A/76/PV.75 General Assembly

I now invite members, in accordance with rule 30 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, to proceed to the election of the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. May I recall that, in accordance with paragraph 1 of the annex to resolution 33/138, of 19 December 1978, the President of the General Assembly at its seventy- seventh session should be elected from among the Group of Eastern European States. In that connection, the Secretariat has been informed of the candidature of His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi, Director of Environmental Sustainability at the Office of the President of Hungary, for the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. Taking into account the provisions of paragraph 16 of decision 34/401, I therefore declare His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi of Hungary elected by acclamation as President of the General Assembly at its seventy- seventh session. On behalf of the Assembly, I wholeheartedly congratulate His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. I wish to express my sincere congratulations to His Excellency Csaba Kőrösi on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience gained from serving his country as a diplomat for nearly 40 years. Many of us already know Mr. Kőrösi from his tenure in New York as Permanent Representative of Hungary to the United Nations. During that time, he co-chaired the intergovernmental process that ushered in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More recently, he served his country as Deputy State Secretary responsible for security policy, diplomacy and human rights — all of which are key fundamentals to our work here at the United Nations. Mr. Kőrösi’s vision for his presidency, focused on solutions through solidarity, sustainability and science, offers a pragmatic view of the work of the General Assembly as we continue to recover from the coronavirus disease pandemic, tackle climate change and strive to achieve the SDGs. I am certain that, with his extensive experience, both here at the United Nations and around the world, the Assembly will be in good hands at its next session. As he prepares to take office in September, my team and I stand ready to support Mr. Kőrösi over the coming months in ensuring a smooth transition to the seventy- seventh session. As a matter of fact, my team is already working with his team. We have shared with them our experiences regarding the challenges faced by the Office of the President of the General Assembly, as well as staffing-related matters and ongoing initiatives. We wish the Office of the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session the very best. Returning to the seventy-sixth session, there is still much to be done during this final quarter of my presidency of hope, including making progress in the follow-up process to Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), as well as accelerating action on the environment and climate at the “Moment for nature” event to be held in July. I look forward to working with the President-elect of the General Assembly to ensure a successful handover and continued progress on the many important issues currently on the agenda of the United Nations. I now invite His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi, who has just been elected President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session, to take the floor.

I am honoured by the trust that the General Assembly has placed in me through my election by acclamation to the position of President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. I feel truly privileged to serve the community of Member States and work with other stakeholders throughout the upcoming session. I am especially grateful to the Member States of the Group of Eastern European States for supporting my nomination; to the President and the Government of Hungary, for their valuable support for my candidature; and to my team and the Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations, who have worked with me persistently during the preparations for this endeavour. But first and foremost, I am grateful to my family, which has patiently stood by me along this entire journey. I would also like to take this opportunity to commend His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid for his outstanding work as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session. I congratulate President Shahid on his tireless efforts in guiding our work throughout the current session. The valuable support he has provided and just reaffirmed in his statement has been crucial for me and my team in gaining insights into conducting the business of the General Assembly and learning its good practices. I also thank the Secretary-General for his leadership and commitment to guiding the United Nations to be up to the tasks of the twenty-first century. We are living in global, multiple and interlinked crises of food, energy and debt, with water crises appearing to be the next imminent threat. With global supply shortages and soaring prices, 49 million people in 43 countries are already at emergency levels of hunger. Owing to the continuing climate emergency, oceans have never before been as acidic and warm as in 2022, while sea levels have reached record highs. Biodiversity loss is occurring with equally unprecedented intensity. Global conflicts have not been this fierce since the end of the past century. As many as 303 million people — a number that has increased by 10 per cent since December — are in urgent need of humanitarian aid and protection in 69 countries across the world, while the cruel war in Ukraine is adding new dimensions to those ominous challenges. The series of consultations I had with Member States has helped me understand their priorities, concerns and desires. It was very useful for creating my vision statement. By electing me, the Assembly has reaffirmed the assessment that both geopolitical risks and those stemming from our unsustainable way of development have started to merge and reinforce each other. Together with the war in Ukraine and other armed conflicts elsewhere, those risks have created a perfect storm, along with unprecedented instability for years to come. We should therefore seek integrated solutions to the systemic challenges. There is no way back to the old normal. The only way out of the current predicament is through continuing reforms, transforming our Organization and strengthening our cooperation. We must do much better on delivering on our jointly agreed goals, commitments and pledges. Members have agreed that scientists must be invited to advise us on a regular basis. Similarly, they have approved the need for the Assembly to work in an impact-oriented manner. Communities around the world must feel that our actions are relevant and useful for them. The 8 billion shareholders of the United Nations around the globe also need to understand the results of our decisions. The world out there is counting on us, and rightly so. As Member States have seen in my vision statement, I suggested the theme “Solutions through solidarity, sustainability and science” for the General Assembly’s seventy-seventh session. In order to address the complex challenges and take due responsibilities for the key missions of our Organization, namely, peace and security, human rights and sustainable development, I have proposed the following priorities: stand firm on the basic principles of the Charter of the United Nations; make significant and measurable progress in sustainability transformation; aim at integrated systemic solutions; enhance the role of science in decision-shaping; and increase solidarity so that we can better endure the new chapters of the crises we are to face. The Office of the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session will pursue an integrated agenda of peace, prosperity and sustainability and will be an agent of multilateralism, multiculturalism and multilingualism. My doors will be open to everyone. Our principal operation will be to ensure impartiality, with the intention of building bridges between different sides. I will coordinate actions with the Secretary-General, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and all other relevant organs of the United Nations. I will devote special attention to impact- oriented and regular consultations with civil-society organizations, groups representing young people, scientific institutions, knowledge centres, faith-based organizations, representatives of business communities and key financial institutions. We live in times that rock the foundations on which our Organization was built. With multiple crises looming, nothing less than the credibility of the United Nations is at stake. Member States showed us 77 years ago that lasting peace can be built on the ashes of war. We need the same resolve today to stand up to the challenges that threaten international peace and security and our sustainable future on this planet. During my rounds of consultations, most Member States expressed concerns about declining trust and the loss of the spirit of cooperation. We may have different interpretations of how we got here, but we all concur on the point that it is only by joining forces that we can tackle the unprecedented global challenges of today and tomorrow. Let me recall the words of the famous industrialist Henry Ford, “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success”. I would like to thank you, Mr. President, and I thank everyone here for their trust and cooperation.

I thank His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi, President-elect of the General Assembly, for his statement. I now give the floor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency António Guterres.

It is my privilege to be here with everyone for the election of the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. I want to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to the current President, His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid of the Maldives, for his skilled stewardship of this organ during truly unprecedented times. We recognize his leadership across many fronts, from his work to advance gender equality to his focus on climate action, while bringing in the unique perspective of small island States. I also commend him for his outstanding facilitation of the consultations on Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), which paved the path for progress. I would like to thank you, Sir, for those and many other ongoing contributions. I would also like to congratulate the President-elect, His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi of Hungary, on being chosen to lead the General Assembly at its next session. We face a world in peril, from the war in Ukraine, in all its dimensions, to the deepening impacts of the climate crisis; and from the coronavirus disease pandemic to the escalating humanitarian needs, hunger and poverty. The months ahead will test the multilateral system. The General Assembly is central to everything we do. The world looks to the States Members to debate, to forge consensus and, most of all, to deliver solutions. We can live up to the promise of a better, more peaceful world, which is the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the driving force behind Our Common Agenda (A/75/982). The seventy- seventh session can be a moment of transformation, a time to recalibrate multilateralism and strengthen the foundations of global cooperation. President-elect Kőrösi brings a broad perspective to his new post — a familiarity with the United Nations from his time as Permanent Representative, expertise in environmental sustainability and a steadfast commitment to multilateral action. I welcome the focus of his presidency on “Solutions through solidarity, sustainability and science” and count on him to help us advance across the spectrum of our work. On behalf of the entire United Nations system, I wish the President-elect every success as he assumes his duties in September. We look forward to working with him in search of sustainable solutions, in pursuit of our shared goals and in defence of our common values. He can count on my full support.

I thank the Secretary-General for his statement. I now give the floor to the representative of the Niger, who will speak on behalf of the Group of African States.

I have the great honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of African States as part of today’s very important dialogue with the President-elect of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. At the outset, and on behalf of the African Group, I would like to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi on his election as President of the Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. The Assembly’s upcoming session will coincide with very difficult times, owing to the impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) and, especially, the war in Ukraine and the resulting food and energy insecurity around the entire globe. We hope that Mr. Kőrösi’s wealth of experience will help support our collective endeavour to safely weather the storm in these difficult times and beyond. We are especially pleased see him personally acknowledge the huge weight of responsibility that comes with assuming a leadership role at the United Nations, as well as his commitment to ensuring that we survive these challenges and emerge from them stronger. The Group will continue to support the Office of the President of the General Assembly in that regard. The African Group would like to take this opportunity to express its appreciation to you, Your Excellency Ambassador Abdulla Shahid, outgoing President of the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session, for your decisive leadership, particularly during these unusual times of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the seventy-sixth session, you skilfully charted new paths for exemplary leadership in crises and thereby set an unprecedented tone that will determine the future functioning of our delicate intergovernmental processes in many ways in the years to come, on which your successor will most certainly build. The members of the African Group listened very attentively to the President-elect during the informal interactive dialogue held prior to his election and carefully read his vision statement. The pledges, principles and priorities identified therein were of particular note to the Group, given that they are in alignment with the African Union’s theme of the year: nutrition. We also wish to highlight the following non-exhaustive list of issues that deserve our close attention during the Assembly’s seventy-seventh session. First and foremost, it should be emphasized that independence, impartiality and integrity are key to enabling the President to successfully carry out his functions and responsibilities. Africa’s development has been an integral part of the eight main priorities of the United Nations for many years. The African Group therefore counts on the good leadership of the President- elect to maintain the dedicated focus on Africa in all pillars of the work of the Organization, including by allocating the necessary resources to critical programmes, as reaffirmed in numerous resolutions of the Assembly. We agree with the President-elect’s focus on developing countries, including countries in special circumstances, such as least developed countries, landlocked countries and small island States. We recall once again that, for very good reason, the special needs of Africa were highlighted in the Millennium Declaration, adopted more than two decades ago in 2000. We hope that the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly will also continue to follow up on the commitments in Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) and the sustaining peace agenda, in accordance with our responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security and in line with the national ownership and leadership of the countries concerned. Africa is making progress thanks to the partnerships between the United Nations and our continental bodies, but some challenges remain with regard to the vision of the African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, the Silencing the Guns in Africa initiative and the women and peace and security agenda. We must overcome those challenges if we are to achieve sustainable peace and development. In order to achieve social progress, raise standards of living for our peoples and promote universal human rights for all, the African Group highly values the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs offer us a solid blueprint, and our ability to fully achieve them by 2030 depends on how consistently we follow the Secretary-General’s clear call for the decade of action in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. Building viable partnerships to close the funding gaps for the SDGs is vital for moving forward in that regard. As others have already stated, climate change is a real existential threat to our survival and livelihoods. The natural disasters, environmental impacts, land degradation and desertification that it causes severely undermine agricultural production and exacerbate food insecurity in our regions. We therefore hope that issue will continue to be a priority for the Assembly. Today it is more important than ever to promote and preserve multilateralism. The African Group believes that, under the President-elect’s able leadership, the seventy-seventh anniversary of the United Nations will give us an opportunity to recommit to multilateralism and make it a collective reality. As the world comes together in support of racial equality, the African Group counts on the President- elect’s effective leadership to join efforts with the Secretary-General and our world leaders to ensure that the Assembly stands united behind a United Nations environment that is free of intolerance across all its institutions. There is absolutely no place for any form of intolerance or discriminatory practice in a multinational forum such as the United Nations. In conclusion, on behalf of the African Group, I would like to once again congratulate the President- elect, His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi. The Group is ready to work closely with him in fulfilling our shared goals and objectives during the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly.

I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Asia-Pacific States.

It is a matter of great honour and privilege for me to address the General Assembly today on behalf of the Group of Asia-Pacific States. At the outset, on behalf of my Group, let me begin by congratulating Mr. Csaba Kőrösi on his election as the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. We are confident that, given his vast experience and distinguished career in the field of diplomacy, he will make a positive contribution to the success of the upcoming session. The world today is confronted with multiple challenges, including the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, conflict, climate change and economic downturns caused by the pandemic. Those major drivers are unique but not mutually exclusive, as they interact to the detriment of food security and nutrition by creating multiple and compounding impacts. Their adverse effects are made all the more challenging by the high and persistent levels of inequality within and among countries. In order to confront the current challenges, we need a transformation and a vision for the future. Both COVID-19 and the climate crisis should drive home the message to all, rich and poor, that we are powerful and our destinies are intertwined. The solution to our problem lies in global solidarity and collective action, with a pledge to leave no one behind. To that effect, the work of the General Assembly is of vital importance. We express our heartfelt thanks to you, Mr. President, as well as to the entire membership of the United Nations, for preserving and upholding the important principle and practice of regional rotation for the leadership of the Assembly, which lies at the heart of multilateralism. It has given members of our Asia-Pacific family the honour of taking their turn in leading the Assembly during the current session under your presidency. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate you, President Abdulla Shahid, for your stewardship of the seventy-sixth session, particularly in charting the course of the Assembly during these difficult times. I commend you for the hard work that you have put into the revitalization of the work of the Assembly and reform of the United Nations. I assure you of our continuing and strong support during the remaining tenure of your presidency. On behalf of the Asia-Pacific Group, I would also like to extend my gratitude to Secretary-General António Guterres for his exemplary leadership of the administration and management of the Secretariat, which has enabled the States Members of the Asia Pacific Group of the United Nations to play an active role in the ongoing affairs of our Organization. Let me conclude by once again congratulating our new President-elect, Mr. Kőrösi, and assuring him of the full support and readiness of the members of the Asia-Pacific Group to play their part in supporting the work of the United Nations during his presidency of the Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. As we prepare to enter that session, the challenges before us can serve to remind us about the importance, relevance and urgent need for greater solidarity and cooperation in the times we currently live in.

I now give the floor to the representative of Spain, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Western European and other States.

On behalf of the Group of Western European and other States, I am pleased to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. I would like to warmly welcome the President-elect back to the United Nations. He brings to his role not only his knowledge of the pillars of multilateralism and diplomacy but also his experience as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Hungary to the United Nations, making him an ideal candidate for this important undertaking. (spoke in English) In presenting his vision to the Assembly, Mr. Kőrösi said that there is no going back and that the old normal no longer exists. Indeed, the world in general and the Organization in particular face serious challenges that demand answers. The ongoing multidimensional crisis affects the post-pandemic economic recovery, the international financial system, food security, climate change, the global health of the planet and its people, the energy transition, the expectations of young people and future generations and gender equality, among many other things. The Assembly has rejected Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and demanded respect for the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The commitment to ensuring those principles and the maintenance of global peace and security, which were agreed more than 75 years ago, must continue to be our priority. We trust that, together with the Secretary-General and in coordination with the other United Nations organs and bodies, the President-elect’s leadership and determination will ensure that we fulfil that commitment. (spoke in Spanish) In the face of that and many other challenges facing the Organization, the President-elect intends to take action based on institutional loyalty, cooperation among United Nations organs and bodies, the defence of the principles of the Charter and his commitment to carrying out a just and sustainable transition. We assure him of the support of the Member States of the Group of Western European and other States in that crucial task and will work with him to strengthen the pillars on which the United Nations was founded, so as to utilize them to meet future challenges. The seventy-seventh session will be decisive in shaping the future of the multilateral system by supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and advancing key processes, such as the development and implementation of Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) and the preparations for the Summit of the Future, to be held in September 2023. (spoke in French) We are fully confident in the President-elect’s commitment to the transparency, accountability and efficiency of the work of the General Assembly. We welcome his firm advocacy of multiculturalism and multilingualism, as well as his efforts to ensure a gender balance on his team. We support his willingness to work in coordination with the other United Nations organs and bodies and maintain constant dialogue with civil society. (spoke in Spanish) Before I conclude, I want to thank you, Mr. President, on behalf of all the countries that make up the Group of Western European and other States, for your work during the seventy-sixth session. One year ago, the Assembly enthusiastically welcomed the five rays of hope that you announced would guide your presidency (see A/75/PV.72). We are aware of the enormous challenges you have had to face over the past months, including the continuing effects of the pandemic and the grave humanitarian, social and economic consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Your efforts and leadership, Mr. President, have been fundamental in driving forward the work of the General Assembly. You can count on our help in ensuring that it continues throughout the remaining months of your mandate.

I now give the floor to the representative of Panama, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States and to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Csaba Kőrösi on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. Mr. Kőrösi’s election to the presidency comes at a time of great challenges for humankind and in circumstances that require moderation, balance, carefully considered decisions, international cooperation and solidarity based on a revitalized and inclusive multilateralism. We take note of our shared vision with the President- elect and his commitment to conducting the work of the Assembly at its next session in an inclusive and transparent manner, with the due participation of all Member States. In order to achieve the goals that we, the Member States, set when we committed ourselves to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, it is absolutely vital that we move forward on the basis of concrete, collective and decisive actions in order to overcome the setbacks caused by the multidimensional crisis triggered by the coronavirus disease pandemic. It is particularly important for us to take a scientific approach in addressing the current and emerging issues on the international agenda, especially with regard to climate change and its consequences, food insecurity, biodiversity loss and the digital revolution, in order to close existing gaps. We wish to highlight and draw the attention of the President-elect to the importance that the Latin American and Caribbean region attaches to gender equality and the need for it to be a cross-cutting issue, both across the United Nations agenda and the organs and bodies of the United Nations system, in order to ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of all as we move forward in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the three pillars of our Organization. That should become an undeniable reality that honours our pledge to leave no one behind. We are convinced that, under Mr. Kőrösi’s presidency, the General Assembly, as the principal organ that brings together all the States Members of the Organization on the basis of the Charter of the United Nations, will move forward in building responsibly and with determination a humanity that is based on respect, peace, security and solidarity. We would like to thank His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid for his excellent work during the seventy-sixth session of the Assembly and the initiatives he led, which have led us to reflect on a number of different issues. The presidency of the General Assembly is an ongoing process in which we all participate by contributing and sharing our diversity, and that is the path we must continue to follow.

I now give the floor to the representative of the United States of America, who will speak on behalf of the host country.

On behalf of the United States, as host country of the United Nations we extend our sincere congratulations to President- elect Kőrösi on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session, and welcome him back to New York. The President-elect’s campaign promised a vision focused on concrete solutions through solidarity, sustainability and science. Inclusive pandemic recovery, protecting and promoting human rights and tackling climate change will be key challenges for us during the Assembly’s next session. The success of that ambitious agenda will rest on our collective commitment to advancing those initiatives and ensuring that all voices are included and heard. That means keeping the doors of the United Nations open to multi-stakeholder participation, especially from civil society. We appreciated Mr. Kőrösi’s statement in that regard during the candidate forum, as well as his pledge to hold regular meetings with civil society. We look forward to supporting his work to advance that important priority. The President-elect will assume his new role as we emerge from the coronavirus disease pandemic. Throughout that unprecedented crisis, the role of the President has been critical for developing solutions to ensure that the Assembly’s work is accomplished. Going forward, we need to continue exploring new working methods to incorporate the many lessons we have learned over the past two years. On this occasion, we would also like to commend President Shahid on his dedicated service and tireless work over the past year. We especially commend his leadership through the extraordinary events and initiatives during the course of the seventy-sixth session. During President Shahid’s tenure, an emergency special session enabled Member States to address Russia’s unprovoked war of choice in Ukraine, at which the overwhelming number of Member States here in the Hall made clear their opposition to this unlawful invasion (see A/ES-11/PV.5) and their demand for the establishment of humanitarian corridors (see A/ES-11/PV.7). President Shahid also convened important consultations on the Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda (A/75/982). The process that began under his presidency will help us refocus and prioritize the United Nations to address the most pressing global needs, including accelerating progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. President Shahid, your stewardship has laid the groundwork for broad progress in the year ahead. We look forward to working closely with President-elect Kőrösi, as both the host country and as a Member State, in order move forward on the next phase of Our Common Agenda, which is to advance international cooperation that is inclusive, effective and transparent to and uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

I would like to remind members that, in accordance with resolution 70/305, of 13 September 2016, the President-elect of the General Assembly will take an oath of office of his own at the moment of handing over the gavel at the final plenary meeting of the seventy-sixth session. Let me also thank the Secretary-General and the Member States for their kind wishes to me during their statements. I shall continue to work with and under the guidance of the Member States. We have thus concluded our consideration of agenda item 4. Drawing of lots for the seating protocol for the seventy-seventh regular session

As announced in The Journal of the United Nations, we will now proceed to the drawing of lots to determine the Member State that will occupy the first seat in the General Assembly Hall at the seventy- seventh session. In accordance with the established practice, the Secretary-General draws the name of one Member State from a box containing the names of the States members of the General Assembly. The delegation whose name is drawn will occupy the first seat in the General Assembly Hall, and the other countries will follow in English alphabetical order. The same order will be observed in the Main Committees. I now invite the Secretary-General to proceed with the drawing of lots.

I should now like to consult members with a view to proceeding to the election of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its seventy- seventh session. In accordance with rule 30 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, “The Vice-Presidents shall be elected after the election of the Chairmen of the six Main Committees referred to in rule 98, in such a way as to ensure the representative character of the General Committee”. It is my understanding that, since the elections of the Chairpersons of the Main Committees will conform with paragraph 48 of resolution 72/313, 17 of September 2018, on the pattern for the rotation of the Chairs of the Main Committees from the seventy-fourth to the eighty-third sessions of the General Assembly, it will not have an impact on the geographical distribution of the Vice-Presidents of the Assembly and the representative character of the General Committees. May I take it that the General Assembly therefore agrees to proceed to elect the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly?

In accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3 of the annex to resolution 33/138, of 19 December 1978, the 21 Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session shall be elected according to the following pattern: six representatives from African States; five representatives from Asia-Pacific States; three representatives from Latin American and Caribbean States; two representatives from Western European and other States; and five representatives of the permanent members of the Security Council. In accordance with paragraph 16 of decision 34/401, the election of the Vice-Presidents of the Assembly by secret ballot will be dispensed with when the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled. We shall proceed accordingly. I shall now read the names of the slate of candidates. African States: Benin, Burundi, Kenya, Mauritania, the Niger and Zimbabwe Asia-Pacific States: Malaysia, Nepal, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Viet Nam Latin American and Caribbean States: Chile, El Salvador and Jamaica Western European and other States: Australia and Israel Since the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled in each region, I declare those candidates elected, in addition to the five representatives of the permanent members of the Security Council. The following States have therefore been elected to vice-presidencies of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session: Australia, Benin, Burundi, Chile, China, El Salvador, France, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nepal, the Niger, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe. I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the States that have just been elected Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its seventh-seventh session.

I take the floor to explain our position regarding the decision to elect Israel as a Vice-President of the General Assembly from the Group of Western European and other States. My Government strongly believes that the Israeli regime, which continues to violate many of the Assembly’s resolutions, has no moral or legal merit to serve as a Vice-President of this organ. Based on that understanding, my delegation disassociates itself from the decision to elect Israel as a Vice-President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session.

My country’s delegation joined the consensus concerning the item on the election of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its seventy- seventh session. However, we would like to express a reservation concerning the election of Israel as one of those Vice-Presidents. The election of Israel to that position raises serious questions about its ability to perform that function while it continues its occupation of Arab territories in Palestine, the Syrian Golan and southern Lebanon, in addition to its repeated acts of aggression, support for terrorism, continued violations of the Charter of the United Nations and disregard for the resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly. My delegation expresses a reservation concerning the election of Israel to that position and disassociates itself from the consensus in that regard.

We have thus concluded our consideration of agenda item 6. I wish to remind members that, as announced in The Journal of the United Nations, immediately following the adjournment of this meeting, consecutive meetings of the First Committee, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) and the Second, Third, Fifth and Sixth Committees will be held in the Hall to elect their respective Bureau members for the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly. After the election of the Chairpersons of the six Main Committees, the General Committee of the General Assembly for the seventy-seventh session will then be fully constituted in accordance with rule 38 of the rules of procedure.