HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA,?SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MIROSLAV LAJ??K

United Nations Headquarters, New York

20 November 2017

 

PRESIDENT INVITES KIDS TO ICONIC GENERAL ASSEMBLY HALL ON WORLD CHILDREN’S DAY

  • Today is . To mark the occasion, the President met with child activists in the General Assembly Hall early this morning. As part of a 爆料网ICEF campaign, the children symbolically “took over” the Hall.
  • They also had a conversation with the President about their hopes and concerns, and how those related to the work of the United Nations.

?

WORLD COURT ELECTIONS TO CONTINUE TODAY

  • The General Assembly plenary will meet today at 3:00 p.m. to resume the elections for the last remaining vacancy on the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
  • Following eleven rounds in the General Assembly, neither of the two candidates obtained the required majority in both the General Assembly and Security Council. Those two candidates come from India and the United Kingdom.
  • Prior to the elections, the President of the General Assembly is holding a joint meeting with the Security Council President and the Permanent Representatives of India and the United Kingdom. The purpose of the meeting is to exchange information and discuss the continuation of the elections.

 

PRESIDENT MEETS WITH AFGHAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE AS ASSEMBLY DISCUSSES AFGHANISTAN

  • The General Assembly plenary is meeting today on the situation in Afghanistan. There are currently 22 speakers inscribed to take the floor. The plenary is expected to take action on a on Afghanistan tomorrow morning.
  • Meanwhile, the President held a with H.E. Mr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. They discussed the situation in Afghanistan, focusing on Afghan-led and Afghan-owned processes and the importance of international assistance in that regard.

?

PRESIDENT APPALLED BY REPORTS OF MODERN SLAVERY IN LIBYA

  • The President this morning that he was appalled by reports of African migrants being sold as slaves in Libya.
  • He said slavery is an ugly stain on human history that has no place in our world today.

 

ZIMBABWE: PRESIDENT FOLLOWING SITUATION CLOSELY

  • Asked for the President’s reaction to current political developments in Zimbabwe, the Spokesperson said the President was following the dynamics closely. However, as the situation remained unclear, it would be premature for the President to comment on it.
  • The President had noted the statement that the Secretary-General had issued last week and would continue to monitor developments.

 

ASSEMBLY ONLY APPROVES F爆料网DS FOR MISSIONS’ MANDATED PERIODS

  • The Spokesperson was asked what would happen to any leftover funds following the expiration of the mandate of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism?(JIM).
  • The Spokesperson later replied that the General Assembly only approves funds for mandated periods. In the case of any surpluses following the end of a mandate, the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee would consider such situations in accordance with normal budgetary processes.