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

United Nations Headquarters, New York

23 April 2021

 

HIV/AIDS: PRESIDENT CALLS FOR URGENT ACTİON TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO TREATMENT

  • Today the General Assembly is holding a virtual informal interactive multi-stakeholder hearing as part of the preparatory process for its 2021 high-level meeting of the General Assembly on HIV/AIDS. That high-level meeting will take place this June.
  • In remarks to the hearing this morning, the President said that, four decades on from the first detected case of HIV, we have made great strides towards ending AIDS. But we have not met the targets that had been set out for 2020.
  • He called for urgent action to ensure equal access to treatment – in order to prevent the 12 million people living with HIV from dying of AIDS-related causes.
  • He said, “Failure is not an option.”

 

SUPPORT NEEDED FOR VULNERABLE COUNTRIES

  • Also this morning, the President addressed a Special Event organized by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCS).
  • He said that, in exposing fragilities, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted precisely what we need to do, and where.
  • He said we have to strengthen healthcare systems and productive capacities in Least Developed Countries; enhance supply chains to Landlocked Developing Countries; and support the economies of Small Island Developing States, where industries, such as tourism, have been severely affected.

 

HIGH-LEVEL DEBATE ON DIGITAL COOPERATION TO BE HELD NEXT WEEK

  • Looking ahead to next week, the President will convene a one-day High-level Thematic Debate on Digital Cooperation and Connectivity under the theme “Whole-Of-Society Approaches to End the Digital Divide”.
  • Member State representatives, UN officials, technology and telecommunications leaders, experts in digital governance and civil society participants, will come together in three panel discussions and a High-level Plenary.
  • Speakers will include: Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, who is the Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development; Microsoft’s Vice President for UN Affairs; the CEO of Intel; the Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers Network; the Secretary General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union; and the Chairman and CEO of Verizon Communications.
  • More information can be found in a new media advisory on the President’s web site.

 

PRESIDENT MARKS ENGLISH AND SPANISH LANGUAGE DAYS

  • Today the UN observes English Language Day and Spanish Language Day.
  • The President marked both occasions by sending his best wishes to English- and Spanish-speakers throughout the world.
  • For Spanish Language Day, he tweeted: Cada 23 de abril, el día que conmemoramos el aniversario de la muerte de Miguel de Cervantes, celebramos el Día del Idioma Español, para concienciar al mundo acerca de la historia, la cultura y el uso del español como idioma oficial. Feliz Día del Idioma Español.

 

NO INTENTION TO APPOINT SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM CO-CHAIR

  • The Spokesperson was asked whether the President would replace the Permanent Representative of Poland as a Co-chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council reform, given that she planned to leave New York in the near future. The Spokesperson responded that the President did not intend to do so.
  • He noted that there had been times in the past when only one Chair managed the IGN process. In that regard, he noted that, if the IGN continued after the departure of the Permanent Representative of Poland, then the Permanent Representative of Qatar would remain as the sole IGN Chair.
  • In response to an additional question on the IGN, the Spokesperson later said that, during the fourth round of IGN consultations earlier this week, the Co-chairs had mentioned that they would produce and distribute a document to Member States, which would be discussed at the fifth round, planned for 4 May. That document had not been shared with the President or his office.

 

PRESIDENT WORKING TO ENSURE FAIR, TRANSPARENT SECRETARY-GENERAL SELECTION PROCESS

  • Regarding the selection and appointment process for the position of Secretary-General, the Spokesperson was asked whether the President would put forward any additional candidates, in light of comments made by Member States at today’s meeting of the ad hoc working group on the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly.
  • The Spokesperson replied that it was not for the President to put forward candidates. If a Member State submitted a name to the Presidents of the General Assembly and Security Council, then that name would be jointly circulated to all Member States by both Presidents.
  • Asked for the President’s reaction to today’s statements by Member States, the Spokesperson said that the President was in listening mode and would work to ensure a fair, transparent and inclusive process in line with Member States’ wishes and General Assembly resolution 69/321.
  • In response to a related question, the Spokesperson said there was currently one candidate, whose name had been circulated to all Member States by the Presidents of the General Assembly and Security Council, and six applicants.

 

OTHER ITEMS

  • Plenary meetings: Asked whether the President would convene any plenary meetings on Myanmar, Palestine or Yemen, the Spokesperson said the President was in the hands of the membership. Asked whether the President would take the initiative himself to call for a meeting on Myamar, the Spokesperson said the primary role of the President was to ensure that the General Assembly functioned as effectively as possible.
  • President’s travels: Asked about the President’s travel plans, the Spokepseron said the President did intend to travel again during this session. However, he had no specific trips to announce at this time.