NGO COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS RECLASSIFICATION OF TWO ORGANIZATIONS

Committee on NGOs

786^th Meeting (AM)

NGO COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS RECLASSIFICATION OF TWO ORGANIZATIONS

On the morning of the last day of its resumed 2000 session, the Committee on Non-governmental Organizations considered requests from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for reclassification of their consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The Committee decided to recommend reclassification of Agence International Pour le Developpement, and Association Tunisienne des Meres, from special to general consultative status.  It recommended not reclassifying the Foundation for the Rights of the Family from special to general consultative status, as its work was too limited in scope.  And it deferred action on requests from the Armenian Relief Society Incorporated and the International Association of Charities to reclassify their status from roster to special.

The 19-member Committee on Non-governmental Organizations makes recommendations on applications from NGOs for standing with ECOSOC, and on requests for reclassification of that standing.  NGOs may be granted general, special or roster consultative status.

General consultative status is intended for NGOs concerned with most of the activities of ECOSOC and that are broadly representative of society in different regions of the world.  Once accorded general status, NGOs can propose items for ECOSOC’s agenda, attend and speak at its meetings and circulate statements.  Organizations concerned with only a few of the fields of ECOSOC’s activity may be considered for special consultative status, which would allow them to attend meetings and circulate statements.  Roster status is accorded to other NGOs which could make occasional and useful contributions to ECOSOC or to other United Nations bodies.  Roster status NGOs can attend meetings and are available for consultation at the ECOSOC’s request.

Regarding the request for reclassification from the Armenian Relief Society Incorporated, Turkey’s representative said additional information requested from the organization had not been received and therefore he could not reach a decision. Observer member Armenia called for proper consideration of the request, and asked the Committee not to be influenced by those who sought to punish the organization because it was Armenian.  Observer member Azerbaijan’s representative expressed indignation because the organization referred to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan as an individual entity, thereby trampling on the territorial integrity of a sovereign State.  The Committee decided to defer action on this request.

Exercising a right of reply, the observer from Armenia said the organization was not political, but was rather was one of a number of organizations providing

assistance to women, children and other vulnerable groups.  Also exercising a right of reply, Turkey’s representative said that Armenia had implied that Turkey was against everything Armenian, which was untrue.  The observer of Azerbaijan, in right of reply, said the application indicated the region was a separate country, However, on receipt of a satisfactory response from it, he would be willing to consider the request in an objective way.

In a second right of reply, Armenia’s representative said the organization’s application showed the regions in which it worked, but said nothing about the status of any region.

The Committee also decided to seek clarification about the way it should respond to requests from NGOs that had acquired some kind of consultative status from United Nations agencies and programmes, but not from ECOSOC; and particularly whether a new application, or simply a request for reclassification, would be required from them.  As the application from International Association of Charities fell into this category of NGOs accredited elsewhere, the Committee decided to defer action on its request until it had clearer guidance.

The representatives of India, Algeria, Sudan, Bolivia, China, France, UnitedStates, Tunisia, Germany, Pakistan, Russian Federation  and Colombia also spoke.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. to conclude its 2000 session.

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