NOON BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS

Spokesperson for General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi
United Nations Headquarters, New York

Wednesday, 11 January 2023

BLACK SEA GRAIN INITIATIVE

Starting with a topic related to the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

President Csaba Kőrösi met this morning with the new coordinator, Abdullah Dashti.

This was their first meeting as the Coordinator prepares to take up his duties in Istanbul next week.

The President said that the Initiative is integral for global supply of food and fertilizers – so that people can eat today and tomorrow.

 

AOSIS

Turning to Small Island States…

President Kőrösi spoke today to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Permanent Representatives.

This is a membership of 39 States and observers from Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Pacific, and South China Sea.

Some of the issues discussed included progress on the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, the MVI.

They also spoke about the BBNJ, the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. The fifth session of that is due to resume in late February.

As well as preparations for the Water Conference in March, the Sendai Mid-Point Review, and the SDG Summit.

 

SEI

On the issue of sustainability…

The President today delivered the keynote address to the Stockholm Environment Institute “Currents 2023”.

He used a metaphor of trying to cross the road without a stop light – from where we are on one side, to the side that is more sustainable, peaceful and inclusive. In the way are the cars of war, disrespect for human rights, climate change and so forth.

In 2020, there was a policeman – COVID, which slowed down some of the cars. But it was not enough for us to make a transition to sustainability.

So what can we do?

That’s where science comes in.

Using science to calculate a model of the cars, and figure out how to get from one side of the road to the other.

The President then goes on to speak about some of the ways that science has made it to the General Assembly this session.

His full remarks are in your inboxes and online: https://www.un.org/pga/77/2023/01/11/pga-remarks-at-sei-currents-2023-stockholm-environment-institute-pre-recorded/

 

BILATERALS

In terms of what else is on the President’s agenda today – he will meet this afternoon with the co-facilitators of the Disaster Risk Reduction process. Those are Ambassador Mitch Fifield, the Permanent Representative of Australia, and Ambassador Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, the Permanent Representative of Indonesia.

 

The President will also meet today with Ambassador Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu, the Permanent Representative of Türkiye. Among the topics to be discussed is the Zero Waste. You will recall that the General Assembly has declared 30 March as the International Day of Zero Waste.

 

QUESTIONS

There were no questions for the Spokesperson.