The annual session of the General Assembly of the United Nations begins in September with a two-week General Debate attended by Heads of State and Government. The General Debate revolves around a broad theme chosen by the President of the General Assembly. It provides an opportunity for world leaders to come together and discuss a variety of global issues, not only through their official statements before the plenary of the General Assembly, but also through a number of bilateral meetings and side events. Increasingly, national delegations to the annual session of the General Assembly are including members of parliament.
This year's General Debate will focus on “the impact of the global food crisis on poverty and huger in the world as well as the need to democratize the United Nations”. To help galvanize attention particularly to the latter part of this important question, which links up squarely to the IPU's own agenda vis-à-vis the United Nations, the IPU will organize a briefing for parliamentarians joining their national delegations to the opening of the GA.
This briefing will take place on Friday 26 September 2008 from 13:15 to 14:30 in the ECOSOC Chamber at the United Nation Headquarters in New York.
The briefing will also provide further background to the upcoming discussion before the General Assembly on cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-parliamentary Union. It will be introduced by the Secretary General of the IPU, Mr. Anders Johnsson, together with the President of the General Assembly for the 63rd session, H.E. Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann (Nicaragua).
For more information, please contact the IPU Office in New York:
Tel.: +1 212 557 58 80
Fax: +1 212 557 39 54
Email: ny-office@mail.ipu.org
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