Sixty-eighth General Assembly

Second Committee

38^th Meeting (PM)

Second Committee Approves Texts on Agriculture, Rural Development,

 

as Delegates Also Pass Draft on United Nations University Charter

 

The General Assembly would stress the need to increase investment in agriculture and rural development, including by giving technical and financial aid to least developed and net food-importing developing countries, with a view to increasing their agricultural productivity and infrastructure, according to one of two draft resolutions the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) approved by consensus today.

By the terms of that text, entitled “International trade and development”, (document A/C.2/68/L.47), submitted by Committee Vice-Chair Farah Brown (Jamaica), the Assembly would stress the need to remove food export restrictions and extraordinary taxes on food purchased for non-commercial, humanitarian purposes by the World Food Programme and to not impose them in the future.  The Assembly would also stress the need to identify and develop strategies for expanding trade opportunities for women producers and to facilitate women’s active participation in national, regional and global trade decision-making structures and processes.

Further, the Assembly, expressing serious concern at the lack of progress in the Doha Round of World Trade Organization negotiations, would reiterate its call for the flexibility and political will needed to break the current impasse in negotiations.  It would call for a balanced, ambitious, comprehensive and development-oriented outcome of the Doha Development Agenda multilateral trade negotiations, in line with the development mandate of the Doha Ministerial Declaration.

Before the Committee’s approval of the text, the Vice-Chair said that since it had only been circulated this morning, it was necessary to waive the Assembly’s rule by which 24 hours must elapse between submission of and action on a draft.

By the terms of another consensus text, entitled “Amendments to the Charter of the United Nations University”, (document A.C.2/68/L.46), submitted by Japan’s representative, the Assembly would decide that amendments, including one that reduces the membership of the University’s council from 24 to 12, shall enter into force upon the expiration of the present term of current appointed members.  Further, the Assembly would acknowledge that the council shall continue to operate with the current appointed membership, without appointing additional members.

After that action, Japan’s representative said that as the host country of the United Nations University, he was grateful to Member States for their support and expressed thanks that through the amendments, the University would be able to continue to play its valuable role in support of Member States.

The University’s Director said that the resolution would allow the council to meet more often, without requiring additional resources or disruption to the current membership or work.

The Second Committee will meet again to take action on outstanding resolutions at a date to be announced.

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For information media • not an official record