Museveni to address UN Assembly on Tuesday

Uganda's ambassador to the US, Mr Mull Katende receives President Museveni at JF Kennedy Airport in New York. PPU photo

President Yoweri Museveni is in New York, to attend the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters.

The UN General Debate will open on Tuesday, under the theme: 'Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet'.

During the visit, Mr Museveni is scheduled to hold various high level engagements ahead of his address to the UN, including a meeting with US President Donald Trump on the political Declaration on the UN reform.

He will also attend a side event on Accelerating Efforts to eliminate Child Marriage in Africa by 2030 hosted by President Edgar Lungu of Zambia as well as meeting on the prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation hosted by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The President will later hold a bilateral meeting with Mr Guterres before addressing the Uganda Investment Conference of about 200 participants.

On Tuesday, President Museveni will address the UN General assembly between 10:00 pm -10:15 pm.

 The President who is accompanied by the First Lady and Minister for Education and Sports Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni was received at the John F. Kennedy International Airport by Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Sam Kutesa, the State Minister for International Affairs, Mr Okello Oryem; Uganda’s Ambassador to the US, H.E Mull Katende, Permanent Representative of Uganda to the United Nations H.E Adonia Ayebare and Uganda’s New York Consulate Military Attaché Major General Silver Kayemba, among others.

In his opening statement, H.E Miroslav lajčák, the president of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, said the 72nd Session will be a year of “firsts.”

He said: “We will negotiate the first intergovernmental compact on migration. We will receive the first report from the Secretary-General, and convene the first high-level event, linked to the landmark resolutions on Sustaining Peace, which were adopted last year and soon many states will sign the first agreement on the elimination of nuclear weapons, as well as the first international compact to eliminate sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping”.           

 Following his election as the President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, Mr Lajack identified prevention and mediation for sustaining peace; migration; political momentum for the SDGs and climate; human rights and equality, including equal opportunities for genders; and quality of events organized by the Presidency as the six overreaching priorities of his tenure.