Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoBlack Sea Initiative, GA Hall and High-Level Segment of ECOSOC - PGA Spokesperson's Briefing
BLACK SEA GRAIN INITIATIVE
The President of the General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, deeply regrets the decision of the Russian Federation to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
For 12 months, this Initiative has provided a lifeline to millions of people hit hard by the global food security crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine.
To date, the Black Sea Grain Initiative has facilitated the export of over 32 million metric tonnes of grain and food stuffs, directly feeding the people of the world and stabilizing global prices.
The President commends the tireless efforts of the Secretary-General as well as the exemplary work of the Joint Coordination Centre and its staff.
He recognizes also the efforts of the Government of Türkiye.
As is so often the case, the most vulnerable people suffer when food supply is short and prices rise, as we are already witnessing today.
Therefore, the President reiterates his call on the parties to return to dialogue. The challenges are complex, they are interconnected, but they are not insurmountable. It is not too late.
The President of the General Assembly calls for an end to this war, in line with international law and the UN Charter.
You have the President’s statement in your inboxes: https://www.un.org/pga/77/2023/07/17/pga-statement-on-the-black-sea-gra…
TOMORROW
Tomorrow, the General Assembly will hold a plenary meeting on the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
This is an annual agenda item.
President Kőrösi will make remarks tomorrow.
He is expected to use that opportunity to reiterate his calls for an end to the war in Ukraine… and reiterate his calls for an end to the nuclear rhetoric.
The remarks will be delivered in English, Arabic, French and Russian.
The plenary will be held in Conference Room 1.
There will also be a stakeout in the morning, in the corridor between Conference Room 1 and Conference Room 2.
GA HALL
A note on the use of the General Assembly Hall.
Parts of the GA Hall will be under renovation for the next five weeks, so until mid-August.
These changes are necessary to make the Hall accessible for persons with disabilities, particularly the speaking lectern.
As such, meetings in the GA Hall will be moved to the Trusteeship Chamber and the large conference rooms.
HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT OF ECOSOC
Turning to development…
President Kőrösi spoke this morning at the opening of the High-level segment of ECOSOC.
He said that we’ve inherited
accumulated risk factors,
mostly old-fashioned policies,
mostly old-fashioned market regulations,
mostly old-fashioned incentives for investments,
mostly old-fashioned institutions
But we have
transformative goals, and
rapidly changing technologies and science.
He proposed seven points to significantly accelerate the sustainability transformation.
Create national transformation strategies, aligned with SDGs.
Align regulations with announced goals.
Learn how to calculate all important externalities of actions (or inactions)
Learn how to reduce the negative externalities of our investments and increase the positive ones across all three pillars simultaneously.
Identify and prioritize on game-changing elements in the SDG implementation.
Build transparent road map of implementation.
Improve science-based validation mechanism of implementation.
The President also reiterated the importance of the SDG Summit to quote “breathe a new life into the sustainability transformation.”
You have the full remarks: https://www.un.org/pga/77/2023/07/17/pga-remarks-to-opening-of-the-high…
SCIENCE FOR SDGs
Related, the President also spoke at a side event to the HLPF on harnessing the power of science for the 2030 Agenda.
He spoke about the power of science to drive progress towards the sustainable and dignified future we want to achieve.
“Because transformation is going to happen anyway,” he said. “How well we are equipped will make the difference what world awaits us: victims or master of the transformation.”
You also have those full remarks: https://www.un.org/pga/77/2023/07/17/pga-remarks-to-harnessing-the-powe…
SDG6 AND WATER ACTION AGENDA
And you just received from my colleague Katherine the remarks which President Kőrösi delivered to a special event on SDG6 and the Water Action Agenda.
The President said that during the UN Water Conference in March, the international community agreed on the urgent need to accelerate implementation.
And he is at the event today to call for a radical transformation. Of words into deed. Of promises into measurable, visible action. A cooperative water-secure future for all starts with us.
The full remarks are online: https://www.un.org/pga/77/2023/07/17/pga-remarks-to-the-high-level-poli…
UNGA PROVISIONAL SPEAKERS LIST
I had gotten a lot of question about the UNGA provisional list of speakers.
That is now available, and you have it in your inboxes.
A reminder that this is the first version of a speakers list that always changes.
And because I’ve been asked a few times already – all the speakers are expected in-person.
Related Content
