Photo by Gary Raynaldo /         María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés,   President of the UN General Assembly, speaks at 70th Anniversary of UDHR Dec. 6, 2018 at UN world headquarters New York City  with “Women Who Shaped The Universal Declaration”  photo exhibit behind her.

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés,   President of the United Nations General Assembly, arrived in Cuba today for an official visit.  “The objective is to strengthen cooperation with the United Nations,” according to a statement from the UNGA President’s office. Espinosa Garcés traveled first to Mexico on Monday April 1 for meetings with officials before arriving in Cuba Wednesday.  In Mexico,  Espinosa Garcés met with the country’s President, H.E. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the Foreign Secretary, H.E. Marcelo Ebrand, the Secretary of Interior, the Secretary of Health, and the Secretary of Welfare among other members of the government. Espinosa Garcés  also met with women leaders in Mexico,  and gave a lecture on : “The Relevance of the UN and the challenges for multilateralism”. 

Espinosa Garcés Meets  With Cuba President Miguel   Díaz-Canel

Credit: Wikipedia public domain / President of Republic of Cuba,  Miguel Diaz-Canel /

In Cuba,  Espinosa Garcés is scheduled to have high-level meetings  with President Miguel  Díaz-Canel, and the country’s  Foreign Minister,  H.E. Bruno Rodriguez as well as other members of the government. She will also lay a wreath at the José  Martí  Memorial. 

UN GA President  Engages in Talks With Cuban Leader  Diaz-Canel  In Havana

With the support of President @DiazCanelB we will continue strengthening Multilateralism & Diplomacy for Peace and Development #UN4All #Cuba pic.twitter.com/Ird0XVef7A

— UN GA President (@UN_PGA) April 5, 2019

Credit: Foto: @AnayansiRCamejo /  Anayansi Rodríguez,  Cuba Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,  greets Espinosa Garcés Apr. 4, 2019 in Havana. 

On Friday, April 5,  Espinosa Garcés will talk to the Federation of Cuban Women, meet the UN Country Team, and take part in a discussion with the Cuban students of Foreign Relations about multilateralism.

Ecuadorian Diplomat  Espinosa Garcés  Is The Fourth Woman Ever Elected To UN Position 

Photo by Gary Raynaldo  /   President of the UN General Assembly Espinosa Garcés  and  UN Secretary-General António Guterres   At  70th Anniversary of UDHR  Dec. 6, 2018  at UN world headquarters New York City

On 5 June, 2018,  the UN   General Assembly elected  Espinosa Garcés, Foreign Minister of Ecuador, President of its seventy-third session — only the fourth woman to hold that position in the world body’s history and the first since 2006.    Espinosa Garcés, has more than 20 years of multilateral experience in international negotiations, peace, security, defence, disarmament, human rights, indigenous peoples, gender equality, sustainable development, environment, biodiversity, climate change and multilateral cooperation.  She twice served Ecuador as Minister for Foreign Affairs, as Minister for National Defence and as Coordinating Minister for Natural and Cultural Heritage.