Second Committee Opens Seventy-First Session, Approving Organization of Work

Holding its first meeting of the General Assembly, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today introduced the Bureau and approved its organization of work.

Thanking the outgoing Bureau, Committee Chair Dian Triansyah Djani (Indonesia) welcomed its new members:  Vice-Chairs Arthur Amaya Andambi (Kenya); Galina Nipomici (Republic of Moldova); Ignacio Díaz de la Guardia Bueno (Spain); and Rapporteur Glauco Seoane (Peru).

The Committee Secretary then announced that the deadline for submission of draft proposals for Agenda item 24 (operational activities for development) and its sub-items had been extended from 10 to 17 October.  There would also be staggered deadlines for submission of draft proposals under Agenda item 19 (sustainable development) and its sub-items on 14 and 21 October.

Addressing the extensions, the representative of Thailand, speaking for the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, referred to a letter expressing his group’s concerns that the Habitat III conference was to be held in Quito, Ecuador, on 17-20 October, and several delegates would need to devote substantial work to it.  The letter had requested an extension on the deadlines for some agenda items, notably item 19 and item 24.  He thanked the Chair for his positive response to the request.

Mr. Djani reminded delegates that the Committee’s general debate would take place from 3 to 5 October.  It would include a keynote address from economist Dambisa Moyo, who would speak on “One World, One Vision:  Tackling Global Imbalances to Achieve the 2030 Agenda”.