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King heads Jordan’s delegation at 72nd Session of UN General Assembly

19 September 2017

His Majesty King Abdullah headed Jordan’s delegation at the 72nd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, which opened on Tuesday.

King Abdullah and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II attended the opening of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, where participants included a number of heads of state and delegations.

In his address to the General Assembly, UN Secretary General António Guterres outlined several challenges facing the world, including the “nuclear peril”, terrorism, famine, “severe violations of human rights”, climate change, unresolved conflicts, and unregulated migration.

Turning to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Guterres noted that “the two-state solution remains the only way forward” in the peace process.

He also urged the authorities in Myanmar to end the military operations against the Rohingya Muslim minority, calling for “unhindered humanitarian access”.

General Assembly President Miroslav Lajčák also delivered an address, stressing that peace and prevention should be at the heart of UN action.

Too much time and money is being spent reacting to conflicts, he said, while not enough is being spent to prevent them, calling for refocusing efforts on peace and prevention.

Lajčák also highlighted the UN’s efforts to counter terrorism and violence around the world.

For his part, Brazil President Michel Temer said his country supports the two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian Israeli conflict.

Turning to the Syrian crisis, he said a political solution is needed, highlighting the challenges facing Syrian refugee host countries like Jordan.

The Brazilian president called for uniting international efforts to combat terrorism.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump singled out Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon “for their role in hosting refugees from the Syrian conflict”, thanking them for their efforts and stressing that the United States “has spent billions and billions of dollars in helping to support this effort”.

Referring to the fight against terrorism, President Trump said the US is working with its allies to confront terrorists.

“We must deny the terrorists safe haven, transit, funding, and any form of support for their vile and sinister ideology,” he said.

President Trump also referred in his speech to a number of regional and international issues, including the threat of nuclear proliferation, the Syrian crisis, and the need for UN reform.

The Jordanian delegation included Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Sima Bahous.