SPECIAL SESSION TO REVIEW 1996 HUMAN SETTLEMENTS CONFERENCE CALLED FOR IN TEXT APPROVED BY SECOND COMMITTEE
Press Release
GA/EF/2853
SPECIAL SESSION TO REVIEW 1996 HUMAN SETTLEMENTS CONFERENCE CALLED FOR IN TEXT APPROVED BY SECOND COMMITTEE
19981124 Nine Draft Resolutions Approved on, Among Others, Cairo Conference, Bribery, Economies in Transition, Cultural DevelopmentThe General Assembly would decide to hold a special session in June 2001 to review implementation of the outcome of the 1996 United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), by one of nine draft resolutions approved without a vote in the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this morning.
By the draft text on the special session, the Assembly would undertake the review on the basis of and in full respect for the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements and the Habitat Agenda, with no renegotiation of the existing agreements. It would also decide that the Commission on Human Settlements should serve as the preparatory committee for the special session.
In another draft text concerning a special session, the Assembly would recall that it decided to convene a special session from 30 June to 2 July 1999 to review implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development. It would decide that the thirty-third session of the Commission on Population and Development meeting as the preparatory committee for the special session would be open-ended to allow the participation of all States.
By a draft on action against corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions, the Assembly would request the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and other competent bodies of the United Nations system to assist Member States in implementing national programmes to strengthen accountability and transparency and in implementing relevant conventions, declarations and instruments to combat corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions.
Under the terms of a draft text on integration of the economies in transition into the world economy, the Assembly would call upon the organizations of the United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions, to continue providing analytical activities, policy advice and technical assistance to the governments of those countries in strengthening the social and political framework for economic and market reforms, and in the early identification of nascent crises, in order to ensure their economic and financial stability.
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A draft resolution on cultural development would have the Assembly invite all Member States, intergovernmental bodies and organizations of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations to implement the recommendations of the Action Plan on Cultural Policies for Development adopted by the International Conference on Cultural Policies for Development, held in Stockholm from 30 March to 2 April 1998. It would further call upon Member States to intensify their efforts to integrate cultural factors into their development programmes and projects.
By a draft on public administration and development, the Assembly would take note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of its resolution 50/225 of 19 April 1996 on public administration and development, which invited governments and public agencies to strengthen their public administrative and financial management capacity through public sector administrative and management reform.
The draft resolution on the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade would have the Assembly request the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly an analytical report containing a thorough evaluation of the implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration and of the implementation of the Strategy, including the progress made and the constraints encountered therein.
By the draft on industrial development cooperation, the Assembly would recognize the continuing use of official development assistance for industrial development in the developing countries, and call upon the international community and the relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations system, in particular the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), to support the efforts of the developing countries to intensify and expand industrial cooperation among themselves.
A draft resolution on United Nations Institute for Training and Research would have the Assembly call on the Secretary-General to continue to explore all possible ways and means to provide additional facilities to the Institute for maintaining its offices and for conducting programmes and training courses.
Also this morning, the Committee Chairman introduced a draft decision on the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Population Fund. By the text, the Assembly would decide to allocate a plenary meeting during its fifty-fourth session to commemorate the anniversary.
The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. Wednesday, 25 November, to take action on draft resolutions.
Committee Work Programme
The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this morning to take action on draft resolutions. It will also consider the topic programme planning. (For background see Press Release GA/EF/2848 of 10 November.)
The draft texts concern action against corruption and bribery, integration of economies in transition, cultural development, public administration and development, the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, industrial development cooperation, the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) Agenda, the International Conference on Population and Development, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
By the draft on action against corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions (A/C.2/53/L.7/Rev.1) the Assembly would call upon Member States to take all possible measures to further the implementation of the United Nations Declaration against Corruption and Bribery in International Commercial Transactions and relevant international declarations and to ratify, where appropriate, existing instruments against corruption.
The Assembly would request the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and other competent bodies of the United Nations system to assist Member States in implementing national programmes to strengthen accountability and transparency and in implementing relevant conventions, declarations and instruments to combat corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions. In that context, it would welcome the valuable work done by the United Nations Development Programme in the field of governance.
The Assembly would also request the Secretary-General, in close consultation with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session on measures taken by Member States and competent international and regional organizations, non- governmental organizations and the private sector to implement the present resolution.
The draft is sponsored by Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela and the United States.
By terms of the third draft resolution on integration of the economies in transition into the world economy (document A/C.2/53/L.13) the Assembly would call upon the organizations of the United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions, in collaboration with relevant non-United Nations multilateral and regional institutions, to continue analytical activities,
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policy advice and technical assistance to the governments of the countries with economies in transition in strengthening the social and political framework for economic and market reforms, thereby creating an enabling environment for foreign investment, and in the early identification of nascent crises in order to ensure their economic and financial stability.
The resolution is sponsored by Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States.
The draft resolution on cultural development (A/C.2/53/L.35) was sponsored by Indonesia on behalf of the Group of 77 Developing States and China. By the text the General Assembly would invite all Member States, intergovernmental bodies and organizations of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations to implement the recommendations of the Action Plan on Cultural Policies for Development adopted by the Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies for Development, held in Stockholm from 30 March to 2 April 1998.
The Assembly would further call upon Member States to intensify their efforts to integrate cultural factors into their development programmes and projects, so as to ensure sustainable development that fully respects cultural diversity, taking into account their cultural values and identity.
The Assembly would also encourage the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to pursue its ongoing task of promoting throughout the United Nations system a greater awareness of the crucial relationship between culture and development, taking into account the diversity of cultures and the need to apply the recommendations of the Stockholm Conference and would request the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session.
The draft resolution on public administration and development (document A/C.2/53/L.39) would have the Assembly, recalling its resolution 50/225 of 19 April 1996 on public administration and development, take note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on its implementation. (That resolution invited governments and public agencies to strengthen their public administrative and financial management capacity through public sector administrative and management reform.)
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The Assembly would also endorse the Economic and Social Council decision 1998/220 of 23 July 1998, in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to conduct a five-year assessment of the progress made in the implementation of Assembly resolution 50/225, and to report his findings to the Assembly, through the Council in the year 2001.
The draft is sponsored by Argentina, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Mauritania, Morocco, Papua New Guinea, Russian Federation, Senegal and Tunisia.
The draft resolution on the Implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade (A/C.2/53/L.40) was submitted by the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Burak Ozügergin (Turkey), on the basis of informal consultations held on draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.12.
By the draft the Assembly would request the Secretary-General, in consultation with all concerned organs and organizations of the United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions, as well as other relevant international organizations, to submit to the General Assembly for consideration at its fifty-fourth session an analytical report containing a thorough evaluation of the implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration and of the implementation of the Strategy, including the progress made and the constraints encountered therein.
The Assembly would decide to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-fourth session the item entitled "Sustainable development and international cooperation: implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade".
The Assembly would reaffirm the importance and continued validity of the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade, and would recognize the need to strengthen the implementation of the Declaration and the Strategy in the remaining years of the 1990s, in close collaboration with, among others, efforts undertaken in the context of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s and its implementing arm, the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative on Africa, and the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s.
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The draft on industrial development cooperation (A/C.2/53/L.41) also submitted by the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Ozügergin (Turkey), on the basis of informal consultations held on draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.6. By the text, the General Assembly would recognize the continuing use of official development assistance also for industrial development in the developing countries, and call upon donor countries and the recipient countries to continue to cooperate in their efforts to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness of official development assistance resources devoted to industrial development cooperation.
Also by the text, the Assembly would emphasize the importance, for developing countries, of financing for industrial development, market-based mechanisms and instruments as well as innovative funding modalities, such as co-financing schemes and trust funds, debt-equity swaps and, as appropriate, other debt relief measures and official development assistance specifically designed to strengthen the industrial capacities of developing countries. It would also call upon the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to continue carrying out its central coordinating role within the United Nations system.
By the draft the Assembly would also call upon the international community and the relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations system, in particular UNIDO, to support the efforts of the developing countries to intensify and expand industrial cooperation among themselves with respect to, among other things, trade in manufactured products, industrial investments and business partnerships, as well as industrial technology and scientific exchanges.
The Assembly would also request UNIDO, in cooperation with the relevant organizations of the United Nations system, to continue undertaking in-depth assessment, analysis and dissemination of best practices in the area of industrial policies and strategies and of lessons learned in industrial development, taking into account the financial crisis and the impact of globalization on the industrial structure of the developing countries.
The draft resolution on the special session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda (A/C.2/53/L.42) was also submitted by the Vice Chairman, Mr. Ozügergin (Turkey), on the basis of informal consultations held on draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.19.
By the draft, the Assembly would decide that the special session would be held in June 2001 for a period of three working days, and reaffirm that the special session for the overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the outcome of the 1996 United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), held in Istanbul, will be undertaken on the basis of and in full respect for the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements and the Habitat
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Agenda and that there will be no renegotiation of the existing agreements contained therein.
The Assembly would decide to invite States members of the specialized agencies that are not members of the United Nations to participate in the work of the special session in the capacity of observers. It would also decide that the Commission on Human Settlements, which is currently scheduled at its seventeenth and eighteenth sessions, to focus on monitoring the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and assessing its impact, should serve as the preparatory committee for the special session.
It would further decide that the Commission, meeting as the preparatory committee for the special session, shall be open-ended to allow full participation of all States. The Assembly would stress the need for the effective participation of local authorities, other Habitat Agenda partners and relevant actors of civil society, in particular the private sector and non-governmental organizations, in preparation for the special session, as well as the need to ensure appropriate arrangements, taking into account the practice and experience gained at the Habitat II Conference for their substantive contributions to and active involvement in the preparatory meetings and the special session.
By the draft resolution, the Assembly would invite Governments to play an active role in the preparatory process, through, among other things, an intensified exchange of experiences, and welcomes the proposals received, so far, from Singapore, to hold an international conference on model cities in 1999, and Germany, to hold an international conference, entitled Urban 21, in 2000.
Also by the draft, the Assembly would invite the Economic and Social Council to devote its coordination segment in 2000 to human settlements issues and the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. The Assembly would also invite the Economic and Social Council to actively promote and coordinate the role of the regional commissions in the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda at the regional and subregional levels.
By the text, the Assembly would also request the Secretary-General to seek extrabudgetary resources to assist developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, to send representatives to the sessions of the preparatory committee and the special session of the General Assembly in June 2001 for the overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. It would also request the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session on the implementation of the present resolution.
A draft resolution on the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (A/C.2/53/L.43) was
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submitted by the Vice-Chairman, Mr. Ozügergin (Turkey) on the basis of informal consultations held on draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.33.
By the draft, the General Assembly would recall that it decided to convene a Special Session from 30 June to 2 July 1999 to review implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development. It would decide that the thirty-third session of the Commission on Population and Development, meeting as the preparatory committee for the special session, shall be open-ended to allow the full participation of all States.
Also by the text, the Assembly would invite all other relevant organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to contribute, as appropriate, to the special session, as well as to its preparation. It would decide to invite States members of the specialized agencies that are not Members of the United Nations to participate in the work of the special session in the capacity of observers.
It would request the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session a report on the special session. And, it would stress the need for the effective participation of actors of civil society, particularly non-governmental organizations, in preparation for the special session, as well as the need to ensure appropriate arrangements, for their substantive contributions to and active involvement in the preparatory meetings and the special session.
By the text, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to seek extrabudgetary resources to assist developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, in sending representatives to the thirty-third session of the Commission on Population and Development, which is to serve as the preparatory meeting, and to the special session.
A draft resolution on the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (A/C.2/53/L.44), was also submitted by the Vice-Chairman, Mr. Ozügergin (Turkey), on the basis of informal consultations held on draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.32. By the draft, the Assembly would request the Board of Trustees to attract, to the extent possible, experts from developing countries and countries with economies in transition for the preparation of the relevant training materials for the programmes and activities of the Institute.
The Assembly would call on the Secretary-General to continue to explore all possible ways and means to provide additional facilities to the Institute for maintaining its offices and for conducting programmes and training courses that are provided at no cost to States, and to their representatives accredited to United Nations offices in New York and at Nairobi, Geneva and Vienna. It would also further request the Secretary-General, in consultation
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with the Institute, as well as with the United Nations funds and programmes, to continue to explore ways and modalities to systematically utilize the Institute in the execution of training and capacity-building programmes.
By the text, the Assembly would stress the need for continuity in the management of the Institute in order to ensure efficient and effective completion of the process of restructuring and revitalization. It would also renew its appeal to all Governments and to private institutions that have not yet contributed financially or otherwise to the Institute to give it their generous financial and other support. It would urge the States that interrupted their voluntary contributions to consider resuming them, in the light of the successful restructuring and revitalization of the Institute.
The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session on the implementation of the present resolution.
Action on Draft Resolutions
The Committee took up the draft resolution on public administration and development (document A/C.2/53/L.39) and approved it without a vote.
The Committee then took up the draft resolution on action against corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions (A/C.2/53/L.7/Rev.1) and approved it without a vote.
The Committee then took up the draft on industrial development cooperation (A/C.2/53/L.41). The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Ozügergin (Turkey) orally amended the resolution, adding a fourth preambular paragraph that reads, "Taking note of the report of the Director General of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), transmitted by a note of the Secretary-General".
The orally amended draft was approved without a vote. Draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.6 was withdrawn by its sponsors.
The Committee then took up the draft resolution on implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade (A/C.2/53/L.40) and approved it without a vote. Draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.12 was withdrawn by its sponsors.
The Committee then took up the draft on integration of the economies in transition into the world economy (document A/C.2/53/L.13). The
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Vice-Chairman, Mr. Ozügergin (Turkey) made a minor oral amendment. The orally amended draft resolution was approved without a vote.
The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the special session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda (A/C.2/53/L.42) and approved it without a vote. Draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.19 was withdrawn by its sponsors. The Committee Secretary made a statement indicating that there would be no budgetary implications to the draft resolution.
The Committee then took action on the draft resolution on the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (A/C.2/53/L.43) and approved it without a vote. Draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.33 was withdrawn by its sponsors.
The observer for Switzerland said he hoped for a pragmatic solution regarding participation in international conferences, such as the International Conference on Population and Development.
The Committee then took action on the draft resolution on cultural development (A/C.2/53/L.35).
The Vice-Chairman Mr. Ozügergin (Turkey) made the following oral amendments: Operative paragraph two should read, "Invites all States, intergovernmental bodies and organization of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations:", with the remainder of the paragraph remaining the same; and operative paragraph four should read, "Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Director General of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session."
The orally amended draft resolution was approved without a vote.
The Committee then took up the draft resolution on United Nations Institute for Training and Research (A/C.2/53/L.44) and approved it without a vote. Draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.32 was withdrawn by its sponsors. The representative of Australia said his delegation would have joined the list of co-sponsors for draft resolution A/C.2/53/L.32.
The representative of Indonesia, on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said his delegation would withdraw the draft resolution on implementation of the United Nations conventions on environment and development (A/C.2/53/L.10).
The representative of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia said his delegation would consider withdrawing the draft resolution on renewal of the
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dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership (A/C.2/53/L.14). Further informal consultation would be held on the draft.
Statements on Programme Planning
MOCHAMAD S. HIDAYAT (Indonesia), on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said his delegation agreed with the conclusions and proposals submitted by the Committee for Programme and Coordination in its report on the work of its thirty-eighth session (document A/53/16).
BAGHER ASADI (Iran) Chairman of the Second Committee, said the views of the Committee regarding programme coordination would be communicated through a letter to the Chairman of the Fifth Committee.
The representative of India announced that her delegation had not been present during the voting of the draft resolution on the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources (A/C.2/53/L.22), but would have voted in favour.
The representative of Kazakhstan said the delegation of Mongolia would like to be added to the list of co-sponsors for the draft resolution on transit environment in the landlocked States in Central Asia and their transit developing neighbours (A/C.2/53/L.34).
The Committee CHAIRMAN introduced a draft decision in commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Population Fund (A/C.2/53/L.45). By the text the Assembly would decide to allocate a plenary meeting during its fifty-fourth session to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the operation of the United Nations Population Fund, under the sub-item entitled, "Sustainable development and international economic cooperation: implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development".
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