Date: September 24, 2026
Summary: Three nations join the growing coalition of 46 countries committed to women’s health, the family, and protection of life, marking the Geneva Consensus Declaration's first-ever dedicated event at the UN General Assembly.
New York, September 23 — Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, and Algeria formally joined the Geneva Consensus Declaration (GCD), the result of sustained diplomatic engagement led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Global Affairs, Director Bethany Kozma. The signing ceremony took place during the coalition’s first-ever dedicated side event at United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week, marking a historic milestone in the coalition’s growth since its founding in 2020.
The event was hosted by Civil Society for the Geneva Consensus Declaration, a newly formed coalition led by Lisa Correnti, Executive Vice President for the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam).
Bethany Kozma, Director of HHS’s Office of Global Affairs and Secretariat of the Geneva Consensus Declaration, delivered remarks outlining the next chapter of the coalition’s work. Director Kozma emphasized that the Geneva Consensus Declaration exists to help sovereign nations coordinate, not to speak on their behalf and underscored the importance of solidarity among member nations, particularly when facing pressure in multilateral negotiations. Kozma reflected on the United States’ return to the Declaration at the start of the current Administration, and thanked President Trump, Secretary Kennedy, and Secretary Rubio for their leadership and support. She also acknowledged Hungary’s stewardship of the Secretariat prior to the United States’ formal assumption of the role this summer in Budapest.
The Secretariat is now led through a whole-of-government partnership between HHS and the Department of State, housed within HHS Office of Global Affairs. Ambassador Dan Negrea, Representative of the United States to the United Nations Economic and Social Council; Riley M. Barnes, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the U.S. Department of State; Natalie Dodson, HHS Counselor to Secretary Kennedy; and Andrew Guernsey, White House Senior Policy Advisor participated in the event reflecting the whole-of-government support behind the Geneva Consensus Declaration.
New Signatories
A formal signing ceremony during the event welcomed three new nations to the Geneva Consensus Declaration. Honduras Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mireya Agüero; Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Sean Sobers; and General Director of Multilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Baya Bensmail each highlighted their nation’s commitment to the principles of the Geneva Consensus Declaration and the importance of protecting the family as a pillar of society and ensuring every woman's right to the highest attainable standard of health.
Photo caption: Honduras Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mireya Agüero signs the Geneva Consensus Declaration on behalf of Honduras, alongside Director Bethany Kozma, Geneva Consensus Declaration Secretariat.
Photo caption: Honduras Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mireya Agüero signs the Geneva Consensus Declaration on behalf of Honduras, alongside Director Bethany Kozma, Geneva Consensus Declaration Secretariat.
Photo Caption: Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Sean Sobers signs the Geneva Consensus Declaration on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago, alongside Director Bethany Kozma, Geneva Consensus Declaration Secretariat.
Photo caption: General Director of Multilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Baya Bensmail signs the Geneva Consensus Declaration on behalf of Algeria, alongside Director Bethany Kozma, Geneva Consensus Declaration Secretariat.
Photo caption: General Director of Multilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Baya Bensmail signs the Geneva Consensus Declaration on behalf of Algeria, alongside Director Bethany Kozma, Geneva Consensus Declaration Secretariat.
Representatives from Argentina, Egypt, the Dominican Republic, and Hungary also spoke during the event, reaffirming their nations’ commitments to the Declaration’s principles and working together in multilateral spaces.
The Geneva Consensus Declaration now counts 46 signatory nations, reflecting continued growth across regions since the coalition’s founding in 2020.
Label: Readout
OGA Office(s): Americas Regional Office, Africa & Middle East Regional Office
HHS Division(s): CDC, FDA