HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESS BRIEFING BY REEM ABAZA, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT TIJJANI MUHAMMAD-BANDE
Security Sector Reform?
Today?at 3?in Conference room 8,?the President of the General Assembly?Tijjani?Muhammad-Bande?will participate in?a?High-Level?Panel and Roundtable Discussion on Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and Security Sector Reform?(SSR).?
The PGA will stress that?the?primary goal of (SSR) is to ensure the provision of effective security to both the state and its people, within a framework of accountability, democratic governance and the rule of law.??
The remarks will?be shared with you and?posted on the PGA¡¯s website: un.org/pga/74?
Steering Committee on Accessibility?
Yesterday at 3 PM the PGA?participated in the inaugural meeting?of?the Steering Committee on Accessibility at the United Nations.?
He stressed that promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities are at the core of the priorities of the 74th?Session of the General Assembly.??
He said that accessibility is essential to empowerment, inclusion and equality?and?is key to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, according to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).?
He said that it is encouraging?to hear delegates with disabilities share their experiences of improved accessible seating arrangements during the main session of the 74th?Session of the General Assembly.??
AU Summit?
The PGA will be travelling to?Addis Ababa on February 7?to attend the African Union Summit. While there he will participate in several events about important?issues?in the continent.?He?will meet officials, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Team?and?visit?civil society?projects.?
The cost of the trip will be covered by the Trust Fund of the office of the President of the General Assembly.?
We will share more about the trip later.?
Black History Month?
Tomorrow Friday January 30 at 2 PM, the PGA will kick off the Black History Month Tours in front of the?Ark of Return Memorial?at?Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ?Visitors Plaza?that?honours?the?victims?of?slavery?and?the?transatlantic?slave?trade.?
The PGA will interact with a group of school children about?the?contributions?of?people?of?African?descent?to?the?work?of?the?UN?in?fields?such?as?peace?and?security?and human?rights,?with?a?special?emphasis?on?decolonization.??
Joint Briefing?
This week?in a joint briefing to Member States by the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) The PGA said that the two bodies?share?several?mandated?processes?and?areas?of?work?which?demand?close?collaboration?and?partnership,?namely: Financing?for?Development; Youth;?the?preparation?for?the?5th?Conference on?the?Least?Developed?Countries?and?others.?
The PGA?mentioned?that?the?2030 Agenda?is?a plan?for?a?better?world?and?its?implementation?requires?action?and?sufficient?financing.?The lack?of?financial?integrity?is?a?cross-border?problem?that?requires?inclusive multilateral?action.?
He and?the?ECOSOC?President?Ambassader?Mona?Jull?announced?the?establishment?of?a high-level?panel?on international?financial?accountability,?transparency?and?integrity.?
The High Level?panel?will?be?appointed?with?due?consideration?of?regional and?gender?balance.?It?will?be?co-chaired?by?Her?Excellency?Helle Thorning-Schmidt,?the?former?Prime Minister?of?Denmark, and?the?former?Prime Minister?of?Niger, His?Excellency?Ibrahim?Mayaki.?
The?official?launch oft he?panel?will?be?on?early?March.?
Holocaust Victims Remembrance?
The PGA participated in?the??±«±·¡¯²õ?Holocaust Memorial?Ceremony this week.
He said that?¡°we are privileged to listen to?Holocaust survivors?Ms. Irene?Shashar?and Mr. Shraga Milstein, who overcame the severest form of?persecution.Their?reminiscences?energise?our collective consciousness for a more inclusive, peaceful and harmonious global community that encourages unity in diversity.¡±??
The PGA?stressed?on?the?need?to?always?remember?the?victims?of?the?Holocaust and?ensure?that?their?experiences?serve?as?a?constant?reminder?of?the?need?to?promote?peace,?harmony,?tolerance,?cooperation?and?inclusion?in?the?collective?aspirations?for?a?more?peaceful?and?prosperous?world.?
?
?
?