US: Prevent UN General Assembly from being super-spreader event

United Nations, August 22

Amid the surging Delta variant, the US has urged world leaders to deliver their statements to the UN General Assembly’s annual session next month by video, instead of travelling to New York, to ensure that the high-level week doesn’t become a “super-spreader event”.

The UN General Debate begins on September 21 and will run through September 27. According to the first provisional list of speakers for the General Debate at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly released by the UN, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the annual UN General Assembly session in-person on September 25.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield wrote a letter to the 193-member states of the UN that as the host country of the UN headquarters, her country bears a “significant responsibility” to ensure the safety of participants and New York residents. She said the pandemic continued to pose a significant health risk. — PTI