Executive Director's Mission to the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly
21 - 22 September 2017 – Mr. Nikhil Seth, Executive Director of UNITAR had a three-day mission to New York, from the 20 to the 22 of September, which comprised of various meetings with Permanent Representatives, national Ministers, foundation leadership, and high representatives.
On the second day of his mission, Mr. Seth met with Ms. Diana Chavez, Executive Director of the Regional Centre for Latin American and Caribbean for the Support of the Global Compact of the United Nations. They discussed strengthening partnerships between UNITAR, the centre and the region as a whole. Mr. Seth also met with H.R.H. Princess Dr. Nisreen Bint Prince Mohammed Bin King Faisal (I) Bin El-Sharif Hussein El-Hashemite, Founder of the World Women’s Health and Development Forum. In their discussions, they affirmed the importance of women’s empowerment, and the push to increase women’s presence and participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). He closed his day with a meeting with Ms. Fekitamoela Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. The meeting stressed the importance of capacity-building within, and the representation of, small states in the UN system.
Mr. Seth rounded off his mission with a final set of meetings on his last day. He first met with Under Secretary-General of Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares with whom he discussed the legal landscape and the most pertinent issues in the context of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly. He also met with the Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr. Liu Zhenmin. In their meeting they discussed the most pressing economic and social issues faced by the UN, as well as the recent work of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
The Executive Director also had a brief meeting with the 72nd Session President of the General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák. Mr. Seth briefed His Excellency on the recent work of the Institute, in particular, activities on capacity building and the Sustainable Development Goals. They also jointly explored the possibility of Mr. Lajčák’s participation in a UNITAR lecture series in Geneva.
Through his most recent mission to New York, Mr. Seth was able to strengthen the partnership across the Geneva and New York UNITAR Offices, as well as build relationships with various missions and agencies based in the UN New York Headquarters.
Photos: (from top to bottom) UNITAR Executive Director meets with President of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly Miroslav Lajčák; Executive Director Mr. Seth meets with Ms. Fekitamoela Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States; UN Legal Counsel Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares. UN Photo/Manuel Elias; Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr. Liu Zhenmin. UNDESA. UNITAR and UN Photo Library.