(SLENA, 23rd September, 2021). His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has attended the opening session of the 76th United Nations General Assembly on the theme: « Building resilience through hope – to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people and revitalize the United Nations ».
US President Joe Biden, in his first such address to the assembly since his election, started off with the devastation caused by COVID-19 to countries and their economies across the world.
“We meet this year in a moment intermingled with great pain and extraordinary possibility. We’ve lost so much to this devastating pandemic that continues to claim lives around the world and impact so much on our existence.
“We’re mourning more than 4.5 million people, people of every nation, from every background. Each death is an individual heartbreak, but our shared grief is a poignant reminder that our collective future will hinge on our ability to recognize our common humanity and to act together,” he said.
President Biden also noted that the United States was engaging with regional institutions like the African Union to the Organization of American States, to focus on people’s urgent needs for better health and better economic outcomes, adding that they were back at the table in international forums, especially the United Nations to focus attention and global action on shared challenges.
President Bio, who will be among 13 heads of state and leaders of the world to address the 6th plenary meeting in the General Assembly Hall on Wednesday 22 September 2021, is expected to talk about how his government has prioritized Human Capital Development, milestones in managing the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts at achieving the SDGs.
