The President of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Abdulla Shahid reveals vaccinating the world is his top focus for recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs made the statement in his speech at his oath-taking ceremony as the president of the UNGA. In his speech, Minister Shahid said he will be holding a high-level thematic debate on vaccine equity with leading experts and world leaders to close the gap to vaccine access.
On rebuilding sustainably from the pandemic, Shahid said he will work to ensure that the socio-economic recovery is forward-thinking and that it is bluer, greener, and more resilient, adding that targeted interventions for countries in special situations will be necessary.
Additionally, Shahid said he will hold a high-level event on climate change to galvanise the collective ambition and actions that deliver change and a high-level thematic debate on addressing the interlocking challenges facing the environment. Respecting the rights of all will lay at the heart of every process that member states embark on during the 76th session and that he will only participate on panels that are gender-balanced, he also said.
Speaking further on the pandemic, Shahid said every person has experienced the last 18 months differently but everyone has universally experienced anxiety, insecurity, grief, and hopelessness. He said in these challenging times, people look to their leaders and elected officials for guidance for assurance, for signs that things will indeed get better, and that tomorrow will be better.
He said the UNGA must play an important part and that while the people of the world may not know the specifics or the details of resolutions and decisions the United Nations adopts, they know what the organisation stands for.
The newly sworn-in UNGA president said the United Nations represents an ideal, an aspiration and represents a promise of a brighter future to billions of people.