PRIME Minister Andrew Holness left the island Monday evening for New York City, where he will be engaged in a number of activities until Friday.
The prime minister was yesterday among a number of government leaders in audience to hear US president Barack Obama’s eighth and final speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
He was also expected to attend yesterday’s Clinton Global Initiative, held under the theme ‘Partnering for Global Prosperity’.
The theme for this year’s 71st session of the UNGA is ‘The Sustainable Development Goals: A Universal Push to Transform our World’. Holness will address the assembly on Friday.
The Office of the Prime Minister said that Jamaica’s participation in this year’s session will allow for its engagement in discussions on the challenges being faced in promoting sustainable development, encouraging greater collaboration with Small Island Developing States by donor countries and enhancing South-South cooperation.
Among the agenda items to be considered are the promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable development; maintenance of international peace and security; promotion of human rights; promotion of justice and international law and drug control, crime prevention and combatting international terrorism.
Holness will also participate in several other high-level activities during his visit to New York, including delivering a keynote address at Columbia University tomorrow; and engaging with the Jamaican Diaspora tomorrow at the Jamaica Performing Arts Centre in Queens, his first town hall meeting since becoming prime minister.
He will also hold bilateral talks with business and community leaders in the city, to discuss ways to explore new opportunities for further development of Jamaica.
While he is away, Dr Horace Chang, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Development, will be in charge of the Government. Holness will return home on Saturday.
