A/50/PV.112 General Assembly

Members will recall that the Assembly concluded its debate on public administration and development at its 111th plenary meeting, yesterday morning. In connection with this item, the Assembly has before it a revised draft resolution, circulated in document A/50/L.69/Rev.1. I call on His Excellency Mr. Messaoud Mansouri, Minister for Administrative Affairs of the Office of the Prime Minister of Morocco, to introduce draft resolution A/50/L.69/Rev.1.

I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for allowing me to speak a second time. I should like to introduce the revised draft resolution on behalf of the following countries: Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, El Salvador, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo and Zambia. The draft resolution has been revised as a result of consultations between Morocco and various participants over the past three days. The final language is the result of these efforts. We have tried to make the draft reflect the main views and concerns expressed during this resumed session. The draft resolution emphasizes the organic relationship between an effective, useful and transparent administration and sustainable economic and social development. The draft also underlines the fundamental role that the United Nations and its specialized agencies can play in the following basic areas: strengthening government capacities for policy development and the restructuring of public administration and its functions; improving performance in the public sector; the creation In order to achieve these objectives, the draft resolution calls on the United Nations to give adequate support to the developing countries, encouraging an exchange of experiences, studies, research and information in all areas of public administration and development, and supports government programmes to update information on experience. The draft also urges United Nations bodies to give advisory services and technical support to Member States in the area of public administration. So the work of the United Nations may be effective and have a positive impact, the General Assembly also calls on the Secretary- General to take appropriate measures to promote coordination of activities of the United Nations system, with a view to greater consistency and coherence. Given the difficult economic and financial circumstances in most countries of the world, the draft resolution calls on the international community to create an enabling international environment and to mobilize technical, financial and other resources to support special projects to help developing countries and countries in transition, with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of public administration. The draft likewise requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session, through the Economic and Social Council, a report on public administration and development and on measures that can be adopted to implement this draft resolution. The Kingdom of Morocco, aware of the crucial importance of this draft resolution and of the deeper significance of its recommendations, is determined to take the necessary initiatives to coordinate its action with fraternal African countries and the competent regional agencies, with a view to evaluating the results of this resumed session and to studying ways and means of implementing the spirit and letter of the draft resolution. I should also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the various delegations concerned for enhancing the Moroccan proposal. We commend them for their flexibility and cooperation, which characterized the work of the committee entrusted with consultations to enable the In conclusion, I should like to express to all the Secretariat services of the United Nations our appreciation and our gratitude for their support and assistance in facilitating our task and in ensuring the success of this resumed session.

In view of the desire of members to dispose of this item expeditiously, I should like to consult the Assembly with a view to proceeding immediately to consider the draft resolution contained in document A/50/L.60/Rev.1. In this connection, since the draft resolution has been circulated only this morning, it will be necessary — and I so propose — to waive the relevant provision of rule 78 of the rules of procedure, which reads as follows: “As a general rule, no proposal shall be discussed or put to the vote at any meeting of the General Assembly unless copies of it have been circulated to all delegations not later than the day preceding the meeting.” Unless I hear any objection, I shall take it that the Assembly agrees with this proposal.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/50/L.69/Rev.1, entitled “Public administration and development”. I should like to announce that since the introduction of the draft resolution Burkina Faso has joined the list of co-sponsors. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/50/L.69/Rev.1?

Before calling on those representatives who wish to explain their position on the resolution just adopted, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats. The European Union considers that this resumed session of the General Assembly has been a useful exercise. The deliberations in plenary have allowed a constructive exchange of views and experiences. They recognized the strong link between the role of public administration and development challenges and goals such as those agreed upon at United Nations conferences. They emphasized that the improvement of governance and public administration, through increased efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness in government activities based on democracy, the rule of law and human rights, is an essential condition for sustainable, people-centred development. The European Union is satisfied with the outcome of this resumed session. The European Union wishes to thank the delegation of Morocco for having facilitated the informal consultations on the resolution we have just adopted, which contains important indications about the principles to be respected by Governments and the international community and the need to reassess the role of, and to structure, public administration with a view to contributing to sustainable, people-centred development. At the same time, the European Union would have hoped that this resolution could have given a clear As stated on the first day of this resumed session, the European Union wishes to reiterate its proposal that the Economic and Social Council devote one of its future coordination segments to public administration and development as a cross-sectoral theme. The European Union wishes that this statement, which should be considered as a statement on the adoption of this resolution, be recorded in the minutes of this meeting.

We have heard the only speaker in explanation of position. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 12?