General Assembly Elects 18 Members to Economic and Social Council
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| Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York |
Sixty-fifth General Assembly
Plenary
35th Meeting (AM)
General Assembly Elects 18 Members to Economic and Social Council
The General Assembly today elected 18 members of the Economic and Social Council to serve three-year terms beginning 1 January 2011.
Those elected today were Australia, Cameroon, China, Ecuador, Finland, Gabon, Hungary, Latvia, Malawi, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Senegal and the United Kingdom.
The 18 outgoing members were Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Congo, Finland, Malaysia, Mozambique, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, United Kingdom and Uruguay.
The new members were elected according to the following pattern: four from the African States Group; four from the Asian States Group; three from the Eastern European Group; three from the Latin American and Caribbean States Group; and four from the Western European and Other States Group.
Ahead of that action, the Assembly, in a by-election, elected Spain and Switzerland to fill the un-expired terms of office of Turkey and Liechtenstein, which will relinquish their Council seats for the Western European and Other States Group at year-end, per that Group’s rotations scheme. Their terms will begin on 1 January 2011 and end 31 December 2011. They join the Group’s other members Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Malta and the United States.
As of 1 January 2011, the remaining States making up the 54-member body will be Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Malta, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United States, Venezuela and Zambia.
The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m., Tuesday, 26 October to discuss the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba.
Election to Seats Vacated By Turkey and Liechtenstein
Ahead of general elections for the Economic and Social Council, the Assembly President drew attention to a letter from Denmark’s representative, in his capacity as Chair of the Group of Western European and Other States for the month September 2010 (document A/65/526), which announced that, per the Group’s rotation scheme, two Council members — Turkey and Liechtenstein — would relinquish part of their terms on 31 December 2010. Members of the Group that had been endorsed to complete the rest of the term beginning on 1 January 2011 were Spain and Switzerland, respectively.
Voting Results
Western and European and Other States (2 Seats)
Number of ballot papers:
186
Number of invalid ballots:
4
Number of valid ballots:
182
Abstentions:
5
Number of Members present and voting:
177
Required majority:
118
Number of votes obtained by country:
Spain
162
Switzerland
160
United Kingdom
7
Finland
7
Australia
5
Norway
4
Turkey
2
Austria
1
Liechtenstein
1
The Assembly elected Spain and Switzerland to fill the remaining terms of office of Turkey and Liechtenstein, beginning on 1 January 2011 and expiring on 31 December 2011.
Speaking after the by-election, Nepal’s representative said his Government decided to withdraw its candidacy for the Council’s 2011-2013 term, deciding to present its candidacy for 2013-2015.
Economic and Social Council Membership
Voting Results
African States (4 Seats)
Number of ballot papers:
190
Number of invalid ballots:
1
Number of valid ballots:
189
Abstentions:
0
Number of Members present and voting:
189
Required majority:
126
Number of votes obtained by country:
Senegal
187
Gabon
185
Malawi
184
Cameroon
183
Asian States (4 Seats)
Number of ballot papers:
190
Number of invalid ballots:
0
Number of valid ballots:
190
Abstentions:
0
Number of Members present and voting:
190
Required majority:
127
Number of votes obtained by country:
China
150
Republic of Korea
150
Pakistan
149
Qatar
145
Bahrain
137
Nepal
1
Eastern European States (3 Seats)
Number of ballot papers:
190
Number of invalid ballots:
2
Number of valid ballots:
188
Abstentions:
1
Number of Members present and voting:
187
Required majority:
125
Number of votes obtained by country:
Russian Federation
182
Hungary
175
Latvia
155
Lithuania
17
Bulgaria
13
Poland
1
Republic of Moldova
1
Latin American and Caribbean States (3 Seats)
Number of ballot papers:
190
Number of invalid ballots:
0
Number of valid ballots:
190
Abstentions:
1
Number of Members present and voting:
189
Required two-thirds majority:
126
Number of votes obtained by country:
Mexico
184
Ecuador
182
Nicaragua
180
Western European and Other States (4 Seats)
Number of ballot papers:
190
Number of invalid ballots:
1
Number of valid ballots:
189
Abstentions:
8
Number of Members present and voting:
181
Required majority:
121
Number of votes obtained by country:
Finland
177
Norway
177
Australia
171
United Kingdom
170
Austria
2
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For information media • not an official record