Dennis Francis, President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), arrived in India on Monday.
Francis will be in India for five days, from 22 to 26 January, at the invitation of Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar.
The Visit
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, received Francis in New Delhi.
“Delighted to arrive in New Delhi on an auspicious day when the country is celebrating its ‘Second Diwali,’” Francis tweeted as his arrival coincided with the grand inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya today.
“Looking forward to fruitful discussions over the next few days on Peace, Progress, Prosperity and Sustainability!,” he added.
VIDEO | United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president Dennis Francis arrives in Delhi.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 22, 2024
Francis is on an official five-day visit to India during which he will visit New Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai and also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. pic.twitter.com/YUHy6eQnXh
The UNGA President is scheduled to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. He will attend a round table on Indian advancements in Digital Public Infrastructure (PGI). Furthermore, he will deliver a public address on “Multilateralism and Peace, Prosperity, Progress, and Sustainability” on 24 January.
As part of his trip, Francis will visit Mumbai and Jaipur as well. He will present flowers to the 26/11 memorial in Mumbai. Then, he will visit the National Stock Exchange and give a speech at the Observer Research Foundation-organised New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism event while in Mumbai. Finally, he will be a State Guest in the Republic Day Parade of Maharashtra.
Discussions with Jaishankar, Talks on UN Reforms
The UNGA President will hold talks with EAM Jaishankar on key multilateral issues of mutual interest. “The visit is an opportunity to advance India-UN ties and exchange views on India’s priorities and global challenges,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
The visit offers a great chance to deepen relations between India and the UN, particularly with the General Assembly, the UN’s most representative body, allowing the country to strengthen its cooperation with the international organisation on Indian priorities and worldwide issues that the Global South is facing in particular.
India’s demand for changes to the UN, especially the Security Council, to make it more fair and representative for developing nations will also be discussed during the visit.
.@UN_PGA Dennis Francis will take an official visit to 🇮🇳, 22-26 January.
— United Nations in India (@UNinIndia) January 21, 2024
PGA will meet govt representatives & engage with civil society, think tanks & participate in events & field visits related to sustainability, accessibility, multilateralism & digital public infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/99BmTZ7Gah
78th UNGA
Francis belongs to the diplomatic service of Trinidad and Tobago. For the 78th Presidency of the UNGA, he has vowed to include peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability as his priorities. The theme for this Presidency is “Rebuilding trust and reigniting solidarity.”