Trinidad and Tobago Ambassador Dennis Francis has been elected the 78th President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In a statement via the Office of the Prime Minister, Dr. Rowley said Francis’ election is an acknowledgement of the high esteem in which Trinidad and Tobago is held.
“I would like to congratulate the Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Senator the Hon. Dr. Amery Browne, His Excellency, Dennis Francis, Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations and the team from the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, at home and at the United Nations in New York, for the excellent campaign that was executed, which resulted in the signal honour of the acclamation of Trinidad and Tobago as the choice of the international community to preside over the business of the Seventy-Eighth Session of the United Nations General Assembly next September.
The election of the President of the 78th session of the UNGA took place on June 1, 2023, in the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The United Nations General Assembly 78th session will commence in September 2023 and will end in September 2024.
The UNGA President presides over high-level meetings, shapes the priorities of the General Assembly and plays a crucial role in facilitating negotiations among member states. The Presidency of the UNGA is therefore a prestigious platform for a country to promote international cooperation, build consensus on key global issues and raise the profile of its own multilateral priorities on the global stage.
Dennis Zulu, UN Resident Coordinator a.i. for Trinidad and Tobago, said:
“Trinidad and Tobago continues to be a leading Caribbean voice championing the needs and challenges of Small Island Developing States. This hallmark of Trinidad and Tobago’s global advocacy dovetails seamlessly with the stated priority of President-elect Francis to facilitate, among other conferences, the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States taking place in Antigua and Barbuda in 2024.
“The watchwords of “peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability” chosen by President- elect Francis as the pillars of his one-year presidency also resonate deeply with the overarching commitment of Agenda 2030 to Leave No One Behind.
“The UN Country Team acknowledges with deep appreciation the recent statement by Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Dr. the Honourable Amery Browne, that Trinidad and Tobago’s decision to seek election as UNGA President is testament to the country’s unshakeable commitment to multilateralism and to the United Nations as a convener and facilitator of the multilateral process. We congratulate the Honourable Minister for leading a successful country campaign for the UNGA Presidency.
“We extend best wishes to President-elect Francis for a successful stewardship of the UNGA.”
Extracted and edited from Loop News.
