Official Visit of His Excellency Dennis Francis, President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, to Singapore, 17 to 20 July 2024

President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (PGA) His Excellency Dennis Francis made an Official Visit to Singapore from 17 to 20 July 2024.

  The PGA called on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and met Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong on 19 July 2024. They exchanged views on issues of global concern, including climate change and sustainable development, as well as regional and global developments. They agreed on the need to strengthen the rules-based multilateral system to promote peace and stability and that international cooperation was essential to confront present and future challenges.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan also met the PGA on 19 July 2024. During the meeting, Minister Balakrishnan reaffirmed Singapore’s commitment to the UN and multilateralism, and expressed Singapore’s support for the Summit of the Future. The PGA was also hosted to lunch by Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Development, Sim Ann. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu hosted the PGA to a visit to the Marina Barrage on 18 July 2024, where the PGA was given a briefing on Singapore’s climate adaptation policies.

Other engagements attended by the PGA include a roundtable dialogue at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies with members of the academic community and a discussion on women’s development at the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations. The PGA also visited the UN Development Programme Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development, and discussed areas of cooperation between the UN and Singapore. 

The PGA will conclude his Official visit on 20 July 2024 with a tour of the Punggol Regional Library and a briefing on Singapore’s efforts to promote digital inclusion.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

19 JULY 2024