PRESS RELEASE

President of the UN General Assembly to visit Kenya, Central African Republic and Uganda

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 6 May 2017, The President of the United Nations General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, will visit Kenya, the Central African Republic, and Uganda next week.

In Nairobi, on Sunday, May 7, President Thomson will visit a number of projects dedicated to environmental and wildlife conservation before meeting with H.E. Ms Amina Mohamed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kenya.

On Monday, 8 May, President Thomson will participate in the opening ceremony of the meeting of the UN-HABITAT Governing Council to discuss the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in cities and urban areas, as well as preparations for the High Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the future of UN Habitat in that regard, scheduled to take place on 29-30 August at UN Headquarters, New York.

Immediately following the opening ceremony of the Governing Council, President Thomson is scheduled to meet with the President of Kenya, H.E. Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, to discuss regional peace and security matters, the Sustainable Development Goals and the upcoming UN Ocean Conference.

President Thomson will take the opportunity to engage with UN leadership in Nairobi including  Ms Sahle-Work Zwede, Director General of UNON; Mr Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat. and Mr Eric Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment Program. He will also address the Committee of Permanent Representatives in Nairobi.

On Tuesday, 9 May, the President will meet with Ocean stakeholders in Kenya, host a luncheon with Ocean related Ministers in the Kenyan Government and meet with the UN Country Team in Kenya.

President Thomson will travel to Bangui, Central African Republic, on Wednesday, 10 May, to visit the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the country and to pay tribute to the work of UN Peacekeepers around the world. President Thomson will also meet the Prime Minister of the Central African Republic, H.E. Mr Simplice Sarandji, and participate in a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the victims of war in the country.

While there, the President will receive an official briefing on the current status of the mission in the Central African Republic, hosted by the UN Special Representative and Head of Mission, H.E. Mr. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga. The President will also meet with and address UN Peacekeeping forces stationed in Bangui, before meeting with UN personnel and members of the local community who are implementing projects dedicated to sustainable development and sustaining peace.

On the morning of Thursday, 11 May, President Thomson will travel to Entebbe, Uganda. While in Uganda, he will meet with the Prime Minister of Uganda, H.E. Mr. Ruhakana Rugunda, to discuss implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Uganda and the situation of refugees and migrants in the region. The President will also have an opportunity to visit the United Nations Regional Service Center in Entebbe to learn about its role in supporting regional peacekeeping missions.

President Thomson said: ‘This trip will be an excellent opportunity to engage with those leading on sustainable cities and environmental sustainability in Kenya; to show the General Assembly’s solidarity with UN peacekeepers around the world through the visit to Central African Republic, and to consider the UN’s regional approach while visiting the Regional Services Center in Uganda. Through a series of meetings with High-level Government officials, UN representatives and UN Peacekeepers, I look forward to receiving an update on the UN’s comprehensive efforts to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights in the Central and East Africa regions.’

The President will be accompanied by the Office of the President of the General Assembly’s Chef de Cabinet, Mr. Tomas Anker Christensen; his Special Envoy for SDGs and Climate Change, H.E. Mr. Macharia Kamau of Kenya; Senior Advisers Ms. Jullyette Ukabiala and Mr. Oyama Mgobozi, and Special Assistant to the Chef de Cabinet, Mr. Michael McManus. Contributions to the Trust Fund of the Office of the President of the General Assembly will be used to cover travel and accommodation expenses of the President and accompanying officers while a UN Flight shall be provided to the delegation to travel from Bangui, Central African Republic, to Entebbe, Uganda.

***

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT:

Daniel Thomas, Communications Director & Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, T:+19172251913; +1 917 225 1913| E: Daniel.thomas@un.org

Naomi Parekh, Communications Adviser for the President of the General Assembly, T: + 1 917 436 0214| E: parekh1@un.org