Prime Minister the Hon. Gaston Browne left Antigua and Barbuda on Friday for New York where he will attend the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly which opens on Tuesday under the theme, “Leaving no one behind; acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.”
Prime Minister Browne commenced a busy one-week schedule on Saturday, co-hosting a Forum under the theme Building Resilient Futures: The SIDS Debt Sustainability Support Service with the leaders of the Maldives, New Zealand and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Today Sunday, Prime Minister Browne will participate in an interactive dialogue as part of the Opening of the Summit of the Future. The Summit of the Future, convened by the UN Secretary General, brings together representatives from UN Member States, civil society, private sector, academia, local and regional authorities, youth, and many more, providing an opportunity for broad engagement and inclusion. These stakeholders have all played a key role in shaping the Pact for the Future and its annexes, and will be critical to implementation
In the coming days, Prime Minister Browne will hold bilaterals and attend several meetings with H.E. Luc Mercelina, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, PAHO’s Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, and Assistant Director, Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, the leader of Vanuatu, and Foreign Minister of Venezuela. Meetings are also scheduled with the Heads of Delegation for the United Kingdom, Central African Republic, the King of Jordan, Crowne Prince of Kuwait, Brazil and the United Nations Secretary General.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Browne will be a member of a Global Citizen NOW: Health and Climate Financing Sessions – Panel on How to Scale Financing for the Poorest and Most Vulnerable – High-Level Panel on Global Solidarity Levies and Financing 4 Developments with the President of Kenya, the President of France, and the President of the Bill and Malinda Gates foundation. Prime Minister Browne, who is one of the architects of the UN MVI, is expected to make special interventions during this panel discussion.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Browne will attend a Leaders Breakfast on Addressing the Existential Threats Posed by Sea-Level Rise (s). The meeting is with 25 selected heads who are considered the champions on the issue. Prime Minister Browne is one of two CARICOM Prime Ministers listed as champions of this issue.
Prime Minister Browne is expected to deliver the Antigua and Barbuda National statement to the UN General Assembly during the afternoon on Friday during which he is expected to continue to champion special and differential treatment for Small Island Developing States.
