General Assembly may discuss any questions or any matters within the scope of the Charter, including questions relating to the maintenance of international peace and security, if brought before it by Member States. “This a Member State-driven process,” he said.
  • The Spokesperson noted that the President of the General Assembly is closely following these developments, and during his time in office, he will respect the choices of all Member States, in line with the Assembly’s rules of procedure.