PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT VOLKAN BOZKIR

United Nations Headquarters, New York

2 November 2020

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¡°IF JUSTICE IS NOT Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵIVERSAL, IT IS NOT JUST,¡± PRESIDENT TELLS ASSEMBLY

  • This morning, the President addressed the General Assembly¡¯s plenary meeting on the International Criminal Court.
  • In?his remarks, he said, ¡°If we are to truly safeguard the people we serve, we cannot fail to stand up for the victims and survivors of the most unimaginable crimes, nor can we fail to prevent such heinous international crimes from occurring.¡±
  • He added, ¡°We must move forth with ambition, courage and determination if we are to uphold the rule of law and human rights everywhere. For if justice is not universal, it is not just.¡±

PRESIDENT APPOINTS SECURITY COÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵCIL REFORM CO-CHAIRS

  • On?Security Council reform, the President has appointed Ambassador Joanna Wronecka of Poland and Ambassador Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani of Qatar as co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations this session.
  • The President said this early appointment of the co-chairs should allow for Member States to start their consultations in a timely manner ¨C and he encouraged delegations to look into starting the intergovernmental negotiations early in 2021 and increasing the number of meetings this session.
  • He said dialogue among Member States is the most effective way to move this process forward.
  • The Spokesperson also recalled that, in the President¡¯s?press conference?on 15 September, the President said the membership and working methods of the Security Council must reflect the realities of the 21st century.
  • Asked if the President would try to call a vote on Security Council reform towards the end of the session, the Spokesperson said that the key thing to remember was that this process was an intergovernmental one and thereby Member States-driven. This session, Member States would build on the meetings held during previous sessions.
  • The Spokesperson added that the President hoped that, through active engagement of Member States and pragmatic approaches, we would be able to make meaningful progress on this difficult issue. The President was committed to support this process in an impartial, objective and open-minded manner.
  • Responding to a further question, the Spokesperson said the co-chairs had been appointed earlier than in the last session. In that regard, the President hoped that Member States would be able to start the intergovernmental negotiations in early 2021. The Spokesperson reiterated that, when it came to Security Council reform, the President was in the hands of Member States.

MEMBERS NAMED FOR ADVISORY BOARD ON LEAST DEVELOPED COÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵTRIES, LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵTRIES, SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES

  • The President has created a?Board of Advisers?on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Enhancing support to these groups is one of his key priorities for this session.
  • The Board will include: the Ambassadors of Belize and Antigua and Barbuda, who are the outgoing and incoming chairs of the Alliance of Small Island States; the ambassador of Kazakhstan, who chairs the Landlocked Developing Countries; the Ambassador of Malawi, who chairs the Least Developed Countries; and the Administrator of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Development Programme.
  • Also: the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States; the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs; the Chief of the New York Office of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Conference on Trade and Development; the Chief of the New York Office of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office on Disaster Risk Reduction; and the Senior Vice President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Foundation.
  • The President will convene the inaugural meeting of the Board of Advisers this month.

PRESIDENT SAYS IT¡¯S OUR JOB TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS

  • Today is the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, as proclaimed by the General Assembly in 2013.
  • In a??to mark the day, the President said, ¡°During the pandemic, journalists have been on the frontline in the fight to get the truth out.
  • ¡°It is a critical time for fact-based reporting. With COVID-19, incorrect information can be deadly.¡±
  • He added, ¡°It is our job to protect journalists. So they can keep doing their job.¡±

RESPECT FOR WORLD COURT CRITICAL FOR UPHOLDING INTERNATIONAL LAW

  • This afternoon, the President will address the General Assembly¡¯s plenary meeting on the International Court of Justice.
  • The President said respect for the Court was critical to upholding the Charter and international law.
  • He also noted that, this year, the General Assembly and Security Council will elect five Judges to the Court. These elections are held every 3 years.
  • He said that, despite challenges regarding in-person meetings in New York, it is important to make sure that the election is not delayed.?

DISARMAMENT COMMITTEE TO START VOTING ON RESOLUTIONS TOMORROW

  • Asked for an update on the Assembly¡¯s First Committee, which covers disarmament, the Spokesperson noted that it had been planning to vote on all of its resolutions last week.
  • However, in light of the postponement of last week¡¯s in-person Committee meetings, due to COVID-19 infections at one Mission of a Member State, the First Committee would now start voting on the afternoon of Tuesday, 3 November.