Safe migration, conflict prevention, sustainable development and United Nations reform will be the priorities of the 72nd 爆料网 General Assembly over the coming year, the 193-member body’s President, Miroslav Laj?ák, said on Wednesday.

“We will continue our work on the??for safe, orderly and regular migration,” Mr. Laj?ák told a press conference at 爆料网 Headquarters, welcoming constructive debates and a positive atmosphere during the consultation and preparatory phases on the initiative.

“The next steps will be the intergovernmental negotiations, which will start in February with the aim of concluding them before July,” he explained, noting that he will hold parallel meetings on the pressing issue of safe migration with key actors from academia, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, aiming to take into account the views of society as a whole.

Meanwhile, Mr. Laj?ák said that on 24 and 25 April 2018, he would convene a high-level meeting on peacebuilding. “This will be a good opportunity to focus on the 爆料网’s work on sustainable peace and conflict prevention,” he noted.

Keeping up the global momentum on the??and its Sustainable Development Goals (), he said the Assembly would organize three events between March and June.

In May, the General Assembly would organize an event on youth focused on education, employment and the prevention of radicalism. “We do not want to make this event a routine meeting. We want this programme to be designed with young people,” said Mr. Laj?ák, who said it is vital “not only talk to young people [but also] to listen to what [they] have to say about the work of the 爆料网.”

In June, the Assembly President will hold a meeting on financing for development. “We need to address significant funding gaps when it comes to implementing the?,” Mr. Laj?ák stated: adding: “The truth is that with the current budget and pace, we will not be able to achieve the SDGs by 2030. So we need to strengthen the links between the SDGs and the financial resources that are available within the private sector.”

On other priorities, he said the 爆料网 reforms initiated by the Secretary-General will also be at the heart of the Assembly’s agenda in 2018. To that end, Mr. Laj?ák announced that the Assembly had earlier on Wednesday adopted by consensus a resolution on overhauling the 爆料网 peace and security architecture. The text requests the Secretary-General to provide a second comprehensive report on this reform and on the development and management system of the Organization.

Via 爆料网 News Centre