A/75/PV.104 General Assembly

We will proceed with the meeting, but if we do not have a quorum when the time comes to take decisions on draft resolutions, I will have to suspend the meeting. With that understanding the General Assembly will continue its consideration of agenda item 19, entitled “Sustainable development”, in order to hear the remaining speakers in explanation of position after the adoption of resolution 75/326. Before giving the floor to those wishing to speak in explanation of position, I would like to remind members that explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

Allow me to present a general statement on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States on the adoption of resolution 75/326, concerning the modalities for the international meeting entitled “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all — our responsibility, our opportunity”. The EU and its member States welcome the adoption of the modalities resolution for the Stockholm+50 international meeting, to be held in June 2022. We thank once again the co-hosts, Sweden and Kenya, for the initiative. We would like to thank all the delegations that participated in the negotiations in a constructive spirit, enabling us to reach a swift agreement on the modalities. The EU looks forward to Stockholm+50 as an opportunity for profound discussions on holistic approaches, solutions and actions that can enable us to work together as one to address such major challenges as climate change, pollution and the loss of biodiversity, work that is a precondition for achieving sustainable development and prosperity for all while encouraging systemic change that goes beyond the environmental dimension. The issues that we are looking to bring to Stockholm+50 include, first, the creation of transformative perspectives on economic development in line with planetary boundaries, reflecting new approaches that consider nature as capital and involve ministers responsible for trade, finance and economic affairs as well as non-governmental sectors; secondly, the promotion of decarbonization, the circular economy, sustainable consumption and production and resource efficiency; thirdly, lessons learned in the area of green recovery; and fourthly, follow-up to landmark reports such as the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations Environment Programme’s report Making Peace with Nature and The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review. Addressing topics such as these requires conversations that include various relevant Government sectors as well as representatives of business, finance and all parts of civil society, especially indigenous peoples, local communities and young people, to help identify and agree on the enablers that can best help us to make a difference and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. That is why we want to emphasize that from the EU’s perspective, the language on stakeholder accreditation in the resolution represents the bare minimum, and we had hoped to see much more inclusive language on participation.

China associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Guinea on behalf of the Group of 77 and China (see A/75/PV.103). Climate change, environmental pollution and the loss of biodiversity currently pose a grave threat to human survival and development. The coronavirus disease pandemic has shown us that man and nature are symbiotic and that building a beautiful homeland on our planet is a shared responsibility of the international community. China attaches great importance to ecological progress, is an active participant in global environmental governance and has taken major action to address climate change and protect the ecological environment. In October, the fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity will be held in Kunming, in China. China will endeavour to be a good host and work to ensure positive outcomes for the Conference that will help us to build a clean and beautiful world. China supports the holding of an international meeting in Stockholm in June 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. We participated constructively in the consultations on resolution 75/326 and made positive efforts to promote a consensus among all the parties. However, we were deeply disappointed that the positions of the Group of 77 and China on the participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other matters were not taken into consideration. China values the efforts and contributions of NGOs regarding global ecological and environmental protection and supports their orderly participation in United Nations activities in compliance with existing rules. According to the existing consensus, NGO participation both in high-level General Assembly meetings and intergovernmental meetings is based on the non-objection principle, which is designed to ensure their effective participation while maintaining the intergovernmental character and nature of the conferences in question. However, in total disregard for the existing principles and institutional arrangements on the matter, deliberate efforts have been made to challenge the long-standing General Assembly practice and principle of non-objection, seriously undermining Member States’ consensus and solidarity. Given our grave concerns about paragraph 15 of annex II to the resolution, China will not join the consensus on that paragraph and calls on Member States to continue extensive, in-depth discussions on the matter in order to reach a full consensus and safeguard solidarity on reasonable arrangements for NGOs’ participation in the work of the United Nations according to the rules and practice of the General Assembly.

On behalf of Kenya and Sweden, the co-facilitators of resolution 75/326, on “Modalities for the international meeting entitled ‘Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all — our responsibility, our opportunity’”, I would like to thank all delegations for their active and constructive engagement during the informal consultations. Next year we will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the pioneering United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, in 1972. That conference greatly contributed to the emergence of a global environmental agenda through its various outcomes, which included the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Over the past five decades, Member States have agreed and committed to action, notably through the landmark conferences in Rio and Johannesburg, as well as through the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. While significant progress has been made in meeting many sustainable development challenges, the science is clear. Environmental change is undermining hard-won development gains. The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is lagging, and the pandemic has caused further severe setbacks. We need to do more, faster and together. But while tackling climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution demands different responses from each of us, no country will be able to resolve this challenge alone. The coming decade is crucial. A multilateral approach is necessary. The title of the Stockholm+50 meeting calls attention to the fact that our challenges are interlinked. A healthy planet and the prosperity of all is essential to achieving sustainable development and ensuring the well-being of this and future generations. The title also highlights the fact that it is our responsibility to leverage this opportunity. Stockhom+50 should be a platform for promoting collective action for strengthened cooperation and the accelerated implementation of sustainable development, including its environmental dimension. With a focus on cross-cutting actions that are designed to reduce inequalities and especially to benefit the poor and the vulnerable, Stockholm+50 will also contribute to achieving a sustainable recovery from the coronavirus disease pandemic. Success will require an approach that encompasses the whole of the United Nations system. Resolution 75/326 requests the Secretary-General to appoint the Executive Director of UNEP as Secretary-General of the meeting. UNEP will serve as the focal point for providing support to the organization of Stockholm+50. In that capacity, UNEP will be well positioned to support the preparations and discussions, ensuring coherence and consistency between Stockholm+50 and UNEP at 50. The United Nations Environment Assembly and other relevant United Nations bodies are invited to provide input to the meeting as appropriate. The Stockhom+50 international meeting will be convened in Stockholm on 2 and 3 June 2022 and we encourage participation at the highest possible level. With the adoption of this modalities resolution, the preparations for a successful meeting next year in Stockholm can now accelerate. We are looking forward to Member States’ constructive engagement in the preparatory process leading up to Stockholm+50. In conclusion, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to UNEP and the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management for their excellent technical support during the consultations, and to once again thank all delegations for their active engagement in the process so far and you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor.

I am making this statement on behalf of Canada, New Zealand and my own country, Australia. At the outset, we would like to express our deep appreciation to Sweden and Kenya for their efforts in co-facilitating resolution 75/326. We are very pleased to see the adoption of the modalities for the international meeting entitled “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all — our responsibility, our opportunity”. Canada, Australia and New Zealand would like to reaffirm their commitment to inclusive and transparent approaches to civil-society participation in United Nations meetings, as well as stakeholder engagement more broadly. In that regard, we want to register our support for paragraph 15 of annex II to the resolution under discussion, which contains the necessary provisions to ensure civil society’s meaningful participation in the international meeting. We note the concerns of certain delegations with regard to the paragraph, and we would like to express our appreciation for delegations’ willingness to arrive at compromise language. It is language that has been around for many years and ensures that we, the General Assembly, hold the final decision-making power on civil-society organization participants in United Nations meetings. We also reiterate that the language enjoys broad support in the General Assembly, having been included in the six most recently adopted modalities texts. Canada, Australia and New Zealand would again like to thank Sweden and Kenya for their co-facilitation of this process, and we look forward to a successful international meeting in 2022.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Ms. Njambi Kinyungu and Mr. Magnus Lennartsson, the Deputy Permanent Representatives of Kenya and Sweden to the United Nations, who ably and patiently conducted the discussions and negotiations on resolution 75/326 in informal consultations on behalf of Mr. Martin Kimani and Ms. Anna Karin Eneström, the Permanent Representatives of Kenya and Sweden to the United Nations. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 19?

I now give the floor to the representative of Guinea to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.112/Rev.1 on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 (G-77) and China. At the outset, we would like to stress that African countries are making enormous efforts to contain and overcome the repercussions of the coronavirus disease pandemic, which has presented the continent with unprecedented challenges. Despite the progress that has been made in recent years, the global health crisis has directly affected Africa’s ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and in particular to address the many challenges and threats to its peace and stability such as terrorism, transnational organized crime, trafficking in drugs, arms and humans, pandemics and so forth, which ultimately impede advances in the achievement of sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimensions. In that regard and where draft resolution A/75/L.112/Rev.1 is concerned, it is very important to highlight the crucial role of African countries in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, as well as in building peace for sustainable development. Peace and security in Africa have an important bearing on the stability and development of the world generally. Consequently, partnerships are essential, particularly for pooling efforts and means of action in the areas of crisis prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The international community should collectively uphold the leadership and ownership of African countries in suppressing conflicts, by acting on the root causes of such conflicts, which are linked to poverty, hunger, social inequality, bad governance, human rights violations, impunity and the feelings of marginalization that foster identity withdrawal. The G-77 and China, the proponent of this draft resolution, has always supported the ambition of the Group of African States to step up international cooperation for Africa in a spirit of mutual benefit and international solidarity. We would like to express our thanks and appreciation to the African Group, represented by the co-coordinators, Ms. Nadja Micael of Eritrea and Mr. Mamadou Gueye of Senegal, as well as to the facilitator, Mr. Yasser Halfaoui of Morocco, for their brilliant work and great leadership during the negotiation process. We would also like to thank all partners for their active commitment, which enabled us to arrive at a consensus-based text. In the past few years this important annual resolution regarding the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has been adopted by a recorded vote, owing to some delegations’ unwillingness to accept consensus-based language in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has had an adverse effect on global solidarity and partnership. This year, in our deep concern about the issue, the Group of 77 and China made tremendous efforts to accommodate the concerns of all parties and showed the greatest possible flexibility in formulating alternative language for the NEPAD draft resolution on causes of conflict in order to achieve a consensus text. We should reiterate that international cooperation in a spirit of mutual benefit is very significant for developing countries, including those in Africa. With that in mind, we will step up our efforts to cooperate with all our partners around the world and work with African countries to fight the pandemic and advance post-pandemic recovery, eliminate the root causes of conflicts and inject new impetus into Africa’s lasting peace and sustainable development for a shared future for all. The discussions this year and for many years before have demonstrated clearly that the causes of conflict in Africa are many. Complex internal and external factors continue to cause, fuel and perpetuate disputes in many parts of the world, including Africa. African countries can address the causes of human insecurity if afforded the policy space and international solidarity. The work of the United Nations in the areas of conflict prevention and resolution and peacebuilding requires constant rethinking and should be based on the principles of national ownership and respect for African resolutions. The key will be ensuring the speedy and comprehensive implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The G-77 and China would like to point out that African countries have taken numerous and significant steps to address peace and security challenges at the national and regional levels. Despite the progress that has been made in the area of security, the international community and partners should continue to support activities and initiatives aimed at strengthening African efforts to address the continent’s peace and security. In order to prevent and resolve conflict at its earliest stages, we stress the importance of ensuring that the United Nations system supports African countries’ efforts to achieve sustainable and durable peace.

The General Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/75/L.112/Rev.1, entitled “Implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa”. I give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

I should like to announce that since the submission of the draft resolution, and in addition to those delegations listed in the document, Turkey has also become a sponsor of A/75/L.112/Rev.1.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.112/Rev.1?

Before giving the floor to speakers in explanation of position, I would like to remind members that explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of African States. I align these remarks with the statement just made by the representative of Guinea on behalf of the Group of 77 and China in his introduction to resolution 75/327. The African Group values and welcomes the General Assembly’s consensus adoption of the resolution on “Implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa”. Its importance cannot be overemphasized. It highlights a milestone in the progress made by African countries in facing emerging challenges to the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development. The African Group welcomes and commends the advice submitted for the first time by the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) to the General Assembly prior to the Assembly’s consideration of this agenda item, which contributed to enhancing the peacebuilding perspective in the resolution with a view to building on the PBC’s long-standing and cumulative experience in support of Africa’s peacebuilding needs and priorities. The African Group emphasizes that the work of addressing the root causes of conflict and insecurity is directly linked to the need for adequate reforms, national policies and international solidarity. We therefore want to take this opportunity to call on the international community and development partners to continue supporting African countries, particularly those emerging from conflict, in their efforts to develop their human and institutional capacities. That assistance should focus on means of implementation, particularly financial resources, the transfer of technology and capacity-building. Considering that aid remains an important source of financing for development in many countries, including in Africa, we encourage development partners to fulfil their commitments regarding the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, including official development assistance commitments. The current era of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic requires even greater efforts in terms of policy and action. The resolution that we have adopted today emphasizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has had overwhelming effects generally, including on health, emergency and crisis management in conflict- affected areas, where health systems were already facing many challenges and ill-equipped to deal with threats posed by outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. We also reiterate our firm condemnation of the violent attacks and threats directed against medical personnel and facilities, which will have long- term consequences for the civilian populations and health-care systems of the countries concerned, as well as those of neighbouring regions, along with negative effects on sustainable development. We also want to underline that the work of the United Nations in the area of conflict prevention and resolution and peacebuilding requires constant rethinking and should be based on national ownership and in full harmony with African needs and priorities. The African Group also reiterates that international cooperation in a spirit of mutual benefit is highly significant for all developing countries, including on the African continent. With that in mind, we will step up efforts to cooperate with all our development partners in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and supporting the African Union’s Agenda 2063. With regard to resolution 75/327, the African Group — with the valuable support of the Group of 77 and China and all delegations — has made tremendous efforts this year to streamline its text and make it concise, fit for purpose and better able to deliver on key messages regarding the causes of conflicts in Africa, and our endeavour has succeeded. The African Group welcomes the remarkable collective efforts this year to ensure that the various views converged and to adopt a consensus-based resolution that also accommodated the concerns of all parties. We commend the flexibility shown in formulating consensus-based language throughout the text of the resolution, and we want to warmly thank the facilitator for his tireless efforts in moving the process towards consensus. Our sincere thanks and appreciation go to the coordinators, our African experts, who negotiated brilliantly on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We would also like to thank all delegations once again for their constructive engagement and valuable input. Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa for its support throughout the preparation and negotiation processes.

Hungary would like to express its appreciation to the co-facilitators for their tireless work and commitment in the drafting of resolution 75/327, and at the same time to add the following remarks in its national capacity. I want to recall the fact that at its adoption, Hungary voted against the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and is not involved in its implementation in any way. That is why we cannot accept any reference to the Global Compact for Migration in resolution 75/327, especially because of the Compact’s reference to migration as the best solution to labour-market and demographic problems in countries of destination. Hungary believes in the effectiveness of on-site support to developing countries that guarantees local populations peaceful and prosperous lives in their home countries and does not promote their migration. The Hungarian Government therefore seeks to implement development programmes that establish lasting solutions locally for those in need and improve the living conditions of people in vulnerable situations. That is why we are unable to accept the reference to the Global Compact in the current resolution and would like to dissociate ourselves from its operative paragraph 11.

I would like to begin by expressing our appreciation to Morocco as facilitator and to our colleagues for the progress made in negotiating resolution 75/327, on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa. We would like to thank the Group of African States for their work in restoring consensus on this important text. As we set out in last week’s adoption of resolution 75/322 on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (see A/75/PV.102), the United Kingdom attaches great importance to Africa’s peace, security and sustainable development. We support African-led efforts to unlock inclusive economic growth, strengthen security and stability, promote and protect human rights, build resilience to the effects of climate change, invest in education, health and job creation and ensure greater participation by women and young people, including through the African Union.

The United States is pleased to join the consensus on this important resolution (resolution 75/327) and expresses its appreciation to Member States for their constructive engagement. We welcome the progress that has been made by African countries, the African Union, subregional organizations and the United Nations in their efforts in the areas of conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, counter- terrorism and development on the African continent. As we work towards the goal of a conflict-free Africa, intensified efforts, support and a coordinated approach among stakeholders in addressing the challenges before us remain essential. We want to highlight our firm commitment to the notion that the three dimensions of sustainable development — economic, social and environmental — are themselves interlinked, and that progress towards sustainable development must be balanced and integrated. The United States also underscores that the rule of law, strong institutions, good governance and management, including in the areas of anti-corruption, transparency and accountability, are essential in supporting sustainable development. We would like to conclude by extending our sincere thanks to Morocco, and to Mr. Yasser Halfaoui for his role as facilitator.

In the wake of the Assembly’s adoption of resolution 75/322 last week, Japan welcomes its consensus adoption of resolution 75/327, on the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa. We thank the facilitator, the Permanent Mission of Morocco, and the coordinators, the Permanent Missions of Eritrea and Senegal, as well as the Group of African States and all our colleagues, for their constructive engagement in the negotiation process. While we see the resolution’s adoption by consensus as a testament to the commitment of Member States and the United Nations to peace and development in Africa, we believe that the scheduling of the informal consultations should be improved for next year. In particular, introducing the draft resolution earlier in the session would enable Member States to engage more productively and effectively. Overall, we are pleased that the resolution has been made more action-oriented with regard to the intrinsic connections between peace and development in Africa. In that spirit, Japan has long advocated for institution-building and human development as means of realizing human security, durable peace and sustainable development in Africa. Strengthening stable and reliable institutions and ensuring good governance have always been key priorities of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). The eighth meeting of TICAD will be held next year in Tunisia, jointly organized by the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, the United Nations Development Programme, the African Union and the World Bank, with the aim of setting out a pathway for African development in the post-coronavirus (COVID-19) era, making full use of the unique dynamism created by the private sector. At the same time, the meeting will contribute to sustainable and inclusive development in Africa, aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African vision outlined in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. In closing, I want to reiterate Japan’s unwavering support for Africa and the importance of genuine multilateral, multisectoral partnerships. We remain fully committed to turning the COVID-19 human security crisis into opportunities to build societies back better, with greater resilience and increased links with all partners. Finally, we would like to thank the Secretariat and the Office of the Special Adviser for their valuable support.

China aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Guinea on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We welcome the General Assembly’s adoption by consensus of resolution 75/327, on the causes of conflict in Africa. I would like to underscore China’s firm commitment to the promotion of durable peace and security, development and prosperity on the African continent. China has demonstrated the greatest possible flexibility and devoted huge efforts to achieving consensus on the resolution. As the coronavirus disease pandemic has continued to spread, people have fallen back into poverty in huge numbers all over the world. The risk of food crises is mounting. African countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, have been severely affected. The international community should uphold multilateralism and seek win-win cooperation with a view to ensuring that the fruits of development can benefit all countries and people. However, certain countries have chosen to politicize development issues and repudiate the consensus among the United Nations membership, which has seriously undermined international cooperation, to the detriment of the maintenance of regional peace and security. Peace and security in Africa have a bearing on world stability and development. The international community should jointly safeguard African leadership in peace and security affairs in Africa, support African solutions to African problems and oppose unjustified external interference. We should promote political settlement and peaceful reconciliation and help Africa improve its own peacekeeping, stabilizing and counter- terrorism capabilities. We should promote economic growth and social development in Africa, expedite the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty reduction, and eliminate breeding grounds for conflicts. China and African countries are brothers and partners. When it comes to helping Africa maintain peace and security, China has never been absent. More than 2,000 Chinese peacekeepers are safeguarding peace in Africa as we speak. Within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China has continually increased its contributions to Africa’s peace and security affairs. We have established the China-Africa Peace and Security Fund to provide robust support and assistance to countries in need. China will continue to uphold the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith in pursuing the greater good and shared interests among countries and will support African countries in their pursuit of development paths suited to their national conditions, with a view to achieving long-term stability.

The Czech Republic aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union and its member States and would like to add the following remarks in its national capacity. The Czech Republic is pleased to join the consensus on resolution 75/327. We fully recognize the importance of implementing the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. Through its development cooperation, the Czech Republic assists partner countries in Africa in promoting democracy, human rights and good governance, as well as in building resilience and achieving sustainable development. The Czech Republic did not join the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration or participate in the Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in Marrakech, and it voted against resolution 73/195, by which the General Assembly endorsed the Global Compact, for reasons we clearly outlined in our explanation of vote on 19 December 2018 (see A/73/PV.60). Recalling those facts, the Czech Republic cannot accept the expression “reaffirms” in operative paragraph 11 of the resolution on the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa, and must therefore dissociate itself from the paragraph. The Czech Republic reaffirms its full support for multilateralism, the rule of law and human rights, and recognizes that multilateral cooperation is indispensable in finding global solutions to such global challenges as migration.

Chile welcomes resolution 75/327 as an important contribution to the understanding and inspiration of actions that will enable us to tackle the causes of conflicts in Africa and promote durable peace and sustainable development. While we support the consensus on the resolution, the Chilean Government has reservations about the text of operative paragraph 11, since Chile is in the process of updating its regulatory framework in the area of migration, which establishes foundations for proper migration management, with a view to ensuring that migration is safe, orderly and regular.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of position after adoption. I now give the floor to the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, to make a statement after adoption.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania, as well as the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. At the outset, I would like to express the EU’s gratitude to Morocco, as facilitator of the negotiation process for resolution 75/327, on the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa, and to Eritrea and Senegal, as coordinators for the Group of 77 and China, as well as to those colleagues representing groups and Member States who participated in informal consultations. I also want to direct special thanks to the Group of African States. We know how important this resolution is for the Group. Last year the EU was regrettably unable to vote in favour of resolution 74/302, due to the insertion of controversial language that did not enjoy universal support. This year we welcome the fact that we were able to find alternative language that everyone could support. We know that the African Group worked hard to achieve that consensus. We also appreciate the work that was done to update the resolution and make it more focused and action-oriented. That is something we have long called for and we will continue to work to mirror that positive step in all relevant resolutions. Africa and the EU have a close and long-standing partnership for both security and development. The EU is Africa’s biggest development, investment and trade partner. Deepening our partnership with Africa is at the very top of the EU’s priorities. Indeed, in the current context of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), solidarity and close cooperation are crucial in the fight against the pandemic, including through the distribution of vaccines. To date, the EU has mobilized funds to provide more than 1 billion vaccines through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility. In addition, Team Europe intends to donate at least 200 million vaccine doses globally through the end of the year. The EU has been a committed partner in supporting African countries not only in dealing with the health emergency but also in addressing the socioeconomic fallout from the crisis, including by supporting debt-relief efforts for African countries. Peace and security issues remain at the core of the partnership between the African Union (AU) and the EU, based on mutual responsibility, national ownership and reciprocal commitment. The EU’s support to Africa is both financial and political. We believe that Africa should have an even stronger voice in multilateral forums. The EU continues to support African-led peace and security initiatives such as the road map for Silencing the Guns by 2030, as well as the AU’s efforts to secure predictable resources for African-led peace operations. The EU also contributes significant financial support and personnel to peace and security operations in Africa. Since 2003, the EU has committed €3.5 billion in support of African-led initiatives, contributing to early responses to crises, capacity-building in the field of peace and security and the financing of AU-mandated or -authorized peace support operations. The European Union works alongside the African Union in key locations such as the Sahel, Somalia and Libya, supporting efforts to ensure effective delivery on Security Council mandates. The European Union is currently deploying 10 Common Security and Defence Policy missions and more than 4,000 personnel in Africa. More broadly, we are deploying more than 13,000 troops in support of peace and security in Africa. Our daily work in the United Nations to promote sustainable development and conflict prevention and resolution on the African continent testifies to the priority we give to these issues. That is why this resolution is so important to us and why we are so pleased that we could adopt it by consensus today. In conclusion, I want to assure the Assembly of our ongoing and unwavering support to the African Group. The EU and its member States will continue to work to enhance and strengthen our cooperation with our African partner countries.

We have heard the last speaker on this item. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 66 and agenda item 66 as a whole?

We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/75/L.136. I give the floor to the representative of Slovenia, who will speak in explanation of position before adoption on behalf of the European Union.

I would like to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The EU and its member States attach great importance to the fight against malaria. Urgent action is required to address the persistent threat of this disease, which is one of the deadliest in the world, killing hundreds of thousands of people every year. We are committed to doing our part to fight and eliminate malaria, among other things as a major donor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Nevertheless, we feel compelled to voice our concern about the complete lack of communication and negotiation on draft resolution A/75/L.136, which we are adopting today. We are deeply worried that the draft resolution has not been negotiated in any way. The facilitators did not allow Member States any possibility to give input on the text. We were barely given enough time to read the text, much less properly consult with our capitals. That is not in line with established practice regarding the presentation of draft resolutions for adoption in the General Assembly. While we are willing to accept the proposed text for adoption today, we must stress that we do not consider this acceptable procedure for any future draft resolutions, since we firmly believe that there should be a minimum of consultation with Member States before the adoption of any text.

We have heard the only speaker in explanation of position before adoption. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/75/L.136, entitled “Consolidating gains and accelerating efforts to control and eliminate malaria in developing countries, particularly in Africa, by 2030”. I give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

I should like to announce that since the submission of draft resolution A/75/L.136, and in addition to those delegations listed in the document, the following countries have become sponsors of the draft resolution: Singapore, Thailand and Turkey.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.136?

I now give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom, who wishes to speak in explanation of position after adoption.

The United Kingdom is proud to be a major malaria donor, which is central to our ambition to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children around the world. We are committed to working with partners to deliver sustainable results for tackling this devastating disease. Resolution 75/328 is one of the key tools we have to make the global malaria response more efficient and effective. Unfortunately, we have not had the opportunity to do so this year. Instead, we once again have another mostly recycled text submitted shortly before adoption, with no consultation. While some countries are nearing the elimination of malaria, others are falling further behind. We owe it to those countries and to the victims of malaria around the world to do better. The United Kingdom has joined the consensus on today’s resolution in the spirit of our continued support for efforts to control and eliminate malaria. But we want to be clear that our expectation for the General Assembly’s next session is that we will make time for substantive negotiations on this topic that will enable us to seize the opportunity to strengthen this resolution. If we do not have time to do so, we should consider biennializing it. We look forward to working with our partners in this Hall and in the year ahead on this important endeavour and stand ready to offer our assistance.

We have heard the only speaker in explanation of position after adoption. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 13?

I should like to remind delegations that the following agenda items remain open for consideration during the seventy-fifth session of the General Assembly: 9, 14, 15, 23 and its sub-item (a), 30, 32, 34 and its sub-item (a), 37, 38, 40, 43 to 49, 70 and its sub-item (b), 73 and its sub-items (a) through (c), sub-item (b) of agenda item 105, 111, 112, 118, 119 and its sub-item (a), 120 and its sub-items (g), (i) and (k), 122, 127, 128 and its sub-items (a) and (b), 130 and its sub-items (a), (c), (f), (g), (m) and (x), 131, 138 to 159 and 161 to 171. As Member States are aware, those items have been included in the provisional agenda of the seventy-sixth session of the General Assembly, with the exception of item 32, entitled “Elimination of unilateral extraterritorial coercive economic measures as a means of political and economic compulsion”; item 40, entitled “The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan”; sub-item (k) of agenda item 120, entitled “Confirmation of the appointment of the Secretary- General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development”; sub-item (b), entitled “Central role of the United Nations system in global governance”, of agenda item 128, entitled “Strengthening of the United Nations system”; sub-items (a), (c), (f), (g), (m) and (x) of agenda item 130, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organizations”; item 140, entitled “Programme budget for 2020”; item 149, entitled “United Nations pension system”; and item 150, entitled “Administrative and budgetary coordination of the United Nations with the specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency”. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration at the current session of agenda items 9, 14, 15, 23 as a whole, 30, 32, 34 as a whole, 37, 38, 40, 43 to 49, 70 as a whole, 73 as a whole, sub-item (b) of agenda item 105, 111, 112, 118, 119 as a whole, 120 as a whole, 122, 127, 128 as a whole, 130 as a whole, 131, 138 to 159 and 161 to 171?

As announced in the Journal of the United Nations, the closing of the seventy-fifth session will take place tomorrow at 3 p.m. in this Hall.