In a history making move, Trinidad and Tobago’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, His Excellency Ambassador Dennis Francis, was today elected as the 78th President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
It marks the first time that a nominee from Trinidad and Tobago has been elected UNGA President.
The election took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Thursday morning.
According to the UN Trinidad and Tobago, The UNGA President presides over high-level meetings, shapes the priorities of the General Assembly and plays a crucial role in facilitating negotiations among member states. Presidency of the UNGA is therefore a prestigious platform for a country to promote international cooperation, build consensus on key global issues and raise the profile of its own multilateral priorities on the global stage.
In a statement following the election, UN Trinidad and Tobago stated, “Trinidad and Tobago continues to be a leading Caribbean voice championing the needs and challenges of Small Island Developing States. This hallmark of Trinidad and Tobago’s global advocacy dovetails seamlessly with the stated priority of President-elect Francis to facilitate, among other conferences, the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States taking place in Antigua and Barbuda in 2024.”