One-on-One Briefing with Civil Society Organizations

– As delivered –

Statement by H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly

19 February 2021

Thank you, Melissa,

And good morning dear friends,

It is a pleasure to be here today and to have the opportunity to engage with the civil society community.

We often say that the General Assembly is the most democratic body of the most multilateral institution in the world; it is therefore essential that the views and inputs of civil society groups, which are broad and diverse, are taken into consideration on a regular basis. I am pleased to be able to continue the tradition of speaking with the Civil Society Organizations one-on-one, though of course I wish we could have been doing this in-person.

Before I outline our priorities for the remainder of the 75th Session, allow me to acknowledge the importance we place upon civil society inputs and collaboration, and commend you for your perseverance during a very challenging year.

It goes without saying that the global COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for all of us. For our part, it is fair to say that it has tested the systems of the UN and how we work. We have learned many lessons through this, one of which is that we need to make special efforts to accommodate civil society groups and others who have struggled to connect with the UN during this period. Trust me when I say your concerns have been heard and we are endeavouring to find ways to accommodate all those who wish to be involved.

I am pleased to recall the valuable contributions by the distinguished representatives of civil society to all of the high-level meetings that I have convened since the beginning of the 75th session. We have heard from youth representatives, young women and indigenous leaders, humanitarian actors, local administrations, representatives of the scientific community, organizations working on women`s rights, in the health sector, as well as from the chief executives of major international NGOs, such as Save the Children and WWF International. I once again thank all of them.

I also applaud all civil society organizations that quickly adapted their working methods in order to support their communities. You have, once again, demonstrated your unwavering commitment to progress.

I know you are understandably eager to hear about the upcoming events and the priorities of the General Assembly for the remainder of the session. But before elaborating on that, let me emphasize one critical point.

As President of the UN General Assembly, my main concern and responsibility is to ensure the uninterrupted and effective functioning of the General Assembly. Since the start of the session last September, we, as the General Assembly, have been holding all our mandated summits and high-level meetings. We have not had to postpone or cancel any event. I find this very important, indeed, essential, because as a global community we are currently going through the worst crisis since the Second World War. At these critical times, people around the world, including civil society, look to the UN and to international organizations for leadership. The United Nations is at the centre of the international system. What our organization does or does not do will matter and will be remembered for generations to come. My actions as the President of the UN General Assembly is driven by this feeling of responsibility and duty.  

Having said this, let me turn to the highlights of the General Assembly`s agenda.

First, as are aware, we will be hosting a number of high-level mandated events over the coming months. These events are critical opportunities for Member States and the wider, multilateral community, to engage on the most critical, most topical issues of our time.

While the entire list of upcoming events is available on our website – and I encourage you to review these – Let me point to a few that are quickly approaching.

First, in March, the ‘High-Level Meeting on the Implementation of Water-Related Goals and Targets of the SDGs’ will reflect on the need to improve access to water and sanitation for all, a goal upon which so many of the other goals rely upon for progress.

Second, in April, I will convene a ‘High-Level dialogue on Urban Crime’, as well as a ‘High-Level Meeting on Digital Cooperation and Connectivity’. I anticipate many civil society groups will be interested in the discussion on digital cooperation, which are key to open up economies and empower people everywhere. My team are currently working on the specifics of engagement at this event.

In May, we will have the second of our major environmental discussions, a ‘High-Level Meeting on Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought’. This will take place ahead of COP15 (in Kunming on Biodiversity) and COP26 (in Glasgow on climate) later this year and will help to build political support for ambitious environmental action.

Also in May, the General Assembly will hold two high-level discussions on Middle-Income Countries, and Culture and Sustainable Development, respectively. Each of these will seek to find innovative solutions to support socio-economic recovery from COVID-19.

And in June, we are expected to convene a ‘High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS’, as well as the second special session of the UN General Assembly during the 75th session, this time focused on corruption.

Dear friends,

In addition to these high-level engagements, I will convene a number of thematic dialogues and commemorative events, on topics ranging from support to Least Developed Countries, to ending racial discrimination, to using multilateralism for peace. Our teams are working to finalize arrangements and further details will be provided in due course.

On this point, allow me to address the most pressing question: how will civil society representatives engage in these events?

The short answer is that this differs from one event to the next. In most cases, Member States set out specific modalities for each event; in some cases these were determined prior to the pandemic. So, my team is working with partners across the UN System to identify where and how civil society groups can contribute. In some cases, this may include participating in panel discussions, whether that will be in person or virtual participation or the submission of pre-recorded video messages or materials. But, I assure you that my team remains in close contact with the Civil Society Unit to ensure that information for engaging in various events is clearly outlined.

Before I turn it over to Melissa, again, allow me to note the major themes that run throughout the entirety of this session:

–        Firstly, supporting multilateralism and the rules-based international order to fulfil the core mandates of the General Assembly as prescribed to it in the Charter of the UN, is the first consideration for us.

–        Secondly, to support to the most vulnerable and people in need including through supporting the UN humanitarian agenda, is another important issue for us.

–        Third, acceleration on the SDGs and the Decade of Action, with a particular focus on the needs of the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. This is another priority of concern for us.

–        Fourth, gender equality and empowerment of women and girls is a main priority for us.

–        And finally, the topic on everyone’s mind, recovery from COVID-19, of course, has to be top of our list.

I look forward to both your questions on these priorities and your active engagement in the upcoming events, and I urge you to continue your close work with the United Nations towards a more peaceful, just and prosperous future for all.

I thank you for the time you have spent during the opening part of this wonderful meeting we will have.