A/76/PV.54 General Assembly

Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 — Session 76, Meeting 54 — New York — UN Document ↗

The meeting was called to order at 10 a.m.
Vote: A/RES/76/191 Recorded Vote
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— Abstain (1)
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Reports of the Second Committee

The President #97157
The General Assembly will now consider the reports of the Second Committee on agenda items 17 to 20, 22 to 27, 64, 122 and 139. I request the Rapporteur of the Second Committee, Mrs. Prathma Uprety of Nepal, to introduce the reports of the Second Committee in one intervention. Mrs. Uprety (Nepal), Rapporteur of the Second Committee: It is an honour for me to introduce to the General Assembly the reports of the Second Committee on the agenda items allocated to it by the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session. The reports, contained in documents A/76/530 to A/76/542, include the texts of draft resolutions and draft decisions recommended by the Second Committee to the General Assembly for adoption. For the convenience of delegations, a checklist of actions taken in the Committee has been prepared and circulated by the Secretariat in document A/C.2/76/INF/1. At its first meeting, on 1 October, taking into account the situation regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the limitations on the number of meetings held on United Nations premises as a precautionary measure aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 and the available technological and procedural solutions, and also bearing in mind the conference room paper of the Bureau of the Second Committee on the work of the Committee during the seventy-sixth session of the General Assembly, the Second Committee approved the working arrangements of the Committee for the seventy-sixth session as set out in document A/C.2/76/L.1, entitled “Organization of the work of the Second Committee”. As a result, during the main part of the seventy- sixth session of the General Assembly, the Second Committee held 10 in-person plenary meetings to hold its general debate, as well as to take action on the draft proposals before it, and 12 virtual informal meetings with remote simultaneous interpretation to hold substantive discussions on individual items. In addition, the Committee held a joint in-person meeting with the Economic and Social Council, as well as its annual dialogue with the Executive Secretaries of the Regional Commissions, and one side event, both using an online platform with remote simultaneous interpretation. The Second Committee adopted a total of 37 draft resolutions, nine of which were adopted by recorded vote, and two draft decisions on the revitalization of the work of the Committee. Under agenda item 17, “Information and communication technologies for sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 11 of its report contained in document A/76/530, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 18, “Macroeconomic policy questions”, the report of the Second Committee is issued in eight parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/76/531, and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 18, “International trade and development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 13 of its report contained in document A/76/531/Add.1, the adoption of two draft resolutions. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 18, “International financial system and development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/531/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (c) of agenda item 18, “External debt sustainability and development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/531/Add.3, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (d) of agenda item 18, “Commodities”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/531/Add.4, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (e) of agenda item 18, “Financial inclusion for sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/531/Add.5, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (f) of agenda item 18, “Promotion of international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on assets return to foster sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 9 of its report contained in document A/76/531/Add.6, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (g) of agenda item 18, “Promoting investments for sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/531/Add.7, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 19, “Follow-up to and implementation of the outcomes of the International Conferences on Financing for Development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 10 of its report contained in document A/76/532, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 20, “Sustainable development”, the report of the Second Committee is issued in 12 parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/76/533, and the recommendations are contained in the chapeau, as well as in the addenda. Under the chapeau of item 20, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 22 of its report contained in document A/76/533, the adoption of three draft resolutions. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 20, “Towards the achievement of sustainable development: implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through sustainable consumption and production, building on Agenda 21”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 20, “Follow- up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (c) of agenda item 20, “Disaster risk reduction”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.3, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (d) of agenda item 20, “Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 11 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.4, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (e) of agenda item 20, “Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.5, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (f) of agenda item 20, “Convention on Biological Diversity”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.6, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (g) of agenda item 20, “Report of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.7, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (h) of agenda item 20, “Education for sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.8, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (j) of agenda item 20, “Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.9, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (k) of agenda item 20, “Combating sand and dust storms”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.10, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (l) of agenda item 20, “Strengthening cooperation for integrated coastal zone management for achieving sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/533/Add.11, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 22, “Globalization and interdependence”, the report of the Second Committee is issued in four parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/76/534 and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 22, “Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/534/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 22, “Culture and sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/76/534/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (c) of agenda item 22, “Development cooperation with middle‑income countries”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/534/Add.3, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 23, “Groups of countries in special situations”, the report of the Second Committee is issued in three parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/76/535, and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 23, “Follow‑up to the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/535/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 23, “Follow‑up to the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/535/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 24, “Eradication of poverty and other development issues”, the report of the Second Committee is issued in three parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/76/536, and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 24, “Implementation of the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018-2027)”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/76/536/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 24, “Eradicating rural poverty to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/536/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 25, “Operational activities for development”, the report of the Second Committee is issued in three parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/76/537, and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 25, “Operational activities for development of the United Nations system”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/537/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 25, “South‑South cooperation”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/76/537/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 26, “Agriculture development, food security and nutrition”, the report of the Second Committee is issued in three parts. The report under the chapeau is contained in document A/76/538, and the recommendations are contained in the following addenda. Under sub-item (a) of agenda item 26, “Agriculture development, food security and nutrition”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/76/538/Add.1, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under sub-item (b) of agenda item 26, “Natural plant fibres and sustainable development”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 7 of its report contained in document A/76/538/Add.2, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 27, “Towards global partnerships”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 10 of its report contained in document A/76/539, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 64, “Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 15 of its report contained in document A/76/540, the adoption of one draft resolution. Under agenda item 122, “Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly”, the Second Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/76/542, the adoption of two draft decisions. Under agenda item 139, “Programme planning”, as indicated in paragraphs 4 and 5 of its report contained in document A/76/541, the Chair of the Second Committee submitted a summary of the general discussions on this item to the Chair of the Fifth Committee, to be taken into account by the Fifth Committee during its deliberations. That concludes my introduction of the reports of the Second Committee before the Assembly. Although it was not possible to reach consensus on all the texts negotiated in the Committee, all delegations demonstrated their commitment to achieving the best possible outcome in support of our common goals, thereby enabling the Committee to conclude its work one day ahead of schedule. I sincerely congratulate Member States on that commendable feat. In that regard, on behalf of the Bureau of the Second Committee, I would like to express our appreciation to all the facilitators and coordinators and to all delegations for their constructive participation, hard work and engagement throughout the session. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the leadership of the Chair of the Committee, Her Excellency Mrs. Vanessa Frazier of Malta, as well as the commitment of all the other members of the Bureau and the Vice-Chairs, namely, Mrs. Claudia Larue of the Dominican Republic, Ms. Nadja Micael of Eritrea and Ms. Karolina Krywulak of Poland. I also express the thanks of the Bureau to the Secretary of the Second Committee and her team from the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management for the support and guidance provided to the Bureau and to delegations, as well as to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the other substantive offices that supported the work of the Committee. Finally, I take this opportunity to wish all delegations very happy holidays and some much- deserved rest.
The President #97158
I thank the Rapporteur of the Second Committee. The positions of delegations regarding the recommendations of the Committee have been made clear in the Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records. Therefore, if there is no proposal under rule 66 of the rules of procedure, I shall take it that the General Assembly decides not to discuss the reports of the Second Committee that are before the Assembly today.

122.  Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly Report of the Second Committee (A/76/542)

Vote: 31/37 Consensus
It was so decided.
The President #97159
Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote or position. I would like to remind members that, in accordance with decision 34/401, a delegation should, as far as possible, explain its vote only once, either in the Committee or in plenary meeting, unless that delegation’s vote in plenary meeting is different from its vote in the Committee. I further remind delegations that explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by representatives from their seats. When there are multiple proposals under an agenda item, statements and explanations of vote or position before decision are taken on any or all of them should be made in one intervention, followed by action on all of them, one by one. Thereafter, there will also be an opportunity for statements in explanation after decisions on any or all of them, in one intervention. Before we begin to take action on the recommendations contained in the reports of the Second Committee, I would like to advise representatives that we shall proceed to take decisions in the same manner as was done in the Committee, unless the Secretariat is notified otherwise in advance. That means that where separate or recorded votes were taken, we will do the same. I also hope that we will proceed to adopt without a vote those recommendations that were adopted without a vote in the Committee. The results of the votes will be uploaded to the e-deleGATE portal under plenary announcements. I would like to draw the attention of members to a note by the Secretariat entitled “List of proposals contained in the reports of the Second Committee for consideration by the General Assembly”, issued as document A/C.2/76/INF/1. Members are reminded that additional sponsors are no longer accepted now that the draft resolutions and draft decisions have been adopted by the Committee. Any clarifications about sponsorship should be addressed to the Secretary of the Committee. Furthermore, any corrections to the voting intentions of delegations after action has been taken should be made directly to the Secretariat after the meeting. I would seek members’ cooperation in avoiding any interruptions to our proceedings in that regard.

18.  Macroeconomic policy questions Report of the Second Committee (A/76/531)

Vote: 31/37 Recorded Vote
✓ 178   ✗ 2   0 abs.
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✓ Yes (178)

17.  Information and communications technologies for sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/530)

The President #97160
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 11 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

20.  Sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533)

Vote: 31/37 Recorded Vote
✓ 161   ✗ 8   8 abs.
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✓ Yes (161)
Vote: 32/413 Consensus
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/189).
The President #97161
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 17?
It was so decided.
Vote: 32/413 Recorded Vote
✓ 126   ✗ 6   46 abs.
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✓ Yes (126)
The President #97162
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Second Committee? It was so decided (decision 76/539). (a) International trade and development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/531/Add.1)
Vote: 32/413 Recorded Vote
✓ 152   ✗ 1   27 abs.
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✓ Yes (152)
The President #97163
The Assembly has before it two draft resolutions recommended by the Committee in paragraph 13 of its report. We will now take decisions on draft resolutions I and II, one by one. Draft resolution I is entitled “International trade and development”. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution I was adopted by 178 votes to 2 (resolution 76/190).
Vote: 31/100 Consensus
The President #97164
Draft resolution II is entitled “Unilateral economic measures as a means of political and economic coercion against developing countries”. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution II was adopted by 126 votes to 6, with 46 abstentions (resolution 76/191).
The President #97165
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 18?
It was so decided.

(b) International financial system and development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/531/Add.2)

The President #97166
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 178 votes to 1 (resolution 76/192).
The President #97167
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 18?
It was so decided.

(c) External debt sustainability and development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/531/Add.3)

The President #97168
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/193).
The President #97169
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (c) of agenda item 18?
It was so decided.

(d) Commodities Report of the Second Committee (A/76/531/Add.4)

The President #97170
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 6 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 177 votes to 1 (resolution 76/194).
The President #97171
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (d) of agenda item 18?
It was so decided.

(e) Financial inclusion for sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/531/Add.5)

The President #97172
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/195).
The President #97173
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (e) of agenda item 18? (f) Promotion of international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on assets return to foster sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/531/Add.6)
It was so decided.
The President #97174
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A separate recorded vote has been requested on operative paragraph 3.
A recorded vote was taken.
Operative paragraph 3 was retained by 118 votes to 41, with 8 abstentions.
The President #97175
The Second Committee adopted the draft resolution as a whole without a vote. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to do likewise? The draft resolution, as a whole, was adopted (resolution 76/196).
The President #97176
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (f) of agenda item 18? (g) Promoting investments for sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/531/ Add.7)
It was so decided.
The President #97177
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/197).
The President #97178
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (g) of agenda item 18 and item 18 as a whole?
It was so decided.

19.  Follow-up to and implementation of the outcomes of the International Conferences on Financing for Development Report of the Committee (A/76/532)

The President #97179
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 10 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/198).
The President #97180
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 19?
It was so decided.
The President #97181
The Assembly has before it three draft resolutions recommended by the Committee in paragraph 22 of its report. I give the floor to the representative of Haiti, who has asked to speak in explanation of vote before the voting.
Mr. Metayer HTI Haiti [French] #97182
Allow me at the outset to pay tribute to the memory of my dear compatriots who recently fell victim to the tragedy that took place on the night of 13 to 14 December in Cap- Haïtien, the second-largest city in the Republic of Haiti. I wish a swift recovery and comfort to the wounded, to the families of the victims, to the proud city itself and to my very dear Haitian nation. I have the pleasure to speak on the subject of sustainable development, a subject which includes the eradication of poverty and hunger by 2030. This issue is of vital importance to my dear country, Haiti, and, of course, to the majority of the inhabitants of this planet, who on a daily basis live the sad reality of social injustice, which is all too often incorrectly described as underdevelopment. There is no need to say that the eradication of poverty and hunger in the world is a lofty goal, nor is there a need to reiterate that the Republic of Haiti supports that lofty goal. However, achieving that goal will necessarily involve a different approach to development; in other words, we need to rethink and redefine the concept of development in order to reach that goal. We must stop limiting the concept to a simple technical question of economic growth or macroeconomic stability, although those things are certainly important. Other inherent attributes must also be included. The international financial institutions must abandon the so-called one-size-fits-all development strategy or theory, which can only bog down the countries for which it was conceived in the mire of poverty and hunger because, quite simply and entirely logically, each country has its own specificities that need to be taken into account in any development process. In other words, every country has its own development needs. More significantly, the concept of development must be considered as a process, the end result of which is the deep-rooted social transformation of individuals, particularly the most vulnerable. In the context of the global economy or globalization in general, we should promote and implement a development model that first and foremost targets the socioeconomic development of the poorest. Today nothing can justify the continued existence of poverty in the world, just as nothing could justify the fact that children still die of hunger on this planet. It has been estimated that our planet produces enough for every person to consume 3,600 calories a day. Many international commitments have been made in order to remedy the sad situation of poverty and hunger in the world. However, they in large part remain empty promises. I call upon the international community to go from words to action. More specifically, I invite the United Nations to become a catalyst to intensify the process of implementing sustainable development. However, while lauding the noble goals of sustainable development as they are set out by the United Nations, allow me to clarify that true sustainable development is one that targets primarily the socioeconomic development of the poorest people in the world. That is a question not just of social justice but, more fundamentally, one of human dignity.
The President #97183
We will now take a decision on draft resolutions I to III, one by one. We turn first to draft resolution I, entitled “Oil slick on Lebanese shores”. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution I was adopted by 161 votes to 8, with 8 abstentions (resolution 76/199).
The President #97184
Draft resolution II is entitled “Agricultural technology for sustainable development”. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
Draft resolution II was adopted by 152 votes to 1, with 27 abstentions (resolution 76/200).
The President #97185
Draft resolution III is entitled “Sustainable tourism and sustainable development in Central America”. The Committee adopted draft resolution III without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise? (a) Towards the achievement of sustainable development: implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through sustainable consumption and production, building on Agenda 21 Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/Add.1)
Draft resolution III was adopted (resolution 76/201).
The President #97186
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled “Promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building on Agenda 21”. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/202).
The President #97187
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 20? (b) Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.2)
It was so decided.
The President #97188
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/203).
The President #97189
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 20?
It was so decided.

(c) Disaster risk reduction Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.3)

The President #97190
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/204).
The President #97191
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (c) of agenda item 20. (d) Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.4)
The President #97192
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 11 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A separate recorded vote has been requested on operative paragraph 10 of the draft resolution. I shall therefore put this paragraph to the vote first.
A recorded vote was taken.
Operative paragraph 10 was retained by 100 votes to 57, with 10 abstentions.
The President #97193
The Committee adopted the draft resolution as a whole without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/205).
The President #97194
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (d) of agenda item 20? (e) Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.5)
It was so decided.
The President #97195
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/206).
The President #97196
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (e) of agenda item 20?
It was so decided.

(f) Convention on Biological Diversity Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.6)

The President #97197
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled “Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its contribution to sustainable development”. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/207).
The President #97198
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (f) of agenda item 20? (g) Report of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.7)
It was so decided.
The President #97199
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/208).
The President #97200
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (g) of agenda item 20?
It was so decided.

(h) Education for sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.8)

The President #97201
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled “Education for sustainable development in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/209).
The President #97202
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (h) of agenda item 20? (j) Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.9)
It was so decided.
The President #97203
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/210).
The President #97204
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (j) of agenda item 20?
It was so decided.

(k) Combating sand and dust storms Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.10)

The President #97205
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 179 votes to 2, with 1 abstention (resolution 76/211).
The President #97206
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (k) of agenda item 20? (l) Strengthening cooperation for integrated coastal zone management for achieving sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/533/ Add.11)
It was so decided.
The President #97207
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/212).
The President #97208
I shall now give the floor to those representatives who wish to speak in explanation of position after adoption.
Mr. Amaya Piñeros COL Colombia [Spanish] #97209
First, I wish to reaffirm Colombia’s commitment to strengthening cooperation for integrated coastal zone management and our support for the provisions in resolution 76/212 that promote sustainable development. Concrete evidence of that commitment is my Government’s recent announcement during the twenty-sixth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on the increase to 16 million hectares of marine protected areas in the West Pacific. That will allow us to advance the goal of protecting at least 30 per cent of marine and terrestrial ecosystems by 2030. Secondly, I wish to underline my country’s commitment to the agreed work modalities, including technical updates and paragraphs open to discussion and negotiation. It is within that context that Colombia joined the consensus on the adoption of the resolution. This is key because, with regard to the second preambular paragraph, I reiterate that my country has not ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Therefore, its provisions are not binding on Colombia, and neither do they apply to us, save for the ones we have expressly accepted. Colombia does not share the view that the Convention is the only legal framework regulating ocean activities. That is why we express our reservations with regard to references to the Convention in the resolution just adopted.
Ms. Barahona Figueroa SLV El Salvador [Spanish] #97210
In accordance with resolution 71/312, adopted by the General Assembly on 6 July 2007, the Republic of El Salvador recognizes the importance of the oceans as fundamental elements for life on our planet and for our future. That is why we deem it critical to work to ensure their sustainability. In particular, we recognize that coastal zones are essential environmental and economic resources and that managing such zones from the perspective of sustainable development requires an integrated zone management approach. Nevertheless, with regard to resolution 76/212, my delegation dissociates itself from the language reflected in the second preambular paragraph, which mentions the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the legal framework for ocean activities. In that connection, we would like to clarify that, even though my delegation upheld the agreement with regard to the work modalities of this session, which was conducted under special circumstances due to the coronavirus disease pandemic, El Salvador notes that UNCLOS is not the only Convention regulating ocean activities, as there are other applicable legal frameworks for this domain. In that context, since El Salvador has not ratified UNCLOS, it is not a State party to the legal document. We therefore express our reservations regarding any mention of the Convention as the exclusive framework governing ocean activities. There are other relevant legal instruments with obligations under customary international law that are just as important for regulating such activities. In addition, and in line with the position set forth in other resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, especially resolution 72/249, which, in paragraph 10, El Salvador reiterates that neither in the participation in the negotiations for the draft or the results can affect the legal obligations of those who are not party to the Convention or other related agreements with regard to this instrument. Finally, my delegation wishes to express its willingness to collaborate with other States in the management of the oceans and ensure, through good practices, the sustainability of their coastal and marine resources as a critical framework for sustainable development and the well-being of humankind.
The President #97211
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (l) of agenda item 20?
It was so decided.
The President #97212
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 20.

22.  Globalization and interdependence Report of the Second Committee (A/76/534)

The President #97213
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Committee? It was so decided (decision 76/540). (a) Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development Report of the Second Committee(A/76/534/ Add.1)
The President #97214
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/213).
The President #97215
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 22?
It was so decided.

(b) Culture and sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/534/ Add.2)

The President #97216
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/214).
The President #97217
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 22? (c) Development cooperation with middle-income countries Report of the Second Committee (A/76/534/ Add.3)
It was so decided.
The President #97218
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/215).
The President #97219
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (c) of agenda item 22 and of agenda item 22, as a whole?
It was so decided.

23.  Groups of countries in special situations Report of the Second Committee (A/76/535)

The President #97220
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Committee? It was so decided (decision 76/542). (a) Follow-up to the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries Report of the Second Committee (A/76/535/Add.1)
The President #97221
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/216).
The President #97222
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 23. (b) Follow-up to the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries Report of the Second Committee (A/76/535/Add.2)
The President #97223
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/217).
The President #97224
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 23?
It was so decided.
The President #97225
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 23.

24.  Eradication of poverty and other development issues Report of the Second Committee (A/76/536)

The President #97226
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Committee? It was so decided (decision 76/542). (a) Implementation of the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018-2027) Report of the Second Committee (A/76/536/Add.1)
The President #97227
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/218).
The President #97228
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 24. (b) Eradicating rural poverty to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/536/Add.2)
The President #97229
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 128 votes to 50, with 1 abstention (resolution 76/219).
The President #97230
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 24 and agenda item 24 as a whole?
It was so decided.

25.  Operational activities for development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/537)

The President #97231
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Second Committee? It was so decided (decision 76/543). (a) Operational activities for development of the United Nations system Report of the Second Committee (A/76/537/Add.1)
The President #97232
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution, entitled “Operational activities for development of the United Nations system”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/220).
The President #97233
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 25?
It was so decided.

(b) South-South cooperation for development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/537/Add.2)

The President #97234
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution, entitled “South-South cooperation”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/221).
The President #97235
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 25 and agenda item 25, as a whole?
It was so decided.

26.  Agriculture development, food security and nutrition Report of the Second Committee (A/76/538)

The President #97236
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Second Committee? It was so decided (decision 76/544). (a) Agriculture development, food security and nutrition Report of the Second Committee (A/76/538/Add.1)
The President #97237
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution, entitled “Agriculture development, food security and nutrition”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/222).
The President #97238
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 26?
It was so decided.

(b) Natural plant fibres and sustainable development Report of the Second Committee (A/76/538/Add.2)

The President #97239
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution, entitled “Natural plant fibres and sustainable development”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/223).
The President #97240
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 26 and agenda item 26 as a whole?
It was so decided.

27.  Towards global partnerships Report of the Second Committee (A/76/539)

The President #97241
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 10 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled “Towards global partnerships: a principle-based approach to enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and all relevant partners”. The Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?
The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 76/224).
The President #97242
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 27?
It was so decided.

64.  Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources Report of the Second Committee (A/76/540)

The President #97243
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 15 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently, the delegation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines informed the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]
A recorded vote was taken.
The draft resolution was adopted by 156 votes to 7, with 15 abstentions (resolution 76/225).
The President #97244
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 64?
It was so decided.
The President #97245
The Assembly has before it two draft decisions recommended by the Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. The Assembly will now take decisions on draft decisions I and II, one by one. Draft decision I is entitled “Draft programme of work of the Second Committee for the seventy- seventh session of the General Assembly”. The Second Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft decision I was adopted (decision 76/545).
The President #97246
Draft decision II is entitled “Revitalization of the work of the Second Committee”. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
Draft decision II was adopted (decision 76/546).
The President #97247
The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 122.

139.  Programme planning Report of the Second Committee (A/76/541)

The President #97248
May I take it that it is wish of the General Assembly to take note of the report of the Second Committee? It was so decided (decision 76/547).
The President #97249
I now give the floor to the representative of Guinea, who wishes to make a statement in explanation of position.
Mr. Diallo GIN Guinea #97250
I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 (G-77) and China with regard to resolution 76/198, on the follow-up to and implementation of the outcomes of the International Conferences on Financing for Development. The G-77 and China would like to thank all delegations for their constructive engagement during the negotiations on resolution 76/198. However, the G-77 and China expresses its disappointment with certain references in paragraph 4 of the resolution to the allocation of special drawing rights. Specifically, the G-77 and China does not support the references to the terms “Members States able to do so” and “vulnerable developing countries” contained in paragraph 4 of the resolution and would like to state for the record that those terms are not agreed language and should not be used as a basis for future negotiations. The G-77 and China would have preferred to replace those terms with the terms “developed countries” and all “developing countries in need”, respectively. In addition, the Group is of the view that there should have been a more consistent approach to the language related to special drawing rights in resolution 76/198, on the follow-up to and implementation of the outcomes of the International Conferences on Financing for Development, resolution 76/193, on external debt sustainability and development, and resolution 76/192, on the international financial system and development.
The President on behalf of General Assembly #97251
The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 139. The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of all reports of the Second Committee before it for this meeting. On behalf of the General Assembly, I would like to thank Her Excellency Mrs. Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations and Chair of the Second Committee, the other members of the Bureau and all representatives for the work accomplished during this session. I would also like once again to offer my congratulations to the Bureau of the Committee for making history, as the first all-female Bureau of a Main Committee in the United Nations. The decisions and resolutions adopted by the General Assembly address the most important global issues, including the impact and consequences of the global pandemic. Continued focus and tireless efforts of each and every one of us on their implementation is key to inspire hope and deliver for the peoples of the world. I shall now suspend the meeting until the reports of the Fifth Committee are available for the consideration of the Assembly.
The meeting was suspended at 11.15 a.m.