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United Nations General Assembly President, Julian R. Hunte, visits Suriname

United Nations General Assembly President, Julian R. Hunte

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 - President of the 58th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Julian R. Hunte will address the role and relevance of the United Nations and share his experience, during a two-day official visit to Surinam, this week.

The visit comes amid concerns in the Caribbean over the United Nations' capacity to face the challenges of globalization, poverty, or the spread of pandemics affecting the region today.

President Hunte will meet with Surinam’s President, Runaldo Ronald Venetiann; Vice-President, Jules R. Ajodhia; and the Speaker of the Surinamese National Assembly, Ramdien Sardjoe.

Mr. Hunte will be the keynote speaker at an event to be hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Surinam, Maria Levens on Wednesday evening, July 28. He and Minister Levens will also hold a joint press conference earlier in the day.

In the last few months, Mr. Hunte has proposed a series of reforms of the 191-member inter-governmental body. These reforms were unanimously accepted by the General Assembly and hailed as a significant step to increasing the Organization's effectiveness and better enable it to face the challenges of the 21st Century.

Mr. Hunte has also stressed the need to implement the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, one of the priorities of the 58th Session. "It is where our real battle lies”, he has repeatedly said, noting, “This is war against poverty, against disease, instability, and for human rights and fundamental freedoms".

In addition to his UN post, Mr. Hunte is St. Lucia’s Minister of External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation; a Senator; a Justice of the Peace; and a business executive. He has had extensive experience in the multilateral process, and has a keen interest in the issues of regional cooperation and the role of small states within the United Nations.

President Hunte is to leave the city of Paramaribo on July 29.
 

Related Links:

http://www.un.org/ga/president/58/office/president.html
 

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