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

United Nations Headquarters, New York

14 December 2020

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PRESIDENT SENDS CONDOLENCES TO ESWATINI FOLLOWING PRIME MINISTER¡¯S PASSING

  • Last night, the President expressed his??to the Government and people of Eswatini, following the untimely passing of Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini.
  • The President followed up with a personal message today to the Permanent Representative of Eswatini, who also serves as a Vice-President of the General Assembly.

NIGERIA: PRESIDENT OUTRAGED BY ABDUCTION OF SCHOOLBOYS

  • This morning, the President said he was??of hundreds of boys being kidnapped from a secondary school in northwestern Nigeria.
  • He said the idea of children, who are seeking an education, being stolen from their families is unconscionable. Their safe return should be a priority.

PRESIDENT HOLDS COORDINATION MEETING WITH SECRETARY-GENERAL & SECURITY COÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵCIL PRESIDENT

  • The President held one of his periodic coordination meetings today with the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council.
  • Topics of discussion included business continuity; the General Assembly¡¯s special session on COVID-19; and peacekeeping operations in Africa, including transitions and drawdowns.

HISTORIC SPECIAL SESSION ON COVID-19 RESUMES THIS AFTERNOON

  • On the General Assembly¡¯s?special session on COVID-19, it was not possible to hear all statements from Member States, observers and civil society, during the mandated timeframe of 3-4 December.
  • Statements will therefore resume today at 3:00 p.m. in the General Assembly Hall.
  • The remaining statements will include: 4 videos from Member States; 2 videos from the Holy See and the State of Palestine; 17 statements that will be delivered by Permanent Representatives from the floor; and 3 video interventions from civil society, if time permits.

ASSEMBLY DECLARES U.N. DECADE OF HEALTHY AGEING (2021¨C2030)

  • This morning the General Assembly plenary took action on four draft resolutions.
  • According to the?, which was adopted by consensus, the Assembly commended the commitment of Vanuatu to graduate from the category of least developed countries.
  • The??was also adopted by consensus. It requests the Secretary-General to establish and administer a trust fund for the International Court of Justice¡¯s Judicial Fellowship Programme.
  • The?, entitled ¡°Global health and foreign policy: strengthening health system resilience through affordable health care for all¡±, was adopted by a vote of 181 in favor to 1 against with 0 abstentions.
  • According to the?, which was adopted by consensus, the General Assembly decided to proclaim 2021¨C2030 as the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing.

PRESIDENT REMAINS FOCUSED ON ENSURING VACCINES FOR ALL

  • The Spokesperson was asked whether COVID-19 vaccinations would be administered at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Headquarters and whether the President would get one.
  • The Spokesperson replied that the administering of vaccines in the building was a matter for the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretariat. Regarding the President personally, his focus remained on ensuring?.
  • On his own vaccine, the President was following news reports and it was currently too early for him to make any sort of announcement on that.