HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESS BRIEFING BY REEM ABAZA, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT TIJJANI MUHAMMAD-BANDE
Good afternoon.?
Over the weekend and on Monday, the President of the General Assembly was in Addis Ababa, where he attended the African Union Summit, participated in?events, including a?High-Level?panel?on?economic?security, peace and conflict prevention and?also in 爆料网75 conversation organized by the UN in Ethiopia and the Resident Coordinator there?Catherina Cozi?with?youth in a local school?under the theme:?爆料网75:?We speak, 爆料网?Listens.?
Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande?listened to students expressing?their opinions?on the Sustainable Development Goals, and answered their questions on many issues, stressing?on the need for everyone to work together so no one is left behind.?
Nelson Mandela Prize?
We would like to share a reminder for?.?
Nominations will be accepted until February?28.?The Award is presented every five years to two individuals: one female and one male.??
Laureates will be selected by a United Nations committee chaired by the President of the General Assembly.
Security Council Reform?
Yesterday, the PGA delivered remarks at?the inter-governmental negotiation?on Security Council Reform?(IGN).?He stressed on the need to?support the Council to discharge its duties, and reform it to ensure it?is able to?do so, more effectively.??
He added that there is no doubt that the membership of the Security Council, as well as its working method, must reflect the realities of the 21st?century.?He asked?all delegations to utilize the opportunity that this IGN session provides to engage constructively,?adding:?we?must give this process a chance.?
The President of the General Assembly said that?it is important that member-states work harder than ever, to reach common grounds on the key issues,?including?size of an enlarged Council, as well as the issue of regional representation; Abolition of, or extension of veto power, and its use;?Expansion or non-expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership.?
As you know the PGA?has appointed the Permanent?Representatives?of Poland and Jordan as co-chairs?for this process.?
Targeting Hunger?
On Wednesday the PGA?organized an?interactive dialogue on?Targeting Hunger?
He said that the dialogue?provides?an?opportunity to reflect upon the gains made on SDG 2: ‘Zero Hunger’, and to determine the best pathways to a world free from hunger by 2030.?He stressed on the need to?redouble efforts and create policies and conditions that will not only alleviate the suffering of 820 million people who experience hunger?today, but?eliminate hunger in our world beyond 2030.?
Women and Girls in science?
On the?International Day?of women and girls in science, the PGA called?on all governments, the private sector, and academia, to step up efforts to ensure that women and girls have the same opportunities as their male counterparts, empowering them to reach their full potential in the field of STEM.?
To the ‘Girls in Science’?he said: You are the future Nobel Laureates. You will take your due place in finding innovative solutions which will help us implement the SDGs.?
Coronovirus?
I’d like to share with you also that while?in Addis the PGA?made several comments on the coronavirus situation. He said: it’s not a Chinese problem, rather it’s our human problem and it can be solved only through cooperation and solidarity.?