A/68/PV.85 General Assembly

The Assembly now has before it a report of the Fifth Committee on sub-item (b) of agenda item 116, entitled “Appointment of members of the Committee on Contributions” (A/68/558/Add.2). In order for the Assembly to consider the report of the Fifth Committee under the sub-item, it will be necessary to reopen the Assembly’s consideration of that sub-item. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to reopen consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 116 and to proceed immediately to its consideration?

In paragraph 3 of the report, the Fifth Committee recommends that the General Assembly appoint Mr. Fu Daopeng of China and Mr. Kunal Khatri of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as members of the Committee on Contributions *1433143* 14-33143 (E) for a term of office beginning on 13 May 2014 and ending on 31 December 2014. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to appoint Mr. Fu Daopeng of China and Mr. Kunal Khatri of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as members of the Committee on Contributions for a term of office beginning on 13 May 2014 and ending on 31 December 2014?

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 116?

The Assembly will now resume its consideration of agenda item 118, Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit, to take action on a draft resolution entitled “Scope and modalities of the comprehensive review and assessment of the progress achieved in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases”, issued as document A/68/L.45. Members will recall that the Assembly held a debate on agenda item 118 jointly with agenda item 14 and agenda item 125 at its 54th plenary meeting on 20 November 2013. We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/68/L.45. I give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

In connection with draft resolution A/68/L.45, entitled “Scope and modalities of the comprehensive review and assessment of the progress achieved in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases”, I wish to put on record the following statement of financial implications on behalf of the Secretary-General in accordance with rule 153 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly. Under the terms of paragraphs 1 and 10 of draft resolution A/68/L.45, the Assembly would decide to convene a high-level meeting to undertake the comprehensive review and assessment on 10 and 11 July 2014, consisting of an opening plenary meeting, on 10 July 2014, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by plenary meetings from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and two consecutive round tables on 11 July 2014, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by a closing plenary meeting, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.; request the President of the General Assembly, no later than June 2014 and in consultation with representatives of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, civil society organizations, the private sector and academia, to hold an informal interactive hearing with non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, the private sector and academia to provide input to the comprehensive review and assessment. Pursuant to the request contained in paragraph 1 of the draft resolution, it is envisaged that the plenary meetings and the round tables at the high-level meeting will comprise a total of four meetings, with interpretation in all six languages, and that no parallel meetings will take place. On that basis, interpretation services for the four meetings will be provided using the meeting entitlement of the General Assembly. Those meetings will not constitute additions to the meetings work-load of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management. With regard to the request contained in paragraph 10 of the draft resolution, the informal interactive hearing will use the meeting entitlement of the General Assembly on the understanding that there will be no parallel meetings of the General Assembly. The date of the informal interactive hearing will have to be determined in consultation with the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management. Therefore, the informal interactive hearing would not constitute an addition to the meeting workload of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management. Accordingly, should the General Assembly adopt draft resolution A/68/L.45, no additional requirements would arise under the programme budget for biennium 2014-2015.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/68/L.45, entitled “Scope and modalities of the comprehensive review and assessment of the progress achieved in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases”. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to adopt it?

I give the floor to the observer of the European Union.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. We would like to extend our thanks and deep appreciation to Ambassador Frankinet, Permanent Representative of Belgium, and Ambassador Rattray, Permanent Representative of Jamaica, for their tireless efforts in facilitating the discussions on resolution 68/271 and their outstanding work in conducting the consultations openly and transparently. First, the EU and its member States unambiguously reaffirm their commitment to the implementation of the 2011 Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases (resolution 66/2). We stress the importance we attach to the prevention and control, including monitoring, of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which constitute one of the major challenges of the disease burden of both developing and developed countries in the twenty-first century. We look forward to being an active and constructive partner in taking the NCD agenda further, including during the upcoming comprehensive review and assessment in July. Engaging with relevant non-State actors, including non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and business, is expected to encourage and promote the contributions of partners to addressing the NCD burden. Therefore, in discussing this modalities resolution, we reiterated the importance of ensuring the full participation of relevant non-State actors in the review and of providing transparency in the way they would be allowed to participate in the high-level meeting of the General Assembly. We firmly believe that maintaining a strong and open dialogue with genuine and relevant non-State actors is important to the success of the high- level review of NCDs. That is why we consistently defended, throughout the consultations on the draft resolution — as we have in other instances — that the process of admitting non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and business to participate in the round tables should be completely transparent and allow for the full involvement of the General Assembly. Therefore, our interpretation of paragraph 7 of the resolution is that within the General Assembly, Member States will be able to examine and challenge possible objections made by other States to the presence of non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and the private sector in an open and transparent fashion. The EU and its member States remain strongly committed to ensuring an improved, more open and transparent process for the participation of those actors in relevant United Nations meetings. We will continue to actively engage in debates on non-communicable diseases and look forward to a successful and fully inclusive review in July.

I give the floor to the representative of Brazil.

I congratulate the facilitators, Ambassadors Bénédicte Frankinet of Belgium and Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica, for their successful efforts in bringing to a conclusion resolution 68/271, entitled “Scope and modalities of the comprehensive review and assessment of the progress achieved in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases”. I also thank the delegation of Trinidad and Tobago for its coordination on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and all members for their constructive contributions. Considering the time spent on the issue and its relevance to consensus, it is important to recall that the rules of procedure of the General Assembly will apply to the review process on non-communicable diseases. On that particular issue, I wish to put on record in the minutes of the meeting the following clarification from the Head of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management, in a communication to the facilitators. “I am writing in response to your request made in your capacity as co-facilitators with reference to the text of the draft resolution, entitled ‘Scope and modalities of the comprehensive review and assessment of the progress achieved in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases’, that was shared with the Secretariat of the General Assembly on 30 April 2014. “In paragraph 1 of the draft text, the Assembly would decide to convene a high-level meeting on 10 and 11 July 2014, consisting of plenary meetings and panel discussions. I should like to confirm that the aforementioned meetings are meetings of the General Assembly, and therefore the rules of procedure of the Assembly will apply. Consequently, the established practice of the Assembly would also be adhered to in relation to the conduct of the meeting, as is the case for all meetings of the General Assembly.” Brazil is committed to the fight against non-communicable diseases and as Member States prepare to negotiate the draft outcome document of the high-level meeting, I assure the Assembly of my delegation’s constructive engagement.

Permit me to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the facilitators — the Permanent Representative of Belgium and the Permanent Representative of Jamaica — who so ably and patiently conducted the discussions and complex negotiations in the informal consultations, and to all Member States for their valuable contributions to the successful completion of resolution 68/271. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 118.