A/72/PV.92 General Assembly

I now invite members, in accordance with rule 30 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, to proceed to the election of the President of the General Assembly for the seventy-second session. I should recall that, in accordance with paragraph 1 of the annex to resolution 33/138, of 19 December 1978, the President of the General Assembly at its seventy- third session should be elected from among the Latin American and Caribbean States. In that connection, I have been advised that the Chair of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States for the month of June 2017 has informed the Secretariat that Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés of Ecuador and Her Excellency Ms. Mary Elizabeth Flores Flake of Honduras are the two candidates for the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, the election shall be held by secret ballot and there shall be no nominations. Before we begin the voting process, I would 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. All those present are requested to kindly remain in their seats so that the voting process can proceed in an orderly manner. In accordance with resolution 71/323 of 8 September 2017, the names of the two candidates that have been communicated to the Secretariat, at least 48 hours prior to the election today, have been printed on the ballot papers. Also, an additional blank line corresponding to the number of vacant seats to be filled, in this case one, has been provided on the ballot papers for inscribing another name, as necessary. Representatives are requested to use only those ballot papers that have been distributed, and to put an X in the box next to the name of the candidate whom they wish to vote for or write the name of an individual from among the Latin American and Caribbean States on the blank line provided on the ballot paper. Ballot papers containing more than one name or containing only the name of a country will be declared invalid. If the box next to the name of a candidate is checked, the name of that candidate does not have to be repeated on the blank line. Ballot papers are now being distributed and the voting has therefore begun. Ballot papers will be given only to the person seated directly behind the country’s nameplate.

Before proceeding further, I request that members remain seated after the announcement of the result of the voting in order to enable the meeting to continue. There will be an opportunity for representatives to congratulate the President-elect in the Indonesian Lounge immediately following the adjournment of this meeting. The result of the voting is as follows: Number of ballot papers: 192 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 192 Abstentions: 2 Number of members voting: 190 Required simple majority: 96 Number of votes obtained: Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés (Ecuador) 128 Ms. Mary Elizabeth Flores Flake (Honduras) 62

I wholeheartedly congratulate Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés on her election as the next President of the General Assembly. She will be only the fourth woman to hold that position in the history of the United Nations. Frankly, four out of 73 is not a record to be proud of, but I am glad we are getting ourselves on track. The next few months will be critical as preparations begin for the seventy- third session. My door will always be open to the President-elect for support and advice. I congratulate her again and thank all delegations for helping to make this election the most transparent and inclusive yet. I now invite Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés of Ecuador, who has just been elected President of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session, to take the floor.

One of the most important aspects of the Charter of the United Nations is the possibility of deciding by universal vote on the person who will lead the work of this forum. The process that we are concluding today therefore represents a celebration, more than a competition, of the founding principles of our Organization. Accordingly, this vote has been an act that strengthens multilateralism. For that reason, all States win, because by strengthening the United Nations we are making progress in building up its pillars of peace and security, development and human rights for the benefit of our peoples and our common home, planet Earth. I deeply appreciate the vote of confidence that Member States have placed in Ecuador today to preside over the Assembly. I appreciate the very generous expressions of support and confidence from the countries of my beloved region of Latin America and the Caribbean and from every region of the world. I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your stewardship of the Assembly. For the first time in history, you have made it possible for us to hold an interactive dialogue with the candidates for the leadership of the Assembly at its next session. This election is therefore also another step in the process of the revitalization of the General Assembly. I want to express my special thanks to Ambassador Elizabeth Flores for her commitment to the Organization and to the General Assembly through her participation in this election process. Today, with the Assembly’s support, I become the fourth woman to be elected to this position in the 73 years of the existence of the United Nations. I will also be the first woman from Latin America and the Caribbean to preside over the Assembly. I hope that this parity will continue to make progress and that men and women alike will at last have the opportunity to address this forum equally, as I have the honour to do so today, thanks to the Assembly’s support. For that reason, I would like to dedicate this election to all the women in the world who are participating in politics today and who face political and media attacks marred by machismo and discrimination. I would like to pay a special tribute to the women who struggle every day to access jobs on equal terms; to the women and girls who are victims of violence; to the girls and adolescents who are demanding access to quality information and education. I will always be committed to them. I would like to thank the Ecuadorian people and our President, Lenin Moreno Garcés, for their confidence in proposing their Minister for Foreign Affairs to represent Ecuador in this distinguished position. President Moreno’s daily telephone calls to enable him to stay personally informed about the progress of my candidature, and his direct interest in the process, demonstrate his great commitment to and his love for Ecuador and multilateralism. My special thanks go to the team of the Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the United Nations and its Permanent Representative for their intense and committed work; to our ambassadors and foreign service personnel around the world, and to the Foreign Ministry team in Quito, who have been working in the past few weeks to mobilize the support that we achieved today for my candidature. I offered an open-door presidency and I will keep that promise. In addition, today I reiterate my commitment to acting as an impartial, objective and open facilitator. As many of those here know, in addition to being a politician, I am also a poet. As such, I am fully aware that no view is useful if we do not see, and no words have value if we do not listen. I will be ready to listen to all representatives and to work for them and with them. I want to assure delegations that I will promote every action within my reach so that the Assembly can play a central role in advancing towards the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals. I want to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your work, vision and ongoing effort during this period. I put my time and energy entirely at your disposal to work together with you in this period of transition in order to ensure continuity for your excellent work and results. It is an honour for me to have the challenge of succeeding you, and I hope that I will be able to rely on your experience throughout my term. As I mentioned in the interactive dialogue, the bodies of the United Nations must run like clockwork, like cogs in a single, well-oiled machine moving the Organization towards the objectives of its foundational Charter. I am sure, therefore, that I will work hand in hand with the Secretary-General to promote the reforms and processes that are necessary to strengthen the Organization. I would also like to congratulate the Secretary-General on his example of entrepreneurship and his courage in seeking to achieve the best results rather than the easiest. I pledge to support his initiatives, according to the mandate I receive from Member States. One of my greatest challenges will certainly be providing support to States in the implementation of the reforms of the United Nations system. We have the challenge of building a stronger and more efficient Organization. Strengthening multilateralism is not an option but an obligation. It is therefore urgent that the United Nations show the ability to respond to the main global challenges, and that the Organization be brought closer to the people, connecting its decisions directly to its beneficiaries, the citizens of the world. As I stated in this election process, therefore, each and every one of my actions will bear in mind the fact that the main recipients of our commitments and decisions are our peoples. We are working for them. Once again, I am deeply grateful to the Assembly for this appointment. Before the Assembly, I pledge to work for the common good and for the principles and pillars of our Organization. I pledge to abide by the code of ethics for the President of the General Assembly with absolute responsibility, and to strictly follow the precepts of the Charter of the United Nations and the Assembly’s rules of procedure.

I thank Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés of Ecuador, President-elect of the General Assembly. I now give the floor to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres.

Let me start by expressing my deep appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Miroslav Lajčák for his dedicated service and exceptional leadership as President of the General Assembly. This has been a productive session, underscored by last week’s milestone resolution 72/279 on the reform and repositioning of the United Nations development system.I look forward to continuing our close cooperation in the months ahead for the remainder of the Assembly’s seventy-second session. (spoke in Spanish) I now have the great pleasure of congratulating Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés of Ecuador. Her experience as Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Relations and Human Mobility, Minister of Defence and Minister for the Coordination of Cultural and Natural Heritage has enabled her to understand the importance of cooperation in addressing today’s global challenges. She was the first woman to be appointed Permanent Representative of Ecuador in New York. Before that, she was also Permanent Representative in Geneva, so she knows the Organization well. Her direct knowledge of the intergovernmental negotiations on human rights, women, indigenous people and climate change will help the General Assembly to advance the agenda of the United Nations during the upcoming seventy-third session. (spoke in English) Beyond these admirable professional and personal qualities, I welcome this choice for another reason. It has been more than a decade since a woman has served as President of the General Assembly, when Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa of Bahrain was President at its sixty-first session. We have to go back decades further to find the other two women to have occupied the post — Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit of India for the eighth session and Angie Brooks of Liberia for the twenty- fourth. I believe, as the President said, that we can and must do better than a record of four women in 73 years and only two in the past half century. No woman from my own continent, from Western or Eastern Europe, has ever held the job. May today’s choice pave the way for accelerating progress towards gender equality within and beyond the United Nations. I am sure that today’s decision will also lead to valuable contributions from Latin America and the Caribbean, building on the region’s solid record of action at the United Nations. The world is facing urgent and complex challenges, from churning conflicts to rising inequality and the deepening impacts of climate change. The Assembly, the global town hall, has a vital role to play in debating the issues and, most of all, in delivering solutions that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. In pursuing our shared goals, we need a United Nations that is up to the task. In that regard, I welcome the ongoing work on the revitalization of the General Assembly. The Secretariat stands ready to support and assist Member States as necessary. I also want to express my deep appreciation to Ms. Mary Elizabeth Flores Flake. (spoke in Spanish) Her candidature was an important contribution to the life of the United Nations and the Assembly, and I would like to pay tribute and express my admiration to her. (spoke in English) We wish the President-elect the greatest possible success and all the best, and look forward to working with her when she takes up her duties in September.

I thank the Secretary-General for his statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Mauritius, who will speak on behalf of the Group of African States.

It is a great honour and privilege for me to address the Assembly on behalf of the Group of African States on the occasion of the election of the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session, and to offer our heartfelt congratulations to Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador, on her brilliant election to lead the Assembly at its the seventy-third session. We also sincerely congratulate the Government of Ecuador on this important achievement. Today’s election is of historic significance for two key reasons. It is the first time in 12 years that a woman has emerged once again as President of the General Assembly. Secondly, for the first time we have had two very competent female candidates running for this high office. I agree with what Ms. Espinosa Garcés just said about the fact that this is not a competition but rather a celebration of the women’s agenda. It is our ardent hope that this has ushered in a real era of equitable gender representation as a norm rather than an exception in the United Nations system, especially at this level. The African Group welcomes the election of Ms. Espinosa as a positive development, particularly at this crucial juncture in the United Nations reform agenda, when a strong and action-oriented General Assembly with the capacity to deliver on its mandate is absolutely indispensable. We are encouraged by her wealth of experience and sound vision, one that is clearly aligned with African priorities. Her personal involvement in matters pertaining to sustainable development, climate change and peace and security at the multilateral level, as well as her added experience as her country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, are all invaluable assets that will guide her in steering the work of this body. Indeed, much rests on the shoulders of the President of the General Assembly and much remains to be done if Member States are to successfully implement the commitments undertaken in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Climate Change Agreement, just to name a few. I would like to take this opportunity to express the African Group’s gratitude to you, President Lajčák, for your excellent work as the current President of the General Assembly. We especially recognize your series of morning dialogues as a useful platform for discussing many wide-ranging issues. It is our hope that this initiative will continue as we transition into the seventy- third session. We also salute your personal commitment to the negotiations leading to the global compact on migration, and we look forward to its conclusion and adoption next month. Similarly, the successful high- level meeting on peacebuilding and sustaining peace and the youth dialogue have further enhanced the role of the General Assembly. We are confident that the recommendations from those meetings will lead to concrete actions in the future. Another hallmark of your presidency was the launch of the second International Decade for Action on water, under the theme “Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028”. Such initiatives have given added impetus to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing focused narratives, attracting partnerships and increasing the level of sensitization on what needs to be done for countries to achieve their goals. As we look to the future, we remain optimistic that our consistent call for an efficient, transparent, inclusive and result-oriented General Assembly will not go unheeded. These are challenging times for multilateralism, and as a Group we feel duty bound to do as much as possible to preserve and strengthen the institution that brings the whole world together in a bid to preserve peace and security and provide sustainable development for all. The African Group appreciates the commitment of the President-elect to bringing the United Nations closer to the people and improving synergies in the United Nations system. We further note her wish to maintain an open-door presidency. Her focus areas during her presidency on SDG 4, quality education; SDG 8, decent work and economic growth; SDG 10, reduced inequalities; SDG 13, climate action; and SDG 16, peace, justice and strong institutions; as well as SDG 17, partnerships for the Goals, are all issues of high importance and we are pleased that they are very much aligned with African priorities set out in Agenda 2063, the strategic framework for our continent’s socioeconomic development. In the same vein, we should redouble our effort to mitigate the impact of climate change on the environment and ensure that we fulfil our commitments to implementing measures to combat this man-made scourge. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that the planet we leave behind is a healthy, productive and sustainable home for future generations. We all agree that much must be done, and that is not likely to happen unless additional resources are mobilized. We count on the leadership of the President- elect to bring this important matter to the fore during her mandate. We are also encouraged by her desire to work with regional organizations on various matters, including peace and security, as well as her commitment to working in an inclusive and constructive way, among other things by fostering dialogue and friendly relations with countries based on the observance of international law and the principle of equal rights. We are confident that she will build on the good work of her predecessors and take the Office of the President of the General Assembly to new heights. She can rest assured that she will have the full collaboration and support of the African Group in that venture. I would like to convey to her our best wishes, on behalf of the African Group and in my national capacity, for a very successful presidency.

I now give the floor to the representative of Palau, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Asia-Pacific States.

I have the honour and privilege of addressing the General Assembly today on behalf of the Group of Asia-Pacific States. We would like to offer our sincere congratulations to Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés on her election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. While I am proud, as a woman speaking on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Group, to congratulate her, it was especially gratifying to see that this year gender was not an issue in the election when we were asked to choose the person for the post. The position of President of the General Assembly is not only prominent and prestigious but also requires committed leadership. We have no doubt that the President-elect will steer this most important forum for multilateralism in a unique and effective way to meet the challenges of the complex modern world we live in. The Asia-Pacific Group stands ready to support her to ensure that we remain united in our efforts to find solutions to the global challenges that lie ahead, especially on the road towards full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, while leaving no one behind. The 2030 Agenda and many of the other landmark agreements and resolutions adopted in this Hall are a testament to what the General Assembly can do when we put away our differences and raise a united voice to act decisively together as a global community. The Presidents of the General Assembly discharge one of its most important mandates when they ensure that global matters of concern to the international community, including global governance, are suitably addressed in this parliament of nations. In that regard, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to President Lajčák for the outstanding work he has done in strengthening the role, authority, effectiveness and efficiency of the General Assembly. In addition, I would like to recognize specific initiatives under his tenure, on financing for the Sustainable Development Goals; on health issues, such as tuberculosis and non-communicable diseases; on water and on young people, among other things. Every year since the first President of the General Assembly took office, we have worked as a global family, in an inclusive and transparent manner, to advance the cause of international peace and prosperity, with the voices of all heard equally, big or small. We must continue to lead by example by promoting geographic diversity and striving to attain a healthy environment for future generations. The revitalization process is well under way, and we look forward to finding innovative ways together to support and strengthen the Office of the President. In that regard, we celebrate Ms. Espinosa’s focus on dialogue and the strengthening of multilateralism as a catalyst for the well-being of all and for a sustainable planet. We are ready to work with her. In conclusion, the Asia-Pacific Group stands together in support of the President-elect and wishes her a successful journey leading the 193 States Members of the United Nations during the coming seventy- third session. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge that today is World Environment Day. As we say in my country, our environment is our responsibility. We look forward to working with the President-elect to advance sustainable development and environmental protection for all our peoples.

I now give the floor to the representative of Croatia, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States.

It is my privilege to address the General Assembly on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States and to offer our warmest congratulations to Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés of Ecuador on her election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. Let me express our sincere satisfaction that for only the fourth time in the history of the Organization, the General Assembly will have a female President, which further strengthens our joint commitment to achieving gender parity within the United Nations system and beyond. The incoming President’s extensive diplomatic career makes us confident of her ability to steer the work of the General Assembly during its next session. Apart from currently serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ecuador and before that as its Minister of Defence, Ms. Espinosa Garcés has broad experience in the multilateral arena, having served as her country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in both New York and Geneva, which has undoubtedly given her excellent insight into the most relevant issues on the General Assembly agenda. We are looking forward to actively engaging with the President-elect on the wide range of issues before us as we continue our efforts to successfully implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, pursue various reform initiatives within the United Nations system, and address other matters of global importance such as migration, gender equality and environmental protection. I would also like to take this opportunity to express the gratitude of the members of the Group of Eastern European States to you, Mr. President, for your excellent work and dedication during the Assembly’s seventy-second session. You can count on the full support of the members of the Eastern European Group in the remaining months of your tenure as President, and I wish you every success in your future endeavours. Let me conclude by once again conveying the full support of the members of the Group of Eastern European States to the President-elect and wishing her all the best in presiding over the General Assembly at its seventy-third session.

I now give the floor to the representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

It is an honour for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) in extending our warm congratulations to Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, a citizen from our region, on her election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. We believe firmly that Ms. Espinosa’s diplomatic skills and extensive experience in the multilateral arena will be of great value as she steers the work of the General Assembly. In that regard, we are pleased and proud to note that Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés will become not only the fourth woman to be elected to this post in 73 years, but also the first woman from our region to preside over the Organization’s most democratic and representative body. Furthermore, the members of GRULAC consider that her election will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening the role and authority of this principal organ, particularly in addressing agenda items related to international peace and security, sustainable development, international cooperation and human rights, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Ms. Espinosa can rest assured that she can count on the full support, cooperation and willingness of GRULAC as she discharges her mandate during the forthcoming seventy-third session of the General Assembly. Finally, Mr. President, GRULAC would like to express its deep appreciation for the efficacy with which you carried out your mandate as President of the Assembly at its seventy-second session.

I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Western European and other States.

On behalf of the Group of Western European and other States, I would like to extend our sincere congratulations to Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés on her election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. As the current Minister for Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador, she brings to the office a wealth of relevant experience following an impressive and distinguished career in Government and diplomacy. She will undoubtedly make full use of her extensive skills and knowledge to lead the General Assembly capably and efficiently. We look forward to working under her leadership during the seventy-third session of the General Assembly, where further progress in the establishment of a culture of sustaining peace, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, our collective response to climate change, the promotion and protection of human rights, the reforms of the United Nations and the compacts for refugees and migrants will be among the core subjects. Today’s election is also a long-overdue expression of our collective commitment to the empowerment of women. Only three women have ever served as President of the General Assembly so far. Gender equality and the full and meaningful participation of women are essential to our common endeavours to achieve peace and security, promote and protect human rights and foster sustainable development. We are pleased and proud that a woman will finally lead the Assembly once again. We wish the President-elect every success, and she can rely on the full support of the Group of Western European and other States. Finally, we would like to express to you, Mr. President, our deep appreciation for your excellent work throughout the Assembly’s current session. Your unwavering commitment and leadership — particularly the emphasis you placed on sustaining peace, international migration, human rights, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the reforms of the United Nations — has helped us to focus our joint efforts and make meaningful headway. We look forward to working with you during the remaining months of your term of office.

I would like to remind members that, in accordance with resolution 70/305, of 13 September 2016, the President-elect of the General Assembly will take an oath of office at the moment of handing over the gavel in the final plenary meeting of the seventy- second session. I would also like to remind members that there will be an opportunity for representatives to congratulate the President-elect in the Indonesian Lounge immediately following the adjournment of this meeting. We have thus concluded our consideration of agenda item 4. Drawing of lots for the seating protocol for the seventy-third regular session

As announced in the Journal of the United Nations, we will now proceed to the drawing of lots to determine the Member State that will occupy the first seat in the General Assembly Hall at the seventy- third session. In accordance with the established practice, the Secretary-General draws the name of one Member State from a box containing the names of the States members of the General Assembly. The delegation whose name has been drawn will occupy the first seat in the General Assembly Hall, and the other countries will follow in English alphabetical order. The same order will be observed in the Main Committees. I now invite the Secretary-General to proceed with the drawing of lots.

I should now like to consult members with a view to proceeding to the election of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. In accordance with rule 30 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, “The Vice-Presidents shall be elected after the election of the Chairmen of the six Main Committees referred to in rule 98, in such a way as to ensure the representative character of the General Committee”. It is my understanding that since the elections of the Chairpersons of the Main Committees will conform with decision 68/505, of 1 October 2013, on the “Interim arrangement on the pattern for the rotation of the chairs of the Main Committees of the General Assembly”, it will not have an impact on the geographical distribution of the Vice-Presidents of the Assembly and the representative character of the General Committee. May I take it that the General Assembly therefore agrees to proceed to elect the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly?

In accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3 of the annex to resolution 33/138, of 19 December 1978, the 21 Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session shall be elected according to the following pattern: six representatives from African States; five representatives from Asia-Pacific States; one representative from an Eastern European State; two representatives from Latin American and Caribbean States; two representatives from Western European and other States; and five representatives of the permanent members of the Security Council. In accordance with paragraph 16 of General Assembly decision 34/401, the election of the Vice-Presidents of the Assembly by secret ballot will be dispensed with when the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled. We shall proceed accordingly. I shall now read out the names of the slate of candidates: African States: Algeria, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Gambia, Namibia and the Sudan Asia-Pacific States: Cambodia, Cyprus, Iraq, Japan and Qatar Eastern European States: Ukraine Latin American and Caribbean States: Guyana and Panama Western European and other States: San Marino and Spain Since the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled in each region, I declare those candidates elected, in addition to the five representatives of the permanent members of the Security Council. The following States have therefore been elected to vice-presidencies of the General Assembly for the seventy-third session: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, the Gambia, Guyana, Iraq, Japan, Namibia, Panama, Qatar, the Russian Federation, San Marino, Spain, the Sudan, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the States that have just been elected Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. I wish to inform members that immediately after the adjournment of this meeting, consecutive meetings of the First Committee, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) and the Second, Third, Fifth, and Sixth Committees will be held in this Hall to elect their respective Bureau members. I also wish to remind members that after the election of the Chairpersons of the six Main Committees, the General Committee of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session will then be fully constituted in accordance with rule 38 of the rules of procedure.