Activities of Secretary-General in Los Angeles, 9-10 June
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Los Angeles from New York on Thursday, 9 June, to attend the ninth Summit of the Americas and meet with some of the leaders gathered at the event.
Shortly after his arrival, the Secretary-General traveled to the Los Angeles Convention Center, where he was greeted by the United States Vice-President, Kamala Harris.
Prior to the leaders’ opening plenary session of the Summit, the Secretary-General met with Rodrigo Chaves Robles, President of Costa Rica. The Secretary-General commended Costa Rica for its commitment to provide protection to asylum-seekers and assist migrants, in line with the Global Compact for Migration. They agreed on the importance of climate action and the Secretary-General recognized Costa Rica’s progress on sustainable development and democratic governance.
The Secretary-General then spoke at the plenary session, and he told the leaders gathered for the Summit that it is essential to close the gap between the great potential of this region and the daily struggles faced by the people who call it home. Across the region, he said, we see countries that continue to be weighed down by a toxic brew of inequality, poverty, crime, insecurity and mistrust.
He added that the global consequences of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine are rippling across a world already struggling with rising commodity prices, food insecurity and high levels of poverty and inequality.
The Secretary-General proposed that we address the challenges we face by rescuing the Sustainable Development Goals and investing in all the systems that support people — from health and decent work to social protection systems and vaccines for all. He told the gathered leaders that every step of the way, they can count on the steadfast support of the United Nations. (See Press Release SG/SM/21316.)
Following the plenary session, the Secretary-General met with Enrique Reina, Foreign Minister of Honduras. The Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister discussed President Xiomara Castro’s request for United Nations support in the establishment of a mechanism against impunity and corruption in Honduras. The Secretary-General conveyed the United Nations commitment to support efforts to strengthen the rule of law in Honduras.
After that, the Secretary-General met with Alberto Fernández, President of Argentina. The Secretary-General thanked President Fernández for Argentina’s commitment to multilateralism and to advancing the 2030 Agenda in close collaboration with the United Nations system. The Secretary-General and the President discussed global food security and post-COVID recovery. They also exchanged views about regional priorities, including under Argentina’s pro tempore presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), as well as current global challenges.
In the evening, the Secretary-General departed the Los Angeles Convention Center and attended a dinner for the leaders gathered for the Summit of the Americas, which was offered by the President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden.
The Secretary-General left Los Angeles on Friday morning to return to New York.