PRESS BRIEFING
BY MONICA GRAYLEY,
SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY
PRESIDENT DENNIS FRANCIS
United Nations Headquarters, New York
12 June 2024
Good afternoon, everyone!
PRESIDENT OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY ARRIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN ON OFFICIAL VISIT
The President of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, arrived earlier today in Juba, capital city of South Sudan, for an official visit.
The PGA was welcomed by the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister, H.E., Mr. Monday Semaya Kumba, Ms. Kiki Gbeho, the UN Resident Coordinator in South Sudan, and the Permanent Representative of South Sudan to the United Nations, H.E., Ms. Cecilia A.M. Adeng.
President Francis expressed his interest in connecting with the people and the Government of South Sudan.
He will also take the opportunity to further strengthen and foster cooperation between the Republic of South Sudan and the United Nations, and to demonstrate his full support and that of the General Assembly for the ongoing efforts to consolidate peace, security, and development in the country, the Horn of Africa, as well as in the entire African region.
While in Juba, Mr. Francis will pay a courtesy call on the President of South Sudan, H.E., Mr. Salva Kiir Mayardit, and hold separate bilateral meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, H.E., Mr. Ramadan Abdalla Goc Ayuel, as well as other Cabinet Ministers.
The PGA plans to engage with representatives of civil society organizations, university students, female peacekeepers, and children during a radio show.
Mr. Francis and his delegation arrives in South Sudan following an official visit to Tajikistan, where he attended the Third High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”.
GA PRESIDENT SENDS CONDOLENCES TO MALAWI AFTER PLANE CRASH
The President of the General Assembly issued a post on his X social media account expressing his deepest condolences to the Government and people of Malawi on the tragic loss of the country’s Vice President, H.E., Mr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, as well as nine other members of the Vice President’s delegation during a plane crash on Monday, in the north of Malawi.
PGA Dennis Francis said that his thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones during this difficult time.
HL 2025 CONFERENCE TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF SDG 14
The PGA has appointed two co-facilitators to conduct the intergovernmental consultations “on a brief, concise, action-oriented declaration” as part of the High-Level 2025 UN Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
The co-facilitators will be H.E., Ms. Tania Serafim Yvonne Romualdo, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cabo Verde to the UN, and H.E., Mr. James Martin Larsen, Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations.
The declaration is to be concluded by 1 May 2025, and adopted, by consensus, at the High-Level 2025 UN Conference on this matter.
PGA RECORDS VIDEO MESSAGE ON INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR COUNTERING HATE SPEECH
Looking forward:
President Francis has recorded a video message to mark the Third International Day for Countering Hate Speech, on 18 June.
The PGA’s video will be showed during the High-Level event to celebrate the international day which this year focuses on “Investing in the power of youth for countering and addressing hate speech”.
According to the UN, the world has 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, which represents 16 percent of the global population.
Mr. Francis believes that “Hate speech has become one of the most virulent methods used to spread divisive rhetoric and ideologies – its pernicious impacts amplified by new communications and social media technologies that relentlessly torment its targets.”
The event is co-organized by the Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the UN and the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.
The meeting will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on 18 June in the ECOSOC Chamber.
GA AGENDA COMING UP
Tomorrow, 13 June, the GA will hold informal consultations on the Summit of the Future in the afternoon.
Member States will also hold informal consultations on the high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance tomorrow morning and on Friday, 14 June.
Also Friday morning, there will be informal consultations to discuss the high-level meeting on addressing the existential threats posed by seal level rise.
On 19 June at 10 a.m., the General Assembly will hold a plenary meeting on the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the political declarations on HIV/AIDS.
On Thursday and Friday next week, the GA will hold an 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.
This is everything we have for you today. I will be back here with you in early July. Until then, you will receive our updates via your mailbox and my colleague Carolina Nazzaro, the PGA’s Media Adviser, will be in the office to assist you in anything you need.
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