UNITAR NYO with Forum of Small States and Permanent Mission of The Republic of Singapore Holds Annual Briefing for New Delegates on the 79th Session of the General Assembly and the Main Committees

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.