Sixty-first General Assembly

Third Committee

54^th Meeting (AM)

THIRD COMMITTEE TAKES NOTE OF REPORT BY HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL,

APPROVES WORK PROGRAMME FOR NEXT SESSION

 

Will Resume Consideration of Programme Planning on 6 December

A draft resolution on the report of the Human Rights Council (document A/C.3/61/L.58) was withdrawn today when it came up for action before the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), enabling the Committee to take note of the report.

Explaining the move, the representative of Namibia said that, following consultations on 21 November, the African group had decided to withdraw the draft with the understanding that the Chair would propose an oral decision in line with the outcome of those consultations.

The Chair then proposed that the Committee take note, in accordance with General Assembly decision 55/488, of the report of the Human Rights Council (document A/61/53).

Moving on to programme planning, the Chair said it was his understanding that consultations led by the Vice Chair were still ongoing.  He then proposed that more time be allowed for those consultations, with a view to resuming consideration on 6 December.  Hearing no objections, it was so decided.

The Committee then adopted, without a vote, the draft programme of work for the sixty-second session of the General Assembly (document A/C.3/61/L.61).

Also today, the representatives of the United Kingdom, Egypt and Nigeria read out rhyming verse, to laughter and applause from other delegations.

The Chairman thanked everyone for their cooperation and flexibility.  He thanked the members of the Bureau, the Secretariat, press officers, interpreters, conference services, and documentation staff.

Several delegations then took the floor to thank the Chairman, the Bureau, and the Secretariat for their hard work during the Committee’s current session.  Taking the floor were the representatives of Namibia, on behalf of the African group; Finland, on behalf of the Western European Group; Costa Rica, on behalf of the Latin American group; South Africa, on behalf of the Group of 77; Pakistan, on behalf of the Asian Group; Syria; New Zealand, on behalf of Japan, United States, Canada, and Australia; Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference; and Qatar, on behalf of the Arab Group.

The Committee will meet again on Wednesday, 6 December, to take up programme planning issues.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record