TWO DRAFT RESOLUTIONS APPROVED BY ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL COMMITTEE

Press Release
GA/EF/2943

TWO DRAFT RESOLUTIONS APPROVED BY ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL COMMITTEE

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this morning approved two draft resolutions: one on a high-level dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership (document A/C.2/55/L.37); the other on implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (document A/C.2/55/L.34).

By the first text, which was submitted by Committee Chairman Alexandru Niculescu (Romania), the Assembly would reiterate the overall theme adopted in its resolution 54/213, namely, “Responding to globalization: facilitating the integration of developing countries into the world economy in the twenty-first century”.

In addition, the Assembly would endorse the agreement reached at the intergovernmental consultations, as contained in the report of the Secretary- General (A/55/314). It would also decide that the high-level dialogue will be convened for two days immediately prior to the commencement of the general debate at the Assembly's fifty-sixth session, and consist of plenary meetings, ministerial round-table meetings and informal panels, including the participation of the non-governmental actors, and that the final outcome of the dialogue will be a summary by the President, to be presented at the close of the event.

The draft resolution on implementation of the anti-desertification Convention, which was submitted by the Committee’s Vice Chairman Navid Hanif (Pakistan), was also approved without a vote. The text would have the Assembly call on governments, multilateral financial institutions, regional development banks, regional economic integration organizations and all other interested organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to contribute generously to the General Fund, the Supplementary Fund and the Special Fund, in accordance with the relevant paragraphs of the financial rules of the Conference of the Parties.

Further, the Assembly would call on the Global Environment Facility to enhance within its mandate its ongoing support for land degradation activities in developing countries. It would also call on the Facility and its implementing agencies to strengthen their cooperation with the Global Mechanism and the secretariat of the Convention.

In addition, the Assembly would urge all parties to the Convention that have not already done so to pay promptly and in full their contributions to the core

Second Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/EF/2943 36th Meeting (AM) 22 November 2000

budget of the Convention, so as to ensure continuity in the cash flow required to finance the ongoing work of the Conference of the Parties, the subsidiary bodies, the secretariat and the Global Mechanism.

With regard to programme budget implications, Committee Secretary Margaret Kelly informed delegations that should the Assembly adopt that text, related costs would amount to $2,123,900 at full costs which would be included in the budget for the biennium 2002-2003. The representative of the United States expressed concern at the proposed programme budget implications.

The Committee Chairman informed delegations that Estonia and Latvia had joined as co-sponsors to the draft resolution on integration of the economies in transition into the world economy (A/C.2/55/L.4).

The Committee will meet again on Monday, 27 November, at a time to be announced.

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