NOON BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS BY PAULINA KUBIAK GREER,
SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT ABDULLA SHAHID
United Nations Headquarters, New York
UKRAINE
The Emergency Special Session on Ukraine resumed in the General Assembly this morning.
President Abdulla Shahid in presiding over the session.
Secretary-General António Guterres was present earlier in the day.
There are a total of 117 speakers inscribed [39 speakers remain]. https://espeakers.unmeetings.org/621c27be09eff10011ae00e728022022
Each speaker will have a chance to speak before a vote takes place.
For your planning purposes, the speeches will continue until 1pm. There will be usual break until 3pm.
And then the goal is to finish all the speeches tonight, no matter how late.
The consideration of the resolution will be tomorrow, at 10AM Eastern.
GERMANY
This evening, President Shahid will meet in-person with the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. The Foreign Minister is expected to speak in the General Assembly this afternoon.
UKRAINE FLASH APPEAL
On the topic of Ukraine, President Shahid takes note of the $1.7 billion-dollar humanitarian Flash Appeal [$1.5B was received].
As he noted in his opening remarks yesterday to the Special Session, the humanitarian consequences on civilian populations – in particular women, children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups – will be devastating.
The President is encouraging Member States to support humanitarian initiatives, as they become available.
As he said in his speech: There are no winners in war, but countless lives are torn apart.
IGN
Briefly on Security Council reform…
The Intergovernmental negotiations that were originally scheduled for today and tomorrow have been postponed to 7 and 8 March.
IPCC
And turning to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the report that came out Monday.
President Shahid is using the launch to again reiterate the urgency of the climate crisis and the need for political action.
He says the report “is an indictment against our own delays, delusions, and deferrals.”
The full statement will be available later today.
QUESTIONS
The Spokesperson was asked about any speeches on Wednesday. She said that Member States might choose to give explanations of vote after action is taken on the resolution at 10AM ET on Wednesday.
The Spokesperson was asked if it is possible to see an updated list of co-sponsors. The Spokesperson told the journalist by email that only Member States have access to the list and it would not be made public until the resolution is adopted.
