A/75/PV.30 General Assembly

In paragraph 8 of its report, the Fifth Committee recommends that the General Assembly appoint the following persons as members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021: Abdallah Bachar Bong, of Chad; Feliksas Bakanauskas, of Lithuania; Pavel Chernikov, of the Russian Federation; Donna-Marie Chiurazzi-Maxfield, of the United States of America; Nabil Kalkoul, of Algeria; Julia Maciel, of Paraguay; Vidisha Maitra, of India; Caroline Nalwanga, of Uganda; and Juliana Gaspar Ruas, of Brazil; and Cihan Terzi, of Turkey. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to appoint those persons as members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021? It was so decided (decision 75/404).

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 120? (b) Appointment of members of the Committee on Contributions Report of the Fifth Committee (A/75/580)

In paragraph 4 of its report, the Fifth Committee recommends that the General Assembly reappoint the following persons as members of the Committee on Contributions for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021: Michael Holtsch, of Germany; Ji-sun Jun, of the Republic of Korea; Vadim Laputin, of the Russian Federation; Henrique da Silveira Sardinha Pinto, of Brazil; Lin Shan, of China; and Steve Townley, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to reappoint those persons as members of the Committee on Contributions for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021? It was so decided (decision 75/405).

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 120? (c) Confirmation of the appointment of members of the Investments Committee Report of the Fifth Committee (A/75/581)

The Fifth Committee recommends, in paragraph 4 (a) of its report, that the General Assembly confirm the appointment by the Secretary-General of the following persons as regular members of the Investments Committee for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021: Yasir Al-Rumayyan, of Saudi Arabia; Sarah Omotunde Alade, of Nigeria; Natalia Khanjenkova, of Russian Federation; and Patricia Parise, of Argentina. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to confirm the Secretary-General’s appointment of those persons as regular members of the Investments Committee for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021?

In paragraph 4 (b) of the same report, the Fifth Committee also recommends that the General Assembly confirm the selection by the Secretary-General of Michael Klein, of the United States of America, as Chair of the Investments Committee beginning on 1 January 2021. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to confirm the Secretary-General’s selection of Michael Klein as Chair of the Investments Committee beginning on 1 January 2021?

In paragraph 4 (c) of the same report, the Fifth Committee further recommends that the General Assembly confirm the reappointment by the Secretary-General of Macky Tall, of Mali, as an ad hoc member of the Investments Committee for a one-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to confirm the reappointment by the Secretary-General of Macky Tall as an ad hoc member of the Investments Committee for a one-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021? It was so decided (decision 75/406).

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (c) of agenda item 120? (d) Appointment of members of the International Civil Service Commission Report of the Fifth Committee (A/75/582)

In paragraph 5 of its report, the Fifth Committee recommends that the General Assembly appoint the following persons as members of the International Civil Service Commission for a four-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021: Mr. Larbi Djacta, of Algeria; Mr. Igor Golubovskiy, of the Russian Federation; Mr. Pan-Suk Kim, of the Republic of Korea; Mr. Wang Xiaochu, of China; and Mr. El Hassane Zahid, of Morocco. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to appoint those persons as members of the International Civil Service Commission for a four-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021? It was so decided (decision 75/407).

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (d) of agenda item 120? (e) Appointment of members of the Independent Audit Advisory Committee Report of the Fifth Committee (A/75/583)

In paragraph 4 of its report, the Fifth Committee recommends that the General Assembly appoint Mr. Thembekile Kimi Makwetu, of South Africa, and Ms. Janet St. Laurent, of the United States of America, as members of the Independent Audit Advisory Committee for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021. In connection with the recommendation to appoint Mr. Makwetu, the Chair of the Fifth Committee has brought to my attention a letter dated 11 November 2020 from the Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, issued as document A/75/599, informing the Secretary- General of Mr. Makwetu’s untimely passing. The Chair of the Fifth Committee has also informed me that at its current session the Committee will proceed to recommend a person to fill the resulting vacancy remaining in the Committee. May I therefore take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to appoint, at this time, Ms. Janet St. Laurent as a member of the Independent Audit Advisory Committee for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021? It was so decided (decision 75/408).

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (e) of agenda item 120. (f) Appointment of members and alternate members of the United Nations Staff Pension Committee Report of the Fifth Committee (A/75/584)

In paragraph 4 of its report, the Fifth Committee recommends that the General Assembly appoint the following persons as members or alternate members of the United Nations Staff Pension Committee for a four-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021: Mr. Ahmed Al Kabir, of Bangladesh; Mr. Dmitry Chumakov, of the Russian Federation; Mr. Lovemore Mazemo, of Zimbabwe; Mr. Philip Richard Okanda Owade, of Kenya; Ms. Pía Poroli, of Argentina; Mr. Jörg Stosberg, of Germany; Mr. David Traystman, of the United States of America; and Mr. Tomoya Yamaguchi, of Japan. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to appoint those persons as members or alternate members of the United Nations Staff Pension Committee for a four-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021? It was so decided (decision 75/409).

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (f) of agenda item 120?

The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of the reports of the Fifth Committee before it.

Pursuant to General Assembly decision 42/450, of 17 December 1987, and upon their nomination by the Economic and Social Council, the Assembly elects the members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination. The Assembly has before it a note by the Secretary- General, circulated in document A/75/248, which contains the nominations by the Economic and Social Council to fill the vacancies in the Committee that will occur on 31 December 2020 upon the expiration of the terms of office of Belarus, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Chile, Cuba, Germany, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, Portugal, the Republic of Moldova, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America, as well as upon the expiration of the term of office linked to the existing vacancy for one member from the Latin American and Caribbean States. Those States are eligible for immediate re-election. I would like to remind members that as of 1 January 2021, the following States will remain members of the Committee: Angola, Argentina, China, Comoros, Ethiopia, France, Liberia, Mauritania, Paraguay, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and Uruguay. Those 12 States will therefore not be eligible in this election. I would now like to inform Members that the following 18 States have been nominated by the Economic and Social Council: Cameroon, Eritrea, Eswatini and Mali for the four seats for the Group of African States; India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan and Pakistan for the four seats for the Group of Asia-Pacific States; Armenia, Belarus and Poland for the three seats for the Group of Eastern European States; Brazil, Costa Rica and Cuba for three of the four seats for the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States; and Italy, Malta, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America for four of the five seats for the Group of Western European and other States. In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, all elections should be held by secret ballot. However, I should like to recall paragraph 16 of General Assembly decision 34/401, whereby the practice of dispensing with the secret ballot for elections to subsidiary organs when the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled should become standard, unless a delegation specifically requests a vote on a given election. In the absence of such a request, may I take it that the Assembly decides to proceed to the election on the basis of dispensing with the secret ballot?

The number of States nominated from among the African States, the Asia-Pacific States, the Eastern European States, the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and other States is equal to or lower than the number of seats to be filled in each of those groups. May I therefore take it that the Assembly wishes to declare the States nominated by the Economic and Social Council, namely, Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Cuba, Eritrea, Eswatini, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Japan, Mali, Malta, Pakistan, Poland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island and the United States of America, elected members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2021? It was so decided (decision 75/410).

I congratulate the States that have just been elected members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination. Members are reminded that two vacancies remain for a term beginning on the date of election by the General Assembly, to be filled by one member from the Western European and other States, for a term expiring on 31 December 2021, and one member from among the Asia-Pacific States, for a term expiring on 31 December 2022. I would also like to remind members that one member from the Latin American and Caribbean States and one member from the Western European and other States remain to be nominated for election by the General Assembly for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2021 and expiring on 31 December 2023. Finally, Members are reminded that one vacancy for a member from the Latin American and Caribbean States remains to be filled for a term of office beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2020. The General Assembly will be in a position to act on those vacancies upon nomination by the Economic and Social Council. We have thus concluded this stage of our consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 119. (d) Election of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Note by the Secretary-General (A/75/338)

Pursuant to its decision 70/410, of 18 November 2015, the General Assembly, on the proposal of the Secretary-General, elected Mr. Filippo Grandi (Italy) as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for a period of five years, beginning on 1 January 2016 and ending on 31 December 2020. Members will also recall that pursuant to paragraph 9 of resolution 58/153, of 22 December 2003, the General Assembly decided to remove the temporal limitation on the continuation of the Office of the High Commissioner contained in its resolution 57/186, and to continue the Office until the refugee problem was solved. In his note contained in document A/75/338, the Secretary-General proposes to the General Assembly that Mr. Grandi’s term of office be extended for a period of two and a half years, beginning on 1 January 2021 and ending on 30 June 2023. While the Secretary- General had intended to request that the General Assembly elect Mr. Grandi as High Commissioner for Refugees for a further term of five years, Mr. Grandi is agreeable to a shorter term of two and a half years, owing to personal reasons. May I take it that the General Assembly decides to re-elect Mr. Filippo Grandi as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for a period of two and half years, beginning on 1 January 2021 and ending on 30 June 2023?

On behalf of the Assembly, I would like to congratulate Mr. Grandi on his re-election as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (d) of agenda item 119? It was so decided (decision 75/411).

As indicated in document A/75/88, since the terms of office of the representatives of Botswana, Brazil, France, Iraq, Nepal, the Russian Federation and Sierra Leone will expire on 31 December 2020, it will be necessary for the President of the General Assembly to appoint seven members to fill the resulting vacancies. Those members will serve for a period of three years, beginning on 1 January 2021. Consequently, after consultations with the Chairs of the Groups of the African States, the Asia-Pacific States, the Eastern European States, the Latin American and Caribbean States, and the Western European and other States, the President of the General Assembly has appointed France, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Russian Federation and Sri Lanka for a period of three years, beginning on 1 January 2021. May I take it that the Assembly takes note of these appointments? It was so decided (decision 75/412).

I should also like to remind members that one vacancy from among the Latin American and Caribbean States remains to be filled for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2021 and expiring on 31 December 2023. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (g) of agenda item 120.

Members will recall that at its 2nd plenary meeting, on 18 September 2020, the General Assembly decided to allocate agenda item 25 to the Second Committee. To enable the Assembly to take action expeditiously on draft resolution A/75/L.26, may I take it that the Assembly wishes to consider agenda item 25 directly in plenary meeting and proceed immediately to its consideration? It was so decided (decision 75/504).

The General Assembly will now take action on the draft decision entitled “United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities”, issued as document A/75/L.26. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to adopt draft decision A/75/L.26?

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda items 7 and 25.

I now give the floor to the representative of Montenegro to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.16.

I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.16, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Central European Initiative”, on behalf of the Initiative’s 17 members. The Central European Initiative (CEI) obtained observer status in the General Assembly in December 2011, pursuant to resolution 66/111. Since then, the Initiative has had an impressive track record of cooperation with the United Nations, in particular with its specialized agencies. We are eager to continue this dynamic partnership, as was emphasized in the joint declaration adopted by the Foreign Ministers of the member States of the Central European Initiative in June 2019, on the occasion of its thirtieth anniversary. Regional organizations have the power to serve as catalysts for advancing global cooperation. Their cooperation with the United Nations remains critical to maintaining international peace and security, upholding human rights and achieving sustainable development. In that respect, I would like to highlight the continued efforts of the Initiative to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The CEI’s action plan for the period from 2021 to 2023, currently under preparation, will be defined in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and would contribute to its implementation through regional processes. The relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations has assumed even greater importance in the context of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which demands a collective, coordinated and unified response from all regions. The commitment to concerted actions and a decisive and comprehensive approach was emphasized during the extraordinary virtual meeting of CEI Heads of Government held under the presidency of Montenegro in May. In response to COVID-19, the Central European Initiative established a task force with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe aimed at stepping up regional coordination in order to better respond to the effects of the pandemic. Furthermore, self-sufficient initiatives and actions were introduced under Montenegro’s presidency for effectively tackling challenges in the Central European Initiative region. The CEI is fully committed to fruitful cooperation with the United Nations, its specialized agencies and other international organizations and initiatives with the aim of fostering broad multi-stakeholder partnerships in the region. In its 30 years of existence, CEI has made a considerable impact in building democratic capacities and promoting stronger partnerships among its member States. And it will certainly continue to be a powerful initiative that will contribute to the realization of the goals of the United Nations in the region. Since Montenegro holds the presidency of the Central European Initiative for the period from 2020 to 2021, I would like to express our gratitude to all the member States of the Initiative for their excellent cooperation throughout our presidency. I would like to conclude by saying that the CEI member States express the hope that this biennial draft resolution will be adopted without a vote, as has been the case on previous occasions.

I now give the floor to the representative of Azerbaijan to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.17.

In its capacity as the current Chair of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development  — GUAM, the Republic of Azerbaijan has the honour to introduce, on behalf of its co-sponsors, draft resolution A/75/L.17, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development — GUAM”. GUAM is an international regional organization consisting of four member States — Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. In its resolution 58/85 of 8 January 2004, the General Assembly granted observer status to GUAM. Since its sixty-seventh session, the General Assembly has adopted without a vote four resolutions on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development  — GUAM: resolutions 67/109, 69/271, 71/15 and 73/14. Draft resolution A/75/L.17 acknowledges the efforts of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development — GUAM towards developing partnership relations with the United Nations and its member States. It also takes note of GUAM’s activities aimed at promoting regional cooperation in various areas. The draft resolution emphasizes the importance of strengthening dialogue, cooperation and coordination between the United Nations system and GUAM and invites the specialized agencies, components, organizations, programmes and funds of the United Nations to cooperate and develop direct contacts with GUAM for the joint implementation of projects aimed at the attainment of common objectives. The adoption of the draft resolution will further contribute to developing cooperation between the United Nations and GUAM, promoting the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The draft resolution has been developed on a basis of the most recent resolution (resolution 73/14) with the same title adopted by the General Assembly at its seventy-third session without a vote. Only technical updates have been introduced to the text this year. No comments have been received from Member States since the draft resolution was circulated on 30 October 2020. I would like to thank delegations for their understanding and constructive approach and to request their kind support for the draft resolution. We look forward to its adoption without a vote.

I now give the floor to the representative of Uzbekistan to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.19.

The delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as Chair of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 2020, has the honour to introduce and submit draft resolution A/75/L.19, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Independent States”. This year the Commonwealth of Independent States celebrates its twenty-ninth anniversary. In March of 1994 the General Assembly granted the CIS observer status, which laid a solid foundation for advancing close cooperation with the United Nations. Since then, the organization has become an influential and effective structure for deepening multifaceted practical cooperation among its member States, especially in areas such as developing trade and economic partnerships, using transport and transit potential effectively, strengthening security and promoting cultural and humanitarian exchanges. Today the CIS is an important partner of the United Nations and a participant in all the major forums convened by the United Nations and its specialized agencies. The current global health crisis has once again demonstrated that all States and nations are interconnected and that regular dialogue, trust and close cooperation among us are extremely important. Moreover, addressing contemporary global challenges in today’s ever-changing world requires constantly renewing partnerships between regional organizations and the United Nations. Despite the negative consequences of the current coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions that the crisis has imposed, the CIS has continued to serve as an important platform providing a wide opportunity for developing mutually acceptable approaches and practical measures in the areas of trade, investment, transport, tourism, education, science and sustainable development. In its capacity as Chair of the CIS in 2020, Uzbekistan has developed a road map to intensify cooperation among its member States. In addition, issues related to overcoming the negative economic and humanitarian consequences of the pandemic, promoting trade, economic cooperation and developing transport-communication networks have continued to feature on the agenda of this year’s meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Economic Council and the Council of the Heads of Government of the CIS countries. The draft resolution before us is a technical update of a biennial resolution. It is based on previous General Assembly resolutions and reaffirms the importance of international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character. Welcoming the commitment of the Commonwealth of Independent States to intensifying and deepening its cooperation with the agencies, programmes and funds of the United Nations system, the draft resolution invites the specialized agencies and other organizations, programmes and funds of the United Nations, as well as international financial institutions, to develop their cooperation with the CIS. We believe firmly that advancing the cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, including the CIS, will make it possible to address a wide range of issues completely and effectively and to exchange information on best practices in various fields and bring them into practical application. In conclusion, I would like to thank all members of the CIS for their unwavering support during Uzbekistan’s chairmanship, as well as all other delegations for their support of the draft resolution. We hope that the draft resolution will be adopted by consensus, as has been the case in the past.

I now give the floor to the representative of Norway to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.20.

On behalf of the main sponsors, Brazil and my own country, Norway, I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.20, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)”. The General Assembly first adopted this resolution, by consensus, in 2016. It has since been reviewed biennially, first in 2018, and again this year. Through both reviews, the resolution’s fundamental threefold purpose has remained unchanged: first, acknowledging and taking stock of the existing cooperation between the United Nations and INTERPOL; secondly, strengthening that cooperation within the respective mandates of both organizations; and thirdly, raising awareness among Member States about the role of INTERPOL at the United Nations. We believe that this year’s review, conducted under exceptional circumstances, further strengthens the resolution in line with those objectives. The revisions reflect the evolving relationship between the United Nations and INTERPOL, as well as recent shifts in international criminal-justice priorities and activities. It is our hope that the review will further solidify the cooperation between the two organizations for the benefit of all Member States that are also members of INTERPOL. Among other additions, the revisions in the draft resolution acknowledge the unprecedented public-health and socioeconomic damage caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, including its impact on the vulnerabilities that drive, enable and perpetuate criminal activity. Relatedly, it also recognizes the importance of effective and professional policing to Member States’ implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, noting the contribution of INTERPOL’s “Global Policing Goals” to that end, as well as the joint efforts of INTERPOL and the United Nations Department of Peace Operations to develop host States’ police capacity in mission settings. Further, the revised resolution urges the United Nations and INTERPOL to deepen their cooperation to promote gender equality in law enforcement, including through equal opportunities for employment, leadership positions and decision-making at all levels of law- enforcement agencies, with a view to strengthening the empowerment of all women and their full enjoyment of human rights. Moreover, the draft resolution expresses increased concern about growing cybercrime and the criminal misuse of information and communications technologies. It encourages further cooperation between the United Nations and INTERPOL to assist Member States in addressing such threats, including by providing technical assistance and capacity-building activities, upon request and within existing mandates. Other additions include new text on cooperation between the United Nations and INTERPOL in combating crimes against cultural property, as well as on INTERPOL’s role as a global exchange platform for law-enforcement knowledge. In our view, it is a great achievement to have reached consensus on such important and complex issues, particularly since delegations were confined to unfamiliar and challenging working methods, negotiating wholly online. At a time when the United Nations is struggling to adapt to the unprecedented global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe the successful completion of a substantive and consensus review in this manner is an indication that the Organization can rise to the challenge. As a result, in this case, the institutional relationship between the United Nations and INTERPOL has been deepened, ultimately strengthening international police cooperation and law-enforcement efforts worldwide. On behalf of the main sponsors, Norway and Brazil, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the representatives of all the Member States who took an active part in the consultation process for their constructive contributions. Our thanks also go to the members of the Office of the Special Representative of INTERPOL to the United Nations for the excellent technical advice that they provided throughout the negotiations. Their valuable guidance and support were greatly appreciated by all delegations. Finally, we sincerely appreciate the presence today of Ms. Elisabeth Neugebauer, the Deputy Special Representative of INTERPOL to the United Nations, who will address the Assembly later today in support of the draft resolution.

I now give the floor to the representative of Mauritania to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.21.

As Chair of the Group of Arab States in New York for this month, which is full of important events and meetings, it is my honour to present to the General Assembly on behalf of the States members of the League of Arab States — Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen  — draft resolution A/75/L.21, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States”, under agenda item 130. The draft resolution before us today coincides with the seventy-fifth anniversary of two well-established organizations, namely, the United Nations and the League of Arab States. It reflects one of the highest and greatest principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations  — cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations in areas of common interest, particularly in the area of international peace and security, as stipulated in Chapter VIII of the Charter. The draft resolution genuinely reflects the updated, continued, sustained and fruitful cooperation between the League of Arab States with its various sectors and the United Nations with its various bodies, especially as reflected in the presidential statement of the Security Council adopted during its presidency by our sisterly the State of Kuwait (S/PRST/2019/5). Both Organizations seek to develop and strengthen that cooperation, which has been well established for over 50 years. In its preambular and operative paragraphs, the draft resolution underscores the desired cooperation between the two secretariats of the two organizations at the technical and operational levels, so as to continue our efforts towards improving interaction and consultation by the respective secretariats. In that regard, the opening of the United Nations Liaison Office to the League of Arab States in Cairo is among the clearest evidence of their determination to enhance and develop this desired cooperation for more than 75 years. Given that effective cooperation, the Arab Group looks forward to receiving the support of all States Members for draft resolution A/75/L.21 and calls on the General Assembly to adopt it without a vote as one of its resolutions at the seventy-fifth session under agenda item 130.

I now give the floor to the representative of Romania to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.22.

In my capacity as Chairman-in-Office of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC), Romania has the honour of introducing, on behalf of its sponsors, draft resolution A/75/L.22, submitted under agenda item 130, sub-item (o), “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization”. The draft resolution, which is based on resolution 73/13, adopted by consensus by the General Assembly on 26 November 2018, was transparently discussed in informal consultations with the member States of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, as well as with the wider United Nations membership. As a full-fledged international and regional organization focused on multilateral, political and economic initiatives aimed at fostering cooperation, peace, stability and prosperity in the Black Sea region, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization deeply values cooperation with the United Nations and encourages regional activities in the spirit of the purposes and principles of the Organization. The BSEC itself has a particularly important role to play in developing a culture of dialogue, given its status as one of the first regional-cooperation initiatives in the region. As Chairman-in-Office, Romania has focused on boosting intergovernmental economic cooperation in the Black Sea region by stimulating cohesion and synergies, contributing to strengthening mutual trust and understanding and the cultivation of an authentic dialogue among BSEC member States. The draft resolution that is being introduced today includes references to activities and concrete initiatives undertaken by the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization in the past two years in the spirit of cooperation between regional organizations and the United Nations. It contains substantive and technical updates, including language on the coronavirus disease pandemic, reaffirming that this crisis requires a global response based on unity, solidarity and renewed multilateral cooperation. The draft resolution salutes the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations and reiterates its pledge to international cooperation and multilateralism. It also reaffirms the conviction that strengthening the cooperation between the United Nations and other organizations contributes to the promotion of the purposes and principles of the Organization. Mutual activities between the United Nations and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization are also mentioned in the report of the Secretary-General entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organizations” (A/75/345). In conclusion, I would like to express our gratitude to all delegations for their active and constructive engagement in the drafting process. We very much look forward to receiving the support of Member States for the draft resolution and its adoption by consensus.

I now give the floor to the representative of Algeria to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.23.

I am pleased and honoured to formally introduce before the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session the biennial draft resolution contained in document A/75/L.23, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization”. I am doing so in Algeria’s capacity as Chair of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in Vienna for the year 2020, following the established practice by previous Chairs of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission and consistent with the cooperation agreement concluded by the United Nations and the CTBTO Preparatory Commission in 2000. Algeria’s tenure as Chair of the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO is a reflection of its unwavering support for the Commission and a testimony to the importance Algeria affords to the total elimination of nuclear weapons all over the globe, as well as to the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the earliest possible date. Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organizations (A/75/345), and the report of the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO (see A/75/153), and noting with appreciation the New York liaison mechanism established in June 2017 between the United Nations and the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO, the draft resolution decides, as in previous years, to include in the provisional agenda of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session, under the item “Cooperation between United Nations and regional and other organizations”, a sub-item specifically devoted to discussing the cooperation between the United Nations and the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO. This draft resolution, which has been submitted biannually for several years, performs a procedural function, but above all it has political value. The activities that the Preparatory Commission and the Provisional Technical Secretariat are performing pursuant to the Treaty and the CTBTO resolution establishing the Preparatory Commission to foster non-proliferation and security contribute to the fulfilment of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Close cooperation between the United Nations and the CTBTO Preparatory Commission therefore serves the interests of the international community. Synergies are in fact mutually beneficial and need to be pursued with determination. While we thank all delegations for their continued sponsorship and support, we remain confident that the General Assembly will be willing to adopt by consensus the draft resolution we have submitted as a means of continuing to keep nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation at the top of our agenda.

I now give the floor to the representative of Viet Nam to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.25.

On behalf of the 10 States members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely, Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and my own country, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, I have the honour to introduce the draft resolution contained in document A/75/L.25, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations”, under sub-item (q) of agenda item 130. Over the past more than five decades, ASEAN has played a significant role in strengthening solidarity and promoting dialogue and cooperation for peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific region. During this period, the United Nations has been a long-standing partner with ASEAN, having established a comprehensive partnership in 2011. Cooperation between the two sides has been implemented in a wide range of political, economic and sociocultural areas. We therefore welcome the statement of Secretary- General António Guterres at the eleventh United Nations-ASEAN Summit that the United Nations- ASEAN comprehensive partnership has grown stronger than ever. ASEAN warmly welcomes initiatives to coordinate, cooperate and collaborate with the United Nations in building trust for the sake of shared efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability in the region, while upholding ASEAN’s centrality in the context of the regional security architecture and allied with the ASEAN principles of non-interference, non-intervention, consensus-based decision-making and respect for national sovereignty. The draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has been a biannual item on the agenda of the General Assembly since the fifty-seventh session, in 2002, aims to reaffirm and strengthen cooperation between ASEAN and the United Nations. It has been adopted by consensus ever since. The current draft resolution has been updated to reflect key developments since 2018, notably the recent adoption of the plan of action to implement the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the United Nations (2021-2025), new ASEAN strategies and plans and the implementation of important United Nations milestones. Throughout the negotiating process, we engaged constructively and openly with all States Members of the United Nations and received their valuable support. Taking this opportunity, we would like to extend our sincerest appreciation to all delegations for their participation in the negotiations. It is their spirit of compromise and willingness to engage in constructive dialogue that has led to the balanced and substantive draft resolution before the Assembly today. I would also like to thank those delegations that have joined the draft resolution as sponsors. We hope all Member States will continue to kindly support the draft resolution by adopting it by consensus.

I now give the floor to the representative of the United Arab Emirates to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.27.

In my capacity as Chair of the group of members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in New York, I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.27, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation”. At the outset, I would like to thank the Permanent and Observer Missions of the United Nations for accepting a technical rollover of resolution 73/135, adopted in 2018, in the light of the modalities of work following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease. We appreciate their support and the flexibility they have shown to the OIC and its members. The draft resolution is consistent with the spirit of resolution 3369 (XXX), which, in 1975, invited the OIC to participate in the General Assembly and its subsidiary bodies as an observer. The resolution also reaffirmed the shared objectives of both the United Nations and the OIC in conflict prevention and conflict resolution, peacebuilding, mediation and the promotion of a culture of peace. The draft resolution highlights the desire of the two organizations to work together on shared concerns, including global security, self-determination, respect for territorial integrity, decolonization and combating terrorism. It reaffirms the shared goals of the United Nations and the OIC in promoting progress in the Middle East peace process, combating religious intolerance and preventing violent extremism. In its operative paragraphs, the draft resolution recognizes the continuing cooperation between the OIC and United Nations entities, including UN-Women, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. We underscore that strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and the OIC has never been more important than in these challenging times. In addition, the draft resolution calls for exploring innovative means of enhancing cooperation between the United Nations and the OIC. In this vein, we would like to thank Secretary-General António Guterres for his constant engagement with the OIC and its members. The OIC group appreciates his informal discussions with the group and his periodic high-level meetings with the OIC Secretary-General. We also warmly recognize Mr. Guterres’ annual tradition of visiting Muslim communities around the world during Ramadan to demonstrate solidarity and exchange views on pressing issues. Such initiatives support the provisions of the draft resolution. The OIC group believes that addressing complex challenges requires a coordinated and comprehensive multilateral response that brings countries and international organizations together. As such, we invite all States Members of the United Nations to adopt the draft resolution A/75/L.27 by consensus.

In accordance with General Assembly decision 75/506, of 13 October 2020, I now introduce the pre-recorded statement of Mr. Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty Organization. A pre-recorded video statement was shown in the General Assembly Hall (see A/75/610).

I would like to begin by thanking Ambassador Odd-Inge Kvalheim for his presentation in the name of the co-facilitators and main sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.20, on cooperation between the United Nations and INTERPOL. I would like to say a few words with regard to the draft, given its importance to Brazil and the challenging circumstances in which it was drafted and negotiated. This is the second time that Brazil is co-facilitating this resolution, which illustrates the relevance of the cooperation with INTERPOL to our country. Since joining INTERPOL in 1986, Brazil has enjoyed an excellent relationship with the organization, not only through our respective representations here in New York since 2004, when the Office of the Special Representative was established, but also worldwide. We would like to thank INTERPOL for its crucial collaboration in these negotiations. The Special Representative to the United Nations, Emmanuel Roux, and the Deputy Special Representative to the United Nations, Elisabeth Neugebauer, both of whom are here with us today, along with their team, were present during all negotiating rounds, and their support, inputs and clarifications were fundamental to helping move the process forward. Thanks to their kind assistance and to the constructive engagement of Member States, it was possible to agree on a substantive and balanced text that outlines priorities and respects sensitivities. This draft resolution is not a technical rollover. With a biennial resolution, a rollover now would mean a four-year hiatus between full reviews of the text, a gap that simply would be too long for the dynamic relations between INTERPOL and the United Nations. Additionally, owing to the current coronavirus disease pandemic, the transnational crime landscape has undergone some critical changes that needed to be reflected in an updated text. We would also like to extend a special word of thanks to our colleagues from Norway. Our cooperation as co-facilitators was driven by a lot of hard work, mutual trust and seamless coordination. Above all, we would like to thank all Member States for their active participation, constructive proposals and flexibility during the negotiations, which enabled us to reach the final draft that had its silence procedure successfully concluded last Monday. In recent months, we have seen some negotiations strain under the accrued difficulties of the virtual format. It is noteworthy that we managed to overcome such a scenario in this case, with the collaboration of all. That positive outcome was the result of an innovative work methodology and a lot of outreach and informal discussions, beyond the negotiating room, to bridge gaps. We believe that the successful result demonstrates the cohesion and resilience of the General Assembly and its ability to adapt its working methods to deliver on its mandate.

My delegation thanks the Secretary-General for his report on the cooperation and activities undertaken by the United Nations and regional and other organizations in the past year, particularly in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic (A/75/345). The year 2020 has shown all too clearly that many of the challenges we face today are multifaceted, interconnected and transnational in nature. Many countries continue to struggle with conflict and violence, which have in many cases been exacerbated by the emergence of contemporary threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. It is increasingly clear that countries cannot tackle those challenges alone. Regional and other organizations are important actors in building sustainable peace and development. Strengthening regional and other frameworks to support greater cooperation, economic integration and conflict prevention will reinforce national efforts to build resilience and enable countries to be better prepared to respond to common challenges. In that regard, Singapore would like to make three points. First, as set out in Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, regional cooperation is an important aspect of the work of the United Nations. Singapore believes that the international community stands to benefit from the increased interaction and coordination between the United Nations and regional and other organizations in the implementation of their respective mandates. Due to proximity and history, these organizations have distinct approaches that provide unique insights into what works. We are heartened that the United Nations has taken proactive steps to enhance that collaboration. The number of resolutions being adopted today attests to the broad network of partnerships that the United Nations has forged. Singapore supports the further strengthening of the United Nations network of partnerships. Secondly, as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Singapore looks forward to the adoption of the draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and ASEAN (A/75/L.25). Since its formalization in 2011, the comprehensive partnership between ASEAN and the United Nations has expanded into many areas and contributed meaningfully to the realization of the common goals of peace, stability and sustainable development. In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations and ASEAN have played a critical role in increasing South-East Asia’s collective resilience and maintaining supply-chain connectivity. Singapore welcomes the continued high-level engagement between the United Nations and ASEAN, most recently at the 11th ASEAN-United Nations Summit, which took place via video-teleconference earlier this month. The adoption of a second ASEAN- United Nations Plan of Action for 2021 to 2025 will pave the way for new areas of cooperation. Among other priorities, it will advance complementarities between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; further ASEAN’s sustainable urbanization efforts via the ASEAN Smart Cities Network; and enhance ASEAN-United Nations cybersecurity cooperation. As ASEAN continues to press ahead with regional integration, we will continue to deepen our partnership with the United Nations to create a better and safer world for our peoples. Thirdly, Singapore is pleased to have co-sponsored the draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and INTERPOL (A/75/L.20). Since its establishment, INTERPOL has played a critical role in international law enforcement. Singapore is proud to contribute to that endeavour. We have been a member of INTERPOL since 1968 and have hosted the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation since 2015. Singapore will continue to work closely with INTERPOL and the United Nations to enhance cooperation through the Global Complex. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of continued United Nations cooperation with regional and other organizations to not only respond to the impact of the pandemic but also to continue with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, in a coordinated, action-oriented and forward- looking manner. Singapore will remain a committed partner in those efforts.

It is my honour to take the floor on agenda item 130, in particular on cooperation between the United Nations and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). Organized crime is a phenomenon that undermines borders and jurisdictions by unscrupulously targeting vulnerabilities, be it those of peoples, markets, cyberspace, technologies, States or organizations. That is why today it is more necessary than ever to strengthen and coordinate international police cooperation through INTERPOL, in coordination with international legal cooperation. That is vital if we are to prevent and combat all manifestations of transnational organized crime, within the framework of due respect for human rights and international law. Those tools strengthen and facilitate the various aspects of access to justice, which ultimately aim to effectively protect the rights of the victims of the scourges caused by such criminal groups. We thank the facilitators, Brazil and Norway, for their efforts to bring to a successful conclusion the negotiations on draft resolution A/75/L.20, which we are considering today and are pleased to co-sponsor. The document to be adopted today recognizes the need for and calls for cooperation to be strengthened on a broad range of issues, such as combating counter-terrorism and international organized crime, including migrant smuggling; human trafficking; drug trafficking; the destruction of cultural heritage; trafficking in cultural property; piracy; the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons; the illicit trafficking of nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological material; cybercrime; corruption and money laundering, as well as crimes that affect the environment, and the use of information and communication technologies, including the Internet and social media, with the goal of committing crimes. We also welcome the fact that the draft resolution urges States to strengthen cooperation so as to promote gender equality in the domain of law enforcement, including through capacity-building programmes and ensuring equal opportunities in the labour market, in leadership positions and in decision-making at all levels of law-enforcement agencies, with a view to ensuring the empowerment of all women and their full enjoyment of all their human rights. In that regard, we would like to underline the importance of overcoming the obstacles that women face to overcome the gender stereotypes that exist in those professions. Argentina intends to continue cooperating with INTERPOL, both within the framework of the United Nations and as a member of the Group of Friends of INTERPOL, as well as bilaterally, using the tools that INTERPOL provides to Member States. In that regard, we reaffirm our full support for the Buenos Aires regional office, which is a hub for police coordination among the countries of South America and between them and all of the 188 countries that make up INTERPOL. My delegation hopes that this draft resolution will be adopted by consensus by the General Assembly.

Malaysia welcomes the draft resolutions presented before the General Assembly on cooperation between the United Nations and various regional and other organizations. The drafts are a testament to the importance of engagements between the United Nations and those organizations. Malaysia welcomes in particular the continued cooperation between the United Nations and the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a key instrument of the global nuclear-disarmament and non-proliferation architecture. Malaysia believes that the CTBT will complement the existing international legal instruments relating to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The CTBT will also complement the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which will enter into force in January 2021, in achieving the goal of the total elimination of nuclear weapons. The expeditious entry into force of the CTBT is enormously important, yet it is long overdue. Malaysia will continue to advocate for the urgency of the entry into force of the CTBT and urges the Annex 2 States to sign and ratify the Treaty without further delay. Malaysia expresses its support for the efforts made by the Provisional Technical Secretariat of the CTBTO to ensure business continuity in the midst of the current coronavirus disease pandemic. On the election of the Executive Secretary of the CTBTO, Malaysia stands ready to support the ongoing efforts that have been made to reach a conclusion on this matter. Malaysia is pleased to once again co-sponsor the draft resolution on the cooperation between the United Nations and the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO (A/75/L.23). Malaysia reaffirms its readiness to work closely with other Member States, the CTBTO and all stakeholders in exploring concrete steps and activities to achieve the entry into force and universalization of the Treaty. Malaysia would also like to take this opportunity to thank Member States for their co-sponsorship and support on the draft resolution entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and ASEAN” (A/75/L.25). Both ASEAN and the United Nations have had a long history of engagement based on their common desire to promote cooperation with respect to the political, security, economic and sociocultural pillars. Malaysia, for its part, will continue to work closely to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the relevant stakeholders in responding to regional and global challenges.

I now give the floor to the observer of the International Criminal Police Organization.

It has now been four years since the General Assembly adopted the first resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) (resolution 71/19). I was very fortunate to follow that resolution from its inception, with the first informal outreaches to Member States to today’s debate and the adoption of its second review. Thanks to the highly skilful work of the co-facilitators, Brazil and Norway, and the constructive and valuable input of all States Members of the United Nations, the submission of this second review (A/75/L.20) became possible and was achieved despite the complicated circumstances due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Since the adoption of the resolution in 2016, the transnational threat landscape has evolved to pose new and increasingly complex challenges. This past year has been particularly trying, the pandemic having exacerbated cyberrelated crime around the globe. The number of malicious domains, malware and ransomware has skyrocketed, and the need to work together has become stronger than ever. In May 2020, INTERPOL launched an awareness-raising campaign  — #WashYourCyberHands  — to curb the rise in cyberthreats. Strengthening international law-enforcement cooperation is the only way for the international community to stay ahead of the curve. The United Nations has just celebrated 75 years of world diplomacy, and INTERPOL will celebrate 100 years of police cooperation in 2023, a landmark success for both of our organizations and a reminder of the long- standing cooperation between the United Nations and INTERPOL, which goes back to 1949, when Interpol received consultative status at the United Nations. INTERPOL’s mission is to work towards making that cooperation as effective as possible by connecting law enforcement in our 194 member countries, most of them shared with United Nations, and working together towards a safer world. This cooperation framework rests on INTERPOL’s apolitical and neutral character and the respect of human rights enshrined in our Constitution. Trust is key in any cooperation. INTERPOL always ensures full respect for the national sovereignty of our member countries and practices strict coherence in connection with our rules on the processing of data. Our three global programmes focusing on counter-terrorism, organized and emerging crimes, and cybercrime, support law-enforcement officers, including front-line officers, on a daily basis and deliver tangible operational support. The relationship between the United Nations and INTERPOL in tackling such crimes keeps getting stronger. This year, the co-facilitators have been able to negotiate a substantive amount of new language. On the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the close cooperation between the United Nations and INTERPOL’s respective visions is exemplified by the INTERPOL global policing goals, with the objective of serving as a link to the Sustainable Development Goals. INTERPOL’s work here is designed to complement and promote the Sustainable Development Goals. The COVID-19 pandemic poses a severe challenge to security and safety worldwide. The United Nations and INTERPOL strive to work more closely together to effectively curb the rise in COVID-19-related crimes. In particular, regarding cybercrime, we are pleased to see recognition in this draft resolution of INTERPOL’s work against cybercrime. INTERPOL provides insights from the global law-enforcement perspective to United Nations dialogues on issues such as the rapidly evolving cyberthreat landscape and large-scale cyberattacks. Finally, in the midst of the women and peace and security agenda, and in order to strengthen the role of women in law enforcement, INTERPOL and the United Nations are increasingly working together to promote gender mainstreaming in law enforcement. Our two organizations will continue to jointly work to increase the number of female police officers worldwide and to promote equal opportunities for employment and leadership. With the second review of this resolution, we are looking to forward to marking a new milestone in our common journey towards making this world a safer place. In closing, please allow me to recognize the outstanding efforts made by the Permanent Missions of Brazil and Norway, following Australia, Rwanda and Switzerland, in co-facilitating this draft resolution and in very skilfully bringing together the precious viewpoints and contributions of all States Members of the United Nations.

I now give the floor to the observer of the League of Arab States.

As we discuss this important item in the General Assembly, we are facing radical international and regional changes that are affecting cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States. Both of our organizations are celebrating 75 years of existence, and the League of Arab States has had observer status at the United Nations since 1950. However, both of our organizations and their member States are still suffering from the repercussions of the second wave of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and are fighting together to overcome its consequences in the health, economic and social fields and to address its developmental ramifications for Arab communities, including its negative effects on our Arab countries in their implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The League of Arab States aligns itself with the statement made earlier by His Excellency the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Mauritania on behalf of the Group of Arab States in New York. We thank him for his efforts in preparing, coordinating and introducing draft resolution A/75/L.21, on the cooperation between our two Organizations. We would like to highlight a number of pivotal issues in the promotion of cooperation. First, we stress the importance of the General Assembly allowing regional organizations, especially regional Governmental organizations such as the League of Arab States, to carry out their role as observers at the United Nations. We appreciate the emergency measures taken by Member States within the framework resolution to organize participation in the work of the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We were very upset at the exclusion of all observers but three, who were physically present in the General Assembly and its various committees. That limited our capacity to convey the message of supporting the General Assembly and its committees and other thematic activities. Consequently, we look forward to your cooperation, Madam, with the President to address this issue at your earliest convenience in order to suggest specific proposals that would enable us to support the General Assembly and to physically participate in its work, committees, meetings and various activities led by facilitators, Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives. Secondly, the League of Arab States reaffirms its position of welcoming the opening of a United Nations liaison office in Cairo in mid-2019 and continues to take all measures necessary to allow the office to promote cooperation between the two organizations. We look forward to the appointment of the new President of that office as soon as possible in a post that is of an appropriately high level similar to those in other regional organizations. We also commend the active role of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs in establishing and entrenching cooperation in all areas. In addition, we commend the key role of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who consults closely with heads of governmental organizations at the highest level during biennial high-level meetings, the latest of which was held today. The aim is to work together and achieve common goals regionally and globally. Thirdly, the League of Arab States believes in the importance of promoting the biennial general cooperation meetings between both organizations We stress the importance of holding the meetings that have been deferred owing to the pandemic at a high level of decision-making in order to expedite the implementation of ambitious mutual projects, especially during this pandemic. That requires us to make further efforts to implement the two ceasefire initiatives launched by the Secretary-General and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, which will enable the relevant countries to address the health, economic and social challenges imposed by the pandemic, particularly in conflict- and tension-affected areas. We look forward to the implementation of those initiatives so as to achieve the desired goals. We believe also that there is a need to implement the ceasefire and put an end to hostilities and foreign interference in the internal affairs of Arab States by international and regional Powers that are fighting on Arab territories in order to realize goals that are totally unrelated to the Arab world. Fourthly, the League of Arab States highly values the tireless efforts made to promote the relationship with the Security Council in dealing with the Arab issues before it. We commend the efforts of the Council in addressing the Palestinian question and the situations in Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, the Sudan and other Arab countries. We look forward to further coordination with the General Assembly to ensure that it carries out its desired role in case the Security Council is not able to carry out its task in maintaining international peace and security. We value the outcome of the fourteenth sectoral meeting of the two 0rganizations, which was held at the League of Arab States headquarters in Cairo, on cooperation to end multidimensional poverty in the Arab region. We strongly call for its outcome to be implemented. The fifteenth sectoral meeting between the two Organizations will focus on cooperation to address the repercussions of pandemics and crises in order to support Arab countries in continuing to work towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Fifthly, and finally, it is important for the United Nations to continue supporting and building the capacities of countries that work within the framework of the League of Arab States, in particular on sustainable peace, dispute prevention, early warning and mediation, in addition to peacemaking and peacebuilding, including by assessing and building national capacities in post-conflict stages. At the same time, it is important to promote coordination among the League of Arab States and United Nations Special Envoys and other regional entities entrusted with addressing current crises in the Arab world in order to enhance opportunities to achieve fast, effective and sustainable solutions. The League of Arab States aligns itself with the position of its member States as expressed by the Permanent Representative of Mauritania, who called on the General Assembly to adopt the draft resolution by consensus.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on agenda item 130 and its sub-items (a) to (aa). We shall now proceed to consider draft resolutions A/75/L.16, A/75/L.17, A/75/L.19, A/75/L.20, A/75/L.21, A/75/L.22, A/75/L.23, A/75/L.24, A/75/L.25 and A/75/L.27. Delegations wishing to make a statement in explanation of vote before the voting on any of the draft resolutions are invited to do so now in one intervention. Before giving the floor to speakers in explanation of position, may I remind delegations that explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats. I give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.

Before the General Assembly proceeds with the adoption of draft resolution A/75/L.19, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Independent States”, I would like to make the following statement. Ukraine considers cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, as stipulated in Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, to be a vital tool for the effective settlement of conflicts and for promoting peace and security. The engagement of regional organizations in peace-related tasks has intensified and such organizations have become increasingly recognized as a vital component of conflict-prevention and -management initiatives. At the same time, we cannot support the idea of using the United Nations to promote the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Unfortunately, that formation continues to discredit itself and cannot be considered a constructive regional player. Recent events in the region have further proved that the Russia-led Commonwealth is not going to contribute to the peaceful settlement of local disputes as stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations and the Charter of the Commonwealth of Independent States. On the contrary, it encourages its member States to further violate international law. Take, for example, Russian aggression against Ukraine. Russia blatantly violated one of the main principles of the CIS Charter, in particular the “inviolability of [S]tate frontiers, recognition of existing frontiers and renouncement of illegal acquisition of territories”. We have not heard any word of condemnation or concern by the CIS with respect to that aggressive behaviour by one of its member States. Or take the most recent example  — events in Belarus. Only CIS monitors consider the elections in that country to have been conducted in full compliance with generally recognized international standards. We all see what those standards cost the Belarusian people, their dignity and freedom. Finally, I would like to draw the Assembly’s attention to the fact that in 1991 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine specified that Ukraine, as one of the CIS founding members, denied granting the Commonwealth of Independent States the status of a subject of international law. That is because the Agreement establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Alma Ata Declaration and the CIS Charter do not endow the Commonwealth with such a status. Under those circumstances, Ukraine dissociates itself from the consensus on the adoption of draft resolution A/75/L.19. The adoption of the draft resolution should not be interpreted as de jure recognition of the Commonwealth as a regional organization or arrangement as defined in Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. Turning to draft resolution A/75/L.22, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization”, Ukraine attaches great importance to the development of cooperation within the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, and I would like to thank Romania for the preparation and introduction of this year’s draft resolution. Interaction in the field of energy enjoys a special place in the context of sectoral economic partnership. Therefore, Ukraine welcomes constructive initiatives aimed at developing such cooperation within that sector. At the same time, we oppose any attempts to manipulate that organization in violation of the Charter of the United Nations or the resolutions of the General Assembly with respect to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine. In that respect, we urge the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization secretariat to remove from the official website of the organization a link to the information resource of the Russian Federation in which information about its third international conference, on the theme “Risk management in energy  — 2021”, contains a map that improperly displays Crimea as part of the Russian Federation. During the discussion on draft resolution A/75/L.22, Ukraine, in the spirit of compromise, demonstrated maximum flexibility regarding constructive proposals, including those made by the delegation of the Russian Federation. At the same time, we will continue to oppose in every possible way attempts to push through a Russian narrative that contradicts the norms of international law. In view of that, my delegation is not in a position to support paragraph 9 of the draft resolution, which includes an indirect reference to the status of Crimea that is in contradiction to the resolutions of the General Assembly, and it disassociates itself from the consensus on that particular paragraph.

We have heard the only speaker in explanation of position. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolutions A/75/L.16, A/75/L.17, A/75/L.19, A/75/L.20, A/75/L.21, A/75/L.22, A/75/L.23, A/75/L.24, A/75/L.25 and A/75/L.27. Draft resolution A/75/L.16 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Central European Initiative”. 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, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.16: Belarus, Georgia, Palau, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine and Viet Nam.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.16?

Draft resolution A/75/L.17 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development — GUAM”. I now 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, the following country has also become a sponsor of draft resolution A/75/L.17: Palau.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.17?

Draft resolution A/75/L.19 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Independent States”. I now 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, the following country has also become a sponsor of draft resolution A/75/L.19: Palau.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.19?

Draft resolution A/75/L.20 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)”. I now 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, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.20: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Djibouti, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand and Uruguay.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.20?

Draft resolution A/75/L.21 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States”. I now 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, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.21: the Comoros, Djibouti, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.21?

Draft resolution A/75/L.22 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization”. I now 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, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.22: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Palau, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.22?

Draft resolution A/75/L.23 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization”. I now 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, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.23: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Palau, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.23?

Draft resolution A/75/L.24 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System”. I now 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, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.24: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cuba, Guatemala, Guyana, Nicaragua, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.24?

Draft resolution A/75/L.25 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations”. I now 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, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.25: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, the Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, the Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, the Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, the Sudan, Switzerland, the Syrian Arab Republic, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.25?

Draft resolution A/75/L.27 is entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation”. I now 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, the following countries have also become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.27: Afghanistan, Djibouti, Iraq, the Philippines, Senegal and the State of Palestine.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.27?

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 130 and its sub-items (a) to (aa). As announced in the letter from the President of the General Assembly, dated 17 November 2020, we shall continue with the consideration of the items this afternoon at 4.30 p.m. in this Hall and hear the speakers in explanation of vote position following the adoption of the resolutions.

As indicated in document A/75/603, the General Assembly is required, during the current session, to appoint members to fill the vacancies on the Joint Inspection Unit that will arise from the expiration of the terms of office, on 31 December 2021, of Jorge Flores Callejas of Honduras and Eileen Cronin of the United States of America. As also indicated in document A/75/603, in accordance with article 3, paragraph 1, of the statute of the Joint Inspection Unit, the President of the General Assembly shall consult with Member States to draw up a list of countries, in this case two countries, that would be requested to propose candidates for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit. As further indicated in the document, the General Assembly, by its resolution 61/238, of 22 December 2006, decided that, beginning on 1 January 2008, the President of the General Assembly, when drawing up the list of countries that would be requested to propose candidates, in accordance with article 3, paragraph 1, of the statute of the Unit, will invite Member States to submit the names of the countries and their respective candidates simultaneously, on the understanding that the candidates submitted are the candidates that the respective Member States intended to propose, to the extent possible, for appointment by the Assembly, in accordance with article 3, paragraph 2, of the statute. Having held the necessary consultations with the regional groups, I should like to communicate to the Assembly the following information received from the Chairs of the regional groups: for the one vacancy from among the Latin American and Caribbean States, there are two candidates — Mexico and Peru; and for the one vacancy from among the Western European and other States, the United States of America is the endorsed candidate. As the Western European and other States has one endorsed country for one vacancy, namely, the United States of America, it will therefore be requested to propose a candidate for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit. However, since among the Latin American and Caribbean States there are two candidates for one vacancy, I should like, in accordance with past practice, to consult with Member States through the procedure of holding an advisory vote by secret ballot, to select one country from among the Latin American and Caribbean States to be requested to propose a candidate for appointment for to the Joint Inspection Unit. Although the advisory vote will not be an election, we will follow the rules of procedure of the Assembly governing elections. If there is no objection, may I take it that the General Assembly agrees to that procedure?

In accordance with existing practice, the country receiving the greatest number of votes and not less than a majority of the votes of those present and voting shall be the country selected to propose a candidate for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit. May I take it that the General Assembly also agrees to that procedure?

As indicated in the letter from the President of the Assembly dated 17 November 2020, all delegations are requested to pick up their ballot papers from the east document counter, located towards the back of the General Assembly Hall, before being seated. I request that representatives use only that ballot paper. I should like to remind members that the Assembly is not appointing members to the Joint Inspection Unit at this time. It is only selecting one country that will be requested to propose a candidate, and therefore only the names of the countries, not the name of individuals, are on the ballot papers. Representatives will indicate the country for which they wish to vote by placing crosses to the left of the country name on the ballot paper. A vote may only be cast for one of the countries whose names appear on the ballot paper. I should now like to repeat that for the one vacancy from among the Latin American and Caribbean States there are two candidates: Mexico and Peru. If a ballot paper contains any notation other than a vote in favour of specific candidates, those notations will be disregarded. If a mistake is made in filling out the ballot paper, the delegation should request a new ballot paper from the Secretariat at the east document counter.

The result of the voting is as follows: Latin American and Caribbean States Number of ballot papers: 180 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 180 Abstentions: 1 Number of members voting: 179 Required simple majority: 90 Number of votes obtained: Mexico: 131 Peru: 48

I thank the members for their advice and the tellers for their assistance. In accordance with article 3, paragraph 1, of the statute of the Joint Inspection Unit and with resolution 61/238, Mexico and the United States of America will be requested to submit the names and the curricula vitae of the candidates, highlighting their relevant qualifications for the tasks ahead. I would like to remind members that, in accordance with resolution 59/267, of 23 December 2004, the candidate should have experience in at least one of the following fields: oversight, audit, inspection, investigation, evaluation, finance, project evaluation, programme evaluation, human resources management, management, public administration, monitoring and/or programme performance, as well as knowledge of the United Nations system and its role in international relations. After holding the appropriate consultations described in article 3, paragraph 2, of the statute of the Joint Inspection Unit, including consultations with the President of the Economic and Social Council and with the Secretary-General, in his capacity as Chair of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination, the President of the General Assembly will submit the names of the candidates proposed by Mexico and the United States of America to the Assembly for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (h) of agenda item 120. Programme of work

I should now like to consult members regarding an extension of the work of the Second Committee. Members will recall that, at its 2nd plenary meeting, on 18 September 2020, the General Assembly approved the recommendation of the General Committee that the Second Committee would complete its work by Wednesday, 25 November. However, I have been informed by the Chair of the Second Committee that the Committee requests an extension of its work to Thursday, 10 December, in the belief that such an extension would facilitate concluding negotiations on the pending draft resolution on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for the development of the United Nations system. May I therefore take it that the General Assembly agrees to extend the work of the Second Committee until Thursday, 10 December 2020?