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United Nations Headquarters, New York<\/strong><\/p>\n 21 January 2019<\/span><\/p>\n [As delivered]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.4″ border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Good afternoon, everyone\u2026<\/p>\n I hope you are well.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n PRESIDENT ESPINOSA CONDEMNS ATTACK AGAINST PEACEKEEPERS IN MALI<\/strong><\/p>\n President Mar\u00eda Fernanda Espinosa has strongly condemned an attack against the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Mission in Mali, MINUSMA, which happened on Sunday, in Aguelhok, in the northern Kidal region. According to MINUSMA, 10 peacekeepers were killed and over 20 were injured.<\/p>\n Ms. Espinosa said that there is no justification for such acts of violence against the blue helmets, who are working tirelessly to contribute to peace. The PGA expressed her solidarity with the families of the victims and the survivors, as well as the people and the government of Mali, as well as the government of Chad, where the peacekeepers were from, at this very difficult time. She said that all responsible for the attack should be brought to justice.<\/p>\n PGA MEETS WOMEN\u2019S PARLIAMENTARY CAUCUS IN PAKISTAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Continuing her official visit to Islamabad, Pakistan, the President of the General Assembly met earlier today with female members of the country\u2019s Parliament. Ms. Mar\u00eda Fernanda Espinosa said that as is usual in politics, women are expected to \u201cdeliver more and better\u201d, and that a politician herself she was very \u201caware of the challenges\u201d that women face. But according to the PGA, women have earned their places in politics. Ms. Espinosa also said that she will convene a meeting on 12 March called WomenInPower, in New York, which will gather female Heads of State and Government to make recommendations as to how to increase the numbers of women in decision-making and political processes.<\/p>\n The President of the GA also visited the Centre for International Peace & Stability in Islamabad and talked to women peacekeepers on the impact of conflict on women and children and their experiences in serving in the South Sudan as blue helmets.\u00a0<\/p>\n The PGA thanked Pakistan for being one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping operations. With women accounting for only 5% of peacekeepers in the United Nations, the PGA welcomed the efforts by the Center to empower women in this regard.<\/p>\n MS. <\/strong>ESPINOSA PRAISES INITIATIVE OF 10 BILLION TREES TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE<\/strong><\/p>\n The PGA travelled on Saturday to the hills of Islamabad to take part in a tree planting ceremony. She planted a sapling as part of the Pakistani Government\u2019s plan to plant 10 billion trees nationwide in order to tackle climate change. The measure intends to help to protect the environment against soil erosion and land degradation.\u00a0 Ms. Espinosa was accompanied by the Ambassador of Pakistan to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, H.E. Maleeha Lohdi, as well at the Minister of Climate Change and Advisor to the Prime-Minister, H.E. Malik Amin Aslam. Previously, Ms. Espinosa held bilateral meetings with the President, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and the Minister for Human Rights, among others. The PGA considers her talks with the Pakistani leaders and authorities on multilateralism, the Agenda 2030, climate change, women\u2019s rights and peacekeeping have been very fruitful. Tomorrow, on her last day, Ms. Espinosa will meet representatives of academia and civil society for a talk on the role of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ at the Institute of Strategic Studies, in Islamabad.<\/p>\n PGA EXPRESSES SOLIDARITY WITH MEXICO AFTER EXPLOSION<\/strong><\/p>\n In a tweet, President Espinosa expressed her solidarity with the people and the Government of Mexico after an oil pipeline explosion in the state of Hidalgo, which according to the Mexican media caused the deaths of at least 80 people. Ms. Espinosa conveyed her condolences to the families of the victims and wished all injured a speedy recovery<\/p>\n MS. <\/strong>ESPINOSA<\/strong> PAYS TRIBUTE TO MR. DUMISANI KUMALO, FORMER AMBASSADOR OF SOUTH AFRICA TO THE Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, WHO DIED YESTERDAY<\/strong><\/p>\n The PGA expressed her deepest sympathy to the family of the former Ambassador of South Africa to the United Nations, H.E., Dumisani Kumalo, who died on Sunday. Ms. Espinosa said, Mr. Kumalo was a champion for multilateralism and friendship among peoples and will be remembered also for his fight against apartheid. The PGA conveys her condolences to the people and the Government of South Africa.<\/p>\n This is all from us. Do you have any questions?<\/p>\n Website:<\/strong><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/73\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter:<\/strong><\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ_PGA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram:<\/strong><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/unpga<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube:<\/strong><\/p>\n