A/75/PV.32 General Assembly

I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.37.

I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.37, entitled “International cooperation to address challenges faced by seafarers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to support global supply chains”. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has led to unprecedented challenges to the global economy. Nevertheless, the shipping industry continues to serve as the backbone of the international economy and the global supply chain, transporting more than 80 per cent of world trade. It also plays an important role in ensuring the delivery of vital medical supplies, food and basic goods that are critical for COVID-19 response and recovery. Behind that critical sector are 2 million seafarers who have shown their dedication and professionalism during this crisis, ensuring that world trade and logistics continue to move properly. Their work and commitment largely go unnoticed. Unfortunately, seafarers continue to face significant challenges because of the pandemic. The travel restrictions have generated difficulties for crew changes and prevent seafarers from embarkation and disembarkation. As a result, hundreds of thousands of them are reported to have been stranded at sea for months. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the General Assembly has recognized the role of essential workers around the world who have committed themselves and are risking their lives to protect the health, safety and well-being of others. In a real sense, seafarers are in that group. In this crisis, we need to show our attention, commitment and support to those invisible heroes, who are working under difficult and challenging circumstances to ensure that global supply chains continue unabated. In that regard, the draft resolution urges Member States to designate seafarers and other marine personnel as key workers. It also calls upon Governments to implement relevant measures to facilitate maritime crew changes, including by enabling embarkment and disembarkment, expediting travel and repatriation efforts and ensuring access to medical care. To sum up, the draft resolution requests Governments, as well as international organizations and relevant stakeholders, to provide the necessary attention and concrete action to ensure the well-being of seafarers. The draft resolution was prepared through continuous engagement in an open and transparent manner. I would like to thank all the countries that co-sponsored and supported the initiative, as well as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the International Labour Organization and the International Maritime Organization for their commitment and assistance during the consultations. We hope that this initiative will be one more step to enhance our efforts to address the challenges confronting seafarers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and to support global supply chains. In conclusion, I wish to take this opportunity to once again express, on behalf of all the co-sponsors, our sincere appreciation to all States Members of the United Nations for their constructive participation and flexibility on the draft resolution throughout the process.

I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania; the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina; as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. At the outset, I would like to thank Mr. Widya Sadnovic of Indonesia for his work as facilitator during the negotiations on this important initiative, as well as all others involved, for their constructive engagement. The EU and its member States welcome the adoption by consensus of draft resolution A/75/L.37. Seafarers are truly indispensable key workers. They are the ones transporting essential goods — the food on our plates, the fuel for buses and cars, the medicines and equipment that doctors use in our hospitals to fight the coronavirus disease pandemic and other illnesses. They are the ones moving global trade, and yet hundreds of thousands of seafarers are stranded today aboard their ships. Because of travel restrictions and border closures, they are unable to leave their ships and return home after long months of uninterrupted work. They are both physically and mentally exhausted, many having worked beyond the time limit for work onboard set by international law. That threatens their health, their lives and the safety of vessels they serve on, as well as the marine environment around the world. It also risks severe disruptions to supply chains and international trade, which are more essential than ever during these difficult times. We would like to underline the need for seafarers to be able to travel and transit both to return home and to embark to relieve their colleagues. Repatriation is a basic right for seafarers when they finish their contracts. We must ensure that right is upheld for those key workers during the exceptional circumstances we are currently all experiencing. The EU and its member States also wish to emphasize that crew changes can be organized safely and carried out at low risk and that ports in all EU member States are open for crew changes. On 9 November, the International Maritime Organization approved protocols for safe crew changes that are a step towards more harmonized rules that ensure changeovers can safely take place. Yet seafarers are not the only ones at sea who are often overlooked despite carrying out essential work. The EU and its member States are grateful for the important and hard work that both seafarers and fishers carry out every day. For that reason, we regret that no agreement could be reached to give fishers the attention they deserve in the draft resolution. In conclusion, the pandemic has exacerbated underlying maritime labour issues, and seafarers are in need of our support. The draft resolution is a clear commitment to making sure they receive it. Regular changeovers require States across the globe to work together and ease travel restrictions for maritime crews, as a precondition for safe maritime traffic worldwide and hence for global trade flows. We look forward to continuing the discussion of how to ensure decent living and working conditions and safety on board both merchant and fishing vessels.

We would like to thank the Secretary-General for the submission of his report (A/75/542) on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which will serve as a guide for the international migration review forum to be held in 2022. El Salvador recognizes that the adoption of the Global Compact was a crucial step forward towards a more holistic approach to migration within the United Nations, with a human rights-based approach throughout the migratory cycle, while maintaining the commitment made in target 10.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. For El Salvador, the topic of migration is a priority. Therefore, the country stands ready to collaborate and constructively contribute to the follow-up, monitoring and review process of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. We therefore believe that, without efficient follow-up and monitoring institutions and without reorienting multilateral and human rights actors, the Global Compact risks turning into an instrument without impact, which is something that collectively we cannot allow. We therefore commend the role of the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations development system in that process. We also welcome the linkages with other global forums outside the United Nations. In that context, and as highlighted in paragraph 30 of the report, El Salvador and three other Member States have committed to become champions of the Global Compact. We will work with the United Nations Network on Migration in promoting best practices, peer exchange and the further implementation of the objectives of the Global Compact. We believe that, in order to achieve all of that, it is important to ensure the technical and financial resources to effectively respond to the implementation of the Global Compact on Migration, because no State can successfully manage migration alone. What is needed is an international and regional migration framework that engages host, transit and destination countries to better manage migration. We are grateful that the report being introduced today includes the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the implementation of the Global Compact. In that respect, I would like to refer to the joint effort led by El Salvador and a group of countries, and also supported by more than 100 Member States, in which the positive and important contributions of migrants in their destination countries was stressed. Many of those people have faced specific challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic on account of various factors, including inadequate living and working conditions, limited local knowledge and networks, xenophobia, discrimination, lack of access to health care and related services, and exclusion from the response to the pandemic in host countries. Finally, my country recognizes that many migrants are on the front line of the response or play a fundamental role as essential workers in informal and formal care work. For us, that is an opportunity to understand the positive contributions of migrants to their host countries. It is time to change the narrative on migrants and to note the key role that they are playing in the response to the pandemic.

The United States is pleased to co-sponsor draft resolution A/75/L.37, which sheds light on the dire situation faced by seafarers in so many parts of the world today. The United States has worked tirelessly to facilitate crew changes and the repatriation of seafarers, having facilitated numerous seafarers this year for those purposes. The United States has been a strong voice advocating that States take decisive action to facilitate crew rotations. In this difficult period, the United States has ensured access to emergency medical care consistent with our international obligations and this draft resolution to address the impacts of the coronavirus disease on the seafarer community. I thank the Chair and co-Chairs for their leadership and constructive engagement under these extraordinary circumstances.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has indeed taken its toll on everyone, including seafarers and other marine personnel, who risk their lives to ensure that global trade does not grind to a halt. The pandemic has also served to underscore the global interdependency of nations and brought to the fore the importance of maritime transport as an essential sector for the continued delivery of critical supplies and global trade in times of crisis and recovery, as well as in times of normalcy. In that context, Malaysia is pleased to co-sponsor draft resolution A/75/L.37, entitled “International cooperation to address challenges faced by seafarers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to support global supply chains”. We are of the view that access to medical care, as reflected in the twelfth and fourteenth preambular paragraphs and also in paragraph 5 of the draft resolution, should be further enhanced in its scope. Malaysia, in that regard, would like to take this opportunity to urge Member States to take responsibility and share the burden to facilitate and treat seafarers who have shown symptoms of COVID-19 while on board before repatriating and returning them safely to their home countries. In conclusion, as a maritime nation, a Member State and a member of the Council of the International Maritime Organization, Malaysia stands behind seafarers and other front-line workers in the maritime sector.

The United Kingdom is pleased to co-sponsor draft resolution A/75/L.37. As the world has faced the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic this year, collective international efforts have rightly prioritized the continued functioning of global supply chains to ensure the resilience of our national economies. Seafarers have been on the front line of those efforts. They are key workers responsible for the safe and efficient operation of the maritime transportation system, which moves over 80 per cent of global trade. Seafarers and those operating their ships have faced unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic, in particular how restrictions have hindered their ability to conduct ship crew changes to return home and to access health care and assistance. The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of international efforts to address those challenges. In March, the United Kingdom identified seafarers and other maritime workers as key workers. We wrote to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization to confirm that we were fully committed to the welfare of seafarers of all nationalities and to reassure the international community that the United Kingdom would continue to recognize its commitments under the international conventions regarding the transit and transfer of seafarers and their right to access shore leave and medical care. On 9 July, the United Kingdom hosted the International Maritime Summit on Crew Changes, which brought together key stakeholders from Governments, international organizations and industry and workers organizations. We have worked diligently to encourage the implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s protocol to ensure safe ship crew changes and travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, which were subsequently approved by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee in November. Seafarers are the lifeblood of the world’s economy. As a coastal port and flag State, the United Kingdom recognizes the critical position that seafarers hold in both the United Kingdom and the global economy. More than ever, we need to ensure that freight is able to flow in and out of the country and that global trade continues for the benefit of all citizens and the global economy. The crisis being endured by seafarers and others at sea cannot be permitted to continue. For the sake of their physical and mental welfare, the protection of the marine environment and the protection of the global economy and supply chains, we urge States to act now. The United Kingdom continues to work on measures that will further support seafarers, and we are pleased to co-sponsor this draft resolution alongside many other partners, including Indonesia. In that regard, I would like to note that we are grateful to Indonesia, in particular to Mr. Widya Sadnovic, for the initiative and the inclusive approach taken throughout the negotiation process.

Mexico takes the floor to welcome the report of the Secretary-General (A/75/542) on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The Global Compact for Migration is a document that crowns decades of multilateral efforts to give international migration the comprehensive treatment it deserves. The fact that the migration issue in all its dimensions has been consolidated in one document is an extraordinary achievement of this Organization. Mexico actively participated in the process of forging the Global Compact. Today our interest in, and commitment to, the implementation of its 23 objectives persists. It is time to act. That is why we welcome the progress noted in the report of the Secretary-General and thank the United Nations Migration Network for helping us to identify areas of opportunity. We agreed to join the champion countries convinced of the usefulness of the Compact in building an international migration governance with a human rights-based approach. Thanks to international cooperation, the Compact is coming to life on the ground for the benefit of Governments, migrants and their communities. Following the adoption of the Compact, Mexico committed to making a voluntary contribution to the Migration Trust Fund, which aims to carry out projects that contribute to the implementation of the Global Compact. We reiterate our appreciation to the Fund for selecting a joint project between Mexico and a sister country in our region to integrate migrants. Mexico has reported to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean on the actions that it has undertaken to accelerate the implementation and achievements of the objectives of the Compact, as well as on the challenges that we must face. We will actively participate in the regional review meeting to be held in March 2021. That work has benefited from the fundamental support of the International Organization for Migration and United Nations agencies. with whom we have also shared our comments on the content of the report of the Secretary-General. This is a propitious occasion to recognize that the issue of migration has made enormous progress in recent years, much of it influenced by the Compact itself. However, we cannot ignore the impact that the pandemic has had on the lives of migrants. Beyond the vulnerabilities they experience, they demonstrate on a daily basis how essential they are to the functioning of the global economy through their work and effort. Mexico is convinced that the Compact is a valuable tool for strengthening dialogue, international cooperation and shared responsibility. On the basis of joint efforts among States, international organizations, the private sector and civil society, we can ensure that migration is a decision and not a necessity. As we agreed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, migration must be safe, orderly and regular. We call on all delegations to take advantage of the report presented today to ensure that migrants are a fundamental part of efforts to achieve socioeconomic recovery.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on these items. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/75/L.37, entitled “International cooperation to address challenges faced by seafarers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to support global supply chains”. 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 co-sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.37: Albania, Angola, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Djibouti, Estonia, Finland, France, the Gambia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Montenegro, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Namibia, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, the Russian Federation, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Timor-Leste, Togo, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Viet Nam.

May I take it that it the General Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.37?

The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda items 14, 122 and 128 and its sub-items (a) and (b).

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Monaco to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.30.

I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.30, entitled “Sport as an enabler of sustainable development”, in my capacity as the Permanent Representative of Monaco and on behalf of Her Excellency Mrs. Alya Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar, as well as the other sponsors, in our capacity as the co-Chairs of the Group of Friends of Sport for Sustainable Development. We hope that other delegations will join as sponsors before the adoption of the draft resolution. I recall that the joint statement on the impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on sport, physical activity and well-being, and its effects on social development was endorsed by 118 Member States in June. First of all, we welcome the active and constructive engagement of all delegations in the consultations to ensure that this draft resolution will be adopted by the General Assembly by consensus again this year. That commitment demonstrates the great interest that Member States have in the issue of sport for sustainable development. It also demonstrates the increased recognition and strengthening of the work of the United Nations system in that area. The continuing momentum in the exchanges on this agenda item also shows that it is particularly topical despite the significant issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. The draft resolution includes important new elements. In the particular context of this session, this draft resolution recognizes the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of professional, amateur and grass-roots sport, as well as on organized and informal youth sport gatherings. The most striking example was clearly the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The tireless work of all the parties involved — the Organizing Committee for the Tokyo Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee and the Japanese authorities  — continues and, we are convinced, will enable those global events to be celebrated in the summer of 2021. In addition to that particularly symbolic example, there are numerous effects that are all deeply felt and lamented. The conditions in which athletes train and compete have been disrupted. The many restrictions have caused significant problems for the physical and mental health and well-being of individuals, families and communities. The difficulties facing the entire sports ecosystem have had socioeconomic consequences in several areas, including employment. However, the United Nations, its entities and many partners have not remained unresponsive to those challenges, including by examining the impact of the pandemic, the role of sport in our daily lives and the contribution that the sport sector can make in the recovery. For example, a policy brief on the impact of the pandemic on sport, physical activity and well-being and its effects on social development was issued by the United Nations Department for International Economic and Social Affairs in May this year. In addition, an inter-agency guidance note on “Recovering Better: Sport for Development and Peace Reopening, Recovery and Resilience Post-COVID-19”, to which 11 United Nations entities contributed, was adopted very recently. References to the contribution of sport to physical and mental health, the empowerment of young people and the well-being of individuals and communities have also been strengthened in this draft resolution. The Secretary-General’s report (A/75/155/Rev.1) provides a detailed and very relevant analysis of both the links between sport and the COVID-19 pandemic and the contribution of sport to sustainable development. The report contains six recommendations, all of which have been included in the draft resolution. They relate to the following: first, system-wide coherence and coordination; secondly, the inclusion of sport and physical activity in post-COVID-19 recovery plans and national strategies for sustainable development; thirdly, the provision of research, normative and policy guidance; fourthly, the provision of capacity-building, technical cooperation and financial assistance, as appropriate; fifthly, the harnessing of digital technology in the context of the pandemic and beyond; and, sixthly, the development and adoption of common indicators to measure the contribution of physical education, physical activity and sport. Lastly, through the draft resolution, Member States recognize the work of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which has been leading the sport for sustainable development programme since 2017 and encourage the Department to continue its work. Member States are further called on to support that work, including through voluntary contributions. In that regard, the role and activities of the Division for Inclusive Social Development and its Director, Ms. Daniela Bas, are crucial. Allow me to highlight a few additional points in my national capacity. The Principality of Monaco has long considered sport to be a development tool through its contribution to health, education, inclusion and the fight against inequalities. That belief has been strengthened by the current situation. During the pandemic, physical activity has often been possible only through the use of digital technologies  — for example, to follow online exercises from home. However, disparities exist among and within countries in terms of access to those new technologies. Furthermore, in order to ensure fully inclusive access to sport and physical activity, physical education must be at the centre of everyone’s efforts. It is often much more difficult for girls, women, people with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations to have access to sports facilities and opportunities. Those disparities need to be addressed now, and even more so for the long term after the reopening phase. In responding to the pandemic, as in all other areas, we need greater solidarity among and within countries. Through its unifying capacity, the sport movement can be one of the major actors in that solidarity effort. It was therefore particularly timely that awareness- raising campaigns regarding the response to the health crisis were conducted jointly by United Nations entities and the sport sector. I am thinking, for example, of the #HEALTHYTogether campaign of the International Olympic Committee, the United Nations and the World Health Organization last June. The role of data and statistics in measuring the contribution of sport is also critical. For example, it is estimated that, in the countries of the European Union, the sport sector contributes 2 per cent of gross domestic product and creates several million jobs. That socioeconomic contribution therefore goes far beyond professional athletes alone. It is in fact a sector of activity that involves the maintenance and management of stadiums and sport facilities, tourism and the media, as well as the manufacture and use of sport equipment and materials. I also want to reaffirm that sport is everyone’s business. While public authorities clearly have the primary responsibility for ensuring access to sport and physical education for all, civil society is also a powerful driving force in constantly enhancing the unique potential provided by sport and its activities. In Monaco, for example, Peace and Sport, the association for peace through sport, has for many years been implementing initiatives to make sport more accessible and to use it as a tool for reconciliation among populations emerging from conflict. A digital application was launched to assist educators by giving them access, in an innovative and digital way, to educational content and the methodology developed by Peace and Sport. Through a strong commitment at the grass-roots level, the sport movement and the broader civil-society sector can therefore mobilize, convince and push the authorities to act for the collective good of amateur sportpersons, young people and the whole community. In conclusion, to come back to the draft resolution, we welcome in advance its adoption, in particular the call made in paragraph 8 where Member States are, inter alia, encouraged to “include sport and physical activity in recovery plans post COVID-19, [and] ... into national strategies for sustainable development”. Through its unifying capacity, its contribution to physical and mental health, the values that it promotes, the economic opportunities that it provides and its social impact, sport is truly an important factor for sustainable development.

My delegation would like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report entitled “Sport: a global accelerator of peace and sustainable development for all” (A/75/155/Rev.1). We also thank Monaco and Qatar for co-facilitating draft resolution A/75/L.30, entitled “Sport as an enabler of sustainable development”. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has upended the lives and livelihoods of billions of people around the world. Its impact has been especially severe on the more vulnerable segments of the population, such as, among others, children, young people, women, older persons, persons with disabilities and those belonging to minority groups. It is in these trying times that the value and benefit of sport become even greater. Sport provides an avenue for us to celebrate humankind and its highest ideals. It inspires and uplifts us to pursue excellence through grit, self-discipline and sacrifice. It promotes respect for individuals based on their achievements, regardless of their nationality, race and socioeconomic circumstances, and is a powerful reminder of the importance of diversity and friendship. It also rallies the human spirit and creates a sense of solidarity among otherwise complete strangers. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development therefore recognizes the role of sport in the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals through its promotion of tolerance, respect and the empowerment of individuals and communities, as well as its contributions to health, education and social inclusion. The impact of COVID-19 on the sport sector has been significant. Most major sporting events have been cancelled or postponed, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. As the world begins to recover from COVID-19, there will be significant issues to address. The first issue is to work with the sport community to find new and innovative ways to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. For example, to help the sport sector stay afloat in Singapore, the Government provided financial support to sport freelancers and businesses to transform their business models and adopt digital solutions. That is to ensure that core capabilities in the sport sector are preserved and that the sport community is well equipped to adapt to what will likely be a different operating environment post-COVID-19. Such measures also aim to preserve the vibrancy of the sport sector, which, in turn, helps to generate a wider interest and participation in sport. Secondly, we should continue to support and promote sport for all. Sport plays an important role in nation- and community-building, and it contributes to health, the quality of life and social inclusivity. In Singapore, the Government has committed to upgrading all public gymnasiums to be inclusive and senior-friendly by 2026 in order to help persons with disabilities and seniors stay active, healthy and engaged through sport. The Government will also continue to support youth participation in all sports so as to help them to develop into confident and socially engaged young adults. Thirdly, it is important to ensure the safe reopening of spectator sporting events. For many, watching live sporting events is a quintessential part of our sporting culture and contributes to shared experiences. To allow such large-scale events to resume safely, Singapore has been piloting hybrid and in-person events, which include sport events. That is an important step towards finding a new balance between keeping society safe and reinvigorating the economy. In this decade of action to achieve the 2030 Agenda, Singapore reaffirms its commitment to leveraging sport to build a more inclusive, sustainable and prosperous future for our people.

Malaysia strongly believes in the use of sport as an important enabler for sustainable development, especially in the field of promoting development and peace. We remain convinced that sport is a powerful tool, as it possesses a universal value that unites people. It is a significant element that binds people together and contributes to developing patriotism and unity in our nation. Malaysia has witnessed how sport has been able to bridge gaps among the diverse communities in the country towards enhancing the nation-building process. In support of the objective that no one be left behind, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Malaysia has outlined various national, regional and international frameworks, including the National Sports Policy, the Malaysia five-year plan, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) five-year work plan on sports 2016-2020 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. All the planned activities and programmes have the objective of ensuring inclusive participation and implementation at all levels, including national, state, district and sport associations and clubs, and at the level of non-governmental organizations through a multi-stakeholder approach. Sport for All, for example, is an idea to encourage Malaysians to develop a healthy and active lifestyle by cultivating an interest in sport, physical exercise and recreational activities. Translating that idea into context, Malaysia has mobilized several key programmes, such as Fit Malaysia, National Sports Day, Women in Sports, e-Sports, Traditional Sport Games and other initiatives. All those programmes include policies to ensure inclusivity in sporting events, with the participation of persons with disabilities, women, families and senior citizens. They also require the upgrading of sport facilities and infrastructure, as well as increasing sport education and awareness programmes. All that is with the aim of achieving the aspiration of becoming a sporting nation. Initiatives are also tailored to ensure alignment with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, on good health and well-being, SDG 4, on quality education, and SDG 5, on gender equality. Like many countries in the world, Malaysia has been adversely affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in many ways, including in the sport and recreational field. The imposed restrictions on movement have resulted in three main challenges for Malaysia. The first challenge is to keep people healthy and active while being homebound. The second challenge is to ensure the survival of businesses in the sport and recreational industry. The third challenge is to maintain the fitness and performance of our athletes and the public at large. Realizing the importance of having a healthy and active lifestyle despite being confined at home, Malaysia initiated various activities, leveraging technology and digitalization platforms. Those activities include virtual fitness programmes, e-sport competitions and healthy lifestyle tutorials suitable for individuals and families, as well as webinars on various topics. Special COVID-19-related standard operating procedures were also developed to allow national athletes who qualified for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to continue training at various training institutions in order to maintain their performance levels. That was later expanded to other athletes, general sport activities and the opening of sport facilities and sport-related businesses. Malaysia also launched a special sport fund, which has helped thousands of national sport associations and other registered sport bodies to reopen their businesses, organize sporting activities, adopt digitalization measures and promote research and development activities in sport. In addition, Malaysia launched the National Coaching Academy, which harnesses the digital platform for the implementation of meetings, discussions and talks pertaining to sport and physical activities. The National Athletes Welfare Foundation was also established to support former national athletes who were impacted by the pandemic. Other than monetary incentives, the Government granted rental exemptions for the usage of sport facilities and premises under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. A collaborative effort among Member States is needed to fully overcome the impact of the pandemic. Digital platforms, such as forums, webinars and conferences, should be utilized by regional and international intergovernmental organizations to support Member States, including in sharing and exchanging knowledge, expertise, experiences and data, in the area of embracing the new norms in the sport arena. Related to that, Malaysia participated in various platforms, including the Commonwealth Ministerial Forum on Sport and COVID-19, on 23 July, the tenth ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports, the eleventh ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports and the third ASEAN Plus Japan Senior Officials Meeting on Sports, from 6 to 10 October, and the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation Sports Policy Network Roundtable Meeting, on 24 November. The ability of sport to reach millions of people all over the world and its potential to empower, motivate and inspire are universal and have no boundaries. Malaysia will remain a strong advocate for sport for development and peace. We will continue to contribute to the realization of the ideals of sport as an instrument that promotes social integration, economic development, peace, fraternity, solidarity, non-violence and tolerance. We will also continue to support the notion that sport plays an important role in fostering peace, goodwill and healthy competition among nations.

On behalf of the State of Qatar, we are pleased to take part in today’s important debate on the item of sport as an enabler for development and peace. We are very glad to welcome the adoption of draft resolution A/74/L.30, entitled “Sport as an enabler of sustainable development”. We participated in that effort along with Monaco as co-Chairs of the Group of Friends of Sport for Sustainable Development. Our discussion is taking place amid exceptional circumstances, which have greatly affected all aspects of our daily lives, including sport activities. The Department of Economic and Social Affairs issued a summary in which it emphasizes the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on sport, physical activity and well-being, as well as social development. We endorsed that summary with Monaco in a statement joined by 118 other States. The State of Qatar gives great attention to sport, since we firmly believe that it can create positive social change that enhances sustainable development. With a view to achieving our national vision for 2030, the State of Qatar has significantly invested in building and developing sport facilities and related infrastructure in accordance with international standards. As a result, the State of Qatar was able to successfully host major sporting events during the recent decades. The State of Qatar looks forward to hosting the International Federation of Association Football World Cup tournament in two years’ time, namely, in November 2022. That world event will be an opportunity to promote the values of peace, development and understanding among the peoples of the world. We are confident that this unique experience will have a great impact on sustainability and social responsibility. The Organizational Committee for the 2022 World Cup launched a number of programmes and initiatives, which I commend, including the Generation Amazing youth programme, which uses soccer games to promote development and address social issues, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. We hope that the 2022 event will help to promote the well-being and socioeconomic development of peoples and that this World Championship will be the first environmentally friendly and carbon-free event. The State of Qatar includes important sport initiatives in the development programmes that it undertakes in different parts of the world. I would like also to note the Doha Declaration, which is being implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and supported by the State of Qatar, with a view to focus on education through sport and prevent youth from becoming involved in criminal activities in many countries around the world. In conclusion, the State of Qatar emphasizes its commitment to continue supporting international efforts in order to promote the role of sport in achieving sustainable development and establishing world peace.

At the outset, we thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report (A/75/155/Rev.1) related to this item. We also compliment all States Members and entities of the United Nations for systematically encouraging the use of sport as a means to promote development and peace. We join others in acknowledging the part that sport plays, not only in advancing development, peace and social progress but also in its key role in supporting health, both physically and, more important, our mental health. We are pleased that sport has been recognized as an important enabler of sustainable development in contributing to the promotion of tolerance and respect. At the same time, it contributes to the empowerment of women, young people and persons with disabilities. During these difficult times, many people have looked to sport to help with the challenges faced due to the uncertainties of the coronavirus disease, which has led to the closure of many places of leisure. The sport community, however, has risen to the occasion and provided the world with alternative ways to enjoy sport indoors and outdoors. Brunei Darussalam implemented a national sport policy that identifies sport as a central element and one of the most effective means for enhancing the quality of life. Among other things, sport gives us a platform to communicate, understand and develop new bonds with people across nations and boundaries. When utilized optimally, sport is a powerful tool in the promotion and advancement of peace and harmony, not only at the national level but also globally. By building relationships, respect and communication among different groups of people, sport can also be a deterrent in preventing conflict and tension. In Brunei Darussalam, physical education has always been a key element of our national education curriculum. We have encouraged learning through play, even from a young age. That curriculum continues up to the level of secondary education. At the tertiary level, the Government has ensured that our colleges and universities are equipped with the necessary equipment and sport infrastructure. As a small nation, we believe that it is important to experience and interact with those beyond our borders so as to promote a better understanding and learning of cultures and expertise in the field of sport. In doing so, we encourage our schoolchildren and young people to participate in regional and international tournaments in order to promote mutual trust and respect, tolerance and a greater appreciation of other cultures and ways of life, as well as forge lasting bonds of friendship. In facing the various challenges of today, Brunei Darussalam believes that sport can act as a positive outlet to counter social issues, such as drug abuse, violent extremism and overcoming mental health problems. Like other Member States, Brunei Darussalam has always been active in celebrating the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace every 6 April. We commemorate the day with a nationwide running sporting event, among other things, and a community sporting event, with the collaboration and participation of all sections of society through a whole-of- nation approach. Our objective is to inculcate the spirit and value of sport for all, and to promote inclusivity, family bonding, health awareness and the enjoyment of sports by all in the Bruneian society. The Government of Brunei Darussalam also greatly prioritizes the promotion of sport for its people. It has invested in recreational infrastructure, such as a 12-hectare public park in the heart of the capital, which provides people an outlet for enjoying sports and recreational activities and has reinvigorated Bandar Seri Begawan as a centre for such activities. To encourage greater understanding and contribute to the maintenance of a harmonious Association of Southeast Asian Nations community in Southeast Asia, Brunei Darussalam also hosted various regional sports events that served as a platform to promote the value of diversity. Brunei Darussalam reiterates its commitment to working with other Member States and related regional and international bodies to advance sport, particularly as those types of activities contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. We also welcome the sharing of best practices in sport to promote development and peace programmes with other Member States. We believe that this will develop, enhance and strengthen our relations with other Member States. Moreover, it will help foster peace and sustainable development by uniting the global community through social lifestyles and youth development. As the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, Mr. Wilfried Lemke, said: “Sport builds bridges between individual and across communities, providing a fertile ground for sowing the seeds of development and peace.”

On behalf of, and as the guest of the United States delegation, it is an honour to address the members of the General Assembly as they consider sport for development and peace. My name is Dr. Nan Hayworth. I am a medical doctor  — the first female physician elected to a full term as a member of the United States House of Representatives. Germane to our shared purpose here today, I am a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, for which I am the representative on its Science Board. Since 1956, the President’s Council has educated Americans about the life-long benefits of athletic participation, physical activity and healthy eating. Our members are athletes, physicians, fitness professionals and entrepreneurs appointed by the President to work with the United States Department of Health and Human Services on diverse initiatives to inspire and promote voluntary, citizen-led efforts to enhance the well-being of every community in our country. During the past two years, the President’s Council has focused on youth sports by promoting the National Youth Sports Strategy, which is a road map for unifying our country’s youth sports culture around a common vision — for all to motivated to participate in and to have full access to sports and healthy physical activity regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, ability or location. Athletic participation develops sound bodies and agile minds, capable individuals and productive teams, vibrant communities and robust nations. In a year in which every Member State here represented has suffered from the disruptions and sorrows of a terrible pandemic, the citizens of the United States surely agree wholeheartedly with the words of the Secretary- General, as contained in the report (A/75/155/Rev.1) under consideration today, entitled “Sport: a global accelerator of peace and sustainable development for all”: “Investment and innovation in sports and sport- related policies is indeed a means of building global resilience to counter future shocks.” I extend congratulations to the Secretary-General on behalf of the United States delegation. The report’s focus on the role of physical activity and sport in mitigating the impact of the pandemic on health and well-being is both timely and crucial. The Secretariat’s exceptionally effective Division for Inclusive Social Development deserves praise as well for its tireless work throughout the year, including its May policy brief, titled “The impact of COVID-19 on sport, physical activity and well-being and its effects on social development”. The Organization’s virtual International Expert Group Meeting on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Security of Major Sporting Events, convened in July, affirmed the consensus that dedicating policies and resources to sport participation and to preventive measures to protect health, safety and security is an essential investment in resilience to current and future threats to health and well-being throughout the world. Recent months have brought signs of hope that such dedicated efforts to adapt to pandemic precautions are bringing sports into our lives once again. On the horizon is a bright light for the coming new year — the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, now known as Tokyo 2021. The draft resolution for the Assembly’s consideration today, “Sport as an enabler for sustainable development”, recognizes the invaluable contribution of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in establishing sport as a uniquely effective means of promoting peace and development. The text importantly reaffirms the autonomy of sport — a principle cherished by all who value fair, rules-based play. International sports bodies must be free to development their own good governance and equitable dispute resolution mechanisms, free from external influences that may seek to exploit sport for other ends. The autonomy of sport can offer youth positive and constructive avenues for engaging with their peers and a safe space to avoid radicalization to violence and extremism — benefits exemplified by this year’s Football for Peace event at the United Nations. The United States was pleased to join the State of Qatar in co-hosting this great occasion, proving how sport promotes tolerance and respect, perseverance and equality — uniting youth from different backgrounds via their shared zest for fair competition in an inclusive environment. Here, the field of play becomes the foundation for peace. As the United States joins consensus on the draft resolution before us today, we would like to make clear our understanding that the text does not imply that States must join instruments that they have not already joined or implement provisions of human rights instruments that they have not accepted. In joining consensus on the draft resolution, we do not recognize any change in the current state of treaty or customary international law. We also understand that the draft resolution’s reaffirmation of prior documents applies to those that affirmed them initially and, in the case of international treaties, to their States parties. Regarding references to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we addressed our concerns in our general statement, delivered on 18 November. With respect to operative paragraph 9, we support the focus on training, capacity-building and education of teachers, coaches and community leaders, and we emphasizes that the United States does so mindful of, and consistent with, our limited authority at the federal level with respect to education, which is primarily a responsibility of our state and local governments. On behalf of the United States, I am privileged to express our great appreciation for the United Nations Action Plan on Sport for Development and Peace, and to convey our enthusiastic as aspiration to continue this essential work with all stakeholders. As Member States together envision the promising horizon that awaits us beyond the pandemic, may all peoples refresh their appreciation of, participation in, and joy in sport, and benefit from its power to unite us in progress towards ever-greater health, prosperity and harmony.

Sport is an important way to improve people’s health and is a key indicator of social development and human progress. In the face of the formidable challenges of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, sports can boost our physical health, help shield us from the virus, motivate us to strive for excellence and spur us to prevail over the pandemic. Sports can help the people of the world strengthen unity and thrive together. The Olympic spirit remains the common aspiration and pursuit of people the world over. The modern Olympic Movement has brought together people of different countries, races and cultures, increased mutual understanding, facilitated social integration and contributed to the promotion of world peace and development. The Chinese Government attaches great importance to this athletic undertaking and remains a supporter of, participant in, and contributor to, the Olympic Movement. Beijing hosted a successful 2009 Summer Olympic Games. In 2022, the city will host the XXIV Olympic Winter Games, making Beijing the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. The Winter Olympics will be the first of its kind to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which will govern the entire process, including the application, bidding, preparation and celebration. Despite the fallout of the pandemic, China will overcome challenges to complete the construction of the main stadium, sports venues and related infrastructure by the end of this year. Other preparatory work is also being carried out in a steady and orderly manner. China will do all it can to present to the world a spectacular, extraordinary and exciting Winter Olympics. The Beijing Winter Olympics will be a green Olympics that will prioritize ecological preservation, the conservation of resources and environmentally friendliness. All the newly built venues for ice sports, as well as non-sports venues, will meet the three-star standards for green building. All sports venues will be using 100 per cent green electric power. Four venues for ice sports will use the most environmentally sound ice-making technology, with very low carbon emissions. The Beijing Winter Olympics will be the product of joint endeavours and benefits in order to promote the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei provinces, and to speed up the development of sports and culture and tourism, and to involve 300 million people with the winter sports so that people can enjoy real benefits thanks to the popularization of Olympics education. The Beijing Winter Olympics will be a noble Olympics. China warmly welcomes the active participation of the delegations of all countries in an effort to strengthen athletic cooperation and interpersonal exchanges, carry forward the Olympic spirit and promote exchanges that benefit our civilization  — marching together towards a goal of “Higher, Faster and Stronger”. The Beijing Winter Olympics will be a corruption-free Olympics. We will boost efforts to combat corruption, achieve good governance, exercise monitoring and supervision of the entire process and adopt a zero-tolerance policy for doping. China will stage a spectacular yet economical and cost-effective event, ensuring a winter Olympics as pure and clean as ice and snow. Let us meet in Beijing in 2022. China looks forward to the support and participation of all in the Beijing Winter Olympics.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on agenda item 11 and its sub-items (a) and (b). We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/75/L.30. In that connection, as the draft resolution was only just circulated this morning, it will be necessary to waive the relevant provision of rule 78 of the rules of procedure, which reads as follows: “As a general rule, no proposal shall be discussed or put to the vote at any meeting of the General Assembly unless copies of it have been circulated to all delegations not later than the day preceding the meeting.” Unless I hear an objection, I will take it that the Assembly agrees with my proposal to waive rule 78.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/75/L.30, entitled “Sport as an enabler of sustainable development”. 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 become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.30: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Czechia, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, the Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Spain, the Sudan, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/75/L.30?

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 now give the floor to the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

I requested the floor in order to explain my delegation’s position on resolution 75/18, entitled “Sport as an enabler of sustainable development”. At the outset, I wish to extend our appreciation to the Permanent Missions of Monaco and Qatar as co-facilitators of the discussion on this annual resolution. My delegation joined the consensus on the resolution. However, with regard to the adoption of domestic policies, programmes and guidelines related to sports and physical education, including, but not limited to, the issues of “sport for development and peace”, “sport for all without discrimination of any kind”, as mentioned in paragraph 10 of the resolution, as well as those reflected in paragraph 6, we would like to reiterate that Iran’s national laws, regulations and priorities, as well as national instruments, plans and programmes, shall enjoy total priority and will be considered as the sole and final source of action and reference.

We have heard the only speaker in explanation of position. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 11 and its sub-items (a) and (b).