A/76/PV.67 General Assembly

Members will recall that the General Assembly concluded its consideration of agenda item 12 at its 55th plenary meeting on 20 January. In order for the Assembly to take action on draft resolution A/76/L.48, it will be necessary to reopen consideration of agenda item 12. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to reopen consideration of agenda item 12?

I give the floor to the representative of Qatar to introduce draft resolution A/76/L.48.

It is my pleasure to introduce before the General Assembly today draft resolution A/76/L.48, entitled “2022 International Federation of Association Football World Cup in Qatar”. I am honoured to begin introducing the draft resolution by referring to an address made by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, during the World Cup final draw in Doha on 1 April. His Highness expressed his pride and joy over the fact that the State of Qatar would soon, as promised, host an exceptional World Cup event in our Arab world. His Highness also reiterated that the impact of this great event would not be limited to sports, but would also be felt on a wider scale, such as rapprochement and acquaintance among the peoples of the world. My country, the State of Qatar and other State sponsors of the draft resolution — more than 100 of them — have been eager to introduce it on the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, as we believe in the role of sports, in particular football, in strengthening peace and security, sustainable development and human rights as the three main pillars of the United Nations. In the draft resolution, the General Assembly welcomes the fact that the State of Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup organized by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). It is the first time that such an event, the 2022 World Cup, will take place in the Middle East. The draft resolution also emphasizes the role of sport events in ensuring community health and supports an initiative entitled “Healthy 2022 World Cup — Creating Legacy for Sport and Health”, a multi-year collaboration among the International Federation of Association Football, the World Health Organization and the State of Qatar. The aim is to ensure that the 2022 World Cup becomes a beacon in promoting healthy lives, physical and mental health and psychosocial well-being. The draft resolution also refers to the need to organize major international sport events in a spirit of peace, mutual understanding and international cooperation, as well as friendship and tolerance, without any form of discrimination. There is also a need to respect the inclusive and consensual nature of this event. The 2022 FIFA World Cup in the State of Qatar will be the first such major event to bring people together since the onset of the coronavirus disease pandemic, which the world has suffered for more than two years. We reiterate that the State of Qatar is completely ready to host an exceptional championship that will be held at the end of the year. It will leave a legacy of peace and development in the Middle East and the Arab region. I would like to thank Member States that have made constructive contributions during the consultations on the draft resolution. We are also grateful for their productive cooperation, which allowed us to agree on the excellent text before us today. We hope that the draft resolution will be adopted unanimously by the General Assembly. In conclusion, the State of Qatar eagerly awaits the day when we welcome our guests from all over the world from 21 November to 17 December. Member States may rest assured that the State of Qatar will spare no effort in hosting the peoples of the world in an exceptional environment that no one will forget. It will be an amazing experience encompassing all the features of genuine Arabic culture and hospitality.

We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/76/L.48. Before giving the floor for explanations of position before the adoption, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

The Republic of Belarus thanks the delegation of Qatar for introducing draft resolution A/76/L.48 and is grateful that it was drafted through an inclusive and transparent negotiations process. We wish the State of Qatar every success in hosting the Football World Cup this year, which will be held in the Middle East for the very first time. Regrettably, of late high-performance sports have been synonymous with high-performance politics. Instead of advancing peace and facilitating development, athletics are now held hostage to political games and have become a tool of pressure and sanctions used against certain States. Under those circumstances, all parties wind up losing — whether they be fans awaiting vivid competition and fair victories or athletes stripped, due to political motivations, of the opportunity to fulfil their potential after long, arduous training. What is particularly cynical is the sidelining of paralympic athletes from competitions. Those are people who have overcome tremendous life obstacles and inspire, through their example, millions of others to believe in themselves. We categorically object to the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee and subsequent decisions of international athletic federations to ban Belarussian athletes and teams from participating in international competitions. We call for sports to be free of politics, as set out in the Olympic Charter. We reaffirm our country’s commitment to the development of international athletic cooperation and the strengthening of friendly relations among peoples through athletics, based on the ideals of humanism and the principles of Olympism.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of position before adoption. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/76/L.48, entitled “2022 International Federation of Association Football World Cup in Qatar”. For the Assembly’s information, the draft resolution has closed for e-sponsorship. I give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

I should like to announce that, since the submission of draft resolution A/76/L.48, and in addition to the delegations listed in the document, the following countries have become sponsors of the draft resolution: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Chad, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, the Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Viet Nam and Yemen.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/76/L.48?

Before giving the floor for explanations of position after adoption, may I remind delegations that explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by representatives from their seats. I give the floor to the representative of Denmark.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The candidate countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania; the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina; and the European Free Trade Association member country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, as well as the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. We welcome this important discussion on the occasion of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. The importance of major international sports events in fostering international cooperation, supporting sustainable development, upholding human rights and promoting peace cannot be understated. The EU therefore appreciates the inclusion of stronger human rights, gender equality and sustainable development language in resolution 76/259. While we join the consensus today and respect the autonomy and decision-making process of the international sports federations, we urge them to pay close attention to respect for fundamental human rights and labour standards when awarding international sports events. In the light of the 2022 World Cup, the Qatari Government has initiated fundamental reforms aimed at improving human rights and labour standards. While we welcome those efforts, we remain concerned about their implementation and resulting conditions for migrant workers during preparations for the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup. Let me reiterate, in that context, our unwavering commitment to human rights, transparency and democracy, as well as labour rights and standards. We therefore appreciate the inclusion of a reference in the resolution to respect for the United Nations guiding principles on business and human rights in the tenth preambular paragraph, which are of great importance in the preparation and implementation of mega sports events. We recall in particular the fundamental principle that States have a responsibility to protect against human rights abuses by business enterprises and to take the appropriate and necessary steps to address such abuses. Business enterprises, in turn, must respect, among other things, the principles set out in the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. We also call for respect for all human rights; the elimination of all forms of discrimination; and for the freedom of expression and assembly in the preparation and execution of major sports events. The occasion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup makes this a critical year for us to promote greater respect for human rights, democracy and transparency in international sports. We strongly urge the international community to seize this moment.

We have heard the only speaker in explanation after adoption. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 12?