HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA,?SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MIROSLAV LAJ??K

United Nations Headquarters, New York

20 October 2017

 

AFRICA’S VISION FOR GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT GETTING CLOSER TO REALITY

  • The General Assembly plenary met today on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
  • In his to that meeting this morning, the President said that “since its adoption in 2001, NEPAD has led to transformative change.”
  • At the same time, he added that no support given to NEPAD will bring about lasting change, if we do not also address root causes of conflict.
  • He concluded, “Africa has a very clear vision. It is one which involves all layers of society benefiting from growth and development… This vision is getting closer to reality.”
  • Asked why statements on African development did not take the continent’s civil wars into account, the Spokesperson said that, when the President had assumed office, he had made it clear that he intended to restore balance between the pillars of work of the United Nations – including the areas of development and peace and security. A big part of fostering peace and security was through conflict prevention. That is why the President had said in his statement today that NEPAD could only bring about lasting change if root causes of conflict were addressed.
  • The President was working to highlight conflict prevention in a way that had perhaps not been done in previous sessions of the General Assembly – to make sure that the United Nations was doing what it could to prevent wars and conflicts before they broke out – with the ultimate goal of improving people’s lives everywhere.

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AFRICA CLEARLY ON THE RISE, PRESIDENT TELLS CULTURAL GATHERING

  • The President addressed a , which was held as part of Africa Week.
  • He said that when the General Assembly Hall was first inaugurated, most African countries were not independent. Now, however, there is an entirely different Africa.
  • “An Africa that is a leading partner in global multilateralism,” he said. “An Africa that is driving forward its own development agenda. An Africa that is, very clearly, on the rise.”

 

THIRD COMMITTEE HEARS FROM HUMAN RIGHTS RAPPORTEURS

  • The General Assembly’s Third Committee – or Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee — has been hearing from a number of 蘑菇视频 Special Rapporteurs this week.
  • This morning it heard from the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons.
  • This afternoon, it will hear from the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants – as well as the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy.

 

GLOBAL CO蘑菇视频TER-TERRORISM STRATEGY TO BE REVIEWED IN 2018

  • Asked for updates on counter-terrorism efforts in the General Assembly, the Spokesperson noted that the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which had been adopted by the General Assembly, would have its next review process in 2018.
  • Regarding progress made by the General Assembly on counter-terrorism, the Spokesperson noted that the General Assembly had approved proposals by the Secretary-General, which had led to the establishment of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the appointment of a new Under-Secretary-General.