EU attends UN Summit on refugees and migrants and 71st United Nations General Assembly Ministerial week

A high-level delegation of the European Unio in will travel to New York next week to participate at the UN i Global Migration Summit on 19 September, and to take part in this year's UN General Assembly ministerial week starting on 20 September. The EU delegation will join a large number of world leaders participating in these events.

First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans i and High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini i will join the President of the Council, Donald Tusk i in New York. Further participants in high-level meetings at the UN and in New York City will be European Commission Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva i, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn i, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica i, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel i Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis i, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos i, and Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides i.

Global action on migration is urgently needed. At the UN summit on large movements of refugees and migrants, where European Council President Tusk will speak, the EU will advocate for global shared responsibility and the need to move towards Global Compacts in the follow-up to the Summit. The European Union plays an active role in addressing the global migration and refugee challenges, as well as the root causes of migration, on the basis of its new Partnership Framework approach and supported by the European External Investment Plan. First Vice-President Timmermans, High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini and Commissioners Hahn and Avramopoulos will also participate and present the EU's approach at different round tables at the Summit. Please find here a press pack on EU action on migration management and the Investment Plan.

Highlights of the week

First Vice-President Timmermans will join President Tusk, alongside High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini, for the UN General Debate on Tuesday morning.

During the UN General Assembly week (20 - 23 September) the High Representative/ Vice-President Mogherini will host an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers and hold a number of meetings, including the Global Counter Terrorism Forum ministerial meeting, the Ministerial Meeting on Libya, as well as the Quartet principals meeting. The HR/VP will also have many bilateral meetings, attend the Transatlantic dinner hosted by US Secretary of State John Kerry and attend a number of side-events including the Partnership group on Myanmar. HRVP Mogherini will also give a speech at Columbia University on the European Union Global Strategy that she presented this June.

A year after the adoption of Agenda 2030, a global effort by states, non-state actors, civil society and the private sector is required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The European Union is committed to do its part in implementing the Goals, both internally and as part of the EU's external action. European Commission First Vice President Timmermans will attend a high-level event to mark this anniversary.

On 21 September, Commissioner Arias Cañete will attend on behalf of the European Union the High-level event on the entry into force of the Paris Agreement, hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The EU is committed to implementing the Paris Agreement, starting with ratification, and to provide the necessary financial and technical assistance to developing countries, in support of the transition towards global low-carbon and resilient economies. Commissioner Arias Cañete will also attend a number of high-level meetings on energy and climate and has a number of bilateral meetings.

Vice-President Georgieva will take part on 22 September in the high level event "Beyond the World Humanitarian Summit: Advancing the Agenda for Humanity". There, she will present the follow-up on the recommendations of the High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing that she co-chaired upon invitation of the UN Secretary-General. She will also speak about the Future of the European Union at the Concordia Summit Event and take part in several high-level events throughout the week.

The same day, Commissioner Andriukaitis will be representing the European Union at the high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in view of the adoption of the Political Declaration on AMR by the UN General Assembly.

EU Special Representatives Stavros Lambrinidis (Human Rights), Franz-Michael Mellbin (Afghanistan), Fernando Gentilini (Middle East Peace Process), Alexander Rondos (Horn of Africa) and Angel Losada Fernandez (Sahel) will be also be participating in high level meetings throughout the week. Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino, Force Commander of EUNAVFOR Med Operation Sophia, will also be joining the discussion on migration.

EU Side Events

On Monday, 19 September, HR/VP Mogherini and Vice-President Georgieva will address a European Union side event on the European External Investment Plan that the European Commission presented on 14 September.

On Wednesday, 21 September, Commissioner Stylianides will be addressing the joint Side event co-hosted by the European Union, the United States, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Iraqi Government, the Organisation of Islamic Countries and the United Nations on the humanitarian situation in Iraq.

Commissioner Mimica will be speaking at the side event hosted by the EU, Belgium and Jordan on the EU's efforts in integrating a youth dimension in preventing and countering violent extremism on Thursday, 22 September.

A great number of other side events on relevant issues under discussion at the United Nations will be organised by other partners, including EU Member States.

For more information

You will be able to follow the EU participation in key events on EbS

Press and audio-visual material will also be available on EEAS and Europa

Join the conversation by using #UNGA, #EU and follow @EUatUN for updates throughout the week.

Factsheet on EU - UN Partnership

Migration - a global challenge. The European Union's response press pack

External Investment Plan press pack

IP/16/3082