MINISTER MITCHELL AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Today, the Honourable Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service, is heading The Bahamas’ delegation to the High Level Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, scheduled for 14^th to 16^th  September, 2005. 

Some 160 leaders are expected to participate in the Plenary which coincides with the 60^th Anniversary of the United Nations.

The Minister is scheduled to address the Summit on Friday, 16 September, 2005 

The High-Level Plenary will review the implementation of the Millennium Declaration, adopted at the Millennium Summit in September 2000, and the integrated follow-up to the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields.  

An outcome document is to be adopted by the Heads of State and Government with a view to charting the course ahead for the issues such as sustainable development, halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, universal primary education, reform of the United Nations, and human rights issues.  The document is to contain also a reaffirmation by world leaders to the principles of freedom, equality, tolerance and respect for basic human rights.  

Immediately following the Summit, the General Debate of the 60^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly will begin; and Minister Mitchell will give The Bahamas’ statement on Thursday, 22 September, 2005.   

In addition to the related United Nations meetings, the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers will also convene a meeting in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled for late November in Malta.  

Minister Mitchell will also chair the Informal Consultations of the CARICOM Council on Foreign and Community Relations.  Among those matters to be discussed by the CARICOM Foreign Ministers are UN Reform, the follow-up to the Mauritius meeting and Haiti.