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

United Nations Headquarters, New York

14 December 2020

 

PRESIDENT SENDS CONDOLENCES TO ESWATINI FOLLOWING PRIME MINISTER’S PASSING

  • Last night, the President expressed his deepest condolences to the Government and people of Eswatini, following the untimely passing of Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini.
  • The President followed up with a personal message today to the Permanent Representative of Eswatini, who also serves as a Vice-President of the General Assembly.

NIGERIA: PRESIDENT OUTRAGED BY ABDUCTION OF SCHOOLBOYS

  • This morning, the President said he was outraged by reports of hundreds of boys being kidnapped from a secondary school in northwestern Nigeria.
  • He said the idea of children, who are seeking an education, being stolen from their families is unconscionable. Their safe return should be a priority.

PRESIDENT HOLDS COORDINATION MEETING WITH SECRETARY-GENERAL & SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

  • The President held one of his periodic coordination meetings today with the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council.
  • Topics of discussion included business continuity; the General Assembly’s special session on COVID-19; and peacekeeping operations in Africa, including transitions and drawdowns.

HISTORIC SPECIAL SESSION ON COVID-19 RESUMES THIS AFTERNOON

  • On the General Assembly’s special session on COVID-19, it was not possible to hear all statements from Member States, observers and civil society, during the mandated timeframe of 3-4 December.
  • Statements will therefore resume today at 3:00 p.m. in the General Assembly Hall.
  • The remaining statements will include: 4 videos from Member States; 2 videos from the Holy See and the State of Palestine; 17 statements that will be delivered by Permanent Representatives from the floor; and 3 video interventions from civil society, if time permits.

ASSEMBLY DECLARES U.N. DECADE OF HEALTHY AGEING (2021–2030)

  • This morning the General Assembly plenary took action on four draft resolutions.
  • According to the first resolution, which was adopted by consensus, the Assembly commended the commitment of Vanuatu to graduate from the category of least developed countries.
  • The second resolution was also adopted by consensus. It requests the Secretary-General to establish and administer a trust fund for the International Court of Justice’s Judicial Fellowship Programme.
  • The third resolution, entitled “Global health and foreign policy: strengthening health system resilience through affordable health care for all”, was adopted by a vote of 181 in favor to 1 against with 0 abstentions.
  • According to the fourth resolution, which was adopted by consensus, the General Assembly decided to proclaim 2021–2030 as the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing.

PRESIDENT REMAINS FOCUSED ON ENSURING VACCINES FOR ALL

  • The Spokesperson was asked whether COVID-19 vaccinations would be administered at UN Headquarters and whether the President would get one.
  • The Spokesperson replied that the administering of vaccines in the building was a matter for the UN Secretariat. Regarding the President personally, his focus remained on ensuring fair and equitable access to vaccines by all people and all countries.
  • On his own vaccine, the President was following news reports and it was currently too early for him to make any sort of announcement on that.