New York, 11 December 2017
On 11 December 2017, PGA Delegation met with the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA), H.E. Miroslav Lajčák (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia), in the margins of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
The meeting, held at the UN Headquarters in New York, focused on the outcomes of the PGA 39th Annual Forum in Milan and its connection with PGA`s diverse spheres of work of the UN General Assembly, which prompted discussions about potential cooperation between PGA and the UNGA President.
PGA Secretary- General, Dr. David Donat Cattin, presented to the President the Plan of Action adopted during the 2017 Annual Forum of PGA on preventing violent extremism and mass atrocities. The subsequent discussion focused on the potential impact of the Forum for the development and implementation of viable strategies and policies aimed at addressing the impunity-gap of mass atrocity crimes in domestic legislative frameworks through the engagement of the participating legislators. In light of the prominence of this topic in the agenda of the UNGA, H.E. Lajčák expressed interest in collaborating with PGA’s International Law & Human Rights Program and its focus on countering Violent Extremism.
Dr. Donat Cattin used the opportunity to briefly present all the Campaigns of PGA aimed to give effect to the principles and norms of the UN Charter on human rights, international law, peace and security, as well as the protection of the oceans, as reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN. The UNGA President appreciated the achievements of PGA`s Campaigns that contributed to promoting the Rule of Law, conflict prevention, peace and international justice worldwide. On this occasion, H.E. Lajčák inquired about the PGA`s mandate, structure and the manner in which PGA operates. Recognizing the interrelation of the PGA mandate with the priorities of the Presidency of H.E. Lajčák, resulting in wide-ranging opportunities for potential cooperation, H.E. Lajčák expressed interest in further engagement with PGA, including the opportunity to intervene in the events and sessions organized by PGA.
