This archive report was first published on 22 September 2019.
On September 23, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta will join world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for high-level discussions on climate change and universal health coverage.
As part of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, President Kenyatta will co-convene the high-level discussions on climate change alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Mr. Guterres has challenged all leaders to come with concrete, realistic plans to enhance their nationally determined contributions by 2020, in line with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent over the next decade, and to net zero emissions by 2050.
Kenya is on the forefront to realise the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as stipulated in the Big four Agenda. President Kenyatta will discuss 'on work, live and move green' alongside seven other world leaders. The Heads of State and government are also expected to endorse a political declaration of the high-level meeting on UHC, which will require members to increase domestic spending for health to at least five per cent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki will make a presentation at the discussions, speaking on behalf of the president. Uhuru is also expected to use the sidelines of the UN summit to lobby for Kenya's candidature for the non-permanent seat at the organisation's top decision-making organ – the Security Council.
