LEGAL COMMITTEE TO ACT ON PROPOSAL FOR UN OBSERVER STATUS FOR ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES
Press Release
GA/L/3172
LEGAL COMMITTEE TO ACT ON PROPOSAL FOR UN OBSERVER STATUS FOR ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES
20001116Similar Request Made by Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
The General Assembly would invite the Economic Community of Central African States to participate in its sessions and work, by the terms of a draft resolution introduced this afternoon in the Assemblys Sixth Committee (Legal).
The representative of Equatorial Guinea, who introduced the draft resolution, said that as of 1999, the Community had created mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of conflicts in Central Africa, as well as centres for human rights and democracy. The subregion could not achieve its objectives of peace and prosperity, though, without a climate of security and stability. It, therefore, requested the continued support of the United Nations.
Also speaking on the item were the representatives of Gabon, Cuba and France, all of whom supported the request of the Economic Community of Central African States to be granted observer status in the General Assembly.
The Sixth Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. tomorrow, 17 November, to take action on the request and also on a similar request on behalf of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
Sixth Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/L/3172 32nd Meeting (PM) 16 November 2000
Committee Work Programme
The Sixth Committee (Legal) met this afternoon to hear the introduction of draft decision A/C.6/55L.14 on Observer Status for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. It was also to take up a similar request for observer status for the Economic Community of Central African States.
In a 14 August letter seeking observer status for the democracy institute (document A/55/226), the Permanent Representative of Sweden said the Stockholm- based intergovernmental organization has 19 member States. Its objectives include strengthening and supporting national capacity to develop a full range of democratic instruments; and increasing knowledge and enhancing learning about democratic electoral processes.
One important feature of the Institutes work method is its partnership with other international organizations for the promotion of other substantive policy issues, such as human rights, conflict management, and sustainable development. It has memorandums of understanding or cooperation agreements with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the International Commission of Jurists, the Inter-American Bank and the Organization Internationale de la Francophonie.
The letter from Sweden states that, while the Institute has already been working with the United Nations through various arrangements, it considers it desirable to consolidate and strengthen links with the world body, and that an observer status in the General Assembly would be mutually beneficial.
A draft decision on the subject (document A/C.6/55/L.14) would have the General Assembly defer a decision on the request for observer status for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance in the General Assembly to its fifty-sixth session in 2001.
The Committee will act on the text tomorrow afternoon.
Economic Community of Central African States
In a 16 November letter to the Chairman of the Sixth Committee (document A/C.55/3), the President of the General Assembly, Harri Holkieri (Finland) said the Assembly had decided to allocate to the Committee the item entitled, "Observer status for the Economic Community of Central African States in the General Assembly".
A request for such observer status is contained in a 9 November letter from the Chargé daffaires of the Mission of Equatorial Guinea to the United Nations (document A/55/226).
The Community comprises Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe.
A memorandum accompanying the letter noted that the United Nations had already granted observer status to other African regional economic communities, such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It was, therefore, necessary to strike a balance regarding cooperation between the United Nations and the various regions of the world.
It was said that Observer status for the Central African group would have a strong political and diplomatic impact, in that the community of nations would be lending its support to the economic integration efforts undertaken by the States of the subregion, with a view to African economic integration.
A draft resolution on the request (document A/C.6/55/L.20) would have the General Assembly decide to invite the Economic Community of Central African States to participate in the sessions and work of the General Assembly, in the capacity of observers.
The Secretary-General would be requested to take the necessary action to implement the resolution.
The draft text was sponsored by Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ireland, Sao Tome and Principe.
The Sixth Committee will act on the draft text tomorrow afternoon.
Economic Community of Central African States
JOSE LUIS ESONO (Equatorial Guinea) said observer status for the Economic Community of Central African States was of singular importance to the countries belonging to it. Observer status would enable the community to promote and sustain the new dynamic of various integration initiatives of the African sub region and to consolidate its structures and programmes. Since its creation in 1983, the leaders of the member countries had sought, with a sense of team spirit, to integrate the subregion for the well-being of the people. The sad reality, though, was that numerous conflicts prevented the realization of that ambition to build a subregion of peace, security and progress.
In 1999, Economic Community of Central African States undertook to integrate into its structures a mechanism for the prevention and resolution of conflicts in Central Africa, namely the Council for Peace and Security, he said. In addition, the economic community established a rapid alert mechanism as well as centres for human rights and democracy. The subregion could not achieve its objectives without a climate and stability. It therefore requested the continued support of the United Nations.
The representative of Equatorial Guinea then introduced the draft.
ALFRED MOUSSOTSI (Gabon) said his delegation strongly supported the statement made by the representative of Equatorial Guinea, which was current chairman of the organization. Gabon, as seat of the community, was pleased to support the request for observer status in the General Assembly. Observer
status would not only enable the organization to participate in sessions and work of the General Assembly, but strengthen ties of cooperation between the two bodies. The objectives of the community conformed to those of the United Nations, he added, and he hoped other member States would support their request.
SORAYA ELENA ALVAREZ NUNEZ (Cuba) welcomed the Economic Community of Central African States and announced Cubas co-sponsorship of the draft.
ARNAUD BARTHELEMY (France) said the organization was one of those that promoted regional integration in Africa. It had recently become more active in the maintenance of peace in Africa and had established a human rights centre, as well as a Council for Peace and Security. Those activities implied a closer relationship with the United Nations, in particular, with the General Assembly. The United Nations had a great interest in closer cooperation. France, therefore, supported granting observer status.
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