16-17 September 2024, New York - On September 16 and 17, 2024, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) New York Office, in partnership with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Singapore and the Forum of Small States, held its annual Briefing for New Delegates on the 79th Session of the General Assembly and the Main Committees of the United Nations. This briefing, a key tool for diplomats, focused on providing insight into the operations of the UN’s General Assembly and its Main Committees, offering an invaluable platform for interaction and learning.
September 16, 2024 - Monday
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The briefing opened on September 16 with remarks from several high-level speakers. Mr. Nikhil Seth, Assistant Secretary General and Executive Director of UNITAR, joined virtually to deliver his opening remarks, followed by Ambassador Mr. Burhan Gafoor, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nations, who welcomed participants to the event. H.E. Mr. Philémon Yunji Yang, President of the 79th Session of the General Assembly, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the role of diplomacy and multilateralism in addressing global challenges. Ms. Ruth de Miranda, Director of the General Assembly and ECOSOC Affairs Division, provided an overview of the division's work, along with H.E. Mr. Marco Suazo, Head of Office at UNITAR New York, reaffirmed UNITAR’s commitment to diplomatic capacity-building. Ms. Colleen Thouez, Senior Advisor at UNITAR, moderated the opening session as well as the remaining sessions for the first day.
The day then proceeded with a detailed overview of the 79th Session of the General Assembly, presented by Mr. Kenji Nakano, Chief of the General Assembly Affairs Branch. This was followed by a session on the rules of procedure, led by Ms. Vita Onwuasoanya, Legal Officer at the Office of Legal Affairs. Ms. Beatrix Kania, Chief of Protocol, concluded the morning with a presentation on protocol and liaison services available to delegates.
The afternoon session focused on the substantive work of the UN’s Main Committees. H.E. Ms. Maritza Chan-Valverde, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations and incoming Chair of the First Committee, spoke on the disarmament and international security agenda, while Ms. Sonia Elliott, Chief of the Disarmament and Peace Affairs Branch, provided additional insightful information. The Second Committee’s economic and financial work was discussed by H.E. Mr. Muhammad A. Muhith, Permanent Representative of People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the United Nations, and Ms. Emer Herity, Secretary of ECOSOC. H.E. Mr. Zéphyrin Maniratanga, Permanent Representative of Burundi and incoming Chair of the Third Committee, along with Mr. Ziad Mahmassani, Senior Intergovernmental Affairs Officer, led a session on the Third Committee’s social, humanitarian, and cultural agenda. The day closed with insights from Ms. Meena Sur, Senior Programme Management Officer in the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management, who showed the delegates how to navigate the UN Journal.
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UNITAR
September 17, 2024 - Day 2
UNITAR
The second day of the briefing, September 17, continued the deep dive into the work of the remaining Main Committees, from the Fourth to the Sixth Committees. H.E. Ms. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, Permanent Representative of Latvia and incoming Chair of the Fourth Committee, opened the day with an overview of the Fourth Committee’s responsibilities, which include special political issues and decolonization. H.E. Ms. Egriselda López, Permanent Representative of El Salvador and incoming Chair of the Fifth Committee, presented on the administrative and budgetary work of the UN. H.E. Mr. Rui Vinhas, Permanent Representative of Portugal and Incoming Chair of the Sixth Committee led the discussion on legal matters, with support from Mr. Arnold Pronto, Principal Legal Officer in the Office of Legal Affairs.
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The afternoon sessions on Day 2 transitioned to the interaction between the General Assembly and other UN bodies, beginning with a session on the relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council, led by Ms. Blanca Montejo, Senior Political Affairs Officer in the Security Council Affairs Division. The following session provided delegates with an introduction to the UN’s interpretation services, featuring presentations from Ms. Lana Ayyad, Chief of Arabic Interpretation, and Ms. Micaela Becquart, Interpreter in the Spanish Section, as well as Ms. Susan Goard, Law Librarian and Training Coordinator at the Dag Hammarskjold Library. The day concluded with a session on conference services and documentation management, presented by Ms. Bileena Vorauer and Ms. Xin-Tong Maywald from the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management.
The two-day briefing offered a comprehensive and detailed introduction to the procedural and substantive work of the United Nations General Assembly and its Main Committees. It underscored the importance of thorough understanding and engagement with UN processes for diplomats, especially as they prepare for the 79th Session of the General Assembly. Through this induction, delegates are equipped with the necessary knowledge and resources to contribute effectively to the multilateral dialogue that lies at the heart of the United Nations.