A/57/PV.84 General Assembly

I should like to draw the attention of the General Assembly to document A/57/705/Add.11, in which the Secretary-General informs the President of the General Assembly that, since the issuance of his communications contained in documents A/57/705 and addenda 1 to 10, Chad has made the necessary payment to reduce its arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the Charter. May I take it that the General Assembly duly takes note of the information contained in this document?

In accordance with General Assembly decision 42/450 of 17 December 1987, the Assembly elects the members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination upon their nomination by the Economic and Social Council. Members will recall that, at its 43rd plenary meeting, held on 4 November 2002, the General Assembly elected 19 members to the Committee for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2003. Members will also recall that there remained one vacancy to be filled from among the Western European and other States. As indicated in document A/57/428/Add.2, the Economic and Social Council has nominated Canada to fill the remaining vacancy from among the Western European and other States. The term of office would begin on the date of election and would expire on 31 December 2005. In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, all elections should be held by secret ballot and there shall be no nominations. However, I should like to recall paragraph 16 of General Assembly decision 34/401, whereby the practice of dispensing with the secret ballot for elections to subsidiary organs when the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled should become standard, unless a delegation specifically requests a vote on a given election. In the absence of such a request, may I take it that the Assembly decides to proceed to the election on that basis?

May I therefore take it that the Assembly wishes to declare Canada elected a member of the Committee for Programme and Coordination for a term of office beginning on 1 May 2003 and expiring on 31 December 2005?

I congratulate Canada on its election as a member of the Committee for Programme and Coordination. We have thus concluded our consideration of agenda item 16.