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

 

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

 In the General Assembly Hall this morning, Member States held an election to fill the vacancy on the Human Rights Council. The Czech Republic was elected by secret ballot. It obtained 157 votes, the totality of the present and voting Member States.

 

COTE D’IVOIRE

 The President of the General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid continues his visit in Cote d’Ivoire.

Today, he had a number of bilaterals, including with President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger and Prime Minister Ossouka Raponda of Gabon.  Recovery from COVID-19 was a prominent topic in the bilaterals.

President Shahid also met with Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Ibrahim Thiaw.

Yesterday Celhia asked about the First Lady, Dominique Ouattara. The President took part in the COP15 Gender Caucus that was hosted by the First Lady. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed also participated.  The President said that we must continue to work together with gender quality as an explicit and non-negotiable objective for sustainable development.

While in Cote d’Ivoire, the President published an op-ed in Afrique Matin.  The President argues that we must act now while we still have the hope to reverse the damage that we have done to nature and the environment. He talks about the work of UNCCD and desertification, and the need for the international community to urgently provide holistic, well-rounded solutions. Because adapting to desertification is interconnected with combatting climate change, maintaining biodiversity and helping to end poverty.

I will include a link to the op-ed, which is in French, with my notes.

The op-ed is available at https://afriquematin.net/cop15-le-president-de-lassemblee-generale-des-nations-unies-abdulla-shahid-categorique-la-secheresse-nest-pas-seulement-une-absence-deau-mais-plutot-le-resultat-de-la-degradation-des/

 

ARGANIA

 On the topic of desertification, I wanted to note the President’s message for the International Day of Argania.

Argan trees form an essential part of a traditional water management system of rainwater reservoirs carved into rocks.

In his message for the Day, President Shahid called the tree a  symbol of “eternity and resistance.”

 

HOPE FELLOWS

Our HOPE Fellows are in Brussels today, where they officially began their visit to Europe.

They toured the European Parlamentarium. Today they are learning about the world wars and the Congress of Europe.

Our Fellow Maggie outlined the trip for you last week. This is part of a tour to Brussels, Geneva and Florence, hosted by the European Union and the Swiss Government.

 

QUESTIONS

 There were no questions for the Spokesperson.