General Assembly Takes Up Second Committee Reports, Adopting 38 Resolutions, 2 Decisions

Texts Aimed at Eradicating Rural Poverty, Promoting Development among Approved

With developing countries facing persistent inequality, lack of financial access and the ravages of climate change, the General Assembly adopted 38 of 41 resolutions and 2 decisions introduced by its Second Committee (Economic and Financial), in an effort to turn around rising poverty and hunger and propel the Sustainable Development Goals.

Adopting a resolution on “Eradicating rural poverty to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to 51 against with no abstentions, the Assembly stressed the importance of taking targeted measures to eradicate poverty, including extreme poverty, by formulating rural development strategies with clear poverty-eradication goals, strengthening national statistical capacity and monitoring systems and implementing nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures.

The Assembly adopted the resolution “Towards a New International Economic Order” by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to 50 against with 1 abstention (Türkiye).  By its terms, the Assembly expressed concern over the increasing debt vulnerabilities of developing countries, the net negative capital flows from those countries, the fluctuation of exchange rates and the tightening of global financial conditions, and in this regard stressed the need to explore the means and instruments needed to achieve debt sustainability and the measures necessary to reduce the indebtedness of developing States.

By a resolution titled “Role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence”, the Assembly adopted the eponymous resolution by a recorded vote of 130 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 45 abstentions.  By its provision, the Assembly noted with concern that the mobilization of sufficient financing remains a major challenge in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and that progress has not been shared evenly within and among countries, leading to further deepening of existing inequalities. 

Also by the draft, the Assembly called upon all countries and stakeholders to support policies conducive to a globalization process that benefits all people and societies, including but not limited to revamping financing for development, including innovative financing, development cooperation, and reforming the international financial, health and trade system.  Preambular paragraph 9 of the draft was approved by a recorded vote of 118 in favour and 48 against, with 5 abstentions (Japan, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Korea, Türkiye).

Acting without a vote, the Assembly further adopted “Promotion of sustainable and resilient tourism, including ecotourism for poverty eradication and environment protection”.  By its provision, the Assembly stressed that the cultures, traditions and knowledge of indigenous peoples and local communities, in all their aspects, including women and young people, are to be fully considered, respected and promoted, as appropriate, in policy development for sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, and underline the importance of promoting their participation in decision-making and all tourism operations that affect them.  It further stressed the need to ensure the integration of sustainable consumption and production patterns in the tourism sector, including through identifying and adopting tourism-planning approaches aimed at improving efficiency in the use of resources.

Turning to climate, the Assembly then adopted “Towards the sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea for present and future generations” without a vote, recognizing that the Caribbean Sea is an area of unique biodiversity and a highly fragile ecosystem that requires relevant regional and international development partners to work together to develop and implement regional initiatives to promote the sustainable conservation and management of coastal and marine resources.

Speaking in explanation of vote, the representative of Venezuela expressed reservations about preambular paragraph 9 of that text.  Noting that Venezuela is not a party to the Law of the Sea Convention, he said its rules do not apply to his country.

The representative of Türkiye welcomed the adoption, while dissociating from the references to the Law of the Sea Convention.

The Assembly further adopted “Combating sand and dust storms” by a recorded vote of 174 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Nauru, United States), with 1 abstention (Australia).  By that text, the Assembly encourages regional, subregional and interregional organizations and processes to continue to share best practices, experiences and technical expertise in combating sand and dust storms to address their root causes and impacts, including through improved implementation of sustainable land management practices.  The Assembly also decides to consider during its seventy-seventh session the measures required to designate a day of each year as the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms, to further raise international awareness.

The Assembly adopted the following texts by recorded vote:  “Entrepreneurship for sustainable development”; and “Oil Slick on Lebanese Shores”.

Acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted the following texts:  “Information and communications technologies for sustainable development”; “International Trade and Development”; “International financial system and development”; “Promotion of International cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on assets return to foster sustainable development”; “Promoting investments for sustainable development”; and “Follow-up to and implementation of the outcomes of the International Conferences on Financing for Development”.

Also acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted the subsequent texts:  “International Year of Glaciers’ preservation, 2025”; “Enhancing the role of parliaments in accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”; “Promoting zero-waste initiatives to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”; “Promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building on Agenda 21”; “Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States”; “Disaster risk reduction”; and “Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind”.

The Assembly further adopted the subsequent texts without a vote:  “Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”; “Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its contribution to sustainable development”; “Report of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme”; “Harmony with nature”; “Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”; “Sustainable mountain development”; “Implementation of the outcomes of the United Nations Conferences on Human Settlements and on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)”; and “International Migration and Development”.

Further acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted the subsequent texts:  “Follow-up to the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries”; “Implementation of the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018–2027)”; “Industrial development cooperation”; “Women in development (which contained three amendments, by recorded vote); “Human resources development”; “Operational activities for development of the UN system”; “South-South cooperation”; “Agriculture development, food security and nutrition”; and “Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources”.

The Assembly also adopted a decision on “Revitalization of the work of the Second Committee” and the “Draft programme of work of the Second Committee for the seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly.”

The Assembly postponed consideration on “Promotion of inclusive and effective international tax cooperation at the United Nations”, “Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States” and “Follow-up to the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries” and will take action as soon as the report of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on its programme budget implications is available.

Also speaking was the representative of the United States.  Jonibek Ismoil Hikmat (Tajikistan), Vice-President of the General Assembly, spoke on behalf of its President in his closing remarks.

The General Assembly will meet again on Thursday, 15 December, at 3 p.m., to decide on the texts of its Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural).

Action on Draft Resolutions

FRANCESCA CASSAR (Malta), Second Committee Rapporteur, introduced the body’s reports containing 41 draft resolutions and two draft decisions.

The Assembly first took up the Second Committee’s (Economic and Financial) report on “Information and communications technologies for sustainable development” (document A/77/440), containing an eponymous draft resolution.

Adopting that text without a vote, the Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to bridging digital and knowledge divides, recognizing that its approach must be multidimensional and include an evolving understanding of what constitutes access, emphasizing the quality of that access and acknowledging that speed, stability, affordability, language, local content and accessibility for persons with disabilities are now core elements of quality and that high-speed broadband is already an essential enabler of sustainable development.

Next, the Assembly took up the report “Macroeconomic policy questions” (document A/77/441) containing a resolution concerning “Promotion of inclusive and effective international tax cooperation at the United Nations”, including a draft amendment, by which the Assembly would decide to begin intergovernmental discussions in New York at United Nations Headquarters on ways to strengthen the inclusiveness and effectiveness of international tax cooperation, including the possibility of developing an international tax cooperation framework or instrument.  The Assembly postponed consideration and will take action as soon as the report of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on its programme budget implications is available.

The Assembly then took up the report “International trade and development” (document A/77/441/Add.1), which contained an eponymous resolution therein, first adopting operative paragraph 24 by a recorded vote of 122 in favour to 48 against, with 1 abstention (Türkiye).  By its terms, the Assembly urged the international community to adopt urgent and effective measures to eliminate the use of unilateral economic, financial or trade measures that are not authorized by relevant organs of the United Nations, and that are inconsistent with the principles of international law or the Charter of the United Nations or that contravene the basic principles of the multilateral trading system and that affect, in particular, but not exclusively, developing countries.

Adopting the resolution as a whole without a vote, the Assembly welcomed the commitment of World Trade Organization (WTO) members to work towards the necessary reform of WTO, with the aim of improving all its functions and addressing the new challenges of global trade, and underscore the urgency of keeping food, fertilizer and agricultural markets open, equitable, transparent, non-discriminatory and predictable, by eliminating trade-restrictive measures and distortions, speculations and hoarding through the reform of the agricultural multilateral trade rules.  The Assembly further stressed the continuing importance of the provision and mobilization of new and additional means of implementation, such as climate finance, technology transfer and capacity-building to developing countries, for expanding trade in renewable energy.

The Assembly then turned to the report titled “International financial system and development” (document A/77/441/Add.2), acting without a vote to adopt its eponymous resolution.

By its provision, the Assembly stressed the need to consider an increase in concessional funding from multilateral development banks and for the consideration of global financial system reform, which includes lending criteria that complements or goes beyond gross domestic product (GDP) and are based on a comprehensive understanding of multidimensional factors including but not limited to the vulnerability and resilience of developing countries.

The Assembly then turned to the report titled “External debt sustainability and development” (document A/77/441/Add.3), adopting it without a vote.

By its terms, the Assembly stressed the need to continue to assist developing countries in avoiding a build-up of unsustainable debt and in implementing resilience measures so as to reduce the risk of relapsing into another debt crisis, considering the challenges posed by the global economic environment and risks for debt sustainability in a growing number of developing countries.

Next, the Assembly took up the report “Promotion of international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on assets return to foster sustainable development” (document A/77/441/Add.4), adopting it without a vote.  Among its terms, the Assembly stressed that anti-corruption measures should be an integral part of national development policies and strategies and therefore invite countries developing integrated national financing frameworks to include anti-corruption components and standards.

It further stressed that efforts in international tax cooperation should be universal in approach and scope and fully consider the different needs and capacities of all States, in particular least developed, landlocked developing, small island developing and African countries.

The Assembly then turned to report titled “Promoting investments for sustainable development” (document A/77/441/Add.5), adopting the eponymous resolution without a vote.

By the text, the Assembly noted with concern that many of the least developed countries and small island developing States continue to be largely sidelined by foreign direct investment (FDI) that could help to diversify their economies, despite improvements in their investment climates.

The Assembly took up the report titled “Follow-up to and implementation of the outcomes of the International Conferences on Financing for Development” (document A/77/442), adopting the resolution therein without a vote.

Among its terms, the Assembly reiterated that States will not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development without a revitalized and enhanced global partnership and ambitious means of implementation, and reaffirm the commitment at the very heart of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind and commit to taking more tangible steps to support people in vulnerable situations and the most vulnerable countries and to reach the furthest behind first.

The Assembly then turned to the report “Sustainable development” (document A/77/443), containing four resolutions.

Adopting the resolution titled “Oil Slick on Lebanese Shores” by a recorded vote of 160 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States) with 5 abstentions (Cameroon, Guatemala, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, South Sudan).  The Assembly reiterated its deep concern about the adverse implications of the destruction by the Israeli Air Force of the oil storage tanks in the direct vicinity of the Lebanese Jiyeh electric power plant for the achievement of sustainable development in Lebanon.  It would also acknowledge the conclusions in the report of the Secretary-General, in which he stated that studies show that the value of the damage to Lebanon amounted to $856.4 million in 2014.

The Assembly then adopted the text “International Year of Glaciers’ preservation, 2025” without a vote, inviting Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, major groups, other relevant stakeholders and donors to voluntarily contribute to the trust fund in support of activities for glaciers’ preservation, to be coordinated by the Secretary-General, in partnership with relevant agencies of the United Nations system.

Acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted the resolution “Enhancing the role of Parliaments in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals”.  By its provision, the Assembly called on the United Nations to work with Member States to strengthen the role and institutional capacity of national Parliaments in addressing climate change and its adverse effects and natural hazards, through the development of legislation aimed at mitigation, adaptation and building resilience, and reducing the risk of loss and damage.

Adopting the resolution titled “Entrepreneurship for sustainable development” by a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 27 against, with 4 abstentions (Angola, China, South Africa, Sri Lanka), the Assembly encouraged Governments to take a coordinated and inclusive approach to promoting entrepreneurship, and to develop coherent and targeted policies that address the legal, social and regulatory barriers to equal, effective economic participation.

Further, it stressed the need to highlight the value of entrepreneurship and its contribution to the 2030 Agenda, including the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions and call upon the relevant organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to further recognize and integrate entrepreneurship in its various forms into their policies, programmes and reports.

Next, the Assembly turned to the report “Towards the achievement of sustainable development:  implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through sustainable consumption and production, building on Agenda 21” (document (A/77/443/Add.1), containing two draft resolutions. 

Adopting the text “Promoting zero-waste initiatives to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” without a vote, the Assembly decided to proclaim 30 March as International Day of Zero Waste, to be observed annually.  It would also invite all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, other international and regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector and academia, to observe the Day in an appropriate manner, through activities aimed at raising awareness of the zero-waste approach and its contribution to achieving sustainable development.

The Assembly then adopted the resolution “Promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building on Agenda 21” without a vote, urging the full and effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and all other internationally agreed development goals and commitments in the economic, social and environmental fields, including the Millennium Development Goals and those under the three Rio conventions, building on their contributions, best practices, challenges and lessons learned, in order to support the full and effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The Assembly then turned to the report titled “Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States” (document (A/77/443/Add.2), containing two resolutions.

The Assembly then took up the text “Follow-up to and implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States”,  by which it would reiterate the call to monitor implementation of those documents and underline the need to give due consideration to issues and concerns of small island developing States in all relevant major United Nations conferences and processes.  The Assembly postponed consideration and will take action as soon as the report of the Fifth Committee on its programme budget implications is available.  The Assembly then adopted “Towards the sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea for present and future generations” without a vote, recognizing that the Caribbean Sea is an area of unique biodiversity and a highly fragile ecosystem that requires relevant regional and international development partners to work together to develop and implement regional initiatives to promote the sustainable conservation and management of coastal and marine resources.

Speaking in explanation of vote, the representative of Venezuela expressed reservations about preambular paragraph 9 of that text.  Noting that Venezuela is not a party to the Law of the Sea Convention, he said its rules do not apply to his country.

The representative of Türkiye welcomed the adoption, while dissociating from the references to the Law of the Sea Convention.

Next, the Assembly took up the report titled “Disaster risk reduction” (document A/77/443/Add.3), adopting the eponymous resolution without a vote.  Among its terms, the Assembly underlined the need to address the economic, social and environmental impacts of disasters caused by human-made or natural hazards, many of which are exacerbated by climate change, stressing the urgent need to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather events.

The Assembly then took up the report “Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind” (document A/77/443/Add.4, A/77/L.38).

Speaking in explanation of position before vote, the representative of the United States, noting that her delegation cannot agree with operative paragraph 13, expressed regret that it promotes the domestic priorities of one State instead of including consensus language from the 2030 Agenda.

Adopting “Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind” without a vote, the Assembly urged Member States to adopt a climate- and environment-responsive approach to COVID‑19 recovery efforts and accelerate a transition to low-emission, climate-resilient, inclusive and sustainable economies and societies.  In this regard, the Assembly will stress the need to strengthen the global response to climate change by increasing the ability of countries to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change and integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.

The Assembly first rejected “Amendment to draft resolution (document A/C.2/77/L.69) — Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind” by a recorded vote 54 in favour to 99 against, with 3 abstentions (Costa Rica, Papua New Guinea, Togo).

The Assembly then retained operative paragraph 13, by a recorded vote of 109 in favour to 53 against, with 1 abstention (Costa Rica).  It adopted the text as a whole without a vote.

Next, the Assembly took up the report “Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa” (document A/77/443/Add.5).  Acting without a vote, it adopted that eponymous resolution.  By the text, the Assembly urged the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the agreed intergovernmentally negotiated outcomes and decisions of the subsequent United Nations climate change conferences, and further take note of the Abidjan Call, which urges giving the highest priority to the issue of drought prevention, resilience, impact mitigation and accelerating the implementation of existing national commitments, towards achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030.

The Assembly then turned to the report “Convention on Biological Diversity” document A/77/443/Add.6), adopting the resolution “Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its contribution to sustainable development” without a vote.  By its terms, the Assembly urged parties to the Convention to ensure the coherence and complementarity of a post-2020 global biodiversity framework with other existing or upcoming international processes, in particular with regard to the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement and other related processes, frameworks and strategies.

It further retained operative paragraph 2 by a recorded vote of 166 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Japan, United States), with 1 abstention (Republic of Korea).

The Assembly next took up “Report of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme” (document A/77/443/Add.7), adopting the eponymous resolution without a vote.  By its terms, it reiterated the importance for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in working with the wider United Nations development system, to adopt and mainstream a more climate- and environment-responsive approach into its programmes and strategic plans, cooperation frameworks, and policy advice to programme countries.

Next, the Assembly turned to the report “Harmony with Nature” (document A/77/443/Add.8).  Acting without a vote, it adopted that eponymous resolution without a vote, calling for holistic and integrated approaches to sustainable development, in its three dimensions, that will guide humanity to live in harmony with nature and lead to efforts to restore the health and integrity of the Earth’s ecosystems.

Further to the draft, it recognized that protecting and conserving ecosystems and avoiding harmful practices against animals, plants, microorganisms and non-living environments contributes to the coexistence of humankind in harmony with nature, invite the Secretary-General to address these issues in his report on the implementation of the present resolution, and further recognize that the well-being of humanity depends on the health and integrity of nature.

The Assembly next took up the report “Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” (document (A/77/443/Add.9), adopting that resolution without a vote, noting with concern the two-year decline in international financial flows to developing countries in support of clean, sustainable, affordable, reliable, just and inclusive energy transitions, and recognizing that achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 requires an urgent and steep rise in energy investment and finance, including investments in clean technologies and quality infrastructure, with a priority focus on the needs of least developed countries.

The Assembly then took up the report, “Combating sand and dust storms” (document A/77/443/Add.10), adopting the resolution by a recorded vote of 173 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Nauru, United States) with 1 abstention (Australia).  By its terms, the Assembly recognized the importance of new and innovative technologies and best practices in combating sand and dust storms, as well as their sharing and transfer on mutually agreed terms.

The Assembly next took up the report “Sustainable mountain development” (document A/77/443/Add.11), adopting the eponymous resolution without a vote, stressing the special vulnerability of people living in mountain environments, in particular local communities and indigenous peoples, and invite States to strengthen cooperative action.  It also decided to proclaim the period 2023-2027 as “Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions” to enhance the international community’s awareness of the problems of mountain countries and to give new impetus to the international community’s efforts to address the challenges and problems of mountain countries.

Taking up the report titled “Follow-up to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)” (document A/77/444), the Assembly acted without a vote in adopting the resolution “Implementation of the outcomes of the United Nations Conferences on Human Settlements and on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)”.  By its terms, the Assembly invited Member States, international and bilateral donors and financial institutions to contribute to UN-Habitat through increased voluntary financial contributions, especially non-earmarked contributions, to the United Nations Habitat and Human Settlements Foundation, including the urban basic services trust fund and other technical cooperation trust funds.

The Assembly next took up the report “Globalization and interdependence” (document A/77/445), adopting by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to 50 against with 1 abstention (Türkiye) the resolution titled “Towards a New International Economic Order”.  By its terms, the Assembly expressed concern over the increasing debt vulnerabilities of developing countries, the net negative capital flows from developing countries, the fluctuation of exchange rates and the tightening of global financial conditions, and in this regard stressed the need to explore the means and instruments needed to achieve debt sustainability and the measures necessary to reduce the indebtedness of developing States.

Next, the Assembly turned to the report “Role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence” (document A/77/445/Add.1), adopting the eponymous resolution by a recorded vote of 130 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 45 abstentions.  By its provision, the Assembly noted with concern that the mobilization of sufficient financing remains a major challenge in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and that progress has not been shared evenly within and among countries, leading to further deepening of existing inequalities.

The Assembly further voted to retain preambular paragraph 9 by a recorded vote of 112 in favour to 47 against, with 5 abstentions (Japan, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Korea, Türkiye).

The Assembly then took up “International migration and development” (document A/77/445/Add.2), adopting that eponymous text without a vote.  By its terms, the Assembly reaffirmed the importance of facilitating orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies, in line with target 10.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals.  Further to the text, it reiterated its commitment to preventing and combating trafficking in persons, identifying and protecting victims of trafficking, preventing and combating migrant smuggling, as well as the activities of transnational and national organized crime entities and protecting migrants from exploitation and other abuses, stressing the need to establish or upgrade national and regional anti-human trafficking policies.

Next, the Assembly took up the report “Groups of countries in special situations” (document A/77/446), containing two resolutions, first adopting the resolution “Follow-up to the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries” without a vote.  By its provision, the Assembly noted with concern the estimates that by 2030 much of the world’s poor will live in the least developed countries, which indicate that the implementation of the 2030 Agenda is not on track, stressing the need for global support for the least developed countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure that no one is left behind.

It then considered “Follow-up to the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries”, by which it would call on States to ensure the normal functioning of open markets, global supply chain connectivity and cross-border travel for essential purposes and to enhance the sustainability and resilience of supply chains that foster the sustainable integration of landlocked developing countries.  It would further call on landlocked developing countries and transit States to enhance cross-border collaboration by minimizing disruptions to international transport, eliminating unnecessary trade restrictions and facilitating free movement of essential goods.  The Assembly postponed consideration and will act as soon as the report of the Fifth Committee on its programme budget implications is available.

The Assembly then turned to the report titled “Eradication of poverty and other development issues” (document A/77/447), adopting the resolution “Promotion of sustainable and resilient tourism, including ecotourism for poverty eradication and environment protection” without a vote.

By the text, the Assembly stressed that the cultures, traditions and knowledge of indigenous peoples and local communities, in all their aspects, including women and young people, are to be fully considered, respected and promoted, as appropriate, in policy development for sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, and underline the importance of promoting their participation in decision-making and all tourism operations that affect them.  It further stresses the need to ensure the integration of sustainable consumption and production patterns in the tourism sector, including through identifying and adopting tourism-planning approaches aimed at improving efficiency in the use of resources.

Next, the Assembly took up the report “Implementation of the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018–2027)” (document A/77/447/Add.1), containing a resolution with the same title, which the Assembly adopted without a vote.

By its terms, the Assembly expressed its deep concern that, while there has been progress in reducing poverty, such progress remains uneven, with 1.3 billion people in 109 developing countries still living in multidimensional poverty.  It also encourages the international community to support developing countries in their efforts to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, and achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, the poor and people in vulnerable situations.

Turning to the resolution regarding “Industrial development cooperation”, contained in the eponymous report (document A/77/447/Add.2), the Assembly adopted it without a vote.

By its terms, the Assembly stressed that a dynamic industrial and manufacturing sector is one of the many factors that can lead to narrowing income inequalities and to the development of social protection systems, as well as to reducing inequality within and among countries.  It also encouraged the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to continue to organize global dialogues and promote multi-stakeholder partnerships in order to actively pursue its important role in the achievement of inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

Taking up the report on “Eradication of poverty and other development issues: women in development” (document A/77/447/Add.3) which contains an eponymous text that stressed the importance of the creation of a favourable and conducive national and international environment for the effective integration of women and girls in development, supporting and investing in women’s employment and enterprises in sectors adversely affected, especially by the COVID‑19 pandemic, and disseminating a gender analysis of legislation, policies and programmes, the Assembly adopted it without a recorded vote.

Also without a vote, the Assembly adopted the resolution contained in the report on “Human resources development”, (document A/77/447/Add.4), by which it stressed the need for Member States to emphasize and integrate human resources development into national development strategies, including national development policies and strategies to eradicate poverty and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, in order to address structural and multidimensional challenges to enhancing national productive capacities and to ensure that human resources development implications are considered by all national development stakeholders.

The resolution on “Eradicating rural poverty to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” contained in an eponymous report (document A/77/447/Add.5) was then adopted by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to 51 against, with none abstentions.  Through that text, the Assembly stressed the importance of establishing and implementing targeted policies and measures to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions, and called upon all countries to promote agricultural and rural development in their national policies and renew their efforts to promote innovative approaches, including agroecology, among other approaches, to enhance capacity for food production, distribution and storage, cooperate in the relevant areas of science, research, technology and innovation.

The Assembly also took note of the report on “Operational activities for development” (document A/77/448).

The Assembly then considered the report “Operational activities for development” (document A/77/448), which contained the draft “Operational activities for development of the United Nations system” (document A/77/448/Add.1), adopting the eponymous resolution therein without a vote.  By the text, it reaffirmed the commitment at the heart of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind, commit to taking more tangible steps to support people in vulnerable situations and reach the furthest behind first.  It called upon the entities of the United Nations development system to assist States in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The Assembly then considered the report “South-South cooperation for development” (document A/77/448/Add.2), adopting the resolution therein of the same name without a vote.  By its terms, the Assembly encouraged the continuation and advancement of South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation on COVID‑19 response and recovery efforts in pursuing the 2030 Agenda.

Turning to the report “Agriculture development, food security and nutrition” (document A/77/449), it adopted the eponymous resolution without a vote.  By its terms, the Assembly urged Member States and all relevant stakeholders to advance collective actions to address the multiple and widespread impacts of the pandemic, conflicts, climate change and biodiversity loss on agriculture development, food security and nutrition, to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

The organ then turned to the report “Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources” (document A/77/450), adopting the resolution therein of the same name by a recorded vote of 159 in favour to 8 against (Canada, Chad, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States) with 10 abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Togo, Tuvalu).

By the text, the Assembly demanded that Israel, the occupying Power, cease the exploitation, damage, cause of loss or depletion and endangerment of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.

Next, it took up the report “Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly” (document A/77/451), which contained two decisions.  Acting without a vote, it adopted decision I on “Revitalization of the work of the Second Committee”, deciding that the Bureau of the Second Committee will convene informal dialogues to discuss the revitalization of the work of the Committee in the first months of 2023.  The Assembly then adopted without a vote decision II on “Draft programme of work of the Second Committee for the seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly”, approving that programme of work set out therein.

The Assembly then took up the report “Programme planning” (document A/77/452), which indicated that the Committee considered the item at its twenty-third meeting on 22 November and decided that no action was required on it.

The Assembly thus concluded its consideration of all reports of the Second Committee before it for the current meeting, suspending its meeting until reports of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) are available for its consideration.

Closing Remarks

JONIBEK ISMOIL HIKMAT (Tajikistan), Vice-President of the General Assembly, speaking on behalf of the President in his closing remarks, expressed thanks for the work of the Chair, Bureau and Secretariat of the Committee and Member States, noting progress was made on key issues including financing for development and a multidimensional vulnerability index beyond GDP, and on international taxation cooperation.  He and his team have already begun working on a new resolution on zero waste, encouraging Member States to continue dialogue leading up to the summit on the Sustainable Development Goals.