Background Release

United Nations International Meeting on Question of Palestine

 

to Be Held in Addis Ababa, 29-30 April

 

Focus on African Solidarity with Palestinian People for Achievement

Of Inalienable Rights, including Sovereignty, Independence of State of Palestine

The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will convene the United Nations International Meeting on the Question of Palestine in Addis Ababa at the United Nations Conference Centre, on 29 and 30 April.  The theme of the Meeting is “African solidarity with the Palestinian people for the achievement of its inalienable rights, including the sovereignty and independence of the State of Palestine”.

Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa and Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General; Abdou Salam Diallo, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People; and Taysir Khaled, Member of the Executive Committee of the PLO and Representative of the State of Palestine, will open the Meeting.  The full programme and complete list of speakers will be available at www.un.org/depts/dpa/qpal/calendar.

The Meeting will review the situation in Palestine as a State under occupation and discuss the responsibility and accountability of the occupying Power under international law.  It will also discuss lessons drawn from Africa’s experience in ending colonization and achieving sovereignty and independence.  Finally, the Meeting will analyse the important contribution of international and regional organizations as well as civil society to the achievement of Israeli-Palestinian peace.

A press conference is scheduled for Monday, 29 April at 12:30 p.m. in Conference Room 2 of the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa.  Registered media representatives will have the opportunity to also arrange individual interviews with members of the Committee delegation and participating speakers and to take part in the discussion period at the end of each plenary.

The Division for Palestinian Rights will regularly provide Meeting updates on its website (www.un.org/depts/dpa/qpal/calendar), Facebook (www.facebook.com/UN.palestinianrights) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/unispal) via #UNPalrights.  Questions to the speakers could be submitted by including in the tweet #UNPalrights and the name of the speaker to whom the question is directed.

The Chairman’s summary as well as the full report of the Meeting’s proceedings will be issued, in due course, as a publication of the Division for Palestinian Rights.

Contact: dpr-meeting@un.org.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record