Press Releases
Foreign Minister Kamikawa’s Meeting and Dinner with H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis, President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
February 15, 2024
On February 15, commencing at 6:00 p.m. for approximately thirty minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with Mr. Dennis Francis, President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, who is visiting Japan upon the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan., followed by a dinner with President Francis for approximately seventy miniutes. The overview of the meeting is as follows:
- At the outset, Minister Kamikawa welcomed the first visit of President Francis to Japan, noting that they had met on the occasion of her attendance at the UN General Assembly last year. The Minister referred to the importance of UNGA to represent voices of all Member States amid the deepening divisions and confrontations in the world. Minister Kamikawa further stated that Japan places the UN at the centre of multilateralism and supports the efforts of President Francis to improve the living conditions of every person in the world. Furthermore, the Minister stated that she would continue to work with President Francis to promote the rule of law and ensure a world where human dignity is protected. In response, President Francis expressed sympathy and condolences to the victims of Noto Peninsula earthquake and his gratitude for the invitation by Japan. He further expressed his gratefulness for the long-standing partnership between Japan and the United Nations, while noting that the importance of UNGA has been increasing while the world is divided.
- Minister Kamikawa raised the following points among others as priority issues in Japan’s UN diplomacy;
1) strengthening multilateralism and consolidating international solidarity through the Summit of the Future in this September,
2) promoting the strengthening of the functions of the UN, including the Security Council reform,
3) further mainstreaming the human security approach in the efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and
4) advancing Women, Peace and Security (WPS) as an initiative to protect women and promote women's participation.
In response, President Francis stated that the Summit of the Future will be an opportuni to reinvigorate multilateralism and expressed his willingness to work with Japan on those issues. - During the ensuing dinner, they decided to continue working together after further exchange of views on strengthening multilateralism with the UN at its core, tackling global challenges and regional affairs.