NOON BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS BY PAULINA KUBIAK GREER,
SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT ABDULLA SHAHID
United Nations Headquarters, New York
SECURITY COUNCIL
The President of the General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, today has his first in-person public activity since returning from Palau.
President Shahid is meeting with Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield, Permanent Representative of the United States.
This is the monthly coordination meeting with the upcoming President of the Security Council.
SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM
Meanwhile, underway in the General Assembly Hall today, are the intergovernmental negotiations on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Council.
The informal meeting of the plenary began yesterday and will be held all day today.
Ambassador Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar, and Ambassador Martin Bille Hermann, Permanent Representative of Denmark, are the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations.
ROAD SAFETY
There is another discussion today under the General Assembly umbrella…
In the Trusteeship, there are the informal consultations on the preparations for the high-level meeting on improving global road safety
The high-level meeting will be held from 30 June and 1 July, in the General Assembly Hall.
PSYCHOLOGY DAY
Turning to climate change…
President Abdulla Shahid today addressed the annual meeting and flagship event organized by the Psychology Coalition at the United Nations (PCUN), whose members are representatives of Psychology NGOs with a consultative status at ECOSOC.
This year’s theme is “Psychology Building Hope: Contributions to a Roadmap for Climate Action,” which has been inspired the Presidency of Hope.
In his video message, President Shahid noted that the collective toll and physical scars of climate change extend far and deep.
Citing some examples, including the forest fires in North America and the persistent, frequent droughts in Africa and the floods in Asia Pacific… President Shahid said that Least Developing Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States feel the impacts sooner and harsher.
Psychology as a roadmap to climate action considers the intangible, emotional and mental context of climate change, he said.
The full remarks are online.
NEW URBAN AGENDA
ECOSOC today holds a Special Meeting on Sustainable Urbanization and the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
The special meeting will complement the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda, which takes place next week – on Thursday, 28 April 2022.
The high-level meeting is organized by the Office of President Abdulla Shahid, in collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme or UN-Habitat.
At the high-level meeting, President Abdulla Shahid will make opening remarks. He will be joined by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, and UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
And you have a media advisory on the high-level meeting in your inboxes. That’s coming from me and our friends at UN-Habitat.
PEACEBUILDING
In terms of other high-level meetings next week, President Shahid, will convene a one-day high-level meeting on Peacebuilding Financing, on Wednesday, 27 April.
President Abdulla Shahid and Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, will open the high-level meeting. And you will have more details in your inboxes later today.
HARMONY WITH NATURE
And a reminder about tomorrow’s Interactive Dialogue on Harmony with Nature to Commemorate International Mother Earth.
The theme is “Harmony with Nature and Biodiversity: Contributions of Ecological Economics and Earth-centered law”.
It will be held in the Trusteeship starting at 10AM. The opening speakers will be President Shahid and the President of Bolivia, Luis Arce.
You have the program from earlier in the week.
QUESTIONS
The Spokesperson was asked if there is a date set yet for the vote on the Liechtenstein-sponsored resolution. The Spokesperson said there is no date yet to announce.
The Spokesperson was asked why President Shahid has not put out a written condemnation of the Middle East violence. The Spokesperson said that she is reiterating what was said in the room – President Shahid condemns all violence everywhere. All parties need to calm down the deteriorating situation and prevent further escalation. The status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem must be upheld and respected.
Back on the issue of the Liechtenstein-sponsored resolution, the Spokesperson was asked if the expected vote would require a simple or two-thirds majority.
