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

United Nations Headquarters, New York

11 December 2020

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PRESIDENT DISCUSSES GENERAL ASSEMBLY REFORM & REVITALIZATION WITH U.N. AMBASSADORS

  • This morning the President held his fourth Morning Dialogue with Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Permanent Representatives.
  • The theme was ¡°Building back better: Reform and revitalization¡±. Discussions focused on adapting the General Assembly¡¯s working methods to the current COVID-19 context.
  • Nine Permanent Representatives participated.

ASSEMBLY DEBATE AN OPPORTÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵITY TO REINFORCE COMMITMENT TO HUMANITARIAN ACTION

  • The General Assembly plenary is holding a debate all day today on the agenda item: ¡°Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance¡±.
  • There are currently 26 delegations inscribed to speak. And action is expected on four draft resolutions this afternoon.
  • The titles of those drafts are: ¡°¡±; ¡°¡±; ¡°¡±; and ¡°¡±.
  • In opening remarks this morning, the President said today¡¯s debate was a critical opportunity to stand in solidarity with the millions of people caught in the direst of circumstances, and to reinforce our collective commitment to support humanitarian action, which is especially important in light of COVID-19.
  • He also shared two recommendations with the Assembly.
  • First, on the multiple promising COVID-19 vaccines, he said approval and accessibility are two very different things. And there is a clear rationale for ensuring quick vaccination programmes for those in greatest need.
  • Second, we must not forget that humanitarian crises were here well before COVID-19. So, we must continue to address conflict situations, and climate and environmental concerns, he said.

PRESIDENT TO MEET HEAD OF COÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵCIL OF EUROPE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

  • This afternoon the President will meet with the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
  • Expected topics of discussion include human rights, climate change and COVID-19.

PLENARY TO CONSIDER COMMITTEE REPORTS NEXT WEEK

  • The following is an update on the Main Committees.
  • The General Assembly plenary will consider the reports of the Second Committee, which covers economic and financial matters, on Wednesday, 16 December, at 3 p.m.
  • And it will consider the reports of the Sixth Committee, which handles legal matters, on Tuesday, 15 December, at 4:30 p.m.

MEMBER STATES TO GET COVID-19 BRIEFING FROM WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE COORDINATOR

  • Moments ago, the President ¨C together with the Secretary-General and the Permanent Representative of the United States ¨C sent a letter to Member States, announcing an informal virtual briefing on COVID-19 by Dr. Deborah L. Birx, Ambassador-at-Large and Coronavirus Response Coordinator at the Office of the Vice-President of the United States.
  • The meeting will take place on Tuesday, 15 December at 3.30 p.m. It will be a virtual briefing for Member States.
  • Asked for more information about the briefing and whether any announcements would be made, the Spokesperson said that the idea was to ensure coordination between the United Nations and its Host Country and make sure that everyone was on the same page and equally informed when it came to COVID-19.