NEWS

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Former Prime Minister Han Seung-soo chaired the plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly Presidents' Association (UNCPGA) held in Manama, Bahrain from March 6-7, 2023 local time, as the chairman of the UN Council of Presidents of the General Assembly. The UNCPGA is a consultative body composed of former and incumbent UN General Assembly presidents, launched in November 1997 with the purpose of promoting cooperation with major UN organizations, opening communication channels between former General Assembly presidents, supporting activities of the UN General Assembly, and supporting activities related to peace, security, and development of the UN.

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The meeting was attended by former UN General Assembly presidents and experts on cybersecurity, focusing on the geopolitical situation surrounding the Ukraine crisis and the need for international cooperation in response to cyber threats. Attendees included former Prime Minister Han Seung-soo (Chairman of the 56th UN General Assembly), Jan Kavan (57th Session), Jan Eliasson (60th Session/non-face-to-face), Haya Rashed Al Khalifa (61st Session), Srgjan Kerim (62nd Session), Joseph Deiss (65th), Vuk Jeremić (67th), Mogens Lykketoft (70th), Peter Thomson (71st/non-face-to-face), Miroslav Lajčák (72nd), and others.

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During the opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and 77th UN General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi delivered video congratulatory remarks, highlighting how the UNCPGA supports the activities of the UN General Assembly based on the experiences of former General Assembly Presidents and were asked to play a constructive role.

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Through this meeting, the UNCPGA adopted the ‘Bahrain Declaration’, which supports the efforts of the United Nations to resolve the Ukraine crisis and emphasizes the need for international cooperation related to cybersecurity. Former Prime Minister Han proposed institutionalizing the UNCPGA to support efforts at the UN level to respond to new threats to multilateralism, and the participants agreed to continue consultations on concrete measures.

Meanwhile, UNCPGA participants exchanged views on major challenges facing the international community during a group visit to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on the occasion of his visit to Bahrain.