UN General Assembly
2020

President of the General Assembly, Heads of State and Government and Heads of Delegation, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and gentlemen, His Excellency Mr. Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin, Head of State and Head of Government, who could not be here today, has instructed me to deliver the following address on his behalf. “First of all, I would like to reiterate to you, Mr. Volkan Bozkir, my warm and sincere congratulations on your election as President of this august Assembly and assure you of Benin’s full support and cooperation as you conduct your duties. I take this opportunity to express Benin’s gratitude to Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and to reiterate my support and that of my Government. At a time when the entire world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, I take this opportunity to offer my sincere condolences to all nations that have recorded deaths and express the solidarity of the Republic of Benin with those affected by this scourge.