A/73/PV.90 General Assembly

The Assembly will first proceed to a by-election to elect one member of the Economic and Social Council to fill the seat of the member that is relinquishing its seat before the end of its term, in accordance with rule 140 of the rules of procedure. In the note verbale before the General Assembly, the Permanent Mission of Switzerland, in its capacity as Chair of the Group of Western European and other States for the month of May 2019, announces that Turkey will relinquish its seat on the Economic and Social Council on 31 December 2019 for the remainder of the term, in favour of Spain. Furthermore, the note verbale states that Spain’s candidature is endorsed by the group of Western European and other States. As a result, a vacancy will occur and a new member must be elected to fill the unexpired term of Turkey, commencing on 1 January 2020 and expiring on 31 December 2020. In accordance with paragraph 4 of resolution 2847 (XXVI), of 20 December 1971, and taking into account that the vacancy will occur from among the Western European and other States, the new member should be elected from that region. I should like to inform the Assembly that the candidate that receives a two-thirds majority of members present and voting and the greatest number of votes will be declared elected. In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, the election shall be held by secret ballot. We shall now proceed accordingly. I should like to inform members that, as of 1 January 2020, the following States from among the Western European and other States will be represented on the Economic and Social Council: Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands and the United States of America. The names of those eight States should therefore not appear on the ballot papers. Before we begin the voting process, I should like to remind members that, pursuant to rule 88 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting. In addition, ballot papers will be given only to the representative seated directly behind the country’s name plate. We shall now begin the voting process. Members are requested to remain seated until all ballots have been collected. I would like to remind members that they are voting in the by-election for one seat for the Western European and other States. The election of 18 members of the Council will take place immediately following the by-election. In accordance with resolution 71/323, of 8 September 2017, the name of the State that has been communicated to the Secretariat has been printed on the ballot papers. Also, an additional blank line corresponding to the one vacant seat to be filled has been provided on the ballot paper for inscribing another State, if desirable. I request representatives to use only those ballot papers that have been distributed. Members are requested to put an “X” in the box next to the name printed on the ballot paper, or write the name of another eligible State on the blank line. I therefore reiterate that members are voting in a by-election for one seat for the Western European and other States. If the box next to the name of a State is checked, the name of that State does not have to be repeated on the blank line. There should be not more than one checked box or handwritten name for the vacant seat to be filled as indicated on the ballot paper. A ballot will be declared invalid if it contains more names of Member States from the relevant region than the seat allocated to it. Accordingly, members can check only the box or write one name of an eligible Member State from the Western European and other States in the space provided. If the ballot paper contains the names of Member States that do not belong to Western European and other States or names of Member States that continue to be members of the Council next year, the ballot paper remains valid but the vote for those Member States will not be counted. Finally, if a ballot paper contains any notation other than a vote in favour of a specific candidate, those notations will be disregarded.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group B — Western European and other States Number of ballot papers: 188 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 188 Abstentions: 7 Number of members present and voting: 181 Required two-thirds majority: 121 Spain 180 Turkey 1

I congratulate Spain on having been elected a member of the Economic and Social Council. The General Assembly will now turn to the election of 18 members of the Economic and Social Council to replace those members whose term of office expires on 31 December 2019. The 18 outgoing members are Andorra, Azerbaijan, Benin, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, China, Colombia, Denmark, Eswatini, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Yemen. Pursuant to rule 146 of the rules of procedure, those countries are eligible for immediate re-election. Members will recall that Turkey relinquished its seat on the Economic and Social Council, effective 1 January 2020, and that Spain has just been elected to fill that vacancy. Consequently, as of 1 January 2020, the following States will be represented on the Economic and Social Council: Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the United States of America and Uruguay. The names of these 36 States should therefore not appear on the ballot papers. In accordance with paragraph 4 of resolution 2847 (XXVI), of 20 December 1971, and taking into account the number of States that will remain members of the Council after 1 January 2020, the 18 members should be elected as follows: four from among the Group of African States, four from among the Group of Asia- Pacific States, three from among the Group of Eastern European States, three from among the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States and four from among the Group of Western European and other States. The ballot papers reflect that pattern. I should like to inform the Assembly that those candidates, their number not exceeding the number of seats to be filled, that receive a two-thirds majority and the greatest number of votes by members present and voting will be declared elected. If the number of candidates obtaining a two- thirds majority is less than the number of members to be elected, there shall be additional ballots to fill the remaining places, the voting being restricted to the candidates obtaining the greatest number of votes in the previous ballot, to a number not more than twice the places remaining to be filled. Also, consistent with past practice, in the case that due to a tie vote it becomes necessary to determine the candidate to be elected or to proceed to the next round of restricted balloting, there will be a special restricted ballot limited to those candidates that have obtained an equal number of votes. May I take it that the General Assembly agrees to these procedures?

With regard to the candidatures of the respective regional groups, I have been informed of the following. For the four vacant seats from among the African States, the Group has endorsed four candidates: Benin, Botswana, the Congo and Gabon. For the four vacant seats from among the Asia-Pacific States, the Group has endorsed four candidates: Bangladesh, China, the Republic of Korea and Thailand. For the three vacant seats from among the Eastern European States, the Group has endorsed three candidates: Latvia, Montenegro and the Russian Federation. For the three vacant seats from among the Latin American and Caribbean States, the Group has endorsed three candidates: Colombia, Nicaragua and Panama. For the four vacant seats from among the Western European and other States, the Group has endorsed four candidates: Australia, Finland, Norway and Switzerland. In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, we shall now proceed to the election by secret ballot. Before we begin the voting process, I should like to remind members that, pursuant to rule 88 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order on the actual conduct of the voting. In addition, ballot papers will be given only to the representative seated directly behind the country’s name plate. We shall now begin the voting process. Members are requested to remain seated until all ballots have been collected. Ballot papers marked “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” and “E” will now be distributed. In accordance with resolution 71/323, of 8 September 2017, the names of the States that have been communicated to the Secretariat at least 48 hours prior to the election today have been printed on the ballot papers for each of the regional groups. Also, additional blank lines corresponding to the number of vacant seats to be filled for each of the regional groups have been provided on the ballot papers for inscribing other States, as necessary. I request representatives to use only those ballot papers that have been distributed and to put an “X” in the boxes next to the names of the States from the relevant region for which they wish to vote and/or to write other eligible names on the blank lines. If the box next to the name of a State is checked, the name of that State does not have to be repeated on the blank line. The total number of checked boxes and/ or handwritten names should not exceed the number of vacant seats to be filled as indicated on the ballot paper. If a ballot paper of a region contains some names of States that do not belong to that region or are members of the Council, the ballot remains valid but only the names of the States that belong to the relevant region will be counted. A ballot paper will be declared invalid if it contains more names of States from the relevant region than the number of seats assigned to it. Finally, if a ballot paper contains any notation other than votes in favour of specific candidates, those notations will be disregarded. Accordingly, for the ballot papers marked “A” for African States, the total number of checked boxes and/ or handwritten names should not exceed four; for the ballot papers marked “B” for Asia-Pacific States, the total number of checked boxes and/or handwritten names should not exceed four; for the ballot papers marked “C” for Eastern European States, the total number of checked boxes and/or handwritten names should not exceed three; for the ballot papers marked “D” for Latin American and Caribbean States, the total number of checked boxes and/or handwritten names should not exceed three; and for the ballot papers marked “E” for Western European and other States, the total number of checked boxes and/or handwritten names should not exceed four.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group A — African States (4 seats) Number of ballot papers: 191 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 191 Abstentions: 0 Number of members present and voting: 191 Required two-thirds majority: 128 Number of votes obtained: Benin 190 Congo 188 Botswana 187 Gabon 187 Cameroon 1 Democratic Republic of the Congo 1 Group B — Asian and Pacific States (4 seats) Number of ballot papers: 191 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number valid ballots: 191 Abstentions: 1 Number of members present and voting: 190 Required two-thirds majority: 127 Number of votes obtained: Thailand 186 Republic of Korea 183 Bangladesh 181 China 77 Group C — Eastern European States (3 seats) Number of ballot papers: 191 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 191 Abstentions: 1 Number of members present and voting: 190 Required two-thirds majority: 127 Number of votes obtained: Latvia 179 Montenegro 178 Russian Federation 174 Group D — Latin American and Caribbean States (3 seats) Number of ballot papers: 191 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 191 Abstentions: 1 Number of members present and voting: 190 Required two-thirds majority: 127 Number of votes obtained: Nicaragua 184 Colombia 172 Panama 171 Group E  — Western European and other States (4 seats) Number of ballot papers: 191 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 191 Abstentions: 6 Number of members present and voting: 185 Required two-thirds majority: 124 Number of votes obtained: Switzerland 178 Finland 177 Norway 175 Australia 170 Belgium 1 Greece 1 Italy 1

I congratulate the States that have been elected members of the Economic and Social Council, and I thank the tellers for their assistance. I wish to announce that this was the last scheduled election of the General Assembly for Ms. Mary Muturi, Senior Meeting Services Assistant in the General Assembly Affairs Branch of the Secretariat, before her retirement next month. Ms. Muturi has worked at the United Nations for more than 27 years, having been responsible for elections in the plenary of the General Assembly over the past 10 years. Her ability to manage this demanding task and her contribution to the smooth conduct of elections of the Assembly has been truly significant. I wish her all the best for the next chapter of her life. The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 115.

We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/73/L.91. I now give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

The present statement is made in accordance with rule 153 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly. Under the terms of paragraph 5 of draft resolution A/73/L.91, the General Assembly would decide to commemorate, on 26 June 2020, the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, and, on 24 October 2020, United Nations Day, through meaningful observance ceremonies at United Nations Headquarters in New York, open to Member States and observers of the General Assembly, as well as non-governmental organizations that are in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and request the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session to determine the modalities of those ceremonies, taking into account the views of Member States and relevant stakeholders, including civil society and youth. With regard to the ceremonies set out in paragraph 5, in the absence of modalities, it is not possible at the present time to estimate the potential costs implications of meetings and documentation requirements. Upon the decision on the format, scope and modalities of the ceremonies, the Secretary-General will submit the relevant costs of such requirements in accordance with rule 153 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly. Accordingly, the adoption of draft resolution A/73/L.91 would not give rise to any budgetary implications under the programme budget.

The Assembly will now take action on draft resolution A/73/L.91, entitled “Commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations”. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to adopt draft resolution A/73/L.91?

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

I have the honour to deliver this general statement on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The candidate countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, 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. First, allow me to congratulate the two co-facilitators on the quality of their work. The European Union and its member States support resolution 73/299, on the modalities for the commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations. The anniversary will indeed be a unique opportunity for us to reaffirm our collective commitment to multilateralism and the rules-based international order, with the United Nations at its core. As we mentioned during our discussions, we look forward to commemorative events that actively engage not only the full United Nations membership but also a broad spectrum of civil society, youth and other relevant stakeholders in all activities throughout the year, as mentioned in the resolution and in the letter from the two co-facilitators to the President of the General Assembly. The close and active engagement of civil society and non-governmental stakeholders is essential to the EU in ensuring that our citizens are part of determining “The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism”, which is the agreed theme of the commemoration of the seventy- fifth anniversary. The EU and its member States will continue to remain actively engaged in the preparations for next year’s milestone events, including notably in the drafting of the draft outcome document to be adopted in September 2020.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Ambassador Bergdis Ellertsdottir of Iceland and Ambassador Burhan Gafoor of Singapore, the co-facilitators who led the intergovernmental consultations on the date and modalities related to the commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations. They demonstrated great ability and patience in their conduct of the discussions and complex negotiations on the text of the resolution. I would also like to sincerely thank Member States for their valuable contributions to reaching an agreement on the text. The seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations will be key in assessing achievements over the past 75 years but, above all, in charting a vision for the future of our Organization to enable it to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century, bring it closer to the people and ensure that it is more relevant to the people we serve and represent. I again sincerely thank the co-facilitators. I also thank all the States Members of the United Nations for their constructive spirit in bringing us to the very important juncture of adopting resolution 73/299. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 125.