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

United Nations Headquarters, New York

26 May 2021

 

PRESIDENT DEPARTS BANGLADESH AFTER VISITING ROHINGYA CAMPS, ARRIVES IN PAKISTAN

  • The President has now wrapped up his trip to Bangladesh and arrived in Islamabad for his official visit to Pakistan.
  • He spent the day today in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. There he met with representatives of the Rohingya people and visited their camps.
  • He also met with Bangladeshi authorities, who briefed him on camp management.
  • While in Cox’s Bazar, he visited Camp 9, which was impacted by recent fires, met with healthcare workers and inspected facilities at the Turkish Field Hospital there.
  • In a statement to the press, he said, “Today I came face to face with resilience. The Rohingya people living here in Cox’s Bazar have survived unimaginable horrors and persecution. They undertook treacherous journeys to reach safety… Yet, they persist.” 
  • He added, “We must not forget the order of the International Court of Justice in 2020 that everything possible should be done to prevent a genocide against the Rohingya.”
  • In that context, turning to the situation in Myanmar, he called on all leaders to act in the interest of Myanmar’s democratic reform, engage in meaningful dialogue, refrain from violence and fully respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. 
  • He also reiterated his call on the military authorities to grant the UN Special Envoy, Christine Schraner Burgener, access to Myanmar to assess the situation firsthand while fostering the conditions for dialogue.
  • He said, “The world has not given up on Myanmar. We have not forgotten the plight of the Rohingya people.”
  • He added that the General Assembly was determined to ensure a better future for the Rohingya people. 

 

CULTURE MUST BE INCLUDED IN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES, PRESIDENT TELLS AFRICA DIALOGUE

  • The President spoke this morning by video message to the Opening Session of the Africa Dialogue Series High-Level Public Policy Debate. This series was launched in 2018 by the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa.
  • The theme this year is “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want.”
  • In his statement, the President said, “Africa, the cradle of humanity, is universally recognized for its rich cultural diversity.”
  • Yet, he said, culture has not received enough attention as a key component of sustainable development. He added that it must be embedded in national and local development strategies.