PRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA VILLELA GRAYLEY, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT ABDULLA SHAHID
Good afternoon, everyone!
How are you?
I was asked to flag again the President’s official trip to Geneva and Vatican City. It will take place next week. She will depart from New York this Sunday evening.
PRESIDENT OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY TRAVELS TO EUROPE
Starting on Monday, President María Fernanda Espinosa will attend the UNCTAD Global Leaders Investment Summit, in Geneva.
On 23 October at 3 p.m. Geneva time, Ms. Espinosa will hold a press conference with journalists who cover the work of the United Nations at the Palais de Nations. She will talk about her seven priorities for the 73rd Session under the theme: “Making the United Nations relevant to all people”.
After Geneva, President Espinosa will visit Vatican City on 29 October to attend the 10th meeting of the Ethics in Action Initiative, which will address issues on decent work and the future of work. She will have an audience with Pope Francis to discuss relevant issues on cooperation and the work of the General Assembly.
THE IMPACT OF RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND SDGs
Yesterday afternoon, the PGA spoke at the General Assembly Hall on the impact of the rapid technological change in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Ms. Espinosa observed that if “we want to be efficient, we must evaluate which are the technological changes that will allow us” to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.
She mentioned the need to set in motion adequate strategies and policies that will help people to adapt and make the most of the benefits from new job markets. Women and girls must, of course, be included in these plans.
For the President, the technological progress has the potential of transforming the lives of everyone in a positive way, but it is also critical that this progress is also affordable to everyone. Otherwise, the rapid technological change could lead to an increase of inequality which is contrary to SDG Number 10 (on reduced inequalities).
INTERNATIONAL LAW WEEK
Next week, it´s International Law Week. The Sixth Committee, the Legal Committee. The General Assembly will also hold the plenary debate on the annual report of the International Court of Justice on Thursday, 26 October. The Heads of Legal Departments and Legal Advisers from capitals will be the United Nations Headquarters.
AGENDA:
On the PGA’s agenda for today. She started the day presiding over the meeting at the GA Hall on a New Partnership for Africa’s Development based on the report of the SG’s on this issue. She met with the Ambassadors of Bulgaria, Jamaica and Luxembourg. President Espinosa also had a bilateral with the Special Representative of the SG’s for International Migration, Ms. Louise Arbour. As we speak, she is about to receive at her office the Ambassador of Australia, Her Excellency, Gillian Bird.
