General Assembly Adopts Three Texts on Police, Persons with Disabilities, Credentials Committee, also Concluding Law of Sea Convention Debate
Concluding its debate on the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, the General Assembly today also adopted resolutions concerning police cooperation, rights of persons with disabilities and as its credentials committee.
Adopted without a vote, the resolution on “International Day of Police Cooperation” (document A/77/L.29) had the Assembly decide to designate 7 September as the International Day of Police Cooperation, to be observed starting in 2023. The Assembly also invited Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and other relevant stakeholders to observe the International Day in an appropriate manner.
The representative of Norway, introducing that text, said the different levels of policing capabilities between Member States affects their ability to combat criminal activity. Highlighting the draft’s call for international cooperation in capacity-building and technical assistance, while also mainstreaming a gender perspective and respecting human rights, he said that establishing 7 September as the International Day of Police Cooperation is a commemoration of the International Criminal Police Organization’s (INTERPOL) founding.
Odd Reidar Humlegård, speaking in his capacity as observer for INTERPOL, pointed out that 2023 is its centenary year. He underscored the vital role of law enforcement for international peace and security. “We will not enjoy security without development, and we will not enjoy development without security,” he said, also commending the gender perspective of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Policing.
Also adopted without a vote, the resolution on “Promoting and Mainstreaming Easy to Understand Communication for Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities” (document A/77/L.37), reaffirmed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and urged Member States to redouble efforts to address obstacles and barriers to accessibility.
Further, it decided to hold a half‑day meeting, to be convened by the President of the General Assembly, on the margins of the sixteenth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to identify and discuss good practices on the role of easy‑to‑understand communication in enabling persons with disabilities to live independently and meaningfully participate in all aspects of life.
Introducing that text, the representative of Brazil, who spoke on behalf of the core-group, which includes Argentina, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Mongolia, the Philippines Portugal and his own country, said Brazil will make available an easy-to-understand version of this resolution in Portuguese. He also encouraged other Member States to make this milestone broadly accessible by persons with intellectual disabilities, in as many languages as possible.
The Committee also heard from Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (Guyana), Chair of the Credentials Committee, who introduced the report of that body (document A/77/600), noting its decision to postpone consideration of credentials pertaining to the representatives of Myanmar, Afghanistan and Libya to the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly, and revert to consideration of these credentials at a future time in the same session.
The Assembly then adopted the resolution contained in that report (document A/77/600), by which it approved the report.
Speaking in explanation of position after adoption, the representative of Iran expressed reservations about parts of the report and resolution that could be construed as recognizing the Israeli regime.
The Assembly also resumed and concluded its 49th plenary meeting, held to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the adoption and opening for signature of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The representative of Timor-Leste highlighted the efficient conciliation process established in 2016 under the Convention, which helped resolve a longstanding dispute between his country and Australia over maritime boundaries and revenue sharing. Renewed commitments made at the Second Ocean Conference will be an important step in ensuring sustainable use of ocean resources, he said.
The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 20 December to take up the Economic and Social Council as well as United Nations Conferences and Summits in economic, social and related fields.