Dennis Francis assumes presidency of 78th UNGA Session, first from Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago: Trinidad and Tobago’s nominee Dennis Francis was successfully elected as the 78th President of the United Nations General Assembly. He is the first T&T nominee to be elected as UNGA President. 

Ambassador Francis, who is the Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago, was elected by acclamation yesterday (June 1) and will preside over the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which begins in September 2023. The 78th session of the assembly will run from September 2023 to September 2024.

The 193-member world body is a key venue for all countries to tackle urgent issues, including growing global poverty, inequality and climate change, and has been at the forefront of the UN’s condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

 While, expressing his heartfelt gratitude and said that he is so gratified to have been born in a country, T&T, that for almost 70 years has ascribed the highest value to education. Ambassador Dennis Francis gets tearful, thanking his country, Woodbrook Secondary, family and TTUN Mission team.

Speaking during his appointment, Dennis Francis committed to “ensure an atmosphere of conciliation, cooperation and shared commitments in addressing the many challenges and seizing every opportunity, before the UNGA, & to strengthen the basis for delivering peace, prosperity progress and sustainability. Ambassador Francis is a very distinguished career diplomat in the TT foreign service who will do TT proud in his new assignment. 

During his speech, he extended gratitude to his staff at the mission for their ultimate devotion to duty and professionalism. Francis also thanked his six siblings for their unending love and loyalty. 

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago- Keith Rowley, also congratulated Dennis Francis, Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, for the acclamation of Trinidad and Tobago as the choice of the international community to preside over the business of the Seventy-Eighth Session of the United Nations General Assembly next September.

He said, “This result is an acknowledgement of the high esteem in which our nation is held and is proof of our mantra that we may be small in size but not insignificant in stature.” 

As Prime Minister, he extended his sincerest thanks to the very many countries that supported and encouraged them and whose staff worked alongside the people in the full understanding that Ambassador Francis and Trinidad and Tobago represent all the best of the high ideals of the United Nations.

“As a leader among small island developing states (SIDS), we confidently look forward to a successful conference under the theme of “peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability, “said the prime minister.