SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS WITH BRAZILIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION

SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS WITH BRAZILIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION

The following is a statement issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General met yesterday with a delegation of Brazilian parliamentarians, headed by Mr. Joao Paulo Cunha, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The delegation raised important issues such as the links between the United Nations and civil society, Brazil’s support to the Secretary-General’s initiatives on United Nations reform, as well as Brazil’s partnership with the United Nations in the fight against hunger and poverty.

The Secretary-General highlighted that the United Nations relies on parliamentarians as one of the channels to convey peoples’ concerns and expressed his appreciation for their commitment to play a greater role at the United Nations.  In this connection, the Secretary-General welcomed that the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has recently become an observer at the United Nations, as this would contribute to strengthen the work of the Organization.

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