Secretary Azar Attends Presidential Address at UNGA, Furthers U.S. Partnerships on Health through Bilateral Meetings

Today, September 24, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar attended President Donald Trump’s address to the 74th U.N. General Assembly (UNGA). During his address, President Trump emphasized themes Secretary Azar also shared as the U.S. representative at the UNGA High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, including the sovereignty of nations to determine the best way to deliver better health for all. 

“Americans will also never tire of defending innocent life. We are aware that many United Nations projects have attempted to assert a global right to taxpayer funded abortion on demand, right up until the moment of delivery. Global bureaucrats have absolutely no business attacking the sovereignty of nations that wish to protect innocent life. Like many nations here today, we in America believe that every child, born and unborn, is a sacred gift from God.” – President Trump to the 74th United Nations General Assembly

After attending President Trump’s address, Secretary Azar met with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) about the U.S.’s work during the UNGA and other health initiatives like protecting children from nicotine addiction.

Also during the day, Secretary Azar participated in four bilateral meetings on behalf of the Trump Administration. First, he met with the German Minister of Health Jens Spahn. The two discussed the U.S. and Germany’s shared commitment to global health security and ending the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Secretary Azar then met with UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. During the meeting, they discussed shared strategies for addressing health challenges posed by the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, ending the Ebola outbreak in DRC, and improving vaccine confidence around the world.

Next, Secretary Azar sat down with the Vietnamese Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien. This meeting was an opportunity to discuss Vietnam’s upcoming chairmanship of the 2020 Association of South East Asian Nations and the importance of global health security. The two leaders also spoke about the U.S. and Vietnam’s long-standing partnership in the health sector, especially on infectious diseases and combating HIV/AIDS through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Finally, Secretary Azar hosted a meeting with the South African Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize. Secretary Azar and Minister Mkhize discussed the strong bond and cooperation between the U.S. and South Africa in areas including health research, combating HIV/AIDS through PEPFAR, and the importance of increasing access to and awareness of treatment to help save lives.

Secretary Azar participated in an interview on Tony Perkins’ “Washington Watch” radio program discussing the Trump Administration’s pro-life work at the U.N. General Assembly. Listen to the interview here.

Secretary Azar meets with the German Minister of Health Jens Spahn (left), and meets with the South African Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize (right).