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

United Nations Headquarters, New York

1 June 2021

 

PRESIDENT KICKS OFF HIGH-LEVEL DEBATE ON OCEAN, CALLS FOR NEW SOLUTIONS

  • Today the President is convening a High-Level Thematic Debate on the Ocean.
  • This event aims to refocus the global narrative around environmental concerns, which have been sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is being supported by the Governments of Portugal and Kenya, as well as the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Peter Thomson.
  • In-person speakers include the President, Portugal’s Minister of the Sea and Peter Thomson.
  • Video messages are also expected from Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, actress Maggie Q, and actor and musician Cody Simpson.
  • In his opening remarks, the President said, “There is simply no scenario wherein we live on a planet without an ocean.”
  • Referring to troubling data on plastic pollution, coral bleaching and acidification, he stressed, “Our relationship with our planet’s ocean must change.”
  • In that regard, he called on Governments, industries, civil society and citizen groups, to join forces and develop and implement ocean solutions.

 

ASSEMBLY’S SPECIAL SESSION AGAINST CORRUPTION TO START TOMORROW

  • The General Assembly’s special session against corruption starts tomorrow. It will last for three days.
  • It is expected to result in an action-oriented political declaration. 
  • The special session will provide an opportunity to galvanize political will to advance the fight against corruption. Governments will be able to take stock of global efforts and commitments and identify solutions to common challenges in preventing and combating corruption. The special session will also serve as a forum to share best practices and lessons learned.
  • The President will also convene a high-level supporting event on the margins of the special session on addressing corruption in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

PRESIDENT EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER MALI

  • Over the weekend, the President tweeted about Mali.
  • He said he was deeply concerned by the situation in Mali and joined others in condemning the military coup there.
  • He welcomed regional mediation efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union.
  • He also called on Malian stakeholders to find a peaceful solution and to restore democracy and stability in the country.

 

PRESIDENT COMPLETES VISITS TO BANGLADESH AND PAKISTAN

  • The President completed his visits to Bangladesh and Pakistan and returned to New York to preside over the Ocean High-level meeting and the special session on corruption this week.
  • Both Bangladesh and Pakistan are active and influential Member States of the UN.
  • From climate change to gender equality, the 2030 Agenda and LDC graduation, peacekeeping and a culture of peace, Bangladesh is a significant contributor to and a key partner of the United Nations.
  • The President appreciates Bangladesh for offering shelter and protection to more than 1 million Rohingya Muslims, who fled persecution and unspeakable crimes in Myanmar. The fact that Bangladesh itself is a country that is yet to graduate from the LDC status with various development and climate related challenges, make Bangladesh’s support to its Rohingya neighbors even more meaningful and commendable.
  • During his engagements in Dhaka, the President was also briefed by the Bangladeshi authorities regarding Bhasan Char. The President believes that Bangladesh should continue to work with the United Nations authorities to meet the prevailing humanitarian needs of the Rohingya refugees who are relocated to the island with a view to ensuring their protection and wellbeing.
  • During his engagements in Islamabad, the President touched upon, among other regional issues, the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
  • The President said that peace, stability, and prosperity in the South Asian region hinges on normalization of relations between Pakistan and India and that this normalization is in turn subject to the two countries finding a resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. He recalled that throughout his term, and consistent with the UN policy, and applicable UN Security Council resolutions, he encouraged all parties to refrain from changing the status of the disputed territory.
  • The President also called upon India and Pakistan to pursue the path to peaceful resolution of the dispute.
  • During his joint press engagement with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, the President also replied to questions from the press members regarding the procedural aspects of a possible consideration of this issue in the UN General Assembly, while reiterating the UN position, which is governed by the UN Charter and applicable Security Council resolutions. President also recalled India and Pakistan’s Simla Agreement of 1972, which states that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir is to be settled by peaceful means, in accordance with the UN Charter.
  • Against this background, the President was saddened to see a press statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, which portrays his remarks on Jammu and Kashmir from a selective perspective, while they are consistent with the longstanding UN position regarding this issue. It is regrettable that the President’s remarks were taken out of context.
  • The President continues to support dialogue and diplomacy and encourage both Pakistan and India to resolve this dispute through peaceful means.
  • Asked for details on the President’s interactions with Rohingya refugees, the Deputy Spokesperson referred the reporter to the relevant press release, as well as the President’s social media posts.
  • Asked whether the President would visit India to explain his position on Jammu and Kashmir, the Deputy Spokesperson noted that she had just read out lines that reiterated the President’s position, which was consistent with previous UN positions, as expressed in Security Council resolutions and the UN Charter.