A/73/PV.62 General Assembly

Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018 — Session 73, Meeting 62 — New York — UN Document ↗

The meeting was called to order at 10.05 a.m.
Vote: A/RES/73/253 Recorded Vote
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✓ Yes (185)
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Reports of the Sixth Committee

The President [Spanish] #86674
The General Assembly will consider the reports of the Sixth Committee on agenda items 79 to 87, 90 and 91, 111, 123, 137, 167 and 169 to 178. I request the Rapporteur of the Sixth Committee, Ms. Nadia Alexandra Kalb of Austria, to introduce the reports of the Committee in one intervention. Ms. Kalb (Austria), Rapporteur of the Sixth Committee: I have the honour to present the reports of the Sixth Committee on its work during the seventy- third session of the General Assembly. The Assembly allocated to the Committee 24 substantive and three procedural agenda items, most of which fall under three of the headings corresponding to the priorities of the Organization, namely, “Promotion of justice and international law”, “Drug control, crime prevention and combating international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” and “Organizational, administrative and other matters”. Under the first heading, “Promotion of justice and international law”, the Sixth Committee considered 11 agenda items and adopted 16 draft resolutions recommended to the General Assembly for adoption. The report on agenda item 79, “Criminal accountability of United Nations officials and experts on mission”, is contained in document A/73/549, and the draft resolution recommended to the General Assembly for adoption is reproduced in paragraph 9 thereof. The report on agenda item 80, entitled “Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its fifty-first session”, is contained in document A/73/496, and the four draft resolutions recommended to the Assembly for adoption are reproduced in paragraph 14 thereof. The report on agenda item 81, entitled “United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law”, is contained in document A/73/557. The report on agenda item 82, entitled “Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its seventieth session”, is contained in document A/73/556, and the three draft resolutions recommended to the Assembly for adoption are reproduced in paragraph 12: draft resolution I, entitled, “Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its seventieth session”; draft resolution II, entitled “Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties”; and draft resolution III, entitled “Identification of customary international law”. The report on agenda item 83, entitled “Status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and relating to the protection of victims of armed conflicts”, is contained in document A/73/555. The report on agenda item 84, entitled “Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives”, is contained in document A/73/554. The report on agenda item 85, entitled “Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization”, is contained in document A/73/486. The report on agenda item 86, entitled “The rule of law at the national and international levels”, is contained in document A/73/553. The report on agenda item 87, entitled “The scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction”, is contained in document A/73/550. The report on agenda item 90, entitled “Protection of persons in the event of disasters”, is contained in document A/73/558. The report on agenda item 91, entitled “Strengthening and promoting the international treaty framework”, is contained in document A/73/560. Under the terms of the draft resolution, which is reproduced in paragraph 7 of the report, the Assembly would amend the regulations to give effect to Article 102 of the Charter. I shall now turn to the heading “Drug control, crime prevention and combating international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”, under which the Sixth Committee considered agenda item 111, entitled “Measures to eliminate international terrorism”. The relevant report is contained in document A/73/551, and the draft resolution is reproduced in paragraph 9 thereof. Under the third and final heading, “Organizational, administrative and other matters”, the Sixth Committee considered 12 substantive and two procedural items. Agenda item 147, entitled “Administration of justice at the United Nations”, was allocated to the Fifth and Sixth Committees. The views of the Sixth Committee on that item were transmitted to the Fifth Committee through a letter from the President of the General Assembly dated 13 November 2018 and annexed to document A/C.5/73/11. The report on agenda item 167, entitled “Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country”, is contained in document A/73/552. Furthermore, the Sixth Committee considered 10 requests for observer status in the General Assembly. It recommended that the Assembly grant observer status to the New Development Bank, under agenda item 174; the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, under agenda item 175; the European Public Law Organization, under agenda item 176; the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, under agenda item 177; and the International Think Tank for Landlocked Developing Countries, under agenda item 178. The reports concerning those requests are found in documents A/73/463, A/73/465, A/73/462, A/73/464 and A/73/466, respectively. The Committee further recommended that the Assembly defer to the seventy-fourth session a decision on the requests for observer status in the General Assembly for the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States, under agenda item 169; the Eurasian Economic Union, under agenda item 170; the Community of Democracies, under agenda item 171; the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Secretariat, under agenda item 172; and the Global Environment Facility, under agenda item 173. The reports on those requests are contained in documents A/73/433, A/73/434, A/73/467, A/73/436 and A/73/435, respectively. Concerning the two procedural items — agenda item 123, entitled “Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly”, and agenda item 137, entitled “Programme planning” — the report under agenda item 123, which contains the provisional programme of work of the Sixth Committee for the seventy-fourth session, is to be found in document A/73/559, while the report on programme planning is contained in document A/73/563, and no further action by the Assembly is required. The draft resolutions and the draft decisions relating to the agenda items under all three headings were adopted by the Sixth Committee without a vote, and it is my hope that the General Assembly will be in a position to do the same. Finally, I wish to inform the Assembly that there is no report in respect of agenda item 5, entitled “Election of the officers of the Main Committees”. Consistent with previous practice, the election of the officers of the Sixth Committee for the seventy-fourth session will be taken up at a later stage in the course of the current session. That concludes my introduction of the reports of the Sixth Committee. Let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the Chair of the Sixth Committee, Ambassador Michel Xavier Biang of Gabon, for his dedicated work and the commendable leadership he provided to the Committee, as well as the other members of the Bureau, Ms. Maria Angela Ponce of the Philippines, Mrs. Barbara Kremžar of Slovenia and Mr. Patrick Luna of Brazil, for their cooperation and friendship. I also wish to thank all representatives and colleagues for their valuable contributions to the success of the session. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the secretariat of the Sixth Committee and to the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs for its efficient and valuable support and for the competent and professional advice provided throughout the session.
The President [Spanish] #86675
I thank the Rapporteur of the Sixth Committee. The positions of delegations regarding the recommendations of the Sixth Committee have been made clear in the Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records. Therefore, 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 Sixth Committee that are before the Assembly today.

80.  Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its fifty- first session Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/496)

Vote: 31/37 Consensus

82.  Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its seventieth session Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/556)

Vote: 32/413 Consensus

26.  Agriculture development, food security and nutrition Report of the Second Committee (A/73/544)

Vote: 31/37 Consensus
It was so decided.

20.  Sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538)

Vote: 31/37 Recorded Vote
✓ 166   ✗ 7   7 abs.
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✓ Yes (166)
The President [Spanish] #86676
Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote or position. 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. May I also remind delegations that explanations are limited to 10 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 Sixth 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 otherwise in advance. I therefore hope that we may proceed to adopt without a vote those recommendations that were adopted without a vote in the Committee. 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.

24.  Eradication of poverty and other development issues Report of the Second Committee (A/73/542)

Vote: 31/37 Recorded Vote
✓ 133   ✗ 48   2 abs.
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✓ Yes (133)

79.  Criminal accountability of United Nations officials and experts on mission Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/549)

The President [Spanish] #86677
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
Vote: 32/413 Consensus
Vote: 31/100 Consensus
Vote: 32/413 Consensus
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/196).

75.  Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance (b) Assistance to the Palestinian people

Vote: 73/256 Consensus
The President [Spanish] #86678
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 79?
Vote: 32/413 Recorded Vote
✓ 153   ✗ 25   5 abs.
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✓ Yes (153)
It was so decided.
Vote: 31/100 Consensus
Vote: 31/100 Consensus
The President [Spanish] #86679
The Assembly has before it four draft resolutions recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 14 of its report. We first turn to draft resolution I, entitled “Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its fifty-first session”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 73/197).
The President [Spanish] #86680
We now turn to draft resolution II, entitled “United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Vote: 32/95 Consensus
Draft resolution II was adopted (resolution 73/198).
The President [Spanish] #86681
We now turn to draft resolution III, entitled “Model Law on International Commercial Mediation and International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution III was adopted (resolution 73/199).
Vote: 32/95 Recorded Vote
✓ 185   ✗ 1   1 abs.
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✓ Yes (185)
The President [Spanish] #86682
We now turn to draft resolution IV, entitled “Model Law on Recognition and Enforcement of Insolvency-Related Judgments of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution IV was adopted (resolution 73/200).
The President [Spanish] #86683
I now give the floor to the representative of Singapore, who has asked to speak in explanation of position.
Mr. Khng SGP Singapore #86684
Singapore would like to take this opportunity to express its appreciation to Member States for their support for resolution 73/198, entitled “United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation”, which adopts the Convention and authorizes a ceremony in Singapore on 7 August 2019 for the Convention’s opening for signature. We commend the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law for its recent work on mediation. The Convention provides a uniform and efficient framework for the enforcement of international settlement agreements resulting from mediation and for allowing parties to invoke such agreements, and the amended Model Law, contained in resolution 73/199, seeks to harmonize the legal frameworks in this area. We believe that both instruments will facilitate the growth of international commerce, to the benefit of the global economy. Singapore is honoured to be associated with the Convention. We look forward to welcoming delegations to Singapore in August next year to be among the first signatories of the Convention and to participate in the events that will be organized in conjunction with the signing ceremony.
The President [Spanish] #86685
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 80?
It was so decided.

81.  United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/557)

The President [Spanish] #86686
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I consider that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/201).
The President [Spanish] #86687
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 81?
It was so decided.
The President [Spanish] #86688
The Assembly has before it three draft resolutions recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 12 of its report. Before proceeding further, I should like to inform members that action on draft resolution I, entitled “Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its seventieth session”, is postponed to a later date to allow time for the review of its programme budget implications by the Fifth Committee. The Assembly will take action on draft resolution I as soon as the report of the Fifth Committee on its programme budget implications is available. We therefore first turn to draft resolution II, entitled “Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution II was adopted (resolution 73/202).
The President [Spanish] #86689
We now turn to draft resolution III, entitled “Identification of customary international law”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution III was adopted (resolution 73/203).
The President [Spanish] #86690
The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 82.

83.  Status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and relating to the protection of victims of armed conflicts Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/555)

The President [Spanish] #86691
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I consider that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/204).
The President [Spanish] #86692
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 83?
It was so decided.

84.  Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/554)

The President [Spanish] #86693
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/205).
The President [Spanish] #86694
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 84?
It was so decided.

85.  Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/486)

The President [Spanish] #86695
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/206).
The President [Spanish] #86696
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 85?
It was so decided.

86.  The rule of law at the national and international levels Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/553)

The President [Spanish] #86697
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/207).
The President [Spanish] #86698
I now give the floor to the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic, who has asked to speak in explanation of position.
Mr. Al Arsan SYR Syrian Arab Republic [Arabic] #86699
My country’s delegation would like once again to express its reservations about paragraph 3 of resolution 73/207, which has just been adopted, and dissociates itself from the consensus on that paragraph, given that it refers to a report of the Secretary-General contained in document A/73/253. The basis for our reservations is paragraph 63 of the Secretary-General’s report, which falls under sub-heading II.C.2.(iv), “Other international accountability mechanisms”. Syria believes that the content of that paragraph is inappropriate and unbalanced in view of the fact that the General Assembly is determined to promote the so-called International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011. In that regard, I would like to reiterate previous statements I have made here at the General Assembly explaining that the Syrian Arab Republic’s position on the Mechanism can in no way be interpreted as Syria’s acceptance or recognition of it, its mandate or its illegitimate activities. Two years after that illegitimate Mechanism’s establishment through a non-consensus General Assembly resolution (resolution 71/248), Syria remains entirely confident that our political and legal position with regard to the Mechanism is correct and credible. Its establishment was a violation of the Charter of the United Nations. It constituted an act of aggression against the competencies and mandate of the Security Council and was an example of the politicization of the work of the General Assembly. Today I should emphasize and point out to the members of the General Assembly, who are entrusted with upholding justice, international law and the Charter, that the Secretariat and the Office for Legal Affairs, along with those Member States that, sadly, have promoted this illegitimate Mechanism, have been unable for two years to respond to any of the legal arguments set forth in our frequent communications to them about it. I refer in particular to the communications from the Syrian Permanent Mission contained in documents A/73/562, A/72/106 and A/71/799, which categorically and unquestionably show that the so-called Mechanism is merely a distorted and illegitimate body that was dead on arrival and still is. The Mechanism cannot legally be considered a subsidiary body created by the General Assembly or one with legal status. Because the Mechanism cannot conclude agreements with Member States or other entities, the United Nations cannot accept voluntary contributions or make budgetary allocations to support the Mechanism’s work. Moreover, any information or evidence collected by the Mechanism, and subsequently saved and analysed outside of Syrian territory, is null and void. It therefore cannot be used in future in any legal or legislative proceedings. In conclusion, I urge members to carefully read the legal analysis of the Mechanism prepared and submitted by the Syrian Arab Republic entitled “Wrongful Acts Can’t Be Promoted or Legalized”, which is annexed to a letter addressed to the Secretary-General (A/73/562).
The President [Spanish] #86700
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 86?
It was so decided.

87.  The scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/550)

The President [Spanish] #86701
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/208).
The President #86702
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 87?
It was so decided.

90.  Protection of persons in the event of disasters Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/558)

The President [Spanish] #86703
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/209).
The President #86704
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 90?
It was so decided.

91.  Strengthening and promoting the international treaty framework Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/560)

The President [Spanish] #86705
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/210).
The President #86706
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 91?
It was so decided.

111.  Measures to eliminate international terrorism Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/551)

The President [Spanish] #86707
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/211).
The President #86708
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 111?
It was so decided.

123.  Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/559)

The President [Spanish] #86709
The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 6 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision, entitled “Provisional programme of work of the Sixth Committee for the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted (decision 73/532).
The President [Spanish] #86710
The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 123.

137.  Programme planning Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/563)

The President #86711
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Sixth Committee? It was so decided (decision 73/533).
The President [Spanish] #86712
The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 137.

167.  Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/552)

The President [Spanish] #86713
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/212).
The President [Spanish] #86714
I shall now call on those representatives who wish to speak in explanation of position.
Mr. Musikhin RUS Russian Federation [Russian] #86715
The Russian delegation supported resolution 73/212 but would nevertheless like to comment on paragraph 12, in which the General Assembly expresses “its appreciation for the efforts made by the host country, and expects that the issues raised at the meetings of the Committee will be resolved in a spirit of cooperation and in accordance with international law, including the Headquarters Agreement”. The Russian delegation fully supports the part of that paragraph that calls on the host country to abide by its international legal obligations, which is particularly relevant given the current disastrous state of affairs with regard to the issue. The United States authorities have embarked on a course of broadly violating their obligations under the Headquarters Agreement and other relevant international treaties, including the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, as well as the decisions of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country and the relevant General Assembly resolutions on the agenda item under consideration today. The tone and content of the resolution have become more strident this year. The host country is urged to cease its ongoing illegal actions. Unfortunately, we see no willingness on the part of United States authorities to respond to the calls of the General Assembly. Among other things, that is demonstrated by the ongoing restrictions applied to part of the premises of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation, referred to in paragraph 3, and the long-standing discriminatory attitude to a number of delegations, culminating in the imposition of a 25-mile restrictive zone that limits the movement of diplomats and of deliberate visa restrictions for Mission personnel and, just recently, for staff members in the Secretariat. Those all-encompassing violations now affect a number of permanent missions and citizens of countries working in the Secretariat. These discriminatory measures are being imposed on States whose independent positions are not to the liking of Washington. However, it is clear that no one is immune to such illegal measures. Against that background, I am certain that all will agree that the Assembly’s expression of “appreciation” in paragraph 12 is ridiculous. The Russian delegation cannot agree with such language and dissociates itself from the consensus on paragraph 12 of resolution 73/212.
Mr. Al Arsan SYR Syrian Arab Republic [Arabic] #86716
My country’s delegation would also like to express its reservation with regard to, and dissociation from, the consensus on paragraph 12 of resolution 73/212, just adopted. The reason for our reservation and dissociation is that we want to be in line with the positions that we have always maintained under this agenda item, whether at the frequent meetings of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country or during meetings of the Sixth Committee. We still firmly believe that the reactions of the host country on the issues of implementing the relevant General Assembly resolutions, its commitment to the recommendations of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country and its respect for international law, including the Headquarters Agreement, do not in general suggest that the future looks bright for the straightforward implementation of those resolutions, recommendations and conventions. Despite our deep appreciation for the administration of the City of New York and its employees, and for the efforts of the personnel of the Permanent Mission of the United States of America to the United Nations aimed at addressing the concerns, requests and issues referred to them, we continue to believe that the problem is not here in New York. Rather, it comes from politicized decisions and punitive restrictions from the host Government, which seeks to punish certain permanent missions and United Nations staff of particular nationalities as a result of political disagreements between the United States Government and the Governments of other countries. Nevertheless, in that regard, I want to highlight that the most recent meeting of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country, held on 18 December, was significant and promising in that it allowed us to discuss various important and constructive proposals, all of which were taken very seriously, with a view to finding solutions to the restrictions, complexities and measures that are being imposed on certain permanent missions and certain Secretariat staff who are citizens of particular countries. In conclusion, we look forward to the Secretary- General becoming seriously engaged on this important issue in the coming days. We also look forward to future communications from, and initiatives launched by, the Permanent Representative of Cyprus in his capacity as Chair of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country, for the purposes of seeking to implement the recommendations and conclusions set out in the latest report of the Committee (A/73/26). Moreover, we want to see the Government of the host country adopt new approaches that would enable a more positive outlook and the possibility of putting an end, once and for all, to the punitive and discriminatory restrictions I mentioned.
The President [Spanish] #86717
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 167?
It was so decided.

169.  Observer status for the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/433)

The President [Spanish] #86718
The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted (decision 73/534).
The President [Spanish] #86719
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 169?
It was so decided.

170.  Observer status for the Eurasian Economic Union in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/434)

The President [Spanish] #86720
The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted (decision 73/535).
The President [Spanish] #86721
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 170?
It was so decided.

171.  Observer status for the Community of Democracies in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/467)

The President [Spanish] #86722
The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted (decision 73/536).
The President [Spanish] #86723
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 171?
It was so decided.

172.  Observer status for the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Secretariat in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/436)

The President [Spanish] #86724
The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted (decision 73/537).
The President [Spanish] #86725
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 172?
It was so decided.

173.  Observer status for the Global Environment Facility in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/435)

The President [Spanish] #86726
The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted (decision 73/538).
The President [Spanish] #86727
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 173?
It was so decided.

174.  Observer status for the New Development Bank in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/463)

The President [Spanish] #86728
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take action on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/213).
The President [Spanish] #86729
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 174?
It was so decided.

175.  Observer status for the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/465)

The President [Spanish] #86730
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/214).
The President [Spanish] #86731
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 175?
It was so decided.

176.  Observer status for the International Council for the European Public Law Organization in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/462)

The President [Spanish] #86732
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/215).
The President [Spanish] #86733
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 176?
It was so decided.

177.  Observer status for the International Council for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/464)

The President [Spanish] #86734
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/216).
The President [Spanish] #86735
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 177?
It was so decided.

178.  Observer status for the International Council for the International Think Tank for Landlocked Developing Countries in the General Assembly Report of the Sixth Committee (A/73/466)

The President [Spanish] #86736
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/217).
The President [Spanish] #86737
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 178?
It was so decided.
The President on behalf of General Assembly [Spanish] #86738
On behalf of the General Assembly, I would like to thank His Excellency Mr. Michel Xavier Biang of Gabon, Chair of the Sixth Committee, the members of the Bureau and delegations for a job well done. The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of all the reports of the Sixth Committee before it.
Mr. Korneliou (Cyprus), Vice-President, took the Chair.
The meeting was suspended at 11.05 a.m. and resumed at 11.10 a.m.

Reports of the Second Committee

The Acting President #86739
The General Assembly will now consider the reports of the Second Committee on agenda items 17 to 27, 64, 123 and 137. I request the Rapporteur of the Second Committee, Ms. Anneli Lepp of Estonia, to introduce the reports of the Second Committee in one intervention. Ms. Lepp (Estonia), Rapporteur of the Second Committee: It is an honour for me to introduce to the General Assembly the reports of the Second Committee on the agenda items allocated to it by the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. The reports, contained in documents A/73/535 to A/73/548, include the texts of draft resolutions and draft decisions recommended by the Second Committee to the General Assembly for adoption. For the convenience of delegations, a checklist of action taken in the Committee has been prepared by the Secretariat and is contained in document A/C.2/73/INF/1, in English only. During the main part of the seventy-third session of the General Assembly, the Second Committee held 28 plenary meetings and two special events, as well as a joint formal meeting with the Economic and Social Council. The Committee also held its annual dialogue with the Executive Secretaries of the Regional Commissions. The Second Committee adopted a total of 39 draft resolutions, eleven of which were adopted by recorded vote, and two draft decisions. Under agenda item 17, entitled “Information and communications technologies for sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 17 of its report contained in document A/73/535, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 18, entitled “Macroeconomic policy questions”, the report of the Second Committee is issued in five parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/73/536, and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 18, entitled “International trade and development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 13 of its report contained in document A/73/536/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 18, entitled “International financial system and development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/73/536/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (c) of agenda item 18, entitled “External debt sustainability and development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/73/536/Add.3, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (d) of agenda item 18, entitled “Promotion of international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on assets return to foster sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in in paragraph 11 of its report contained in document A/73/536/Add.4, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 19, entitled “Follow-up to and implementation of the outcomes of the International Conferences on Financing for Development”, the Committee recommends, in paragraph 12 of its report contained in document A73/537, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 20, entitled “Sustainable development”, the report of the Second Committee has been issued in 12 parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/73/538, and the recommendations are contained in the chapeau, as well as in the addenda. Under the chapeau of item 20, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 20 of its report contained in document A/73/538, the adoption of two draft resolutions. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 20, entitled “Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and of the United Nations Conference on sustainable Development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 14 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.1, the adoption of two draft resolutions. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 20, entitled “Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 13 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.2, the adoption of two draft resolutions. Under sub-item (c) of agenda item 20, entitled “Disaster risk reduction”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 17 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.3, the adoption of two draft resolutions. Under sub-item (d) of agenda item 20, entitled “Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 9 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.4, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (e) of agenda item 20, entitled “Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.5, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (f) of agenda item 20, entitled “Convention on Biological Diversity”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 11 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.6, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (g) of agenda item 20, entitled “Report of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 19 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.7, the adoption of one draft resolution. The consideration of the draft resolution will take place at a later date following the review by the Fifth Committee of the related programme budget implications. Under sub-item (h) of agenda item 20, entitled “Harmony with Nature”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 12 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.8, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (i) of agenda item 20, entitled “Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 10 of its report contained indocument A/73/538/Add.9, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (j) of agenda item 20, entitled “Combating sand and dust storms”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.10, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (k) of agenda item 20, entitled “The role of the international community in the prevention of the radiation threat in Central Asia”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/73/538/Add.11, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 21, entitled “Implementation of the outcomes of the United Nations Conferences on Human Settlements and on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 15 of its report contained in document A/73/539, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 22, entitled “Globalization and interdependence”, the report of the Committee is issued in three parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/73/540, and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 22, entitled “Globalization and interdependence”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/73/540/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 22, entitled “International migration and development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 9 of its report contained in document A/73/540/add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 23, entitled “Groups of countries in special situations”, the report of the Committee is issued in three parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/73/541, and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 23, entitled “Follow-up to the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/73/541/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 23, entitled “Follow-up to the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 9 of its report contained in document A/73/541/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 24, entitled “Eradication of poverty and other development issues”, the report of the Committee is issued in three parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/73/542, and the recommendations are contained in the chapeau, as well as in the addenda. Under the chapeau of item 24, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 21 of its report contained in document A/73/542, the adoption of two draft resolutions. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 24, entitled “Implementation of the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018-2027)”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 9 of its report contained in document A/73/542/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 24, entitled “Industrial development cooperation”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 10 of its report contained in document A/73/542/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 25, entitled “Operational activities for development”, the report of the Committee is issued in three parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/731543, and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 25, entitled “Operational activities for development of the United Nations system”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 10 of its report contained in document A/73/543/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 25, entitled “South-South cooperation for development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 12 of its report contained in document A/73/543/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution, and in paragraph 13, the adoption of one draft decision. Under agenda item 26, entitled “Agriculture development, food security and nutrition”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 29 of its report contained indocument A/73/544, the adoption of four draft resolutions. Under agenda item 27, entitled “Towards global partnerships”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 11 of its report contained indocument A/73/545, the adoption of one draft resolution. In connection with that draft resolution, on behalf of the Committee, I would like to present an oral revision, consisting of the insertion of three preambular paragraphs, which were agreed upon by Member States participating in the informal consultations, but were inadvertently omitted from the version on which action was taken by the Committee, as well as an agreed oral revision to paragraph 10. The revision reads as follows. First, following the seventh preambular paragraph, the following two preambular paragraphs should be added: “Noting that relevant stakeholders, including the private sector entities, need information about and understanding of the nature and the scope of the Sustainable Development Goals, and of the modalities by which they can engage with the Goals, and, in this regard, decisive action is also imperative for raising awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals at all levels; “Recognizing that while progress is being made on the global engagement of the private sector regarding the sustainable Development Goals at the level of perception and awareness as well as the inclusion of sustainability on the business models by some companies, the immense potential of support for the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular by small and medium-sized enterprises, still represents a largely unutilized source for the Goals’ full implementation”. Secondly, following the eleventh preambular paragraph, the following preambular paragraph should be added: “Welcoming, in the context of enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and all its relevant partners, including through multi-stakeholder partnerships, efforts to step up international cooperation and collaboration in science, research, technology and innovation on the basis of common interest and mutual benefit, focusing on the needs of developing countries and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. Thirdly, in paragraph 10, the words “such as United Nations technology innovation laboratories’” should be replaced by the words “such as the United Nations Technology Innovation Labs”. That concludes the proposed revisions under item 27. Under agenda item 64, entitled “Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources”, the Committee recommends, in paragraph 16 of its report contained in document A/73/546, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 123, entitled “Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/73/547, the adoption of one draft decision. Under agenda item 137, entitled “Programme planning”, as indicated in paragraph 2 of document A/73/548, no action was required on the item. In conclusion, I would like to highlight the cooperation that prevails in the Second Committee. Alhough the work of the Committee had to be extended by two working days to enable it to reach a conclusion on all the items before it, the Committee was able to fulfil the mandate entrusted to it by the General Assembly and complete its work effectively and constructively. The Committee concluded its work on 3 December, which was commendable given that the Committee started its substantive work relatively late, on 8 October. On behalf of the Bureau of the Second Committee, I would like to express our deep appreciation to all the facilitators and coordinators and to all delegations for their constructive participation and commitment. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the leadership of our Chair, His Excellency Jorge Skinner- Klée Arenales of Guatemala, as well as the commitment of the other members of the Bureau and Vice-Chairs, Mr. Mehdi Remaoun of Algeria, Mr. Cédric Braquetti of Monaco and Ms. Hessa Alateibi of the United Arab Emirates. I also want to express the Bureau’s thanks to the Secretary of the Second Committee and her team from the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management for the support and guidance provided to the Bureau and to delegations, as well as to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and other substantive offices that supported the work of the Committee.
The Acting President #86740
I thank the Rapporteur of the Second Committee. The positions of delegations regarding the recommendations of the Committee have been made clear in the Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records. If there is no proposal under rule 66 of the rules of procedure, I shall therefore take it that the General Assembly decides not to discuss the reports of the Second Committee that are before the Assembly today.
It was so decided.
The Acting President #86741
Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote or position. I would like to remind members that, in accordance with decision 34/401, 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. In addition, I remind delegations that explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats. I should like to advise representatives that we shall proceed to take decisions on the recommendations contained in the report of the Second Committee in the same manner as was done in the Committee, unless the Secretariat is notified otherwise in advance. This means that where separate or recorded votes were taken, we will do the same. I should also hope that we may proceed to adopt without a vote those recommendations that were so adopted in the Second Committee. The results of the votes will be uploaded to the PaperSmart portal. I would like to draw the attention of members to a note by the Secretariat, in English only, entitled “List of proposals contained in the reports of the Second Committee”, which has been circulated as document A/C.2/73/INF/1. The 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 Second Committee in its reports. Members will find, in the fourth column of the note, the symbols of the draft resolutions or decisions of the Committee, with the corresponding symbols of the reports for action in the plenary in column two of the same note. For reports containing multiple recommendations, the draft resolution or decision number is contained in column three of the note. Members are reminded that additional sponsors are no longer accepted now that draft resolutions and decisions have been adopted in the Committee. Any clarification about sponsorship in the Committee reports should be addressed to the Secretary of the Committee. Members are also reminded that any corrections to the voting intention of delegations after the voting has concluded on a proposal should be made directly to the Secretariat after the meeting. I count on members’ cooperation in avoiding any interruptions to our proceedings in this regard.

17.  Information and communications technologies for sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/535)

The Acting President #86742
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 17 of its report. The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/218).
The Acting President #86743
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 17?
It was so decided.

18.  Macroeconomic policy questions Report of the Second Committee (A/73/536)

The Acting President #86744
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Second Committee? It was so decided (decision 73/539). (a) International trade and development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/536/ Add.1)
The Acting President #86745
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 13 of its report. I now call on the representative of Switzerland, who wishes to speak in explanation of vote before the voting.
Mr. Lauber CHE Switzerland #86746
I have the honour to deliver a statement on behalf of the following countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Thailand, Turkey, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, the Sudan, Venezuela and my own country, Switzerland. As the Second Committee’s deliberations are coming to an end, we, a cross-regional group of like-minded countries, feel the need to reaffirm our joint commitment to the multilateral trading system for the global economy. The United Nations has the mandate to address global economic and financial governance issues, including the multilateral trading system and its impact on sustainable development. In that regard, we attach great importance to the development and strengthening of the multilateral trading system centred around the World Trade Organization (WTO) that is universal, rules-based, open, transparent, predictable, inclusive, non-discriminatory and equitable. We greatly value the WTO’s framework and rules, which foster international trade and development, facilitate the peaceful settlement of trade disputes and serve as a bulwark against protectionism. The WTO has contributed to the strength, predictability and stability of the global economy. We believe that the multilateral trading system fosters coherence among trade policies across the globe and allows regional and bilateral initiatives to be mutually supportive in advancing a progressive trade agenda and economic development. We reaffirm that international trade is an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction and contributes to the promotion of sustainable development as recognized in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We underline the importance for all to benefit from the opportunities that the multilateral trading system generates.
The Acting President #86747
We shall 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 184 votes to 1 (resolution 73/219).
The Acting President #86748
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 18?
It was so decided.

(b) International financial system and development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/536/ Add.2)

The Acting President #86749
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We shall now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently, the delegation of Georgia informed the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 184 votes to 1 (resolution 73/220).
The Acting President #86750
May I take that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 18?
It was so decided.

(c) External debt sustainability and development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/536/ Add.3)

The Acting President #86751
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/221).
The Acting President #86752
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (c) of agenda item 18? (d) Promotion of international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on assets return to foster sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/536/ Add.4)
It was so decided.
The Acting President #86753
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 11 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/222).
The Acting President #86754
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (d) of agenda item 18 and of agenda item 18 as a whole.

19.  Follow-up to and implementation of the outcomes of the International Conferences on Financing for Development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/537)

The Acting President #86755
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 12 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/223).
The Acting President #86756
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 19.
The Acting President #86757
The Assembly has before it two draft resolutions recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 20 of its report. We will now take a decision on draft resolutions I and II, one by one. Draft resolution I is entitled “Oil slick on Lebanese shores”. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution I was adopted by 166 votes to 7, with 7 abstentions (resolution 73/224).
The Acting President #86758
Draft resolution II is entitled “Entrepreneurship for sustainable development”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently, the delegations of Bahrain, Lebanon and the Plurinational State of Bolivia informed the Secretariat that they had intended to vote against.] (a) Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.1)
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution II was adopted by 153 votes to 25, with 5 abstentions (resolution 73/225).
The Acting President #86759
The Assembly has before it two draft resolutions recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 14 of its report. We will now take a decision on draft resolutions I and II, one by one. Draft resolution I is entitled “Midterm comprehensive review of the implementation of the International Decade for Action, ‘Water for Sustainable Development’, 2018–2028. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 73/226).
The Acting President #86760
Draft resolution II is entitled “Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development”. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution II was adopted by 135 votes to 47, with 3 abstentions (resolution 73/227).
The Acting President #86761
The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 20. (b) Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.2)
The Acting President #86762
The Assembly has before it two draft resolutions recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 13 of its report. We will now take a decision on draft resolutions I and II, one by one. Draft resolution I is entitled “Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 73/228).
The Acting President #86763
Draft resolution II is entitled “Towards the sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea for present and future generations”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution II was adopted (resolution 73/229).
The Acting President #86764
I now give the floor to those representatives who wish to speak in explanation of position on the resolutions just adopted.
Ms. Fidan TUR Türkiye #86765
Turkey joined the consensus on resolution 73/229, entitled “Towards the sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea for present and future generations”, as it addresses important issues with respect to the sustainable development of the Caribbean region. We fully support the efforts of the Association of Caribbean States to develop and implement regional initiatives to promote sustainable conservation management of the coastal and marine resources of those States. Turkey dissociates itself, however, from references made in this resolution to the international instruments to which it is not party. Those references, therefore, cannot be construed as a change in the legal position of Turkey with regard to the resolution. We would also like to recall that Turkey does not consider the language in resolution 73/124 on oceans and the law of the seas with regard to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as agreed language. It therefore calls for a vote on that resolution every year.
Mr. González COL Colombia [Spanish] #86766
As a nation with coasts on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Colombia’s geography enables it to enjoy great diversity in terms of marine and coastal ecosystems. My country is therefore committed to their conservation, protection and sustainable development through the implementation of policies, plans and programmes that underscore the importance of those issues at the national, regional and international levels. In addition, my country relies on a robust institutional framework for addressing marine and coastal matters and a holistic approach by which the sea, the coast and its resources are all included as key elements for ensuring the country’s sustainable development. Colombia is developing its activities in the marine environment in strict compliance with the various international commitments that it has expressly adopted or accepted. We would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that we have not yet ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as its provisions are not effective or enforceable except for those that we have expressly accepted. Similarly, the Government of Colombia does not share the belief that UNCLOS is the sole normative framework for governing ocean activities. Consequently, my country reiterates that resolution 73/229 and its adoption by consensus cannot be considered or interpreted in any way that would imply the express or tacit acceptance by the Colombian State of the provisions contained in UNCLOS.
The Acting President #86767
The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 20. (c) Disaster risk reduction Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.3)
The Acting President #86768
The Assembly has before it two draft resolutions recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 17 of its report. We will now take a decision on draft resolutions I and II, one by one. Draft resolution I is entitled “Effective global response to address the impacts of the El Niño phenomenon”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 73/230).
The Acting President #86769
Draft resolution II is entitled “Disaster risk reduction”. The 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 73/231).
The Acting President #86770
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (c) of agenda item 20? (d) Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.4)
It was so decided.
The Acting President #86771
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/232).
The Acting President #86772
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (d) of agenda item 20. (e) Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.5)
The Acting President #86773
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/233).
The Acting President #86774
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (e) of agenda item 20?
It was so decided.

(f) Convention on Biological Diversity Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.6)

The Acting President #86775
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 11 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution, entitled “Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its contribution to sustainable development”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/234).
The Acting President #86776
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (f) of agenda item 20? (g) Report of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.7)
It was so decided.
The Acting President #86777
I should like to inform members that action on the draft resolution contained in paragraph 19 of the report is postponed to a later date to allow time for the review of its programme budget implications by the Fifth Committee. The Assembly will take action on the draft resolution as soon as the report of the Fifth Committee on its programme budget implications is available. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (g) of agenda item 20. (h) Harmony with Nature Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.8)
The Acting President #86778
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 12 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/235).
The Acting President #86779
The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (h) of agenda item 20. (i) Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.9)
The Acting President #86780
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 10 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same? May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (i) of agenda item 20?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/236).
It was so decided.

(j) Combating sand and dust storms Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.10)

The Acting President #86781
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The 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 73/237).
The Acting President #86782
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (j) of agenda item 20? (k) The role of the international community in the prevention of the radiation threat in Central Asia Report of the Second Committee (A/73/538/ Add.11)
It was so decided.
The Acting President #86783
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The 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 73/238).
The Acting President #86784
I now give the floor to the representative of Kyrgyzstan, who wishes to speak in explanation of position on the resolution just adopted.
Mrs. Moldoisaeva KGZ Kyrgyzstan #86785
The adoption of resolution 73/238 shows the commitment of the international community to developing cooperation and coordination and decreasing threats from sites of former uranium mining activity, especially from uranium tailings in Central Asia. I would like to point out that Kyrgyzstan, in cooperation with multiple development partners, has been conducting various international events to promote this issue. The importance and necessity of updating the resolution was noted by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, His Excellency Mr. Sooronbai Zheenbekov, during the general debate of the seventy-third session of the General Assembly (see A/73/PV.7). Today’s adoption of the updated resolution is the result of extensive and commendable cooperation among Member States and international and regional organizations. I am sure that it will contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and their principles, as well as to increased ecological stability in Central Asia and the entire world.
The Acting President #86786
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (k) of agenda item 20?
It was so decided.
The Acting President #86787
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 20.

21.  Implementation of the outcomes of the United Nations Conferences on Human Settlements and on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Report of the Second Committee (A/73/539)

The Acting President #86788
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 15 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The 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 73/239).
The Acting President #86789
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 21?
It was so decided.

22.  Globalization and interdependence Report of the Second Committee (A/73/540)

The Acting President #86790
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Second Committee? It was so decided (decision 73/540). (a) Globalization and interdependence Report of the Second Committee (A/73/540/ Add.1)
The Acting President #86791
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution, entitled “Towards a New International Economic Order”. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 133 votes to 48, with 5 abstentions (resolution 73/240).
The Acting President #86792
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 22?
It was so decided.

(b) International migration and development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/540/ Add.2)

The Acting President #86793
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 9 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 182 votes to 3, with 2 abstentions (resolution 73/241).
The Acting President #86794
I now give the floor to those representatives who wish to speak in explanation of vote on the resolution just adopted.
Mr. Morini ITA Italy #86795
In consideration of the different sensitivities that emerged among political parties and in the light of the outcome of the parliamentary debate on the subject, the Italian Government decided to defer the final decision on whether to join the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (resolution 73/195). Consistent with that position and in the light of the references to the Global Compact contained in resolution 73/241, entitled “International migration and development”, Italy abstained in the voting on the resolution.
Mr. Annakou LBY Libya [Arabic] #86796
My country abstained in the voting on resolution 73/241, entitled “International migration and development”, notwithstanding the importance of the contribution of legal migrants to sustainable development in the host countries to which they have voluntarily migrated and their contribution to strengthening the economies of their countries of origin. In several paragraphs, resolution 73/241 mentions the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (resolution 73/195), about which my country has expressed several reservations for many reasons. First, the Compact aims to legalize illegal migration and does not make a clear distinction between legal and illegal migration. Secondly, the Global Compact confuses the terms “refugee” and “migrant”, without making a clear distinction between them. It considers illegal migrants as refugees, although refugees are in fact people who have left their countries due to natural disasters, conflicts or wars. The Compact confuses the rights of working migrants and immigrants with legal contracts. Thirdly, the Global Compact does not distinguish among destination countries, transit countries and countries of origin, nor among the duties and responsibilities of those different categories of countries, and it assumes the same duties and responsibilities for all of them. It also calls for the full integration of illegal migrants and aims to allow them to settle wherever they are, thereby changing the demographics of those countries, especially transit countries such as Libya. We categorically reject that. Fourthly, the Global Compact does not directly address the root causes of migration. On the contrary, it encourages people from countries of origin to seek more opportunities and a better life in other countries. It does not make any mention of support for transit countries affected by migration and encourages migration regardless of the security capabilities of transit countries, which may be countries in situations of conflict or emerging from conflict, such as Libya. Encouraging migration could be considered a violation of the most important element of human rights, the right to life of migrants. It is therefore clear that the Compact recognizes migration as a right, whereas it is in fact a choice. Individuals who make that choice must adhere to the regulations and laws of countries of transit and destination regarding entry, residence and work. My country has been a victim on an unprecedented scale of huge illegal migrant flows, which have led to the deterioration of its security, economic and social situation. The Global Compact does not address our concerns in that regard but rather exacerbates them, in particular with regard to the living conditions of Libyan nationals and illegal migrants alike. Fifthly, the Government of National Accord is a transition Government. It therefore cannot accede to a Global Compact such as this, which sets commitments for future Governments that cannot be met.
Mr. Iglesias Mori CHL Chile [Spanish] #86797
The delegation of Chile would like to highlight that it is reserving its position on paragraphs 4, 5 and 7 of resolution 73/241 on international migration and development.
The Acting President #86798
The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 22.

23.  Groups of countries in special situations Report of the Second Committee (A/73/541)

The Acting President #86799
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Second Committee? (a) Follow-up to the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries Report of the Second Committee (A/73/541/ Add.1)
It was so decided.
The Acting President #86800
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/242).
The Acting President #86801
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 23? (b) Follow-up to the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries Report of the Second Committee (A/73/541/ Add.2)
It was so decided.
The Acting President #86802
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/243).
The Acting President #86803
The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 23 and of agenda item 23, as a whole.
The Acting President #86804
The Assembly has before it two draft resolutions recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 21 of its report. We will now take a decision on draft resolutions I and II, one by vote. Draft resolution I is entitled “Eradicating rural poverty to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
In favour:
Draft resolution I was adopted by 133 votes to 48, with 2 abstentions (resolution 73/244).
The Acting President #86805
Draft resolution II is entitled “Promotion of sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, for poverty eradication and environment protection”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/245).
The Acting President #86806
I now give the floor to the representative of China, who wishes to speak in explanation of vote on the resolution just adopted.
Mr. Ma Zhaoxu CHN China [Chinese] #86807
Rural poverty is a formidable challenge facing members of the international community. This is the third year of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, yet 80 per cent of the extreme poor still live in rural areas. Rural poverty is becoming an obstacle to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Countries must pay more attention to rural poverty while advancing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution 73/244, which the General Assembly has just adopted, is a testament to the firm resolve of the international community to eliminate rural poverty and leave no country and no one behind. As the Coordinator of the Group of 77 and China, my country has worked closely with members of the group for a resolution that comprehensively reflects the strong demand of developing countries to change the backwardness of rural areas. We have worked hard in an open, inclusive and constructive manner to ensure that the suggestions of other Member States are included in the draft to the greatest extent possible. In this regard, I would like to thank all the countries that have voted in favour of resolution 73/244. We hope that the international community will view the General Assembly’s adoption of the resolution as an opportunity to take more concrete and effective actions to eliminate rural poverty. Real results emerging from these efforts will give the rural poor better lives with a sense of fulfilment and greater dignity and happiness. The Group of 77 and China would like to work together with all Member States to advance the implementation of the resolution. (a) Implementation of the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018– 2027) Report of the Second Committee (A/73/542/ Add.1)
The Acting President #86808
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/246).
The Acting President #86809
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 24? (b) Industrial development cooperation Report of the Second Committee (A/73/542/ Add.2) The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 10 of its report. We shall now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently, the delegation of the Republic of the Congo informed the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
It was so decided.
A recorded vote was taken.
Against:
The draft resolution was adopted by 183 votes to 2 (resolution 73/247).
The Acting President #86810
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 24 and agenda item 24 as a whole?
It was so decided.

25.  Operational activities for development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/543)

The Acting President #86811
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to take note of the report of the Second Committee? It was so decided (decision 73/542). (a) Operational activities for development of the United Nations system Report of the Second Committee (A/73/543/ Add.1)
The Acting President #86812
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 10 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/248).
The Acting President #86813
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 25?
It was so decided.

(b) South-South cooperation for development Report of the Second Committee (A/73/543/ Add.2)

The Acting President #86814
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 12 of its report and a draft decision recommended in paragraph 13 of the same report. The Assembly will now take action on the draft resolution and the draft decision, one by one. The Assembly will first turn to the draft resolution, entitled “South-South cooperation”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 73/249).
The Acting President #86815
We now turn to the draft decision, entitled “Draft provisional rules of procedure and provisional agenda of the second High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted (decision 73/543).
The Acting President #86816
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 25 and of agenda item 25 as a whole.
The Acting President #86817
The Assembly has before it four draft resolutions recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 29 of its report. We will now take a decision on draft resolutions I to IV, one by one. Draft resolution I is entitled “World Food Safety Day”. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 73/250).
The Acting President #86818
Draft resolution II is entitled “World Pulses Day”. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution II was adopted (resolution 73/251).
The Acting President #86819
Draft resolution III is entitled “International Year of Plant Health, 2020”. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft resolution III was adopted (resolution 73/252).
The Acting President #86820
We now turn to draft resolution IV, entitled “Agriculture development, food security and nutrition”. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently, the delegations of Croatia and Namibia informed the Secretariat that they had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
Against:
Abstaining:
Draft resolution IV was adopted by 185 votes to 1, with 1 abstention (resolution 73/253).
The Acting President #86821
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 26?
It was so decided.

27.  Towards global partnerships Report of the Second Committee (A/73/545)

The Acting President #86822
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 11 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled “Towards global partnerships: a principle-based approach to enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and all relevant partners”, as orally revised by the Rapporteur. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same, taking into account the oral revision? The draft resolution, as orally revised by the Rapporteur, was adopted (resolution 73/254).
The Acting President #86823
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 27?
It was so decided.

64.  Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources Report of the Second Committee (A/73/546)

The Acting President #86824
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 16 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
Against:
Abstaining:
The Acting President #86825
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 64?
It was so decided.

123.  Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly Report of the Second Committee (A/73/547)

The Acting President #86826
The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision, entitled “Programme of work of the Second Committee for the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly”. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft decision was adopted (decision 73/544).
The Acting President #86827
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 123.

137.  Programme planning Report of the Second Committee (A/73/548)

The Acting President #86828
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Second Committee?
The draft decision was adopted (decision 73/545).
The Acting President #86829
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 137. I now give the floor to the observer of the European Union, who wishes to make a statement following the adoption of the resolutions of the Second Committee.
Mr. Babajide European Union #86830
I am speaking on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The candidate countries the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Albania, the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chair of the Second Committee and all the members of the Bureau for their commitment and leadership throughout the session. The EU and its member States remain committed to the revitalization of the Second Committee, including the reform of its agenda and the strengthening of its working procedures. During the deliberations of the Second Committee, the EU and its member States endeavoured to uphold key concepts of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Climate Change Agreement in the Committee’s resolutions through proposals on mainstreaming language, and we thank delegations for engaging in these discussions. We also dedicated considerable efforts to preserving the guiding principle of the 2030 Agenda that no one will be left behind, and we introduced language amendments at the time of adoption of relevant draft resolutions in the Second Committee. A list of the 14 draft resolutions concerned is annexed to the hard copy of this statement that is being circulated in the Hall. While we chose not to reintroduce these amendments in the plenary of the General Assembly, we would like to reiterate our position as follows. The solemn commitment that no one will be left behind was expressed by all our leaders in 2015 when they adopted the 2030 Agenda. The agreement reflects a people-centred approach to development that focuses on the dignity and rights of each individual. However, the EU is concerned about the fact that since the seventieth session of the General Assembly, there has been a gradual and subtle movement towards a concept of development that focuses on States rather than individuals. We feel that this movement is shifting us away from the universal approach epitomized by the Sustainable Development Goals. Let us be clear. We fully accept that the notion of no country being left behind is contained in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. We completely support the ambition of the 2030 Agenda for its goals and targets be met for all nations and peoples and for all segments of society. However, the language introduced in an imperfect compromise last year does not accurately reflect either the Addis Ababa Action Agenda or the 2030 Agenda. We cannot accept a gradual reinterpretation of a concept subscribed to by all of our leaders. At a time when we should focus on delivering on the key agreements of 2015, we must resist the temptation to constantly seek to rewrite or undermine them. The Second Committee should be a forum of great importance to the international development agenda, but its potential remains unfulfilled. People’s lives and livelihoods are at stake. We should aim to make the Second Committee as relevant as possible and focus on driving forward delivery of the 2015 agreements. As I said, we should not get caught in the fruitless trap of renegotiating them. During the Second Committee negotiations this year, the EU consistently proposed alternative language for the relevant preambular and operative paragraphs that is closely based on what our leaders agreed and is firmly faithful to their vision for the 2030 Agenda. We regret that these proposals were not accepted. We regret even more deeply that fellow negotiators refused even to come to the table to discuss the issue, rebuffing all attempts on our part to find a compromise text that would have bridged our positions. In order to better reflect the 2030 Agenda, we therefore proposed the following amendments to the relevant draft resolutions: first, the deletion of the repetitive paragraph in the preambular section that misquotes paragraph 1 of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and secondly, the replacement of the relevant operative paragraph with the following: “Calls upon all stakeholders to implement the present resolution as a means to deliver the comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda, in which the dignity of the human person is fundamental, the goals and targets are met for all nations and peoples and for all segments of society, no one is left behind, and we endeavour to reach the furthest behind first.” As the Secretary-General himself has noted, at a time when multilateralism and the rules-based international system are under threat, we need to hold firm to the principles agreed by our leaders in 2015. This is particularly important in the lead-up to the High-level Political Forum at the level of Heads of State and Government to be held in September 2019, during which progress will be assessed. We note that the Secretary-General himself wrote to the leaders of the members of the Group of 20 to urge them to do more to deliver on the 2030 Agenda and its central promise to leave no one behind. We sincerely hope that we can find a way for the Second Committee to become a more constructive vehicle for delivering on this ambition and that our suggestions will find the support of Member States. In this regard, we look forward to engaging in the informal consultations that the Chair announced for January 2019 to work towards a solution for this issue and on the revitalization of the Second Committee more broadly.
Mr. Gad EGY Egypt on behalf of Group of 77 and China #86831
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. During this session, the Group of 77 and China submitted many draft resolutions for the consideration of the Second Committee under its various agenda items, with a view to ensuring substantive deliberations by the General Assembly on global financial, economic and development issues. The Group engaged constructively and in good faith throughout the negotiations with a view to achieving consensus on the actions needed to address global economic and development challenges. The Group positively considered all proposals suggested by our partners on the basis of their relevance to the issues being considered. At times we took such proposals on board, even if they went against the Group’s preferred positions, when we deemed them necessary and desirable for guaranteeing consensus and charting a positive way forward. Throughout the course of the Second Committee’s work, the Group upheld its obligations and responsibilities in preserving the work of the Second Committee and its established working methods. The Group showed flexibility in engaging on new proposals made by partners, engaged with different language despite late submissions, maintained communication channels during the informal and offline discussions, restrained itself as much as possible from breaking the silence procedure and, most importantly, was willing to revert to agreed language where consensus on new language could not be reached. Efforts to draft and negotiate Second Committee resolutions are not an end in themselves. They serve an objective. Lest we forget, our mission here is to strengthen international cooperation and its norms and rules, as well as to promote the peace and prosperity of all nations on the ground. Our understanding is that efforts to serve this mission must be undertaken with a cumulative perspective. We should build on what we agreed on previously. Unfortunately, during the course of negotiations, we noticed attempts to rescind what we had subscribed to in the recent past. Our vision is that, for the Second Committee and the United Nations to pursue its mission, our focus should be on providing and reinforcing the means to implement what we had agreed to, rather than on renegotiating it. This is the only path that will enable us to collectively achieve our overarching goals and commitments. In this regard, the core of the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the many other relevant instruments adopted recently is to ensure inclusiveness in order to achieve their ambitious goals at the international, regional and country level and to leave no country and no one behind. The concepts of leaving no country or person behind are mutually complementary and by no means contradictory or mutually exclusive. In order to see that no one is left behind, we should ensure that countries are properly helped to set up safeguards that ensure that no individual among their citizens is left behind. Countries are entrusted to formulate policies, enforce laws and create an enabling environment to guarantee the inclusiveness of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for all segments of society and to leave no one behind. If countries are not enabled and empowered to implement the 2030 Agenda, the ideal of leaving no one behind will face considerable challenges. The Group of 77 and China would like to lend its strong support for, and continued engagement in, the efforts aimed at improving our work. We have supported the efforts of the Chair of the Second Committee and the Bureau, and we laud and commend their efforts and will continue to do so throughout this session and future sessions of the Second Committee. I would like to reiterate that the Group of 77 and China is committed to multilateralism, and we will continue to do our best to safeguard the consensus of the international community on the actions needed to transform our world into a prosperous world for present and future generations.
The Acting President on behalf of General Assembly #86832
On behalf of the General Assembly, I would like to thank the Chair of the Second Committee, Mr. Jorge Skinner-Klée Arenales of Guatemala, the members of the Bureau and the Secretary of the Committee, as well as representatives, for a job well done. The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of all the reports of the Second Committee before it for this meeting.
The Acting President #86833
I now give the floor to the representative of Austria to introduce draft resolution A/73/L.69.
Mr. Kickert AUT Austria #86834
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States to introduce the annual draft resolution on assistance to the Palestinian people (A/73/L.69). The EU remains gravely concerned about the difficult living conditions of and the humanitarian situation affecting the Palestinian people, in particular women and children, throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including in Area C and, in particular, in the Gaza Strip. In Gaza, a humanitarian disaster is imminent. We commend the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, for his efforts to mitigate this risk and improve the humanitarian situation, including through the fuel-delivery deal. The immediate priority must be to reduce tensions and avoid another conflict in Gaza. The return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip is indispensable if we are to achieve a lasting improvement in the conditions and the humanitarian situation there. But to ensure lasting results, it will be crucial to make fundamental changes in the situation in Gaza, which should include an end to the closure and the full opening of crossing points, while addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns. The EU will continue to support United Nations and Egyptian efforts to achieve the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under a single and legitimate Palestinian Authority. The EU will continue to work with its partners, the Israelis and the Palestinians, other regional stakeholders and our partners within the Middle East Quartet to that end. In this context, the EU is determined to sustain its assistance in support of the Palestinian people, including Palestinian refugees. The European Union and its member States are collectively the largest contributor to the budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. We were among the first to answer the Agency’s call for additional funds during this year’s extraordinary financial crisis. We are and will continue to be strong, reliable and predictable supporters of the Agency, whose role remains crucial to the stability of the region. We would like to thank all parties and the rest of the membership for joining the consensus again this year and for rallying behind the principles and objectives outlined in the draft resolution.
The Acting President #86835
The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/73/L.69, entitled “Assistance to the Palestinian people”. I now give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.
Mr. Nakano Department for General Assembly and Conference Management #86836
I should like to announce that, since the submission of the draft resolution, and in addition to those delegations listed in document A/73/L.69, the following countries have become sponsors of the draft resolution: the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Liechtenstein, the Philippines and the Sudan.
The Acting President #86837
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to adopt draft resolution A/73/L.69 without a vote?
Draft resolution A/73/L.69 was adopted (resolution 73/256).
The Acting President #86838
I now give the floor to the observer of the Observer State of Palestine to make a statement after the adoption of the resolution.
Mr. Shawesh PSE State of Palestine [Arabic] #86839
Taking note of the Secretary-General’s report (A/73/84) on assistance to the Palestinian people covering the period from April 2017 to March 2018, I would like to thank the Secretary-General and his team for all the efforts they have made in preparing the report, which addresses all the economic and social aspects of the situation of the Palestinian people. I would also like to thank all the United Nations agencies and programmes that have provided assistance to the Palestinian people and continue to do so, as well as donor countries, whether acting individually or collectively, including our friend the European Union (EU), whose observer just introduced resolution 73/256. The EU is at the top of the list of donors and providers of relief and development assistance to the Palestinian people at all levels, including education, health care, good governance and the building of Palestinian institutions. I would also like to thank all of those who helped to address the financial crisis faced by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) over the past year. Their efforts enabled UNRWA to fulfil its mission, as set forth by the General Assembly, in continuing to provide assistance to the Palestinian refugees wherever the Agency operates. We hope that this assistance will be enduring and sufficient to preventing any shortage of fundamental humanitarian services provided by the Agency, which have constituted a lifeline for a large number of Palestinian refugee families, including women and children. On 1 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) entered into force, and we began to develop our national development plans in a realistic manner to be in line with the SDGs and ensure that no one is left behind. For its part, the Palestinian Government completed drafting its National Policy Agenda, a five-year national development plan for the period 2017-2022. The Agenda, which will constitute a national programme of work for the benefit of our people with a view to helping them achieve freedom and prosperity, is based on the three pillars of independence, governmental reform and sustainable development. These principles are in line with numerous priorities set forth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They were formulated through a consultative process that included our various national and international partners, led by the United Nations in Palestine. At the margins of the High-level Political Forum held in July 2017, the State of Palestine submitted its first national voluntary review on the implementation of the SDGs. We stressed to the members of the Assembly that despite the long-standing challenge that we face at all levels in the form of the Israeli occupation, we have been able, with the support of our brothers and many friends, and through Palestine’s own planning and operational efforts, to make good progress towards achieving the SDGs. We hope to continue that so as to achieve more of the goals going forward, and to consolidate and sustain what we have attained. The absence of a political solution to the Palestinian- Israeli conflict is the greatest obstacle to sustainable development in Palestine. Persistent restrictions on our freedom of movement, the state of siege, the exhaustion of Palestinian natural resources, the expansion of settlements, and the systematic demolition of Palestinian facilities — all of these strongly affect Palestinians’ human, social and political life and their ability to enjoy their rights, and undermine the efforts being made to achieve sustainable development in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. The State of Palestine will continue to coordinate with all donors as well as the United Nations, so that we can guarantee dignified living conditions for Palestinian people living under the yoke of Israeli occupation. We will spare no effort to achieve a lasting, just and comprehensive peace based on the principles of international law, and the terms of reference of peace, including relevant United Nations resolutions, until the day that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory comes to an end and an independent State of Palestine is realized, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel in peace and safety.
The Acting President #86840
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 75.
The meeting rose at 1 p.m.