{"id":263569,"date":"2022-04-13T11:56:22","date_gmt":"2022-04-13T15:56:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/76\/?p=263569"},"modified":"2022-04-14T11:57:37","modified_gmt":"2022-04-14T15:57:37","slug":"press-briefing-by-spokesperson-13-april-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/76\/2022\/04\/13\/press-briefing-by-spokesperson-13-april-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Briefing by Spokesperson \u2013 13 April 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

NOON BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS BY PAULINA KUBIAK GREER,<\/strong>
\nSPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT ABDULLA SHAHID<\/strong>
\nUnited Nations Headquarters, New York<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PALAU<\/strong><\/p>\n

The President of the General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, is in Palau, where he is taking part in the 7th<\/sup> Our Ocean Conference.<\/p>\n

The President will address the Conference tomorrow at 4:30PM local time, or 3:30AM New York time.<\/p>\n

He will speak in the segment entitled \u201cToward a super year for the ocean: leadership and action\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

The statement will come after the President meets with Palau Women\u2019s Group called Mechesil Belau (Women of Palau). The group is led by Bilung Gloria Gibbon Salii.<\/p>\n

Today, President Shahid had a number of bilaterals.<\/p>\n

He met with the President of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr. He is the co-host of the event. The two leaders discussed issues related to Small Island Developing States, including ocean health and the impact of climate change on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.<\/p>\n

President Shahid also met with Samoa\u2019s Environment Minister and Chair of the Pacific SIDS regional group, which is currently chaired by Samoa. That\u2019s Mr. Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster.<\/p>\n

Yesterday, President Shahid visited with students of the Science Club at Palau High School.<\/p>\n

Engaging with young people is a priority for the Presidency of Hope. President Shahid said that young people are at the forefront of climate action and should have a say in the decisions that will share their destinies.<\/p>\n

Earlier on Tuesday, President Shahid met with Jaap van Hierden, who is the Resident Coordinator in Micronesia, covering also Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau.<\/p>\n

On Monday, President Shahid took part in the SIDS Global Business Network Forum. There, he met with John Kerry, who is co-hosting the Our Ocean Conference, on behalf of the United States.<\/p>\n

The discussion was chaired by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Special Envoy for the Ocean, Mr. Peter Thomson.<\/p>\n

You have a press release from earlier this week.<\/p>\n

The President\u2019s address to the Conference will be shared this afternoon under embargo.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

WHO<\/strong><\/p>\n

Turning from climate change to COVID\u2026<\/p>\n

We take note of today\u2019s determination by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute a public health emergency of international concern.<\/p>\n

President Shahid is using this announcement to again reiterate his message that everyone, everywhere must have access to a COVID vaccine.<\/p>\n

This was the main message heard from all participants in the High-level vaccine event held in January. The only way to end this pandemic is through vaccines.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

AGING<\/strong><\/p>\n

And ending on the topic of aging.<\/p>\n

Underway is the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing for the purpose of strengthening the protection of the human rights of older persons.<\/p>\n

President Shahid delivered remarks to the Group on Monday via video message.<\/p>\n

He said as we endeavor to rebuild sustainably from the pandemic, and strengthen economic resilience, we must prioritize protecting and providing for older persons.<\/p>\n

He called on Member States to support the work of the Open-ended Working Group by strengthening the protection of the human rights of older persons, including by considering the further instruments and measures.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s foster healthy ageing and improve the lives of older people and their families and communities, the President said.<\/p>\n

He noted four main areas:<\/p>\n