President Trump hopes to attend the United Nations 75th anniversary celebration in person this September, his UN ambassador said Thursday.
The event is part of an annual meeting of the world body, but the UN General Assembly agreed earlier this month that member countries send prerecorded video statements in recognition of the health risks due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The decision noted that all “Heads of State, Vice Presidents, Princes or Princesses, Heads of Government, Ministers or Vice Ministers” are asked not to attend the event in person and instead send a representative to prevent groups Massive numbers of officials, security and personnel gather together.
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“World leaders cannot come to New York because they cannot simply come as individuals,” said Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, president of the General Assembly, last month. “A president does not travel alone, leaders do not travel alone.”
Adding that it would be “impossible” to bring thousands of people to New York City during a health crisis.
But President Trump is rejecting the call of the General Assembly and plans to attend in person.
“We hope President Trump really does speak in person at the General Assembly,” United States Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft said during an interview with Meridian International, Reuters reported on Thursday. “He will be the only world leader to speak in person.”
“Obviously, we will focus on human rights issues, on transparency, on accountability,” he said.
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More than 17 million people have been infected with the coronavirus and almost 670,000 have died from the disease.
New York City, once the epicenter of the pandemic, has flattened the curve and infection rates in the city remain low. But cases continue to rise in other parts of the U.S., which remains the world’s No. 1 country in infection rates with nearly 4.5 million cases and more than 150,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins data.
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Countries in Europe are beginning to see further increases in coronavirus cases, and some health officials fear that the second phase of the pandemic is beginning in those nations.
Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa also continue to see alarming rates of daily coronavirus cases.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
