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

United Nations Headquarters, New York

10 March 2021

 

LIBYA: PRESIDENT WELCOMES BACKING OF UNITY GOVERNMENT

  • On Libya, the President said this morning that he warmly welcomes Libyan lawmakers’ backing of a new unity government.
  • He hopes this will help heal divisions and put Libya on a steady path to elections in December.
  • He sends his best wishes to the Permament Mission of Libya and the Libyan people.

 

PRESIDENT CALLS FOR POLITICAL SOLUTION IN SYRIA

  • Asked whether the President planned to issue a statement on the tenth anniversary of the Syrian conflict, the Spokesperson later flagged a tweet from the President, which appeared shortly after the briefing.
  • The President tweeted that, ten years on, the conflict in Syria is far from over. He said that, if we are to uphold the principles of the UN Charter and ensure peace and security, as well as the protection of the human rights of the people of Syria, then we must pursue a political solution.

 

PRESIDENTS OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY & SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSS TOPICS OF COMMON INTEREST

  • Yesterday the President met with his Security Council counterpart, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States.
  • They discussed issues of common interest and activity, including food security, Myanmar, Syria, Ethiopia and the Secretary-General selection and appointment process.
  • The full readout is on our web site.

 

MORNING DIALOGUE FOCUSES ON RISK OF FAMINE

  • This morning, the President held his periodic “Morning Dialogue” with UN ambassadors. Today’s topic was the risk of famine.
  • The President noted that COVID-19 has exacerbated food insecurity in some of the most vulnerable countries. He called for a preventive approach to that growing challenge.
  • Ten ambassadors, as well as UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, participated this morning.

 

FOOD SECURITY & AGRICULTURE ARE DRIVERS FOR BUILDING BACK AFTER COVID-19

  • This morning the President met with Agnès Kalibata, the Special Envoy for the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit.
  • They spoke about how food security and agriculture in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have been recognized as important drivers for building back in the context of COVID-19.

PRESIDENT HOLDS COORDINATION MEETING WITH ECOSOC COUNTERPART

  • The President is currently holding his periodic coordination meeting with his counterpart from the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – to discuss areas of coherence and synergies across the two organs.
  • Topics on the agenda include the recent and upcoming meetings by both bodies on racism; countries in special situations; and preparations for the 2021 ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development.