Switzerland

Thank you very much Alessandra, and it’s wonderful to see everyone here tonight. And I’m pleased to come to you right after the conclusion of the voting process for the new unified, temporary executive authority in Libya.  
 

The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum members cast their votes this morning for the four lists of candidates for the three-member Presidency Council and Prime Minister positions, which were submitted yesterday and met the required endorsements stipulated in the selection mechanism. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum

Good morning, Sabah Al-Kheir wa Assalam alaykum, 

It is a great pleasure to be able to meet with all of you again in person. Please join me in expressing our deepest appreciation to the Government of Switzerland for the extraordinary effort in making this meeting possible in the midst of a global pandemic, and for their generous hospitality.

Thank you so much Jenifer and good to see you all. And also good afternoon or good morning to all of those of you I cannot see.
 
We have just concluded the fifth session of the drafting body of the Syrian Constitutional Committee and I gave a statement to all 45 Committee members. I think it is fair to say that it was an open, frank and direct assessment of where we are.
 

Good afternoon, good to see you, I hope you are doing well. As Jenifer just said, we have concluded the fourth session of the drafting body of the Constitutional Committee. During the week, we have, or they have rather more precisely, discussed a wide range of topics. There was as always, many clear statements of positions, there were submissions of specific positions, and of formulae and of language on several aspects. Of course, there were many differences and let me emphasise that the reason why we are here, of course, is to listen to the differences.

[Watch the video on webtv.un.org]

Your Excellency President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Your Excellency Minister Pekka Haavisto, Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

 
Following additional testing and further medical and expert advice regarding four earlier positive tests for COVID-19, the Office of the Special Envoy has been officially informed by the competent health authorities that the nature of those cases is such that the Third Session of the Constitutional Committee Small Body can resume its meetings, with full social distancing and related precautions in place. Having consulted the Co-Chairs and committee members, the meetings will resume at 1400 hours today at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
 

The Office of the Special Envoy received confirmation that three members of the Syrian Constitutional Committee Small Body tested positive for COVID-19.

Having informed the Swiss authorities and the United Nations Office in Geneva, immediate measures have been taken consistent with protocols to mitigate any risks, and tracing of anyone who may have been in close contact with affected persons is underway.

I welcome this opportunity to speak to this urgent and necessary debate of the Human Rights Council.
 
I bring you warm greetings from Secretary-General António Guterres, who shares your abhorrence of racism and is committed to fighting it with every tool we have.
 
Allow me to quote from the letter he sent last week to all UN staff:
 
“The position of the United Nations on racism is crystal clear: this scourge violates the United Nations Charter and debases our core values.”  

Thank you so much, really a pleasure connecting with you again, of course, I had hoped it could be in person, sitting together with you in Geneva. Maybe in the not too distant future, we will be able to do that again. I am sure you are just as busy as we are covering COVID-19, among other headlines. Hopefully, there will be a time when we will not only have to focus on COVID-19 and all the consequences that has for our work.