This year’s 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA, which kicked off on September 5, will see the participation of a Jamaican delegation.
Under the leadership of Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the team will be active in numerous high-profile meetings scheduled between September 18 to 26, 2023.
During the UNGA proceedings, Senator Johnson Smith, serving as the Head of the delegation, is set to present the National Policy Statement.
Spotlight on sustainable development goals
The delegation’s participation is not limited to general UNGA proceedings.
An integral part of their agenda is the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit. This summit aims for a detailed examination of the progress concerning the 17 SDGs.
Drawing attention to the significance of this 78th Assembly, Senator Johnson Smith said in an interview with JIS that “It is the 78th Assembly and one that has a great deal of hope being placed on it in respect of the Secretary-General convening of an SDG summit to look at where we are in terms of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals leading up to 2030.”
She also shared that the progress towards achieving the SDGs was set back by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
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Advocacy for International Positions
Minister Johnson Smith is not just stopping at representing Jamaica’s views on global matters.
She is actively championing Jamaica’s candidature for multiple global organizations.
“Right now, we are trying to get elected to the International Maritime Organization. It is very important for us. We will also be seeking to become members of the Executive Council for the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO,” she said.
Her strategy includes hosting bilateral meetings with international counterparts to garner support for these candidatures.
Role within the Caribbean Community
As her responsibilities extend beyond UNGA, Senator Johnson Smith also highlighted her role as Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR).
She is organizing a special meeting “to coalesce on some of our positions and plans for UNGA and upcoming meetings”.
Her tenure as Chairman began at the 26th Regular Meeting in Kingston in 2023.
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