Dennis Francis (diplomat)

Trinidad and Tobago diplomat (born 1956)

Dennis Francis
Francis in 2024

President of the 78th UN General Assembly
In office 5 September 2023 – 10 September 2024
Preceded by	Csaba Kőrösi
Succeeded by	Philemon Yang

Personal details
Born	(1956-11-27) 27 November 1956 (age 67) Trinidad and Tobago^{[citation needed]}
Alma mater	University of the West Indies, Johns Hopkins University
Profession	Diplomat

Dennis Francis (born 27 November 1956) is a diplomat from Trinidad and Tobago who has served as his country's permanent representative to the United Nations in New York since 2021.^[1] From 2023 to 2024 he was President of the United Nations General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Education

Francis studied geography at the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica, and international relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in the United States.^[5]

Career

Francis worked at the Trinidad and Tobago consulate in Toronto, Canada, from 1988 to 1996, including as Deputy Consul General, before becoming deputy director of International Economic and Trade Relations at the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1996 and Director of the European Affairs Division of the Ministry in 1997.^[5]

In 1999 he was appointed ambassador-designate to Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Haiti as well as high commissioner to Jamaica.^[5]

In 2000 he began a four-year term as his country's representative to the International Seabed Authority.^[5]

From 2004 to 2006 he served as ambassador to the Dominican Republic before being appointed as permanent representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations Office at Geneva.^[5] Between 2006 and 2011 he also represented his country at other international organisations in Geneva and Vienna, and was the non-resident ambassador to Austria and Italy.

From 2012 until his retirement in 2016, he led the Directorate for Multilateral Relations at the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Foreign Affairs.^[1]

In 2021, Francis came out of retirement and was appointed as permanent representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations in New York City.^[1] From 2023 to 2024 he served as President of the United Nations General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session.^[6] In remarks during a press conference on 10 September 2024, the last day of his General Assembly presidency, he cast doubt on whether the United Nations had sufficient means and authority to force Russia to comply with the UN Charter and international law.^[7]

Family

Francis is married to Joy Thomas-Francis, with whom he has three sons and 3 grandchildren.^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c United Nations press release, "New Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago Presents Credentials", 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
^ UN News, "Incoming General Assembly President to prioritize 'Peace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability'", 1 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
^ Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, "PM, Opposition congratulate Francis on United Nations General Assembly presidency", 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
^ UN News, "UN General Assembly leadership highlights benefit of cooperation", 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e United Nations press release, "New Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago presents credentials to Director-General of UNOG", 4 October 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
^ UN News, "General Assembly wraps up with calls for unity and resolve", 10 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
^ https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/we-cannot-force-russia-to-comply-with-international-law-un/ar-AA1qjRGp. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ United Nations, General Assembly, President of the General Assembly: Dennis Francis, biography. Retrieved 6 September 2023.