NOON BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS BY PAULINA KUBIAK GREER,
SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT ABDULLA SHAHID
United Nations Headquarters, New York

LDCs

In the General Assembly Hall… this morning was the first part of the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, known as the LDC5.

You’ll remember that Member States agreed to split this conference into two parts. The first being held today, the second in Doha, Qatar, from 5th to 9th March 2023.

 

SECURITY REFORM

In the General Assembly Hall this afternoon… is the second and last day of the third round of informal meetings of the plenary related to Security Council reform.

The full name is the informal meeting of the plenary on the intergovernmental negotiations on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Council.

 

MVI PANEL MEETING

Moving to the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States.

A little back of background. What the Index would do is identify measures of development that go beyond GDP per capita.

There have been calls from SIDS for this type of measure for a long time. Several General Assembly resolutions have also called for it.

In December of last year, the General Assembly tasked President Shahid with appointing a high-level panel of experts and finalizing the index by December of this year.

President Shahid recently announced the establishment of a 12-member high-level panel of experts. They come from the public sector, academia, civil society and the private sector.

The co-chairs are Mr. Gaston Browne, the Prime Minster of Antigua and Barbuda; and Ms. Erna Solberg, the Prime Minister of Norway.

The President met this morning meet for the first time with the co-chairs, to discuss the mandate created by the General Assembly.

I will attach the President’s letter from 25 February, announcing the panel, so you have the names and additional information.

The SIDS units at UNDESA and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlock Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS) are the supporting agencies of the Secretariat on this issue.

 

ARK OF RETURN

Just about now, President Shahid is touring the Ark of Return out at the northern entrance to the United Nations Headquarters.

He’s doing the visit with an umbrella.

This is in advance of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which will be held next week.

 

BILATERALS

In terms of who the President is meeting with today…

He met this morning with Ms. Ensieh Khazali, the Vice President for Woman and Family Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran

This afternoon, he will meet with Mr. Gudmundur Ingi Gudbrandsson, Minister for Social Affairs and the Labour Market of Iceland.

As well as Maimunah Mohd Sharif, USG and Executive Director of UN-Habitat.

Those are some of his meetings today.

 

IDLO

And on the theme of international law…President Shahid yesterday took part virtually in a session on Feminist Climate Action and the Rule of Law convened by the International Development Law Organization or IDLO.

In his remarks, President Shahid laid out what needs to be done so that the rule of law can address the impacts of climate change on women and girls.

He noted the need to strengthen regulatory frameworks and institutional capacity.

The President also highlighted the importance of championing feminist climate action and using legislation to improve the access of women to land and other resources.

The President also met with the IDLO Director General, Jan Beagle.

 

QUESTIONS

The Spokesperson was asked if she had a copy of the reported resolution draft by France and Mexico. The Spokesperson said that she didn’t.

The Spokesperson was asked about President Shahid’s thoughts on the two different humanitarian resolutions reportedly being drafted for the Security Council and the General Assembly. The Spokesperson said that the President supported the will of Member States. They are the ones who draft and act on resolutions.

The Spokesperson was asked how long the General Assembly needs to act on a resolution. The Spokesperson answered that the resolution must be translated into the six official languages and made public at least the night prior to any action being taken.