A/78/PV.87 General Assembly

In accordance with rule 30 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, I now invite members to proceed to the election of the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth 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-ninth session should be elected from among the African States. In that connection, the Chair of the Group of African States for the month of March 2024 informed the Secretariat that the Group has endorsed His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang of Cameroon for the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session. Taking into account the provisions of paragraph 16 of decision 34/401, I therefore declare His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang of Cameroon elected by acclamation as President of the General Assembly at its seventy- ninth session. On behalf of the Assembly, I wholeheartedly congratulate His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session. Statement by the President

I begin by reiterating my heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang of Cameroon on his election as the seventy-ninth President of the General Assembly. His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang’s remarkable career in public life, spanning the national, regional and international spheres, is a testament to a depth of experience and a breadth of vision that are truly exceptional. As Prime Minister of his country, the Republic of Cameroon, and as Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Africans of the African Union and in his various roles, including involvement at the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang has demonstrated unwavering dedication to the principles of peace, sustainable development and human dignity. His steadfast leadership has also been characterized by a consistent commitment to dialogue, cooperation and inclusivity — principles that are absolutely essential for guiding the General Assembly’s work. As we continue to navigate multiple complex challenges spanning peace and security to the threats of climate change and sea- level rise, the General Assembly remains a pre-eminent and necessary global forum for forging consensus, crafting solutions and securing a brighter future for all. His vision for the seventy-ninth session — “Unity in diversity for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone, everywhere”  — resonates with profound relevance and urgency. Indeed, upholding the principles of multilateralism and international cooperation has never been more vital. We must work together and much harder in solidarity and partnership to address the pressing issues of our time and ensure that no one is left behind. With His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang at the helm, I am confident that the General Assembly will rise to the occasion to meet that challenge with courage and compassion. In the months remaining in this session, we must finalize in particular the outcome of the Summit of the Future — a landmark event that holds the promise of transformative change. I take this opportunity to urge each and every Member State to redouble their efforts so as to harness the full potential of our collective strength and wisdom to an agreed outcome that is action-oriented and ambitious enough to withstand the test of time. The success of the Summit depends on the active engagement and commitment of all Member States and their exhibiting a flexible disposition in a genuine effort to find consensus. I know that I can count on his leadership and cooperation to make it a resounding success. As we embark on this journey together, my office stands ready to provide full support and assistance to His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang and his team, ensuring a seamless transition and a continuity of purpose. Let us work hand in hand, in the spirit of partnership and solidarity, to build a world in which peace, sustainable development and human dignity prevail for everyone, everywhere. I thank him and wish him a successful tenure. I now invite His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang, who has just been elected President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session, to take the floor.

It has been 79 years since the founding fathers created the United Nations and with it the General Assembly, an important organ among the six principal organs, which each year elects a President to lead its work. On this solemn occasion, I would like at the outset to turn to my predecessors, including the most recent one to hold that office, His Excellency Ambassador Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, and to thank them and commend them for the talent, art and science that each of them has deployed during their term of office to bring to a successful conclusion our deliberations on the increasingly numerous, diverse and complex issues that are intensively discussed during each session. Next, I turn to all Member States to express my sincere gratitude for the support that they have given in electing me. I would like to offer immense thanks to the Group of African of States in particular, which, as it was its turn to assume the presidency on the occasion of the seventy-ninth session in accordance with the established pattern of regional rotation, was kind enough to present my candidacy. I feel that the election is a great tribute to the unity and solidarity of our Group and the wider African Union, which has spared no effort in ensuring the selection of a single continental candidate, thus demonstrating its legendary discipline in terms of candidacy. I also feel that my election is a great recognition of the Central African States, which endorsed Cameroon very early on at the Economic Community of Central African States summit held in Kintélé, Republic of the Congo, on 19 January 2022. In addition and as underlined in my letter of intent and commitment, my election is also a great honour for my country, Cameroon, a former ward of the United Nations, and reflects the maturity of its diplomacy and presence and active participation on the international scene. Moreover, this election is, without a doubt, a great tribute to my Head of State, President Paul Biya, whose wisdom and pertinence of views are regularly expressed from the rostrum of our General Assembly. Finally, I also feel that this election is an honour, but above all an obligation for me to humbly and honestly serve the entire international community throughout my term of office. To all delegations, I am infinitely grateful. We are living in very difficult times that are marked by very striking contrasts. Indeed, the prodigious development of science and technology has placed in our hands an impressive body of knowledge and know-how to provide solutions that meet the needs of present and future generations in terms of peace and security and of economic, social and cultural well-being for one and all. In this fast-moving digital era, artificial intelligence is now magnifying not only the opportunities but also the challenges, and is doing so quickly, to the point that even the most convinced followers of digitalization are calling for rigorous regulation in order to prevent our fate from being entrusted to robots, based on assessments by which the slightest error is likely to ruin us. Despite all that improvement, those possibilities and those potentialities, our era is characterized, unfortunately, by blatant inequalities, selfishness, competition for power and diverse interests, alongside powerful centrifugal forces that threaten the cohesion and solidarity of humankind. Geopolitical and geostrategic tensions continue to fuel distrust among States and are intensifying an unstoppable arms race, including in space. An exponential increase in military budgets and the sophistication of military doctrines and rules of engagement on the ground, including the possibility or threat of the use of nuclear weapons, are the frightening realities of the world in which we live today. Open and latent conflicts are increasing in various regions of the world, with the attendant suffering and the unbearable toll on civilians, refugees and internally displaced populations, whose numbers are currently reaching a dizzying peak. The cases of Gaza and Ukraine are very painfully illustrative in that regard. A genuine question of survival, climate disruption caused by human activity or by the vagaries of nature itself leads to disasters in the form of floods, landslides, hurricanes and fires, to mention only those few challenges facing many countries in almost all regions of the world. In such a context, countries in special situations, such as least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States, middle-income countries, African countries and countries in conflict, are the hardest hit. That is why the projects and specific programmes that the Assembly has devoted to them must be the subject of careful and priority monitoring and implementation measures. The reforms undertaken thus far in response to the realities of our time  — whether it concerns the revitalization of the General Assembly, the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council, the reform of the Security Council or the international financial architecture — are often blocked or moving forward slowly, well below the expected results. Those reforms, which have resulted in an appreciable global consensus, such as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change or the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and on which so much hope had been placed, are limping along dangerously, owing to the lack of resources for implementation, especially when it comes to finance or technology. Action and the political will to move forward are timidly on rendezvous, if not altogether absent in many cases. In short, the tools at our disposal to promote the well-being of present and future generations are underutilized, while those tools whose purpose is war are overexploited, in a divided world in which diverse forces are in a dynamic state of confrontation. We must therefore increase efforts and stimulate political will so that we are able to act more energetically to change that situation. (spoke in French) For all those reasons, I have placed my tenure under the theme: “Unity in diversity, for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere”. In other words, freedom from fear and freedom from want are sine qua non conditions and catalysts for the full enjoyment of human rights and, ultimately, human dignity. I have also stressed that the General Assembly is the most appropriate forum in which Member States, in all their diversity, are called upon to express, in complete freedom and serenity, the concerns, proposals, opportunities — in other words, the challenges and hopes of the various peoples and nations of the world. In that regard, the Assembly is the highest chamber of representation and deliberation, in which States have a duty to debate and not to fight. In short, it is, to use an African image, the drum that carries the voice of peoples and nations. But the Assembly is also the most appropriate place, the great baobab tree under which nations large and small, rich and poor, align their views in pursuit of common goals and actively seek consensus and the average of shared views representing the common denominator, enabling all to give and receive and thereby consolidating life together and shared enjoyment of the dividends of peace, development and human dignity. That dynamic must consistently guide us in the formulation of the Pact for the Future, which is currently being negotiated, and in those of the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact. Above and beyond our deliberations and consensus, what we need to strive for is decisive action by providing ways and means of implementing the solutions that we arrive at. In that respect, I would like to repeat the concluding words of my letter of intent and commitment, which constitute a leitmotif that constantly underpins my mandate. Beyond our diversities and our differences, let us act and work together to promote peace, end war, encourage harmony of hearts and minds. Let us act together. Let us work to encourage sustainable development, shared prosperity and harmony with nature. Our environment, whose resources are abundant but not limitless, must be used with moderation, sobriety and wisdom, and with due consideration for taking corrective and transitional measures for present and future generations. Let us act together, working to promote human dignity everywhere and for everyone, for every one of us carries it in its entirety within us, in greater freedom. In other words, let us work to strengthen a multilateralism whose stability is based on a granite foundation, anchored in the purposes, principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations. Throughout my mandate, I pledge to serve to that end, in strict compliance with the terms of the oath that I will take, being fully available to and in sympathy with all Member States and other partners. I will work closely with the Secretary-General of our Organization, Mr. António Guterres, who works tirelessly every day in the various areas of activity in which the United Nations is involved and where he has made many concrete proposals that deserve to be considered in our deliberations. I will also cooperate with the heads of the other principal organs, in particular the Presidents of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, as prescribed by the General Assembly. I will act with transparency, intellectual and moral probity, impartiality and objectivity, in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Assembly, and with courage, but also with the flexibility and agility required during consultations and in the active quest for consensus.

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

I am very pleased to join Members for the election of the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session, and I congratulate His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang of Cameroon. The current President of the Assembly at its seventy-eighth session, His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, has guided the Assembly’s work with consummate diplomatic skill, leadership and dedication over the past year. He has brought the needs of small island developing States to the Assembly, and so much more. He has rallied Member States around a series of issues that go to the heart of his presidency’s theme of peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability  — from convening the High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response last September to the preparations for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit, which resulted in a strong show of political support for an SDG stimulus, and for reforming the global financial architecture so that it better serves developing countries, to the first-ever Sustainability Week at the General Assembly, a week-long series of events around tourism, infrastructure, transport, energy and debt. His steady focus on the threats of sea-level rise has been evident through a series of high-level meetings and his visit to the Cook Islands for the Pacific Island Leaders Forum. I also appreciate his leadership in advancing preparations for the Summit of the Future this September, and his tireless advocacy of gender equality and youth participation. At every step he has championed solidarity and brought the Assembly together at a deeply divided and troubled moment in our history. I thank him for his advice, guidance and deep commitment to the United Nations and to multilateral solutions. As President-elect Yang arrives to lead the seventy- ninth session of the General Assembly, he does so at a challenging moment. Conflicts continue to rage. The climate catastrophe is deepening. Poverty and inequality are rife. Mistrust and division are pulling people apart. The Sustainable Development Goals are seriously off-track and developing countries have been left without the support they need to invest in their people. In the face of those challenges, we must not lose sight of our objective of a more peaceful and sustainable world. Like his predecessor, President-elect Yang will play an important role in achieving that objective. He brings a vital voice to this Hall. He has a wealth of experience representing his country as a diplomat and public servant, as well as through his work with the African Union and at the highest levels of Government, including as Prime Minister of Cameroon. He is also a proud African, dedicated to the future of his continent. African countries such as Cameroon are bursting with potential. Realizing that potential requires that we rally around African countries, and indeed support developing countries around the world. I look forward to working closely with him as he unites Member States around collaborative solutions that can deliver justice to Africa and to the developing world. (spoke in French) The Assembly and its President can count on my full support in carrying out this important task. In a divided and troubled world, the General Assembly is a unique and vital body, and we must all work resolutely to ensure its success in the future.

I now give the floor to the representative of Cameroon, who will speak on behalf of the Group of African States.

I have the honour to take the floor in my capacity as this month’s Chair of the Group of African States. The candidate who has just been officially elected, Ambassador Philémon Yang of Cameroon, was nominated by our Group, following his endorsement by the Heads of State and Government of the African Union at their Summit in Addis Ababa in February. At the outset, our Group would therefore like to express its satisfaction at the successful outcome of his candidacy. The Group takes this solemn opportunity to congratulate Ambassador Philémon Yang most warmly and wish him every success in his duties. The Group would also like to express its heartfelt thanks to the other States members of the General Assembly that joined forces to support this African candidacy. The Group is fully aware that the world is currently undergoing a difficult and complex period due to multiple security, economic, financial, sociocultural, climatic and humanitarian challenges, current and future, that must be overcome and that no country can face alone. The Group is also convinced that we live in a time in which many different invaluable tools are at our disposal thanks to the exponential growth of science and technology, which have been made much more sophisticated by the rapid advent of artificial intelligence and are all designed to enable humankind to live and survive in greater peace, freedom and dignity. That knowledge and know-how urgently calls for harmony within and among peoples and nations so that they may live in solidarity and unity, come together and above all take decisive collective action. The Group believes that Ambassador Philémon Yang’s academic and professional training, his diplomatic and political career and the wisdom conferred on him by the respectable gravity of his age and his membership of groups of wise elders in Africa make him well placed to steer the proceedings of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session to a successful conclusion. We believe that is particularly the case with regard to the deliberations and decisive action needed to improve the welfare of countries in conflict and in special situations, many of which are in the southern hemisphere, especially in Africa. Our continent requires unfailing support for the transformation of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want into the Africa we have in order to avoid eternally lagging behind tomorrow, as we did yesterday and do today. Ambassador Philémon Yang has the full support of our Group for the duration of his mandate. We call on other Member States to support him just as wholeheartedly by mobilizing and acting together so that he achieves the desired result and objective of unity in diversity for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone, everywhere.

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

It is a great honour and privilege for me to address the General Assembly today on behalf of the Group of Asia-Pacific States. I extend our sincere gratitude to the Office of the President of the General Assembly for inviting the Chair of the Asia-Pacific Group to make this intervention. At the outset, I would like to convey, on behalf of the Asia-Pacific States, our warmest congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang of Cameroon on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session. We wish him every success as he assumes and discharges the functions of that esteemed office. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt congratulations to you, Mr. President, for your exemplary leadership of the seventy-eighth session. Your dedication and guidance have been invaluable and I assure you of our unwavering and strong support throughout the remaining tenure of your presidency. Let me once again congratulate our new President, His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang, and assure him of the full support and readiness of the members of the Asia-Pacific Group to contribute in any way required by the presidency of the seventy-ninth session. The unprecedented challenges before us as we prepare to enter the new session underscore the significance of, the relevance of and the urgent need for greater solidarity and cooperation than ever before.

I now give the floor to the representative of Austria, 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. Philémon Yang on the occasion of his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session. The President-elect’s considerable experience in international relations and diplomacy, including his experience as Prime Minister of Cameroon, makes him an ideal candidate for that important task. In his vision statement, he says: “Beyond our diversities and our differences, let us act and work together to promote peace, end war, encourage harmony of hearts and minds”. He also says that “no country ... can single-handedly address the current challenges of globalization and interdependence”. We believe that our common dedication to a strong and networked multilateralism  — with the United Nations at its centre — is key in that regard. As multilateralism faces significant challenges, we must steadfastly adhere to the principles and values of the Charter of the United Nations. We are therefore encouraged by the President-elect’s dedication to ensuring full respect for the Charter of the United Nations. In recent years the General Assembly has played an increasingly influential role in upholding the Organization’s responsibility to maintain international peace and security, and we trust him to continue to empower the General Assembly on issues of peace and security. The President-elect’s motto of unity in diversity for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone, everywhere, also shows his commitment to rebuilding trust and fostering mutual understanding. Unity in diversity highlights the importance of bridge-building within the international community to address numerous global challenges effectively and promote peace and prosperity. It inspires us to work collectively towards our common goals and address the needs of the people. We trust that with the leadership of the President- elect, together with the Secretary-General and in coordination with the other United Nations bodies, we can fulfil that vision. We want to assure the President- elect that he has the support of the Group of Western European and other States in that crucial task. We will work by his side to strengthen the pillars on which the United Nations was founded. Unity and cooperation will be decisive in shaping the future of our multilateral system during the Assembly’s seventy-ninth session. During his presidency we will therefore hold the Summit of the Future, which will offer a unique opportunity to strengthen the multilateral system, making the United Nations more effective and representative of today’s world. He can rest assured that our Group is committed to accelerating action and will support him in implementing the Pact for the Future. We are confident in his commitment to transparency and welcome his commitment to being a bridge-builder, fostering dialogue and promoting inclusivity among all stakeholders, as well as his attention to human rights, youth and gender equality, including in his Office. His special emphasis on indigenous people, peoples of African descent and people living with disabilities is also very welcome. I should not end without saying a few words of thanks to His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis, the President of the General Assembly at its current session, the seventy-eighth, on behalf of the Group of Western European and other States, for the work he has done during this session. Your exemplary leadership and determination have been fundamental in driving forward the work of the Assembly, Mr. President. We commend you for your efforts in leading the most representative organ of the United Nations and for your commitment to strengthening confidence in the multilateralism system. With you, and through your motto of peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability, we have reached solutions aimed at ensuring renewed commitment to our shared goals.

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 Mr. Philémon Yang on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session. The President-elect’s campaign vision promised a theme of unity and diversity for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone, everywhere. What great promise that vision holds. We appreciate his calls for eradicating poverty, protecting the planet, maintaining international peace and security, advancing sustainable development, promoting human rights, effectively coordinating humanitarian assistance and upholding international law. We will need the President-elect’s leadership in managing the work of the Assembly to find ways to avoid polarization and work constructively for consensus-based outcomes. Combating climate change and promoting and protecting human rights, particularly for women and girls and marginalized populations, continue to be urgent challenges that affect us all. We were reassured by his view that no one should be left behind and that people of all backgrounds should be respected. We look forward to supporting his work to uphold those values. Making progress on that ambitious agenda will require that all of us in the General Assembly redouble our commitments to the Charter of the United Nations. We must also summon our collective resolve to revitalize the Assembly and ensure that it is fit for purpose, so that we can effectively advance those initiatives together. To do that, we need a diversity of perspectives. To that end, we appreciate the President-elect’s pledge to ensure that civil society, non-governmental organizations, academia and others have opportunities to be consulted on and to contribute to the proceedings of the General Assembly. We welcome his commitment to multi-stakeholder participation and keeping the doors of the United Nations open so that all voices can be heard. On this occasion, we would also like to commend President Francis’s dedicated service over the past year. We especially commend your leadership through extraordinary events and initiatives during the seventy- eighth session, Mr. President. We are sincerely grateful to you for presiding over the Sustainable Development Goals Summit and the successful adoption by consensus of its outcome document (resolution 78/1). It was a critical endeavour to refocus and prioritize our resources in order to address the most pressing global needs, including accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We also appreciate your steadfast leadership on the Summit of the Future and look forward to the critical role that you will continue to play to bring us together in the preparations for that important process. Your stewardship has laid the groundwork for broad progress on the Summit and beyond. We look forward to working closely with President-elect Yang as both the host country and as a Member State in order to keep advancing international cooperation that is inclusive, effective and transparent, as well as upholding the Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

I would like to remind Members that, in accordance with resolution 70/305, of 13 September 2016, the President-elect will take an oath of office of his own at the moment of handing over the gavel in the final plenary meeting of the seventy-eighth session. The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of agenda item 4. Drawing of lots for the seating protocol for the seventy-ninth 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- ninth session. In accordance with established practice, the Secretary-General draws the name of one Member State from a box containing the names of the Member States of the General Assembly. The delegation that is drawn will occupy the first seat in the General Assembly Hall, and the other countries will follow in English alphabetical order, also taking into account resolution ES-10/23 of 10 May. 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-ninth 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 Chairpersons 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, of 17 September 2018, on the pattern for the rotation of the Chairs of the Main Committees from the seventy-ninth session 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-ninth session shall be elected according to the following pattern: five representatives from African States; five representatives from Asia-Pacific States; one representative from Eastern European 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: Algeria, Angola, Ghana, Madagascar and Senegal; Asia-Pacific States: Kyrgyzstan, the Federated States of Micronesia, Thailand, Tonga and Turkmenistan; Eastern European States: the Republic of Moldova; Latin American and Caribbean States: Barbados, Guatemala and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Western European and other States: Austria and Italy. 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- ninth session: Algeria, Angola, Austria, Barbados, China, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Senegal, Thailand, Tonga, Turkmenistan the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the States that have been elected Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly at its seventh-ninth session.

The United States dissociates itself from the election of Venezuela as a Vice-President of the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly. The United States does not recognize Mr. Maduro and his representatives as the Government of Venezuela.

The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of agenda item 6. I wish to remind members that, as announced in The Journal of the United Nations, consecutive meetings of the First Committee, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) and the Second, Third, Fifth and Sixth Committees for the purpose of electing their Chairs and Bureaux for the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly will take place immediately following the adjournment of this meeting. After the election of the Chairpersons of the six Main Committees, the General Committee of the General Assembly for the seventy-ninth session will be fully constituted, in accordance with rule 38 of the rules of procedure.