UN General Assembly President meets UN Country Team in Port of Spain

On August 5, 2024, as part of an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago, His Excellency Dennis Francis, President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, visited UN House in Port of Spain.   

During discussion with members of the UN Country Team representing various UN agencies, funds and programmes comprising the UN Multi Country Office in Trinidad and Tobago, Ambassador Francis had a chance to hear about results of cooperation in Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. Additionally, the team discussed regional and national priorities and the UN’s initiatives to build on the Fourth UN Conference on Small Island Developing States which took place in Antigua and Aruba in May 2024.  Ambassador Francis highlighted key priorities of his Presidency and challenges on the agenda of the upcoming General Assembly and its Summit of the Future in September 2024 in New York.   

Ambassador Francis highlighted the importance of data as a key instrument of decision-making and called for creating a “data culture”, underlining the UN’s important role in this area.  He spoke about how voices of the youth can be leveraged in the context of climate change, the continuing fight against Non-Communicable Diseases as well as HIV/AIDS.  He also spoke about the importance of harnessing AI and the leading role that governments must play in guiding the use of new technologies in the interest of human development. 

Ambassador Francis spoke of the General’s Assembly’s priorities over the last session and his own initiatives, including the first ever Sustainability Week in April 2024 which focused on issues that are confronting the international community, including some that are critical to the Caribbean such as tourism, energy transition and debt.  

“Sustainability Week resonated well with Member States,” said the President.  “It was a stepping stone to the Summit of the Future in September 2024, which will hopefully be the big harvest for the General Assembly, refocusing and recharging the thrust of the SDGs and mobilising Heads of State and Government to commit to accelerate progress towards the Goals”. 

The UN representatives taking part in the meeting which was co-organized jointly by Director of the ECLAC Sub-Regional Headquarters for the Caribbean ,Diane Quarless, and the UN Resident Coordinator, Joanna Kazana (joining online), presented the UN’s priorities of the UN Multi-country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the Caribbean region, including strengthening the use of data and collaboration with key stakeholders such as CARICOM, the World Bank and other international organisations; work on the UN system offer on access to development finance; and the need to formulate a Caribbean UN system strategy on prevention of violence.  Agency representatives highlighted results in expanding digital connectivity and transformation and opportunities for further economic integration of the region, as well as joint efforts in transforming the food systems in response to climate change and global economic shocks as well as addressing refugee and migration issues. 

The UN Resident Coordinator ad interim, Diane Quarless, presented to Ambassador Francis a copy of the United Nations 2023 Annual Results Report covering the work of the United Nations system in Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. 

Speaking to United Nations staff gathered at the meeting, Ambassador Francis shared his appreciation of the work of the UN on the ground.  “Coming from New York, which is the seat of the UN organisation, wherever I travel I always value the dialogue with UN country teams.  It’s here, in the field, where the UN really is” said Ambassador Francis.  “The UN is close to the people, focusing on the impact, and close to those who are the eventual beneficiaries of [the UN’s] programmes and projects,” he said. 

The President of the General Assembly was hosted by the Government of the Trinidad and Tobago on a three-day official visit that began on Sunday, August 4.  He had meetings with the Acting President of Trinidad and Tobago, the Prime Minister and other Government officials.  He also met with representatives of civil society, the media and engaged with university students.