Latest Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at the High level plenary meeting on addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise
[As Delivered]
16 January 2024
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Thank you all for your valued support at the briefing this morning, and also for prioritizing the urgent need to address the existential threats posed by sea-level rise.
In doing so you are standing firmly with the most vulnerable and acutely affected communities, especially those in Small Island Developing States and countries with low-lying coastal areas.
We hear varied personal accounts and real stories of the dangers and risks posed by these threats ranging from irrecoverable loss of ancestral lands, as well as the loss of the rich culture and heritage, not to mention the lasting destabilization of livelihoods.
Now is not the time to stand idle and watch – but rather, for this General Assembly to act deliberately and in solidarity with those on the frontlines of this problematic phenomenon of sea level rise.
I, therefore, look forward to open, transparent, and inclusive consultations in the General Assembly towards finalizing the organizational arrangements and modalities of the proposed 25 September high-level plenary meeting.
This meeting will be exceptionally held on the sidelines of the General Debate of the seventy-ninth session of the Assembly in order to accommodate the schedules of Heads of State and Government, and other high-ranking delegates.
I am confident that, together, we can chart a path toward an action-oriented outcome that would prevent, protect, and resolve the untenable situations arising out of sea level rise.
I thank you.
