Making the United Nations Relevant to all PeoplePRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA GRAYLEY,?SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MAR?A FERNANDA ESPINOSA
Hello everyone, good afternoon!
Hope you are well today as we start another week…
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GA HOSTS INTERACTIVE HEARING ON 蘑菇视频IVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE
Today the General Assembly is holding an interactive multi-stakeholder hearing on Universal Health Coverage.? President María Fernanda Espinosa presided over the opening this morning.
She was accompanied by the?蘑菇视频 Secretary General’s?Chef de Cabinet, Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, and the Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr.?Zsuzsanna Jakab.
The Head of WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, spoke through a live video conference from DR Congo. The event has three sessions to discuss Universal Health Coverage as a driver for inclusive development and prosperity, as a commitment to equity and the role of multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder actions and investments for Universal Health Coverage. The World Bank estimates that in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals targets of water and sanitation for all, the world would need US 114 billion dollars yearly.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Espinosa said that;?“at least half the world’s population lacks access to essential health services. Health expenses push over 100 million people into extreme poverty every year. They are forced into choices that no one should ever have to make?between?buying?medicine or food”.
The PGA?said?that?health is a human right – enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and essential to the fulfilment of all fundamental human rights. Ms. Espinosa concluded her remarks by saying that The Universal Declaration proclaimed the right to health in 1948. Seven decades on, it remains a distant dream for half the world’s people.
The multi-stakeholder hearing is part of the preparatory process for the GA high-level meeting on universal health coverage which will take place on 23 September here at the 蘑菇视频.? Apart from the presence of Member States representatives, the event today gathers approximately 600 representatives of civil society. Participants come?from local governments, 蘑菇视频 entities, the academia, the private sector and medical associations.
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PGA SENDS CONDOLENCES TO VICTIMS OF ATTACKS ON SYNAGOGUE IN USA, CHURCH IN BURKINA FASO
The President of the General Assembly has strongly condemned the attack against the Chabad Synagogue in California which happened on Saturday.
Ms. Espinosa?said?that this was a second attack against a house of worship in less than a week.
The PGA sends her deepest condolences and sympathies to the family of Ms. Lori Kaye, who was shot dead during this heinous crime. Ms. Espinosa wishes a speedy recovery to all injured.
She stresses that the right to religious?freedom is a fundamental human right, and that?the forces of?hatred must be?defeated by all?for the sake of humanity.
Ms. Espinosa also conveyed her heartfelt condolences to the families of six people who were killed during an attack against a protestant church in Burkina Faso. According to media reports, the pastor and his two children as well as three other worshippers were killed when armed men attacked the?church.?
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MS. ESPINOSA EXPRESSES SOLIDARITY TO MOZAMBIQUE AFTER SECOND CYCLONE
The PGA is deeply saddened to hear of the scale of destruction left by?Cyclone Kenneth?in Mozambique.
There are reports that dozens of people have been killed after torrential rains in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, and that over 35,000 homes have been destroyed.
Ms. Espinosa sends her condolences to the victims, the people and the Government of Mozambique. She is following the situation closely.
The President of the General Assembly is grateful for the relief efforts to alleviate the suffering of Mozambicans who have been affected by the second cyclone within six weeks.?
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PGA TO GRANT PRESS CONFERENCE ON GLOBAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST PLASTIC POLLUTION
?Tomorrow, 30 April at 12:30pm., here in the Press Briefing Room, President María Fernanda Espinosa will chair a press conference on her global campaign?against plastic pollution and the use of single plastics.
The PGA will be accompanied by representatives of Antigua and Barbuda and Norway which are supporting the campaign.
Grammy Award winning US singer Ashanti, one of the major supporters, will be here too. They will deliver short opening remarks and answer your questions about the campaign and the upcoming concert?‘Play it Out’?to be held in Antigua on 1 June.??
Hashtags:?#PlayItOut #BeatPlasticPollution #蘑菇视频4ALL
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PGA’s AGENDA:
The President of the General Assembly is presiding over the Universal Health Coverage interactive hearing at the GA Hall.? Later she received the Chief Medical officer of the United Kingdom, Dame Sally Davies for a bilateral meeting.
As we speak, Ms. Espinosa will take part in a high-level luncheon with the Group of Friends of the Universal Health Coverage and Global Health, which is also being attended by the Deputy Director-General of WHO, Dr.??Zsuzsanna Jakab.
Ms. Espinosa will also hold a bilateral meeting with the Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba to the 蘑菇视频, Ms. Ana Silvia Rodriguez, and preside over the closing segment of the interactive hearing at the GA late afternoon.
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