A/64/PV.62 General Assembly

Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009 — Session 64, Meeting 62 — New York — UN Document ↗

The President [Arabic] #57962
If there is no proposal under rule 66 of the rules of procedure, I shall take it that the General Assembly decides not to discuss the reports of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) that are before the Assembly today.
Vote: A/RES/64/87 Recorded Vote
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✗ No (1)
✓ Yes (168)
Vote: A/RES/64/88 Recorded Vote
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— Abstain (4)
✓ Yes (166)
Vote: A/RES/64/89 Recorded Vote
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— Abstain (4)
✓ Yes (167)
Vote: A/RES/64/90 Recorded Vote
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— Abstain (3)
✓ Yes (168)
Vote: A/RES/64/91 Recorded Vote
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✓ Yes (92)
Vote: A/RES/64/92 Recorded Vote
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✓ Yes (168)
Vote: A/RES/64/93 Recorded Vote
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— Abstain (3)
✓ Yes (167)
Vote: A/RES/64/94 Recorded Vote
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✓ Yes (162)
Vote: A/RES/64/97 Recorded Vote
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✓ Yes (171)
Vote: A/RES/64/98 Recorded Vote
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✓ Yes (173)
Vote: A/RES/64/99 Recorded Vote
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✓ Yes (123)
Vote: A/RES/64/105 Recorded Vote
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— Abstain (1)
✓ Yes (173)
Vote: A/RES/64/106 Recorded Vote
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— Abstain (2)
✓ Yes (172)
It was so decided.

39.  Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/413) The Acting President: The Assembly has before it six draft resolutions recommended by the Committee in paragraph 22 of its report and one draft decision recommended by the Committee in paragraph 23 of the same report. We will now take a decision on draft resolutions I to VI and on the draft decision, one by one. After all the decisions have been taken, representatives will again have the opportunity to explain their votes. We turn first to draft resolution I, entitled “Question of Western Sahara”. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted draft resolution I without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

Vote: 31/37 Consensus
The President [Arabic] #57963
Statements will therefore be limited to explanation of vote. The positions of delegations regarding the recommendations of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) have been made clear in the Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records. May I remind members that under paragraph 7 of decision 34/401, the General Assembly agreed that when the same draft resolution is considered in a Main Committee and in plenary meeting, a delegation should, as far as possible, explain its vote only once, that is, either in the Committee or in plenary meeting, unless that delegation’s vote in plenary meeting is different from its vote in the Committee, and that explanations of vote are limited to ten minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats. Before we begin to take action on the recommendations contained in the reports of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee), I should like to advise representatives that we are going to proceed to take decisions in the same manner as was done in the Committee, unless the secretariat is notified to the contrary in advance. That means that where recorded votes were taken, we will do the same. I also hope that we will proceed to adopt without a vote those recommendations that were adopted without a vote in the Committee. Before proceeding further, I would like to draw the attention of members to a note by the secretariat entitled “Checklist of reports of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) to the General Assembly on agenda items 27 to 39, 118 and 133”, which has been circulated as document A/C.4/64/INF/3. That note has been distributed desk- to-desk in the General Assembly Hall as a reference guide for action on draft resolutions and decisions recommended by the Fourth Committee in its reports. Members will find in column 2 of the note the numbers of the draft resolutions or decisions of the Fourth Committee, with the corresponding symbols of the reports for action in the plenary in column 5 of the same note. Members are reminded that additional sponsors are no longer accepted now that draft resolutions and decisions have been adopted by the Committee. Any clarification about sponsorship should be addressed to the Secretary of the Committee.

31.  United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/405) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it four draft resolutions recommended by the Committee in paragraph 16 of its report. We will now take decisions on draft resolutions I to IV, one by one. After all the decisions have been taken, representatives will again have the opportunity to explain their vote. We will turn to draft resolution I, entitled “Assistance to Palestine refugees”. A recorded vote has been requested.

Vote: 31/37 Recorded Vote
✓ 168   ✗ 1   7 abs.
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✗ No (1)
✓ Yes (168)

32.  Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/406) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it five draft resolutions recommended by the Committee in paragraph 16 of its report. We will now take action on draft resolutions I through V, one by one. After all decisions have been taken, representatives will again have the opportunity to explain their vote. We turn first to draft resolution I, entitled “Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories”. A recorded vote has been requested.

Vote: 31/37 Recorded Vote
✓ 92   ✗ 9   74 abs.
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✓ Yes (92)

27.  University for Peace Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/401) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 64/83)
The President [Arabic] #57964
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 27?
Vote: 32/413 Consensus
It was so decided.
Vote: 32/413 Recorded Vote
✓ 168   ✗ 6   4 abs.
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— Abstain (3)
✓ Yes (167)

28.  Assistance in mine action Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/402) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take action on the draft resolution. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 64/84).
Vote: 32/413 Recorded Vote
✓ 166   ✗ 7   4 abs.
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— Abstain (4)
✓ Yes (166)
The President [Arabic] #57965
I give the floor to the representative of Turkey, who wishes to speak in explanation of position on the resolution just adopted.
Vote: 31/100 Consensus
Mr. Çobanoğlu TUR Türkiye #57966
I have requested the floor to explain our position on the resolution entitled “Assistance in mine action” which the Assembly has just adopted without a vote (resolution 64/84). Turkey shares the vision of a world free of anti- personnel landmines. We are fully committed to fulfil our contractual obligations stemming from both the Ottawa Convention and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. We therefore welcome and support the efforts of the United Nations and its Member States to strengthen mine action in mine- affected countries. With this view, my delegation joined the consensus on the draft resolution today. Yet we would like to reiterate our position with regard to its ninth preambular paragraph, which refers to non-State actors. It is the strong view of this delegation that when engagement with non-State actors is contemplated, countries concerned should be informed and their consent should be acquired, since the rights and obligations enshrined in the Ottawa Convention and in the Nairobi Action Plan apply to States parties only. We are also of the view that engagement with non-State actors in the scope of the implementation of the Ottawa Convention should not serve the purposes of terrorist organizations. A clear line should therefore be drawn between activities serving the interests of humanity on the one hand and giving publicity and indirect credence to terrorist organizations on the other. Finally, we would like to underline that it is incumbent on all Member States to take effective measures to prevent the transfer and use of mines by non-State actors and to make such transfers or use illegal.
The President [Arabic] #57967
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 28?
Vote: 31/100 Recorded Vote
✓ 167   ✗ 7   3 abs.
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— Abstain (3)
✓ Yes (167)
It was so decided.
Vote: 31/100 Recorded Vote
✓ 167   ✗ 6   4 abs.
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— Abstain (4)
✓ Yes (167)
Vote: 32/95 Consensus

29.  Effects of atomic radiation Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/403) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (the Fourth Committee) adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 64/85).
The President [Arabic] #57968
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 29.

123.  Global health and foreign policy Note by the Secretary-General (A/64/365) Draft resolution (A/64/L.16) The Acting President: In connection with agenda item 123, the General Assembly has before it a note by the Secretary-General transmitting a report prepared in collaboration with the World Health Organization, circulated in document A/64/365. I now give the floor to the representative of South Africa to introduce draft resolution A/64/L.16.

Vote: 64/108 Consensus

30.  International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/404) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 13 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (the Fourth Committee) adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 64/86).
Vote: 32/95 Recorded Vote
✓ 162   ✗ 9   5 abs.
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✓ Yes (162)
The President [Arabic] #57969
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 30?
Vote: 32/95 Recorded Vote
✓ 168   ✗ 6   3 abs.
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— Abstain (3)
✓ Yes (168)
Vote: 31/169 Recorded Vote
✓ 173   ✗ 3   1 abs.
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— Abstain (1)
✓ Yes (173)
It was so decided.
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution I was adopted by 168 votes to 1, with 7 abstentions (resolution 64/87).
Vote: 31/169 Recorded Vote
✓ 166   ✗ 1   11 abs.
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✗ No (1)
✓ Yes (166)
The President [Arabic] #57970
We now turn to draft resolution II, entitled “Persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently the delegation of Cambodia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
Vote: 32/97 Recorded Vote
✓ 172   ✗ 3   2 abs.
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— Abstain (2)
✓ Yes (172)
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution II was adopted by 166 votes to 7, with 4 abstentions (resolution 64/88).
The President [Arabic] #57971
We now turn to draft resolution III, entitled “Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently the delegation of Cambodia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution III was adopted by 167 votes to 6, with 4 abstentions (resolution 64/89).
The President [Arabic] #57972
We now turn to draft resolution IV, entitled “Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently the delegation of Cambodia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution IV was adopted by 168 votes to 6, with 3 abstentions (resolution 64/90).
The President [Arabic] #57973
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 31?
It was so decided.
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution I was adopted by 92 votes to 9, with 74 abstentions (resolution 64/91).
The President #57974
Draft resolution II is entitled “Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories”. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor- Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe Against: Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States of America Abstaining: Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Vanuatu [Subsequently the delegation of Cambodia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
Draft resolution II was adopted by 168 votes to 6, with 4 abstentions (resolution 64/92).
The President [Arabic] #57975
Draft resolution III is entitled “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently the delegation of Cambodia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution III was adopted by 167 votes to 7, with 3 abstentions (resolution 64/93).
The President [Arabic] #57976
Draft resolution IV is entitled “Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently the delegation of Cambodia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution IV was adopted by 162 votes to 9, with 5 abstentions (resolution 64/94).
The President [Arabic] #57977
Draft resolution V is entitled “The occupied Syrian Golan”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently the delegation of Cambodia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution V was adopted by 166 votes to 1, with 11 abstentions (resolution 64/95).
The President [Arabic] #57978
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 32?
It was so decided.

33.  Comprehensive review of the whole question of the peacekeeping operations in all their aspects Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/407) The President (spoke in Arabic): May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) contained in document A/64/407?

It was so decided.
The President [Arabic] #57979
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 33.

34.  Questions relating to information Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee Fourth Committee (A/64/408) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 12 of its report and a draft decision recommended by the Committee in paragraph 13 of the same report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution and the draft decision. The draft resolution, entitled “Questions relating to information”, is in two parts. Part A is entitled “Information in the service of humanity”; part B is entitled “United Nations public information policies and activities”. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 64/96).
The President [Arabic] #57980
We turn now to the draft decision, entitled “Increase in the membership of the Committee on Information”. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted the draft decision without a vote. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted.
The President [Arabic] #57981
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 34?
It was so decided.

35.  Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories transmitted under Article 73 e of the Charter of the United Nations Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/409) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 6 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested.

A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 171 votes to none, with 4 abstentions (resolution 64/97).
The President [Arabic] #57982
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 35?
It was so decided.

36.  Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/410) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 6 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested.

A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 173 votes to 2, with 2 abstentions (resolution 64/98).
The President [Arabic] #57983
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 36?
It was so decided.

37.  Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/411) The President (spoke in Arabic): The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 6 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested.

A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 123 votes to none, with 53 abstentions (resolution 64/99).
The Acting President #57984
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 37?
It was so decided.

38.  Offers by Member States of study and training facilities for inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/412) The Acting President: The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 6 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 64/100).
The Acting President #57985
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 38?
It was so decided.
Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 64/101).
The Acting President #57986
Draft resolution II is entitled “Question of New Caledonia”. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted draft resolution II without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution II was adopted (resolution 64/102).
The Acting President #57987
Draft resolution III is entitled “Question of Tokelau”. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted draft resolution III without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
Draft resolution III was adopted (resolution 64/103).
The Acting President #57988
Draft resolution IV is entitled “Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands”. This draft resolution is in two parts. Part A is entitled “General”. Part B is entitled “Individual Territories”. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted draft resolution IV without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
Draft resolution IV was adopted (resolution 64/104).
The Acting President #57989
Draft resolution V is entitled “Dissemination of information on decolonization”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently, the delegation of Cambodia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution V was adopted by 173 votes to 3, with 1 abstention (resolution 64/105).
The Acting President #57990
Draft resolution VI is entitled “Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently, the delegation of Cambodia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution VI was adopted by 172 votes to 3, with 2 abstentions (resolution 64/106).
The Acting President #57991
We turn now to the draft decision entitled “Question of Gibraltar”. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted the draft decision without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted.
The Acting President #57992
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 39?
It was so decided.

118.  Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/414) The Acting President: The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Committee in paragraph 5 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision, entitled “Proposed programme of work and timetable of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) for the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly”. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted the draft decision. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The draft decision was adopted.
The Acting President #57993
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 118.

133.  Programme planning Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/415) The Acting President: May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee)?

It was so decided.
The Acting President on behalf of General Assembly #57994
The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 133. On behalf of the General Assembly, I would like thank His Excellency Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations and Chairman of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee), members of the Bureau and the Secretary of the Committee, as well as representatives, for a job well done. The General Assembly has thus concluded consideration of all the reports of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) before it.

163.  Financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009) Report of the Fifth Committee (A/64/553) The Acting President: If there is no proposal under rule 66 of the rules of procedure, may I take it that the General Assembly decides not to discuss the report of the Fifth Committee that is before the Assembly today?

It was so decided.
The Acting President #57995
Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote. Before we begin to take action on the recommendations contained in the report of the Fifth Committee, I should like to advise representatives that we are going to proceed to take a decision in the same manner as was done in the Fifth Committee. The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 6 of its report. We will now take action on the draft resolution. The Fifth Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 64/107).
The Acting President #57996
The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 163.
Mr. Sangqu ZAF South Africa #57997
I take the floor today on behalf of the seven founding members of the Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative to introduce draft resolution A/64/L.16, entitled “Global health and foreign policy”, under agenda item 123. The seven countries of the core group of the Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative — Brazil, France, Indonesia, Norway, Senegal, South Africa and Thailand — have examined the report of the Secretary- General on global health and foreign policy (A/64/365) with great interest and appreciation. With this report, we have reached an important milestone in the General Assembly. Health has found its place on the foreign policy agenda, not as an occasional, sector-specific item, but as one of the pressing foreign policy issues of our time that calls for ongoing attention and action. The report of the Secretary-General is breaking new ground in the way it builds the case for why global health should hold a high and strategic place on the international agenda. The state of global health has a profound impact on all nations. The health impact of foreign policy decisions must be better understood and accounted for. Foreign policy processes must be made to work towards overcoming structural and policy-based barriers to achieving national and global targets for the Millennium Development Goal (MDG), especially the health-related MDGs. Just as we are tracking resource flows for investment in health and development, the impact of foreign policy decisions on global health and health outcomes must be identified, analysed and monitored. This year, the common vulnerability of all people and countries to global health threats has become visible in a particular way. Preceded by the pandemic threat of H5N1 three years ago, the H1N1 pandemic has made the case for a health-responsive foreign policy that fosters global solidarity and collaborative action in order to make all of us safe. Our foreign policy should always pay attention to potential influenza pandemic threats, not just those of H5N1 and H1N1, with the aim of achieving our collective global health. Likewise, in the process leading to the Copenhagen summit, health risks associated with climate change are making it urgent to raise the awareness that, in our efforts to control and cope with the impact of global warming, we need to protect global health. The financial crisis has brought an urgent focus on how health spending can be made more efficient and collaboration between countries more predictable. It is increasingly clear that financing for health can effectively bring results only if combined with international and national policies that are responsive to global health. The significance of the health-related development goals in the context of broader economic and social development and foreign policy relations was recently demonstrated in the July session of the Economic and Social Council and in its Ministerial Declaration. Gross inequities exist across and within countries and regions in terms of access to health services, with consequences beyond national borders, and have an impact on foreign relations. These inequities are demonstrated particularly by the persistence of high maternal mortality figures for certain countries and for groups of people within countries, including people without safety nets and on the move. They are also reflected in the inequitable access to skilled and equipped health workers who can provide services and in the inequities in access to medicines and vaccines. The Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative was created with a commitment to looking at new ways in which foreign ministers and foreign policy could add value to health issues of international importance by applying a health lens in foreign policy processes and actions. In this context, it will be recalled that in 2008, the Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative introduced the resolution 63/33, entitled “Global health and foreign policy”, which was adopted by consensus by the sixty-third session of the General Assembly. More than 50 sponsors supported the resolution. We would like to thank Member States for supporting that resolution and for the subsequent agreement to include the issue of global health and foreign policy on the annual agenda of the General Assembly. It is against this background that we have again introduced a draft resolution on global health and foreign policy, on which several consultations were held in October and November 2009. The main feature of this session’s draft resolution is that we have now divided it into sections — section I entitled “Control of emerging infectious diseases and foreign policy”; section II entitled “Human resources for health and foreign policy”; and section III entitled “Follow-up actions” — in order to provide a structure to the text and also to facilitate our substantive engagement in future. Our aim was to undertake an incremental approach to the draft resolution and to ensure that it provides general political guidance, especially on non- health issues that impact health without any prescription. The salient point that the draft resolution makes is the need for policy coherence and for strengthening coherence and coordination at various levels of the intergovernmental processes. The Secretary-General is requested to provide recommendations in this regard, taking into account all the outcomes of major conferences and events that impact on global health. We expect that the recommendations will serve as a contribution towards the high-level plenary meeting of 2010 and provide us with an overview of the progress made with the health-related MDGs, as well as the new and emerging challenges impacting on health such, as the financial crisis. We champion the call of the Secretary-General in his report on global health and foreign policy for support from the foreign policy community to “aid the [World Health Organization (WHO)] and Member States in their efforts to craft a framework for a predictable and equitable global response to pandemics that will enable low- and middle-income countries to provide vaccines and medicines to vulnerable groups” (A/64/365, para. 21). In this regard, we stress the importance of building a more predictable and equitable global framework for an effective response to current and future pandemic situations, finalizing any remaining elements of the pandemic influenza preparedness framework for sharing influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits, under the leadership of the Director-General of WHO, working with Member States. In situations of global shortages of essential products and technologies, foreign policy can provide support by leveraging a focus on equitable access to essential vaccines, drugs and supplies to developing countries at the same time as to developed countries, on the basis of public health risks. Foreign policy should support approaches to enhance access to medicine and production capacity for essential products and technologies, including better distribution of manufacturing capacities across regions and in developing countries. Furthermore, foreign policy should also support efforts to strengthen the risk assessment and risk response capacities of Member States, especially developing countries, in global pandemic influenza preparedness. Together with WHO, we will engage with foreign policy makers to identify where foreign policy engagement can add critical value for achieving a permanent, fair, efficient, transparent and more predictable global framework. Capacity to deal with pandemics is also dependent on skilled and equipped health workers on the ground. The urgent need to overcome the global shortages, poor distribution and lack of access to health workers for so many of the world’s population is critical both for an effective response to pandemics and for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It is therefore essential to focus efforts on how we can help address remaining obstacles by enabling international policies, including through the finalization of the WHO code of practice on international recruitment. Functional access to health workers and information to inform policies on how to close the gaps and achieve results should be one of the targeted elements in international cooperation on health. In future resolutions, we will continue to base substantive engagement on the 10 priority themes of the Oslo Ministerial Declaration “Global health: a pressing foreign policy issue of our time”. We will be consulting with sponsors on two additional themes in the period between this session and the sixty-fifth session in Geneva, New York and other capitals to ensure inclusiveness. Finally, we present draft resolution A/64/L.16, which has been negotiated and agreed by consensus, to the plenary of the General Assembly. We call on delegations to support this important draft and to co-sponsor it. We would like to thank delegations that participated in the consultations for their constructive spirit and useful proposals. We wish to express our appreciation to the sponsors of the resolution listed in the document and the additional co-sponsors Albania, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, El Salvador, Grenada, Hungary, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Serbia, Somalia, Suriname, Sweden, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey and Ukraine.
The Acting President #57998
I call on those representatives who wish to make statements of position before action is taken.
Mr. Örnéus SWE Sweden #57999
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU). Turkey, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia align themselves with this EU statement. This fall’s discussion on global health and foreign policy has tackled different perspectives, such as threats to human health, the achievement of the health- specific Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the link to more traditional foreign policy issues. Health and foreign policy link two areas that form the basis of the entire United Nations system: the fight against poverty and the pursuits of peace and human security. We have to combat diseases and ill health as they form a part of overall threats to peace and security. Diseases do not know any borders. HIN1 is one example of how rapidly diseases can spread from one continent to another. Its outbreak demonstrates the need for common action and solidarity. International cooperation at the global level is essential to reducing and/or mitigating the proliferation of pandemics. Simultaneously, we encourage all States to foster regional and bilateral cooperation, including by sharing experiences and best practices. We also have to better understand how overall aspects of foreign policy, such as international efforts to tackle climate change and hunger, affect health. Today’s diplomats and international negotiators have to address new challenges and new topics, and fully acknowledge the interlinkages between different areas. The cross-cutting aspects of health in the achievement of the MDGs are, to us, obvious. It is difficult to ensure environmental sustainability without also addressing malnutrition created by the lack of access to affordable and safe food. At the same time, it is almost impossible to reduce mortality, particularly among children, without ensuring sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. In other words, all MDGs are relevant to improving the health status of our populations. While the international community and the United Nations system have a key role in promoting both health and security at all levels, it is crucial that individual Governments also take responsibility in that regard. Problems may also be solved on the regional level and bilaterally between countries. Increased poverty will cause ill health, which consequently will push more people into poverty. It is of global concern that the crisis aggravates already severe conditions for the poorest, particularly the almost 1 billion people globally who still face chronic hunger. It is essential to address existing dramatic gaps in health and life expectancy, both within and between countries and regions. That is true for the European Union, as well as globally. Strong political leadership is crucial. Improved health outcomes, especially improvements in women’s health and tackling gender inequality, require political commitment at the highest levels. For billions of females, male violence, both in times of armed conflict and in times of peace, further aggravates mental and physical ill health and constitutes maybe the most severe obstacle to women’s empowerment. Let me point to the importance of global partnerships, including partnerships with civil society. Only by working together in constructive partnerships can we provide health services and help empower those most in need, particularly in times of crisis. As regards to future work in that area, it is important to stress that the World Health Organization is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for global health, while the General Assembly here in New York is the overall foreign policy arena. Against that background, discussions on global health and foreign policy in New York must be fruitfully combined with the substance and technical discussions and work handled in Geneva. In closing, let me make clear that the European Union looks forward to actively participating in a continued discussion of global health and foreign policy. In that same spirit, the European Union also welcomes the Global Health and Foreign Policy Initiative, and we hope that we will have the opportunity, along with other interested partners, to contribute to the discussions and the reflections that will be initiated in the future.
Mr. Sinhaseni THA Thailand #58000
On behalf of the 10 member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) — Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand — I have the honour to address the plenary on agenda item 123, entitled “Global health and foreign policy”. First and foremost, for ASEAN the link between global health and foreign policy has been evident for some time. ASEAN member States have been confronted with health issues that have posed threats to our economic stability, development aspirations and even national security. Together, the ASEAN member States have made many concerted regional and international efforts to stem pandemics, both real and potential, such as HIV/AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome, avian influenza and, most recently, the H1N1 influenza. Secondly, ASEAN recognizes that the close relationship between global health and foreign policy presents both challenges and opportunities with regard to enhanced coordination between the two disciplines in order to respond effectively to serious health threats. That is why ASEAN has been promoting a multisectoral approach to health crises. It is also why, as the Secretary-General noted in his joint report with the Director-General of the World Health Organization (see A/64/365), health issues have appeared more frequently on the agenda of regional organizations such as ASEAN for the past 10 to 15 years. Thirdly, ASEAN has taken that recognition a step further by institutionalizing regional cooperation on health within the framework of ASEAN. In May this year, the ASEAN + 3 Health Ministers convened a special meeting in Bangkok on the H1N1 influenza in order to coordinate regional efforts and to discuss the related but larger issue of the possibility of regional production of vaccines and antiviral drugs. Later the same month, the ASEAN health ministers gathered for an informal meeting to discuss the H1N1 influenza and HIV/AIDS on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva. Fourthly, ASEAN has benefited from recognizing the link between global health and foreign policy and from taking action based on that premise. We believe that that may be a model that could be replicated in other regions and in the broader international community. It has been said that viruses know no boundaries, nor do they care for politics. In times of crisis, politics must be put at the service of the public health community, domestic and international. In that context, ASEAN wishes to underline the importance of the ongoing intensive discussion at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva on ways and means to effectively address the problem of insufficient global capacity for vaccine production, particularly in the developing world, and the related issue of virus and benefit-sharing within the context of a coordinated response to meet emerging, new and unforeseen threats and epidemics, such as the current influenza A virus pandemic, H5N1 and other influenza viruses with pandemic potential. ASEAN strongly believes that, although in-depth discussions are best left to competent health professionals, the positive and perhaps even catalytic political support for pushing those discussions in the right direction and framing them in the right manner must come from the General Assembly. Ultimately, the General Assembly should help to catalyze the finalization of any of the remaining elements of a pandemic influenza preparedness framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits, as well as to speed up the process for achieving a fair, transparent and equitable framework for an effective response to future influenza pandemic situations. Last but not least, a firm and collective commitment to the health of our citizens is central to the realization of a people-centred ASEAN community. We therefore look to the WHO and also to the General Assembly to support, wherever possible and appropriate, our efforts in that regard. ASEAN also stands ready, as always, to work closely with our partners in promoting public health around the world. On a final note, allow me to address the Assembly in my national capacity. As a member of the core group on global health and foreign policy and a sponsor of the draft resolution before us (A/64/L.16), Thailand would like to congratulate and thank South Africa for the excellent work in coordinating and introducing the draft resolution. We hope that it will be adopted without a vote.
Mr. Bart KNA Saint Kitts and Nevis #58001
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that are members of this body. CARICOM attaches considerable importance to agenda item 123, entitled “Global health and foreign policy”, and fully supports the initiative presented here today. CARICOM supports the idea that emanates from the Oslo Ministerial Declaration (A/63/591, annex) to place health on the international agenda as a foreign policy issue. It is indeed beneficial to promote the synergy between foreign policy and global health. Within its regional policymaking framework, CARICOM found it prudent to make health a major element of our interaction and promotion within the international arena. In fact, it is my own Prime Minister who has prime ministerial responsibility within CARICOM for promoting health issues in the international community. Therefore, CARICOM applauds the architects of the initiative to sensitize national, regional and international policymakers on the interrelationship between global health and foreign policy. It is imperative that the United Nations and its specialized agencies, in coordination with Member States, pursue ways and means of addressing critical health problems and of strengthening health systems to deal with them. For many developing countries, resources — both financial and human — are limited, and Governments are faced with the unenviable task of not being able to provide various sectors with the full support that they require. It is here that a partnership between Member States and international organizations like the United Nations has to occur, if the focus on health is to be properly realized. Whether we are focusing on prevention, care, the dissemination of information or access to medication, health cannot be relegated to a marginalized sector. It has to be at the forefront of our foreign policy formulation, because when foreign policy decisions are made and when international events occur, they have a heavy impact on the health sector. Many of us are still reeling from the impact of the global and financial crisis. Finances have dried up and aid flows have become minimal. The impact on the health sector is severe. Access to medication at affordable prices is a pressing need that has to be addressed by both health and foreign policy decision makers. Access to health-care providers is also a matter of life and death. These are but a few of the major reasons why global health and foreign policy have to be approached in a more closely coordinated manner. The international community can help to secure global health by promoting policies that focus on the basic health needs of populations, the provision of which have been severely affected by the global financial crisis. An unhealthy population is beneficial to no one. Socio-economic development is impacted, and that spills over to all segments of the country, the region and the international community. However, an environment where global health tends to influence foreign policy is an environment that speaks volumes for present and future generations. Addressing health at the global level requires a focus on the basic needs of the human person. When those basic needs are met, we will have fostered the conditions necessary for integral and lasting development. Currently, many of our delegations are focused on Copenhagen and the climate change negotiations under way there. CARICOM members are monitoring those debates very closely but are also placing the issue of climate change within the sphere of global health. For CARICOM, sea-level rise and pollution impact our food supply and our water and increase the possibility of epidemics. Those all affect our health. This example shows the interconnection of foreign policy and global health. It represents but one reason why we as Member States have to support the initiative being discussed here today. CARICOM supports the view of the Secretary- General that for many countries around the world, it will be impossible to improve global health without addressing the growing burden of health problems associated with non-communicable diseases. Non-communicable diseases are a silent epidemic threatening everyone’s hope for improving global health. We can no longer remain silent. They are responsible for 60 per cent of deaths worldwide. The socio-economic implication is that those deaths are linked to poverty. We cannot address the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) without considering both the causes and the effects of non- communicable diseases on the international community. Non-communicable diseases should be included in the global discussions on development, and indicators on non-communicable diseases should also be included in the core monitoring and evaluation system of the MDGs. At the CARICOM Summit on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in 2007, the objectives were to establish a regional approach to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, to examine the burden of the main diseases and to propose solutions that should be undertaken. Against the background of the successful examination of the problem at that Summit, which had as its theme “Stemming the tide of non-communicable diseases in the Caribbean”, and of the declaration of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Trinidad and Tobago recently, which endorsed this CARICOM proposal, CARICOM intends to introduce an initiative and table a resolution for a summit on non-communicable diseases to be held in the not-too- distant future. We look forward to a healthy debate with Member States to give due attention to this issue at the international level. In closing, CARICOM reiterates its belief that a better foreign policy advocacy and engagement regarding health-related problems could improve collective action on global health outcomes. We therefore support the view expressed in the Oslo Ministerial Declaration that global health should hold a strategic place on the international agenda. It is our hope that the international community will give this issue the attention it deserves as we move forward in promoting global health and foreign policy.
Mr. Liu Zhenmin CHN China [Chinese] #58002
The Chinese delegation welcomes the note by the Secretary-General under this agenda item (A/64/365). We also welcome the Assembly’s debate on global health and foreign policy. Over the past year, the international financial and economic crisis has posed grave challenges to global public health. The health departments of various countries all face a host of difficulties, such as budget cuts and an increasing imbalance between supply and demand. In the meantime, the H1N1 influenza continues to spread around the world, posing a direct threat to the public health and social and economic development of all countries. Given this complex situation, it is of great practical significance for the General Assembly to hold once again a debate on global health and foreign policy. The Chinese delegation would like to highlight the following points. First, cooperation in responding to the global public health crisis must be strengthened. In today’s world of increasing economic globalization, the impact of grave public health contingencies also tends to be globalized. No single country can deal with it alone. The international community should pool its resources and work together to strengthen the sharing of information, technology and experience in prevention and control, so as to contain the spread of major epidemics around the world, including H1N1 influenza. Secondly, support to the health sector of the developing countries must be increased. Three Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets are directly related to public health. At present, the progress of the developing countries towards reaching the health-related MDG targets has been slow. The situation of infant and maternal health is particularly worrying. The developed countries should maintain and increase their support and assistance to the health sector of the developing countries and help the latter in capacity-building so that they can be better prepared to cope with the impact of the financial crisis. Thirdly, a sound public health system must be established. Apart from serving as a solid basis in dealing with various new epidemics or sudden outbreaks of pandemic disease, a strong public health system is also an essential requirement for the improvement of people’s well-being. Countries should make the improvement of public health systems a priority in their economic and social development planning, increase financial input to the health sector and make every effort to reduce the impact of the crisis on poor families and vulnerable groups. Efforts must be made to strengthen interagency policy coordination, mobilize the participation of civil society and increase the public health system’s coverage. The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the development of public health. Over the past 60 years, since the founding of the new China, great progress has been made in our health and medical care sector. The total number of health and medical care institutions has grown from 3,670 to 278,000, and average life expectancy from 35 years to 73. The rate of maternal mortality has dropped from 1,500 per 100,000 to 34.2 per 100,000, and infant mortality from 200 per 1000 to 14.9 per 1000. China has also been ahead of schedule in reaching the MDG targets for reduced mortality rates of infants and children under five and the prevention and treatment of malaria. In addressing the negative impact of the international financial crisis, the Chinese Government has made reform of the medical and health care system a priority, with a view to increasing domestic demand and improving the people’s well-being. A new programme of health care reform has been launched with a projected budget of ¥850 billion over the next three years in order to speed up the building of a primary health insurance system. By 2011, the coverage of the new rural health insurance cooperative scheme and the basic health insurance for urban workers and residents is projected to exceed 90 per cent. This initiative has greatly raised the expectations of the people in terms of consumption, thus giving new impetus to the social and economic development of China. China has actively participated in international cooperation in the health area and has established broad, multi-channel and multi-faceted contact with other countries and relevant international organizations. This year, China hosted the Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the annual ministerial review by the Economic and Social Council on health-related MDGs, as well as the International Scientific Symposium on Influenza A(H1N1) Pandemic Response and Preparedness. The participants in those two events conducted an in-depth exchange of experience on the themes, respectively, of promoting health literacy and public health policy on the spread of influenza pandemics. In July, China participated in the national voluntary presentation at the Economic and Social Council’s annual ministerial review of the implementation of international objectives and commitments in the field of global public health. My Government has also, to its maximum capacity, provided assistance to other developing countries by training health personnel, sending medical teams, building hospitals and providing free medicines, thus making a positive contribution to improving the health of people in developing countries. Since the outbreak of H1N1 influenza, the Chinese government has responded seriously and undertaken a series of vigorous, orderly and effective measures of prevention and control, thus containing the spread of the disease to the maximum extent possible. In the meantime, we have stepped up efforts to develop and produce vaccines. To date, we have managed to avoid any major disruption from this pandemic of our social and economic development and to maintain normalcy in our people’s work and daily life. Our control and prevention efforts have won public support and international recognition. In this process, the Chinese Government has been in close contact with the international community, making timely adjustments to its policies and measures in line with international customary practice and, to the extent possible, providing assistance to some developing countries. China will continue its unrelenting effort to improve monitoring of the pandemic; prioritize the strengthening of control and prevention in schools, communities, towns and villages; speed up the vaccination of susceptible and vulnerable groups; and minimize the number of serious cases. At the same time, the Government will take further steps to raise public awareness of the importance of prevention and make adequate preparation for any possible changes in the pandemic, so as to ensure the health of the public and smooth, sound economic development.
Mr. Osuga JPN Japan on behalf of Government of Japan #58003
I would like to make a statement on the agenda item “Global health and foreign policy” on behalf of the Government of Japan. First, my Government would like to express its appreciation for the note by the Secretary-General entitled “Global health and foreign policy: strategic opportunities and challenges” (A/64/365), prepared in collaboration with the Director-General of the World Health Organization. My Government would also like to take this opportunity to thank the facilitator on the draft resolution (A/64/L.16) under this item, Mr. Luvuyo Ndimeni, Deputy Permanent Representative of South Africa in Geneva, for his hard work. The Government of Japan considers global health an important pillar of its foreign policy. In 2008 both the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development and the Group of Eight Summit held in Tōyako, Hokkaidō, focused on global health and the strengthening of assistance to Africa. During the High- Level Segment of the annual ministerial review in the Economic and Social Council in July, at which global health was the main theme, Mr. Shintaro Ito, Japan’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, gave our national voluntary presentation (NVP), the only developed country among the participating NVP countries. Japan has also been a major donor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and will continue steadily implementing its commitments in the field of global health. Although we have seen substantial progress in some areas of the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the international community’s determination in regard to global health needs to be further strengthened in order to achieve all the health-related MDGs by 2015. Essential elements of the MDGs, such as child and maternal health, as well as water and sanitation improvements, must be further addressed in order for us to see real progress on these goals. Emerging economies, as well as more developed countries, are facing greater increases in cases of non- communicable illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as injuries resulting from road safety problems. This reveals the need for further strengthening of social protection and health systems, as well as international collaboration through information exchange based on lessons learned. Governments and the international community should ensure, from a human security perspective, that the negative effects of the financial, economic and food crises on the health and well-being of the most vulnerable populations are minimized by appropriate and timely responses. Even developed countries are enduring the ravages of H1N1 virus infections and other emerging communicable diseases. In order to deal with such diseases, the international community must produce a coordinated response in accordance with internationally agreed rules, such as the WHO International Health Regulations. The world continues to face many issues in the area of global health and thus demands concerted action by the international community. To this end, the Government of Japan will continue in its efforts to deepen the discussion of global health and foreign policy, along with its partners in the General Assembly.
Mr. Barton USA United States of America #58004
The United States thanks South Africa and the other sponsors for their open and thoughtful work on the draft resolution on this item (A/64/L.16). We very much appreciate it. Achieving global health for all is a top priority of the United States. We recognize that, despite honest efforts by many, much work remains to address the needs of the most vulnerable and to build true international cooperation around this vital issue. This is a unique moment — when global health challenges and our collective will to address them converge. Bringing this draft resolution on global health to the General Assembly confirms the centrality of the challenge and the opportunity. For our part, the United States is committed to partnering with the United Nations family and Member States to expand access to health care, reduce health disparities and build a more just world. The need is plain: 26,000 children die each day from poverty and preventable diseases. Millions of people die each year from treatable diseases. HIV/AIDS infection rates remain far too high — in the United States and elsewhere — and an increasing number of women are affected. The United States has taken initiatives, such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which has helped save more than a million lives around the world. But Americans also know that only by acting together can we address our daunting challenges. We are committed to doing our part in elevating national and international capacities. We support the Millennium Development Goals, three of which explicitly address health problems, and all of which will improve the well-being of our fellow citizens. We see the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS as an innovative model, and admire the cohesion of UNICEF, the World Health Organization and other United Nations bodies, as we take the final steps to eradicate polio, much as the United Nations led the effort to rid our world of smallpox. Ours is a partnership with all of the Member States, as we have seen with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. But this is only a start. More recently, the United States has been helping to advance a new era in global health, where we no longer tackle disease and illness in isolation, but instead seek an integrated approach to public health that understands and addresses the many factors that can threaten the lives and livelihoods of our citizens. To advance this vision, President Obama has announced a new initiative that will seek to raise $63 billion over six years to support a holistic global health model. An essential element will be its women-centred approach, with a particular focus on children and families. Every minute of each day, a woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. So this initiative will work to reduce maternal and child mortality and will support a full range of family planning and reproductive health services to avert millions of unintended pregnancies. The President’s new initiative will also expand our current efforts to fight AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis and renew our focus on addressing neglected tropical diseases. It will emphasize disease prevention and seek out strategies not only to battle disease, but also to confront the conditions that allow diseases to thrive. With an emphasis on improved metrics, monitoring, evaluation and research, as well as country ownership, this initiative will help strengthen health systems globally. It will utilize new resources to make cost-effective and scientifically proven investments in locally sustainable programs, improving the health of communities and ensuring greater access to health care for those in need. Access to medicine is central to physical and mental health. A wide array of policies and actions are available to realize that right, and we think that this draft resolution should not try to define that content. We are committed to improving global health, and we believe that we must work together to meet our shared goals. As the United States implements a new global health initiative, we will consistently seek out the advice and expertise of Member States. The hallmarks of our initiative will be strategic integration and coordination, international partnerships, cooperation and consultation. Together we will tackle the decades- old challenges that continue to plague our planet and implement a new comprehensive strategy to improve global health. The United States cannot help to solve these problems without the involvement of others. A pandemic that starts in one nation can travel as freely as a storm across borders. Improvement will require a system of mutual trust that elevates the well-being of all. That is the United States commitment: to work with other nations to protect the vulnerable, care for the sick and improve the health of all.
Mr. Heller MEX Mexico [Spanish] #58005
My delegation thanks the members of the Oslo Group for presenting this initiative, the first substantive measure since the introduction of this item onto the General Assembly’s agenda last year. As we have seen, the issue of public health has been an important topic in the work of the United Nations system this year. For Mexico, health issues are cross-cutting and go beyond the scope of health ministries and even the World Health Organization (WHO) itself. It is therefore essential that such entities coordinate and share information with their foreign ministries and that the foreign ministries in turn include public health issues on their agendas. An example of such coordination was observed recently during the influenza A (H1N1) crisis that hit Mexico before it affected other countries. The responsible, transparent and immediate response of my country was made possible through the successful coordination of efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health, as well as open communication with WHO. Mexico’s experience in the wake of the influenza A (H1N1) emergency highlighted, among other things, that in order to overcome a global health crisis, the Governmental and social actors must work in coordination. In addition, in order to ensure the health of the people it is essential to act in accordance with the principle of international cooperation, bearing in mind that this should not be limited to emergencies. It is also essential to stress the importance of international cooperation for sharing information about the emergence of new viruses, since that is the only way we can address the potential threats to world public health. In this regard, we should recall that Mexico shared with the international community the A (H1N1) virus strain in order to develop a vaccine, contributing to preventing and avoiding a serious health issue that could have created problems in human development, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. In the context of the health crisis resulting from A (H1N1) influenza, we should acknowledge the continued support and cooperation of WHO, which has promoted coordination guidelines aimed at articulating a strategic response to address this pandemic. My delegation takes note of the Secretary- General’s report on global health and foreign policy (A/64/365), which comprehensively examines the interrelationship among health, poverty reduction and development, and the role that health plays in the formulation and implementation of foreign policy. However, we are concerned that the report addresses the question of migrants from a biased perspective, asserting that extensive migration has increased the frequency and number of new and re- emerging health threats, and that the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus is the latest of a series of such threats, as stated in paragraph 12 of the report. That statement could have a negative impact on the perception of migrants and promote the exacerbation of xenophobic attitudes. Migration in itself should not be seen as a threat to health; it is, rather, the conditions in which populations move that make migrants vulnerable to disease. We hope that such statements will be corrected in future reports, in accordance with the views adopted multilaterally by the General Assembly and other specialized agencies on the issue of migrants. The draft resolution before us today (A/64/L.16) offers concrete policy guidelines from the General Assembly on addressing the issue of the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic; recognizes that much remains to be done, in particular in the production of vaccines; and emphasizes the important issue of human resources for health and foreign policy. The draft resolution can offer concrete benefits in those areas. In that regard, my delegation has decided to co-sponsor the draft resolution.
Mr. Momen BGD Bangladesh #58006
We commend the Secretary-General and the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) for jointly preparing a comprehensive report, entitled “Global health and foreign policy: strategic opportunities and challenges”, contained in document A/64/365. The report before us rightly identifies the challenges of global health, such as its role in national and international security, the critical importance of achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), access to an affordable public health- care system, the international support necessary for such a health system, and the integration of health issues into other cross-cutting policies, including foreign policy. We agree with such findings that global foreign policies are seriously affected by, inter alia, security, arms control and conflicts, the impact of the global economic and financial crisis, natural disasters, climate change, food insecurity and cross-border migration. The public health system remains precarious in many developing countries, to say the least. The spread of new and emerging diseases has further exacerbated the situation. Avian flu and the severe acute respiratory syndrome have resulted in devastating consequences for public health in many nations. The recent influenza A (H1N1) pandemic has once again reminded us of the breadth and fragility of the global response to such large-scale pandemics. Frequent natural disasters pose a further threat to the health system. Increased migration, urbanization and conflict also contribute to the potential onset of diseases. The least developed countries, in particular countries especially vulnerable to climate change, are likely to be disproportionately affected by those challenges. Health is at the heart of the Millennium Development Goals. It is the specific subject of three MDGs and a critical precondition for most. We therefore strongly emphasize the need to achieve the health-related Millennium Development Goals as an essential means to socio-economic development. We are deeply concerned by the relatively slow progress in achieving them, due in particular to the non- availability of resources and capacities in the developing countries. We are afraid that, with climate change, newer diseases and old ones with more deadly consequences may affect residents of vulnerable countries with added obligations. We welcome the Ministerial Declaration adopted during the Annual Ministerial Review held by the Economic and Social Council in 2009, which focused on the theme “Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to global public health”. We are particularly pleased to note that emphasis has been placed on calling for greater attention in addressing the rising burden of non- communicable diseases on economies, especially those of low- and middle-income countries. I am also pleased that the Secretary-General is looking forward to including global health issues as a priority issue in next year’s agenda. We urge Member States to fully implement resolutions 58/3 of 27 October 2003, 59/27 of 23 November 2004 and 60/35 of 30 November 2005, all entitled “Enhancing capacity-building in global public health”, in particular in developing countries. We are deeply concerned at the lack of health workers, as well as their imbalanced distribution within countries and throughout the world, in particular the shortage in the developing countries, which undermines the health systems of those countries. We strongly emphasize the importance of national and international actions to address the challenges facing developing countries in the retention of skilled health personnel and, in that regard, support the finalization of a WHO code of practice on international recruitment of health personnel. My delegation strongly urges Member States, in particular developed nations, to redouble their commitment to the training of more health workers in the full spectrum of high-quality professionals, including community health workers, public health workers and paraprofessionals. We encourage greater international cooperation programmes in that regard, including South-South cooperation, North-South cooperation and triangular cooperation. Public health remains a major challenge for Bangladesh. The Government accords priority to health sector development as an integral part of overall socio- economic development. Bangladesh pursues the principle of universal health coverage and accessibility and improvement in the quality of life. Special emphasis is placed on the poor and the most vulnerable groups. The Health and Population Sector Strategy introduced in 1999 forms the basis of the national health policy in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is also prone to various natural disasters, which often entail grim health hazards. To address that, Bangladesh has adopted a national policy on health emergency management and standard operating procedures for health emergency management. They define what needs to be done to cope with the adverse public health consequences of natural disasters and emergencies, including receiving external support. The Government of Bangladesh has introduced a long-term strategic investment plan for health, nutrition and population. Those pragmatic policies and programmes have contributed to rapid advances in our basic human development indicators. In our view, four strategies have contributed to Bangladesh’s human development progress. The first is active partnerships with civil society. The large numbers of non-governmental organizations have played a critical role in improving access to basic services through innovative programmes. The second is targeted transfers of resources. Wide-ranging social programmes have targeted improved nutrition and wider incentives for human development. The third is extended health programmes through public-private partnership. Immunization programmes in Bangladesh have been implemented through partnerships with international agencies and national non-governmental organizations. The fourth pillar is virtuous cycles for the education of the female population. Improved access to health and education for women, associated with expanded opportunities for employment and access to microcredit, has expanded choice and empowered women. Women have become increasingly powerful catalysts for development, demanding greater control over fertility and birth spacing, education for their daughters and access to services. We have been able to demonstrate that progress comes not through dependence on foreign aid, though international support is necessary. Rather, we believe that when a nation is able to lift itself up by its own bootstraps through homegrown initiatives, visible change will come as a logical consequence. I call attention to microcredit and women’s non-formal education, for instance — concepts in which Bangladesh has been the global thought-leader. These have totally transformed our societal landscape for the better, and many others of a comparable bent. We therefore strongly believe that innovative domestic measures are necessary for addressing problems such as global public health. Bangladesh believes that the United Nations is a very effective tool for change. That is why, at the United Nations, Bangladesh often champions causes — not lost causes, but noble ones, and often quiet ones. Diabetes is an example. It was a quiet cause, for it has been recognized as a silent killer. Worldwide, 230 million people suffer from it and the number will double by 2030. Because of its chronic nature, it is a costly disease that severely affects individuals and families. That was the reason my delegation initiated resolution 61/225 on diabetes in 2006, aimed at raising global political awareness of the problem. It was adopted by consensus. We reiterate our heartfelt thanks to representatives for their support in 2006, on which we would like to count for further steps toward advancing such endeavours in future. We look forward to actively participating in the upcoming debates and discussions on global health issues.
The Acting President #58007
We have heard the last speaker in the debate on agenda item 123. I would like to inform the Assembly that since the introduction of draft resolution A/64/L.16, Jamaica has become a co-sponsor. The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/64/L.16?
Draft resolution A/64/L.16 was adopted (resolution 64/108).
The Acting President #58008
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 123.

117.  Implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations The Acting President: It is my understanding that there is no request to consider this item at the present session. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to defer consideration of this item to the sixty-fifth session and to include it in the provisional agenda of the sixty-fifth session?

It was so decided.
The Acting President #58009
This concludes our consideration of agenda item 117. Programme of work The President (spoke in Arabic): Members are advised that consideration of sub-item (g) of agenda item 111, “Election of two members of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission”, sub-item (h) of agenda item 112, “Appointment of members of the Consultative Committee of the United Nations Development Fund for Women”, and sub-item (b) of agenda item 3, “Report of the Credentials Committee”, scheduled for Monday, 14 December 2009, is postponed to a later date to be announced
The President in the Chair.
The meeting rose at 5.55. p.m.