Gravely Concerned by Rise in Theft, Trafficking of Cultural Artefacts, General Assembly Adopts Resolution Calling for Creation of Suitable Legal Protection Frameworks
Texts on UN Cooperation with Other Multilateral Organizations Also Adopted
The General Assembly today adopted several resolutions on a variety of topics, including one stressing the need to return cultural property to countries of origin, with Member States emphasizing the importance of adhering to regulations safeguarding such artefacts, amid an unprecedented increase in trafficking and attacks against them during armed conflict.
By that text (document A/79/L.16), adopted without a vote, the Assembly expressed grave concern regarding collections of cultural artefacts, objets d’art, monuments, museum pieces, manuscripts and documents illegally removed before the entry into force of the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. It called on Member States to develop appropriate legal frameworks to protect such cultural property, underscoring the work of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in combating the trafficking of items.
“It's significantly important for all of us to realize that protecting people's lives will always remain the highest priority, but respect for the people's cultural identity is also crucial,” said Greece’s delegate, as he introduced the text. It is essential to abide by rules protecting cultural property, as it symbolizes human life itself.
Yemen’s speaker stressed the need to protect cultural property in regions of armed conflict. “Yemen’s civilizational and cultural heritage is facing serious challenges owing to the conflict and the criminal activities perpetrated by terrorist Houthi militias,” he said. These militias have targeted museums, looted manuscripts and smuggled cultural heritage in a systematic manner. The international community must respond to end such crimes.
The representative of Cyprus noted her country’s “long and painful history of foreign invasions and occupations, pillaging and conquest” that led to the destruction and looting of its cultural heritage of historical, archaeological and religious significance. In the past five decades alone, approximately 60,000 cultural items have been illegally exported from Cyprus and an estimated 20,000 remain missing.
Combating Illicit Trade Crucial to Protect Living Testimonies of Civilizations
“We are living in a crucial moment in which every restitution effort contributes to combatting illicit trafficking of cultural goods, protecting the living testimonies of civilizations that have stood the test of time,” observed the representative of Sao Tome and Principe, on behalf of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries. Therefore, returning such artefacts is an opportunity to foster reconciliation and strengthen ties between nations. He called on States to develop robust legal frameworks to combat this phenomenon and to place emphasis on efforts to return said goods to their countries of origin.
Türkiye’s speaker condemned the “brutal obliteration of archaeological sites, museums, places of worship and other religious places and books and manuscripts which are irreplaceable treasures of humankind”. He said his country has reinforced all necessary measures to prevent the illegal transfer of historical artefacts from their country of origin, including conducting import control operations along its south and south-east borders.
Calls for Broader Measures and Awareness-Raising
Pleased that this phenomenon which has been on the Assembly’s agenda for over 50 years is “gaining visibility”, Egypt’s delegate underscored the need for enhanced international cooperation for the return of all cultural property, especially those acquired through illegal means. He called for “taking all the measures” including market control, monitoring of auctions and implementing the related 1970 convention. Welcoming the Pact for the Future’s commitment in this regard, he called for its “swift implementation” to rectify past injustices “that have left countries and their peoples unable to fully enjoy their rights and celebrate their culture”.
Burundi’s speaker said every nation’s cultural heritage “represents the spirit of a people, its collective memory and its history”. Noting that the pillaging of cultural property is not limited to one country or region but a global problem affecting communities around the world, particularly in conflict zones, he said the return of such artefacts is not only a matter of material restitution but also one of justice, dignity and recognizing people’s rights to their own heritage. On efforts to combat this phenomenon, “raising awareness as to the importance of preserving heritage, respecting ethical standards and ensuring transparency on the art market must be priorities,” he said.
The Assembly also adopted three drafts on UN cooperation with regional and other multilateral organizations.
Cooperation between United Nations and Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
A text on “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons” (OPCW) (document A/79/L.31) was adopted by a recorded vote of 132 in favour, 9 against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Sudan, Syria), with 13 abstentions.
“The global community cannot turn a blind eye to these atrocities; it should work to bring those responsible to justice,” said the speaker from the Netherlands as she introduced the text.
In explanation of vote before the vote, the delegate of the Russian Federation said the situation surrounding the biennial resolution on cooperation between the UN and OPCW “has deteriorated for a number of years” with its authors — the Netherlands — having set aside the “pretence of working in good conscience on the text”, inserting tendentious and politicized documents that fully ignore delegations’ concerns. Instead of facilitating that cooperation, this resolution consists of biased and irrelevant provisions, focusing “artificially and exclusively on the Syrian subject”. It does not refer “at all” to Damascus’ ongoing cooperation with the OPCW and half of it references old and new anti-Syrian decisions in the OPCW, with other matters which are real threats not referred to. Her delegation, she noted, will therefore vote against the draft.
Syria’s speaker said the Netherlands “for the sixth time consecutively” insisted on incorporating selective language in the text that it knows full well are subjects of controversy in the OPCW. It also ignored the observations by many States in the only consultation meeting it held on the importance of returning to the consensual nature of the draft. “By doing so, it put first its political interest at the expense of adopting a technical unbiased resolution that gives a positive image about the cooperation between the UN and the OPCW,” he said.
“We believe it is essential for this draft resolution to focus on strengthening cooperation between the two organizations by limiting its scope to topics covered by the agreement between them,” said Iran’s delegate. It is important to remind the Assembly and its members that this draft is not a country-specific resolution, nor a document focused on implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention, for which the Assembly adopts an annual resolution.
Cooperation between the United Nations and the Central European Initiative
Turning to the text “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Central European Initiative” (document A/79/L.22), the Assembly adopted it by a recorded vote of 114 in favour, 10 against with 26 abstentions. Prior to the vote, the General Assembly rejected a motion for division proposed by the Russian Federation with 67 votes against to 12 in favour with 52 abstentions.
“This neutral name hides a politicized product that is designed only to deepen divisions and confrontation among members of the General Assembly, which clearly emerges from a number of its absolutely inappropriate, politicized paragraphs,” said the Russian Federation’s representative prior to the vote.
Echoing a similar point, Venezuela’s speaker, on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, said: “We need to do our utmost to invest our efforts in promoting good faith, promotion and multilateralism, and not in politicization”.
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)
The Assembly also today adopted a text titled “International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)” (document A/79/L.17) without a vote, emphasizing the importance of optimal coordination and cooperation between the UN and INTERPOL in countering terrorism, with particular regard to the threat posed by the travel of foreign terrorist fighters.
Credentials of Representatives to General Assembly’s Seventy-Ninth Session
Also without a vote, the Assembly adopted a resolution titled, “Credentials of representatives to the seventy‑ninth session of the General Assembly” contained in the report of the Credentials Committee, thereby approving the report (document A/79/613). Iran’s representative expressed reservation about the part of the document that could be construed as recognition of the Israeli regime.
Further Modalities of Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries
By the terms of a decision titled, “Further modalities of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries” (document A/79/L.20), adopted without a vote, the 193‑member body decided that the Conference will be postponed and held at a venue to be decided.
United Nations Staff Pension Committee
The Assembly also, following recommendation from its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) contained in the Committee’s report (document A/79/536/Add.1), appointed Guillermo Rodolico (Argentina) as a member or alternate member of the United Nations Staff Pension Committee for a four‑year term of office beginning on 1 January 2025.
World Meditation Day
By the terms of the text titled “World Meditation Day” (document A/79/L.27), the Assembly proclaimed 21 December as that day and invited all Member States, the United Nations system and civil society to observe it.
Investigation into Conditions and Circumstances Resulting in Tragic Death of Dag Hammarskjöld and Members of Party Accompanying Him
Finally, the annual resolution on the “Investigation into the conditions and circumstances resulting in the tragic death of Dag Hammarskjöld and of the members of the party accompanying him” (document A/79/L.26) was introduced by Sweden’s delegate, but action on the text was postponed to a later date to allow time for the Assembly’s Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) to review its programme budget implications.
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