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NOON BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS

Spokesperson for General Assembly President Csaba K?r?si
United Nations Headquarters, New York

Friday, 14 April 2023

Rwanda

Today the United Nations reflects on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Just a short time ago, President Csaba K?r?si lit an LED candle in memory of the victims, as part of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ commemorative event ¨C joining lights with all participants in the GA Hall.

Today is an opportunity to remember what happens when power is maliciously wielded, and hatred is not just left unchecked but actively instigated, the President said.

He stressed that what happened was not an accident.

¡°It stemmed from years of fomenting a racist ideology and waging a campaign aimed at the systematic destruction of a population.

As it was carried out ¨C the world was silent.¡±

This happened despite the General Assembly¡¯s unanimous adoption of the Genocide Convention in 1948 ¨C which defines genocide as a crime under international law.

¡°To this unconscionable inaction ¨C and in the spirit of Kwibuka ¨C we must say, ¡°never again¡±,¡± the President said.

That we can never again ¡°allow criminals to adorn themselves in the robes of our silence.¡±

The President then discussed some of the steps taken in Rwanda by the its citizens to quote rebuild their nation from the ashes of devastation¡±.

The President ends his remarks by way that as Rwandans have built a nation that looks towards a better future, may the General Assembly do the same¡­ not shy away from its responsibilities, uphold rights and address drivers of hate speech, stand firm against discrimination, and focus on education.

You have the full remarks in your inbox and online: /pga/77/2023/04/14/pga-remarks-to-international-day-of-reflection-on-the-1994-genocide-against-the-tutsi-in-rwanda/

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WEEK AHEAD

Given the brevity of time for today¡¯s noon today, let me turn to the Week Ahead¡­.

On Monday, 17 April¡­

President K?r?si will address the opening of the Financing for Development Forum.

That will start at 10AM ET in the Trusteeship Chamber.

Then at 11AM ET, he will address the opening of the 22^nd session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, in the General Assembly Hall.

On Tuesday, 18 April¡­

We expect the General Assembly to consider the Fifth Committee reports from the first resumed session.

The General Assembly will also consider a draft decision to fix the dates for some of the high-level meetings during Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵGA week, so that might be of interest for your September planning purposes.

On Wednesday, 19 April¡­

President K?r?si is organizing with the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management, or DGACM, a training on accessibility and sensitivity awareness for all Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ delegates and civil society partners.

That will be at 1:15pm in the ECOSOC Chamber.

Thursday, 20 April¡­

President K?r?si will hold his second townhall with civil society, in Conference Room 1, starting at 10AM ET.

The theme is ¡°Midway through the implementation of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development: Push for Accelerated Progress towards the SDGs¡±.

Friday is an official Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ holiday for Eid.

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QUESTIONS

There were no questions for the Spokesperson.

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