PRESS BRIEFING
BY MONICA GRAYLEY,
SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY
PRESIDENT DENNIS FRANCIS
United Nations Headquarters, New York
26 August 2024
Good afternoon, everyone!
GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO MEET ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM
The President of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, will preside tomorrow, 27 August, over a plenary meeting under agenda item 121 “Question of the equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council”.
Earlier this month, the PGA indicated in a letter to Member States after informal consultations, his intention to present a draft oral decision for adoption at the plenary meeting of the GA.
The meeting will start at 10 a.m. at the General Assembly Hall.
Among the points to be acted upon by the GA are: – the immediate continuation of intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform in informal plenary of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session; convening the Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and Other Matters related to the Security Council during the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly, if Member States so decide; Member States will also decide whether to include in the agenda of the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly the item entitled “Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council.”
More information on the PGA’s website. The meeting will be webcast.
PGA ISSUES PROVISIONAL PROGRAM OF HIGH-LEVEL PLENARY MEETING OF THE GA TO COMMEMORATE INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST NUCLEAR TESTS
The PGA has circulated a letter to Member States with the provisional program of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate and promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
The meeting is scheduled to take place on 4 September 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in the General Assembly Hall, United Nations Headquarters in New York. The actual day is marked on 29 August, each year.
Mr. Francis expressed his intention to invite several speakers including representatives of civil society and academia. Among the guests are Dr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO); Ms. Vivian Okeke, Director of the IAEA Liaison Office in New York; Ms. Shizuka Kuramitsu, Research Assistant, Arms Control Association, and former UN Office for Disarmament Affairs Youth Champion and Professor Sharon Squassoni, Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University. They will speak in the second part of the meeting which will start at 10:45.
The opening slot will hear remarks from H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis and from Mr. Adedeji Ebo, Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Member States are encouraged to deliver regional group statements during the commemorative meeting.
For tomorrow, we will have a trip announcement for you. For now, this is everything we have.
Do you have anything else or any questions?
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