I found something interesting in IVerify - HH attended United Nations General Assembly in New York, not a conference on homosexuality

HH attended United Nations General Assembly in New York, not a conference on homosexuality

Misleading

According to the 77th Session UNGA Agenda, there were a lot other pressing issues that were tackled and homosexuality was not among the topics but rather an issue raised under the Promotion of Human Rights topic.

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Verified Sep, 23 2022

Claim

On September 23 2022, the Zambian Watchdog Facebook page published a video based ona Hot FM radio interview where the Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP) leader, Sean Tembo, claimed President Hakainde Hichilema went to New York to attend an assembly that supports homosexuality. Mr Tembo said this entailed that the President was not against homesexuality.

Rating Justification

iVerify Zambia has determined as misleading the claim by Mr Sean Tembo that President Hakainde’s trip to New York entailed the President supports homosexuality in Zambia. The President travelled to New York for the United Nations Generally Assembly.

Zambia has been a member of the United Nations since getting independence in 1964 and has been attending General Assemblies since then. The 77th General Assembly session in 2022 comes as countries continue to suffer from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and war in Ukraine. It is focused on confronting these global challenges; renewing attention on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to end poverty by 2030. According to the UNGA 77th Session Agenda, the assembly was discussing Promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable development in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and recent United Nations conferences, maintenance of international peace and security, development of Africa, promotion of human rights, effective coordination of humanitarian assistance efforts, promotion of justice and international law, disarmament, drug control, crime prevention and combating international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, organisational, administrative and other matters. Therefore, Mr Sean Tembo’s statement that the President’s attendance at the Assembly means he supports homosexuality is misleading as there were many other pressing issues that were tackled.

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