PRESS BRIEFING BY AMY QUANTRILL, DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT VOLKAN BOZKIR

United Nations Headquarters, New York

8 April 2021

?

PRESIDENT TRIP TO TURKEY QATAR & AZERBAIJAN

  • The President of the General Assembly is currently on first official trip of the session. ?
  • The President is currently in Doha, Qatar where he was received by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs.
  • The President and the Emir discussed the importance of multilateralism, the COVID-19 response, climate change, regional developments and vulnerable countries.? The President commended Qatar for its active leadership on humanitarian issues; its consistent support for United Nations activities; and its strong engagement in General Assembly processes, such as the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council reform
  • The President met with Dr. Ahmad Hassen Al-Hammadi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They discussed the agenda of 75th session of the General Assembly and common priorities.
  • The President also met with representatives of United Nations entities based in Qatar where he briefed them about the General Assembly¡¯s activities and his priorities for the 75th session, and he received a briefing on their work on the ground.
  • In addition, in light of the General Assembly¡¯s commitment to sport for development and peace, the President toured the recently finished Al-Bayt Stadium, which was built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
  • The President departed Doha this evening for Azerbaijan.
  • When asked if the President would visit the Nagorno-Karabakh region on his trip, the Deputy Spokesperson confirmed the President¡¯s visit to Azerbaijan would be to Baku. In response to a question of future visits of the President, the Deputy Spokesperson said the President¡¯s future tris were currently being discussed and the President would like to travel to a wide range of countries during the 75th sessions, as travel restrictions allow.

?

PRESIDENT WELCOMES RESTORATION OF US FÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵDING FOR Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA

  • The President welcome the restoration of US support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA. In a , the President said: ¡°As the longest standing #Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ agency, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA is a lifeline for millions of Palestine refugees and critical for regional stability, pending the achievement of a viable two-State solution.¡±