Jamaica elected vice president of 77th UN General Assembly
Published:Friday | June 10, 2022 | 7:22 PM
Jamaica has been elected as one of three vice presidents of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean states.
Jamaica will be represented by two persons - Ambassador Brian Wallace who is Jamaica's Permanent Representative the UN in New York and and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith during the high-level segment of the 77th Session in September.
"The election of Jamaica to this post at this time bears special significance as it comes as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade celebrates 60 years of Jamaican diplomacy," said Johnson Smith in a statement today congratulating Wallace.
She said it was also befitting as the permanent mission of Jamaica to the UN was among the first diplomatic missions established by the Government of Jamaica upon attaining independence in 1962.
The minister said the UN position will provide Jamaica with the opportunity to further highlight, advance and build consensus around issues such as financing for development, climate change, human rights, the elimination of racism and discrimination of all kinds, and the pursuit of reparations for enslavement and the slave trade.
As a vice president, Ambassador Wallace will work alongside the UN General Committee and other Secretariat officials to ensure the smooth functioning and deliberations of the UN General Assembly throughout the upcoming 77th session. He will also assist the president work alongside the president of the General Assembly to assist with the discharge of his official duties.
Ambassador Csaba Kőrösi of Hungary was elected as president of the General Assembly for the 77th session, which runs from September 2022 to September 2023.
There are 21 vice presidents who represent various geographic regions across the world.
Later this month, Johnson Smith will contest an election for secretary general of the Commonwealth organisation.
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