PRESS BRIEFING
BY MONICA GRAYLEY,?
SPOKESPERSON FOR?GENERAL ASSEMBLY?
PRESIDENT DENNIS FRANCIS
United Nations Headquarters, New York
2 August 2024
?
Good afternoon, everyone! We will start with a trip announcement for the PGA.
PGA DENNIS FRANCIS TO Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵDERTAKE OFFICIAL VISIT TO TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
The President of the United Nations General Assembly (PGA), Mr. Dennis Francis will undertake official travel to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, from 4-7 August.
The PGA will hold separate bilateral meetings with H.E. Nigel de Freitas, Acting President of Trinidad and Tobago; the country¡¯s Prime Minister, H.E. Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley, H.E. Senator the Honourable Dr. Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs among other officials.
President Francis will brief the Government on ongoing efforts to prepare for the Summit of the Future, in September 2024, as well as encourage participation in the High-Level Meeting on sea-level rise, on 25 September 2024.? Whilst in Port of Spain, he will meet the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Country Team as well as the Network of Rural Women Producers.
The PGA will engage with students of the Institute of International Relations of the University of the West Indies to discuss global sustainability efforts, and the University of Trinidad and Tobago, where he will speak about the World Steelpan Day, which is marked on 11 of August. The steelpan is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago which grew out of the country in the early 20th-century Carnival percussion groups.
The PGA¡¯s delegation includes his Chef de Cabinet, a Special Adviser, a Senior Advisor, and a Communications Adviser.
Travel costs for the visit are jointly covered by the OPGA¡¯s Trust Fund and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
HIGH-LEVEL FORUM COMMEMORATES CULTURE OF PEACE
The PGA is convening today a High-Level Forum to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.
This year, the event coincides with preparations for the Summit of Future, which will bring together world leaders to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future.
In his remarks, Mr. Francis highlighted that: ¡°Sadly, we have all borne witness to the escalating conflicts unfolding in Ukraine, Gaza, Haiti and Sudan ¨C among others, elsewhere around the world.¡± The GA President recalled that these challenges serve as a stark reminder that we should never take peace for granted.
Mr. Francis urged all to ¡°recommit to work together to instill the values of diplomacy and dialogue, reconciliation, mediation, justice, inclusion, and equality in resolving any conflict or dispute.¡±
The High-Level Forum will finish at 5 p.m. today, the opening and plenary segments are being followed by an interactive panel discussion, which will be chaired and moderated by the Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Ms. Melissa Fleming.
The interactive discussion will focus on the theme: ¡°Cultivating and Nurturing the Culture of Peace for Present and Future Generations.¡±
WEEK AHEAD:
Next week, Member States will continue to hold informal consultations on the Summit of the Future which are scheduled for the morning and afternoon slots from Tuesday to Thursday, 8 August.
On the week commencing on 12 August: The GA will hold a plenary meeting on sustainable development in the GA Hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
On that same day, the membership will take action on the draft resolution.
¡°Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance – Item 69: Draft resolution (A/78/L.96) and the International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent ()¡±
We will be back here on 14 of August with another press briefing. This is everything we have for today. Do you have anything else?
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