PRESS BRIEFING
BY MONICA GRAYLEY,?
SPOKESPERSON FOR?GENERAL ASSEMBLY?
PRESIDENT DENNIS FRANCIS
United Nations Headquarters, New York
24 January 2024
Video:
Good afternoon, everyone!
IN INDIA, PGA DENNIS FRANCIS SPEAKS ON MULTILATERALISM FOR PEACE, PROSPERITY, PROGRESS AND SUSTAINABILITY
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The President of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, spoke earlier today at the Indian Council of World Affairs on the role of ¡°Multilateralism for Peace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability¡±.? President Francis was received by H.E., Ambassador Ms. Vijay Thakur Singh, Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs.
The PGA highlighted that as India¡¯s first independent international affairs Think Tank, the Council has an unmatched standing on the global political landscape.
He said that despite many challenges and ¡°adverse headwinds¡± last September, world leaders at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ registered a hard-won triumph of unity over division when adopting the political declaration at the 2023 SDG Summit and ¡°reaffirmed the shared pledge to lift millions from poverty ¨C and importantly, set out commitments to accelerate action to that end.¡±
Whilst talking about prosperity for all¡ªwhich is one of the so-called ¡°four watchwords¡± of his Presidency¡ªthe PGA commended India¡¯s flagship programmes which aim to deliver the 2030 Agenda¡¯s goals at local, sub-national and national levels.
President Francis believes that India¡¯s leadership in the field of digital public infrastructure ¨C from innovative governance systems to citizen-oriented services ¨C represents unparalleled transformation in action.
For the entire speech, you can check the PGA¡¯s website:
Whilst in New Delhi, President Francis also took part in a roundtable on ¡°The promise of Digital Public Infrastructure for the achievement of SDGs¡±, organized by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and in a discussion on ¡°New and emerging technology and Artificial Intelligence to create global impact¡±. This event was co-organised?by?Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ India and NASSCOM.
The PGA held a bilateral meeting with the External Affairs Minister?of India, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to discuss several topics including challenges to international peace and security; the situations in Gaza, Ukraine and Haiti, the reform of the Security Council; and the need for a stronger multilateralism, including the growing role of the General Assembly.
The PGA paid a visit to the President of India, H.E. Droupadi Murmu, at Rashtrapati?Bhavan, (President House), who conveyed India¡¯s support for the priorities of the current GA session and expressed her appreciation for initiatives taken by the PGA, including those on climate change and women¡¯s empowerment.
President Dennis Francis met with the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Country Team where he had a chance to interact with young people, focusing on gender, education, and sustainability. He also granted a press conference at the United Nations Information Centre in New Delhi.
Tomorrow on 25 January, the PGA and his delegation will travel to Mumbai where he will start the day by laying a wreath at the 26/11 Memorial at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Later, he will pay a visit to the Bombay Stock Exchange/ National Stock Exchange in the ceremony ¡°Ring the Bell for Gender Equality¡±, amongst other engagements.
President Francis and his delegation will leave India on 26 January when they depart to China.
The PGA will visit China from the 27–31 January and will be back in his office on the 1 February.
You will get all the information from the China visit on Friday morning via your inbox as this is our last briefing for this week and until the beginning of February.
We look forward to seeing you then.
This is all that we have for today. Do you have anything else?
Media links on the PGA¡¯s visit to India on the PGA¡¯s?YouTube:
President Dennis Francis meets with the External Affairs Minister?of India, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar:
Highlights from the PGA¡¯s visit to Jaipur City, Rajasthan:
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