A/66/PV.63 General Assembly

With regard to the remaining vacant seats from among the Asia- Pacific and the Latin American and Caribbean States, I urge these regional groups to submit their candidatures as soon as possible. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (f) of agenda item 115. (g) Appointment of members of the Joint Inspection Unit Note by the Secretary-General (A/66/106 and A/66/106/Add.1) The President (spoke in Arabic): Members will recall that, at its 47th plenary meeting on 1 November 2011, the Assembly selected Honduras to propose a candidate for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit for a term of office beginning on 1 January 2012 and expiring on 31 December 2016. That selection was made following the resignation of Mr. Enrique Román- Morey (Peru). As indicated in document A/66/106 and A/66/106/Add. 1, the General Assembly is required, during the sixty-sixth session, to appoint five members to fill the vacancy in the Joint Inspection Unit that will arise from the expiration of the terms of office on 31 December 2012 of Mr. Nikolay Chulkov (Russian Federation), Mr. Even Francisco Fontaine Ortiz (Cuba), Mr. Mohamed Mounir-Zahran (Egypt), Ms. Deborah Wynes (United States of America) and Mr. Zhang Yishan (China). As also indicated in document A/66/106, in accordance with article 3, paragraph 1, of the statute of the Joint Inspection Unit, the President of the General Assembly shall consult with Member States to draw up a list of countries — in this case, five countries — which would be requested to propose candidates for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit. After holding the necessary consultations with the regional groups, I should like to communicate to the Assembly the following information received from the Chairs of the regional groups. For the one vacancy from among the Group of African States, the Gambia wishes to propose a candidate. For the one vacancy from among the Asia-Pacific States, China and India each wish to propose a candidate. For the one vacancy from among the Eastern European States, the Group has endorsed the Russian Federation to propose a candidate. For the one vacancy from among the Latin American and Caribbean States, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Haiti and Mexico each wish to propose a candidate. For the one vacancy from among the Western European and other States, the Group has endorsed the United States of America to propose a candidate. As the Groups of African States, Eastern European States and Western European and other States have each endorsed one candidate for one vacancy — namely, the Gambia, the Russian Federation and the United States of America, respectively — those three countries will therefore be requested to propose one candidate each for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit. Since, from among the Asia-Pacific States there are two candidates for one vacancy, and among the Latin American and Caribbean States there are three candidates for one vacancy, I should like, in accordance with past practice, to consult with Member States through the procedure of holding an advisory vote by secret ballot, to select one country from among the Asia-Pacific States and one country from among the Latin American and Caribbean States to be requested to propose one candidate each for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit. Although that advisory vote would not be an election, we would follow the rules of procedure of the Assembly governing elections. If there is no objection, I shall take it that the General Assembly agrees to that procedure?

In accordance with past practice, the country receiving the greatest number of votes, and not less than a majority of the votes of those present and voting, shall be the country selected to propose a candidate for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit. If the number of candidates obtaining a simple majority is less than the number of members to be elected, there shall be additional ballots to fill the remaining places, the voting being restricted to the candidates obtaining the greatest number of votes in the previous ballot to a number not more than twice the number of places remaining to be filled. Also consistent with past practice, should it become necessary, due to a tie vote, to determine the candidate to be elected, there will be a special restricted ballot limited to those candidates that have obtained an equal number of votes. May I take it that the General Assembly agrees to those procedures?

I should like to remind members that the Assembly is not appointing members to the Joint Inspection Unit at this time. It is only selecting one country from among the Asia- Pacific States and one country from among the Latin American and Caribbean States that will be requested to propose a candidate. Therefore, only the name of a country, and not the name of an individual, should appear on the ballot paper. I should now like to repeat the names of the countries that wish to propose a candidate. From among the Asia-Pacific States, the countries are China and India. From among the Latin American and Caribbean States, the countries are the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Haiti and Mexico. I should further like to point out that, from among the Asia-Pacific States and the Latin American and Caribbean States, Japan and Honduras already have, or will have, nationals serving on the Joint Inspection Unit. The names of those States therefore should not appear on the ballot papers. The Assembly will now proceed to the selection of one country from among the Asia-Pacific States and one country from among the Latin American and Caribbean States that will be requested to propose a candidate to fill the vacancy in the Joint Inspection Unit. Before we begin the voting process, I should like to remind members that, pursuant to rule 88 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order on the actual conduct of the voting. In addition, ballot papers will be given only to the representative seated directly behind the country’s nameplate. We shall now begin the voting process. Members are requested to remain seated until all ballots have been collected. Ballot papers marked “A” and “B” will now be distributed. May I request representatives to write on the ballot papers the name of the States for which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked “A” for the Asia- Pacific States will be declared invalid if they contain more than one name. Ballot papers marked “B” for the Latin-American and Caribbean States will similarly be declared invalid if they contain more than one name. Ballot papers bearing the name of an individual will not be counted at all.

The result of the voting is as follows: Asia-Pacific States Number of ballot papers: 184 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 184 Abstentions: 1 Numbers of members present and voting: 183 Required simple majority: 92 Number of votes obtained: India 106 China 77 Latin American and Caribbean States Number of ballot papers: 184 Number of invalid ballots: 2 Number of valid ballots: 182 Abstentions: 4 Numbers of members present and voting: 178 Required simple majority: 90 Number of votes obtained: Haiti 96 Mexico 44 Plurinational State of Bolivia 37 Cuba 1

I thank members for their advice. I thank the tellers for their assistance. In accordance with article 3, paragraph 1, of the statute of the Joint Inspection Unit, the Gambia, Haiti, India, the Russian Federation and the United States of America will be requested to submit the names of candidates and the curricula vitae highlighting the candidate’s relevant qualifications for the tasks ahead. I would like to remind members that, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 59/267 of 23 December 2004, the candidates should have experience in at least one of the following fields: oversight, audit, inspection, investigation, evaluation, finance, project evaluation, programme evaluation, human resources management, management, public administration, monitoring and/or programme performance, as well as knowledge of the United Nations system and its role in international relations. After holding the appropriate consultations described in article 3, paragraph 2, of the statute of the Joint Inspection Unit, including consultations with the President of the Economic and Social Council and with the Secretary-General in his capacity as Chairman of the United Nations Chief Executives Board for Coordination, the President of the General Assembly will propose the names of the candidates to the Assembly for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit. We have thus concluded this stage of our consideration of sub-item (g) of agenda item 115. Organization of work The President (spoke in Arabic): I should like to consult members regarding an extension of the work of the Second Committee. Members will recall that at its 2nd plenary meeting, held on 16 September 2011, the General Assembly approved the recommendation of the General Committee that the Second Committee complete its work by Wednesday, 23 November 2011. However, I have been informed by the Chair of the Second Committee that, in order to facilitate the reaching of a consensus on the pending resolutions before the Committee, he requests the approval of the Assembly to move the last meeting of the Second Committee to 2 December 2011 from 23 November 2011. Unless I hear any objection, I shall take it that the General Assembly agrees to extend the work of the Second Committee until Friday, 2 December 2011.