MEDIA ADVISORY
UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis to attend the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva and the 6th UN Environment Assembly Nairobi
New York, 23 Feb 2024 – The President of the United Nations General Assembly (PGA), Mr. Dennis Francis, will undertake official travel to Geneva, Switzerland from 25 to 27 February 2024, and to Nairobi, Kenya from 28 February to 2 March 2024.
In Geneva, the PGA will attend the opening of the 55th session of the Human Rights Council as well as participate in the Human Rights Council’s High-level panel on “Harnessing multilateral efforts to embed, amplify, and realize the rights of persons with disabilities with a focus on full and effective participation and inclusion in society.”
The PGA will highlight the key role of the Human Rights Council in the face of complex crises and conflicts. He will also reaffirm his commitment to protecting all human rights, with emphasis on the rights of women and girls, persons with disabilities, and indigenous peoples. He will also stress the urgent need to address the legacies of slavery and eliminate all forms of racism. Furthermore, he will speak to the ongoing efforts during his Presidency to meaningfully engage with civil society and other stakeholders in the work of the UN.
As part of his visit to Geneva, the PGA will launch a campaign jointly with UN-Women and the President of the Human Rights Council aimed at preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.
He will also hold separate meetings with H.E. Omar Zniber, President of the Human Rights Council; Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO; Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees; and Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director General of the International Labor Organization.
The PGA will use the opportunity of being in Geneva to convene a Town Hall with civil society organizations, as well as address the diplomatic community on the work of the General Assembly.
The PGA’s delegation to Geneva includes his Deputy Chef de Cabinet, Deputy Team Lead for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Team, and a Communications Adviser.
Following Geneva, President Francis and his delegation will proceed to Nairobi, Kenya to attend the Sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), which will take place from 26 February to 1 March 2024 at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
This year’s UNEA will focus on the way in which multilateralism can help address the challenges of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. The PGA will deliver his address at the Opening of the High-Level Segment.
During his official visit to Kenya, the PGA will pay a courtesy call on H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya; and hold a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs; and H.E. Ms. Roselinda Soipan Tuya, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry.
The PGA will also engage bilaterally with H.E. Ms. Leila Benali, President of UNEA-6 and Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Furthermore, the PGA hold separate meetings with Ms. Inger Andersen, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNEP; Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Under Secretary-General and Director General of UN Office in Nairobi, as well as senior officials of UN-Habitat in Nairobi.
Whilst in Kenya, the PGA will take the opportunity to engage with civil society, and visit projects managed by UN-Habitat in the vicinity of Nairobi. Building on his address to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the PGA and use UNEA-6 to champion the impact of climate change and environmental crises on human rights, including through an address at the University of Nairobi.
The PGA’s delegation to Nairobi includes his Chef de Cabinet, an Adviser on Sustainable Development and Financing for Development, and a Communications Adviser.
Travel costs to Geneva and Nairobi are covered by the OPGA Trust Fund.
For media inquiries and further information, please contact:
Mariam Shaikh, Communications Adviser, travelling with the PGA: mariam.shaikh@un.org +1 917 361 4990
Carolina Nazzaro, Media Relations Adviser: carolina.nazzaro@un.org + 1 917 892-2751
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