PRESS BRIEFING BY AMY QUANTRILL, DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT VOLKAN BOZKIR

United Nations Headquarters, New York

8 April 2021

 

PRESIDENT TRIP TO TURKEY QATAR & AZERBAIJAN

  • The President of the General Assembly is currently on first official trip of the session.  
  • The President is currently in Doha, Qatar where he was received by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs.
  • The President and the Emir discussed the importance of multilateralism, the COVID-19 response, climate change, regional developments and vulnerable countries.  The President commended Qatar for its active leadership on humanitarian issues; its consistent support for United Nations activities; and its strong engagement in General Assembly processes, such as the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council reform
  • The President met with Dr. Ahmad Hassen Al-Hammadi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They discussed the agenda of 75th session of the General Assembly and common priorities.
  • The President also met with representatives of United Nations entities based in Qatar where he briefed them about the General Assembly’s activities and his priorities for the 75th session, and he received a briefing on their work on the ground.
  • In addition, in light of the General Assembly’s commitment to sport for development and peace, the President toured the recently finished Al-Bayt Stadium, which was built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
  • The President departed Doha this evening for Azerbaijan.
  • When asked if the President would visit the Nagorno-Karabakh region on his trip, the Deputy Spokesperson confirmed the President’s visit to Azerbaijan would be to Baku. In response to a question of future visits of the President, the Deputy Spokesperson said the President’s future tris were currently being discussed and the President would like to travel to a wide range of countries during the 75th sessions, as travel restrictions allow.

 

PRESIDENT WELCOMES RESTORATION OF US FUNDING FOR UNRWA

  • The President welcome the restoration of US support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East UNRWA. In a tweet, the President said: “As the longest standing #UN agency, UNRWA is a lifeline for millions of Palestine refugees and critical for regional stability, pending the achievement of a viable two-State solution.”