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PRESS BRIEFING\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n BY MONICA GRAYLEY,\u202f\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n SPOKESPERSON FOR\u202fGENERAL ASSEMBLY\u202f\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n PRESIDENT DENNIS FRANCIS\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n United Nations Headquarters, New York\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 8 September 2023\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Video link: https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/yjj94nr9<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Good afternoon and hello, everyone!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I welcome you to the Briefing Room again. It is nice to see you all including many familiar faces from my previous time as PGA\u2019s Spokesperson. To those I am meeting today for the first time, I am Monica Grayley, the Spokesperson for the new President of the General Assembly, H.E. Dennis Francis.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I would like to start by thanking PGA Francis and his Chef de Cabinet, Ambassador Collen Kelapile, for inviting me to this role as well as my Department of Global Communications and Under-Secretary-General, Melissa Fleming, for this opportunity to serve as Spokesperson again.<\/span> Let me also thank my predecessor Paulina Kubiak, who did a great job as the PGA\u2019s Spokesperson, for the last two years. Paulina helped to ensure a smooth transition and I am most grateful to her and the entire team of OPGA 77.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The work has started for this session as we approach the first full High-Level Week (HLW) after the pandemic.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our team is here if you need any help. I am available at my Office, which is on the second floor, and on my phone, which I believe, most of you already have the number.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If not, please let me know and I can include you on our list of contacts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We are journalists and time is of the essence for us.\u00a0 My team and I intend to get information to you as quickly as possible every day.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After the daily briefing, we will send you an e-mail and upload text and video on the PGA\u2019s website which is: <\/span>www.un.org\/pga\/78<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n PGA Dennis Francis also has a YouTube channel, where you can get extra videos on his work, his Messages and other audiovisual content as well as behind-the-scenes moments. The address is <\/span>www.youtube.com\/UNPGA78<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I must share with you that the President is also very grateful for all the requests for interviews that he has been receiving. We are, in our team, trying to accommodate them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The PGA\u2019s Press Conference will take place, as usual, once the HLW concludes. We intend to brief every day but if is not possible, for some reason, we will let you know in advance and how to get the updates from the PGA\u2019s Office.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I will be working with a Media Advisor. The Communications, Advocacy, Outreach and Speechwriting colleagues will be led by my colleague Carl Mercer, who many of you already know.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, these are early days, and we will be bringing you all the updates as we have them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But for now, I just would like to share with you some items on the PGA\u2019s Agenda for next week and the HLW.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I will start talking about the theme for this session which is<\/span> \u201cPeace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability\u201d.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As President Dennis Francis said at his first remarks to the General Assembly after taking office on Tuesday,\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n He assumes his position with a profound sense of responsibility, committed to carrying out the functions of the Office with <\/span>transparency, accountability, and dedication, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n President Francis also drew attention to his four priorities by describing them as four watchwords: <\/span>Peace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The President is looking forward to productive discussions during the High-Level Week which will generate transformative and meaningful outcomes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now, let me give you some notes on next week and on the HLW for your diaries:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n GA PRESIDENT TO CONVENE A PLENARY MEETING ON VETO<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n PGA Dennis Francis has convened a plenary meeting for Monday, 11 September, at 3 p.m. (EST) following a veto cast by a Member State in the Security Council on the \u201csituation in Mali\u201d. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The debate on the situation as to which the veto was cast will take place in the General Assembly Hall and the meeting will be webcast. A letter with all details was sent to you a few days ago and can be found on the PGA\u2019s website under the section Documents\/Letters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n PGA\u2019s HIGH-LEVEL WEEK AGENDA<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On the High-Level Week: We already circulated the Speakers\u2019 List dated from 1 September.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n President Dennis Francis will speak at the Summits. The General Debate is taking place from 19-23 September and on 26 September. There are seven big events: <\/span>SDG Summit<\/span><\/b> from 18-19 September; <\/span>the High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development<\/span><\/b>, which will happen on 20 September; <\/span>the Climate Ambition Summit<\/span><\/b> on 20 September; on that same day, there will be <\/span>the High-Level on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response<\/span><\/b>; on 21 September: <\/span>the Preparatory Ministerial Meeting for the Summit of the Future<\/span><\/b> and the <\/span>High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage<\/span><\/b>. The next day, 22 September, this list concludes with the <\/span>High-Level Meeting on the Fight against Tuberculosis<\/span><\/b>. President Francis will speak at the opening and at the closing segments in most of these meetings.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n PGA\u2019S AGENDA<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Since taking office, the PGA has held some bilateral meetings including one with the Deputy-Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Mohammed; President Francis also received the Permanent Representative of Brazil, Ambassador S\u00e9rgio Fran\u00e7a Danese.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Today, the PGA had an early start with a Morning Coffee with the Permanent Representatives of the Forum of Small States, FOSS, at the Mission of Singapore. He then moved on to preside over a plenary meeting in the General Assembly. This afternoon, President Francis will receive at his office the Permanent Representatives of Poland and Saudi Arabia in separate meetings.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Next week, he will grant a series of interviews ahead of the GA.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This is all from us. Do you have any questions?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n END<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u202f<\/span>Website:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/78\/<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Twitter:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/UN_PGA<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Instagram:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/unpga<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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