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

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) opened its seventy-ninth session today, approving a programme of work with topics ranging from international trade, debt and development financing to global partnerships, poverty eradication and food security. 

Introducing the Bureau, Committee Chair Muhammad Abdul Muhith (Bangladesh) welcomed Vice-Chairs Ivana Vejić (Croatia), Guðrún Thorbjörnsdóttir (Iceland)and Ezekwesiri David Anyaegbu (Nigeria) as well as Rapporteur Stefany Romero Veiga (Uruguay). 

He referred delegates to the Committee’s organization of work (document A/C.2/79/L.1), a corrigendum to it (document A/C.2/79/L.1/Corr.1) and 15 items the General Assembly allocated to the Committee (document A/C.2/79/1).

The Chair noted that the Committee’s general debate will run from 7 to 8 or 9 October (depending on statement volume), under the theme “Fostering resilience and growth in an uncertain world”, with a keynote address by Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University.  The topic considers the theme agreed upon by the Assembly for the 2025 session of the Economic and Social Council and the 2025 high-level political forum on sustainable development. 

In consultation with the President of the Economic and Social Council, he said the Bureau has proposed that the joint meeting of the Second Committee and the Council on the morning of 15 October should focus on “Fostering sustainable and resilient societies in uncertain times”.  The Bureau has also proposed that a side event on “Shaping an Environmentally Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Future” be organized on 9 October. 

The annual dialogue with the Executive Secretaries of regional commissions, to be held on the morning of 21 October, the Chair continued, will address the topic “Building an inclusive and sustainable digital future for accelerated implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on poverty eradication and advancement of gender equality: experiences from the regions”. 

He further noted that action on draft resolutions will be scheduled during the second half of the work of the Committee in November. The Chair encouraged delegations to make resolutions more streamlined, concise, focused and action-oriented; to make a clear link to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in their titles; and to consider including provisions to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. 

Highlighting two changes to the programme of work, he said the general discussion on “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” will be held in the afternoon of Wednesday, 16 October, instead of Tuesday, 22 October.  Secondly, the informal meeting to consider agenda item 140 on “Programme planning” will be held in the morning of Friday, 25 October, instead of Tuesday, 22 October. 

Taking the floor on a procedural matter, Brazil’s representative said his delegation has expressed concerns for several years about procedures related to programmes with no conclusions or recommendations by the Committee for Programme and Coordination.  This year, that Committee was unable to reach consensus on 16 of 28 programmes for 2025 — three of which fall under the Second Committee (Economic and Financial).  When the Committee for Programme and Coordination fails to reach a consensus, he recalled that the General Assembly must ensure their proper review and either confirm or modify those programmes. 

He underscored that the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) is an inappropriate venue for such discussions, as not all mandates are established by it.  Noting that the Fifth Committee has recently resorted to using previously approved programming language — in some cases dating back to 2017 — he emphasized that the Secretariat is left lacking sufficient guidance and oversight. He therefore commended the presidency for convening an informal meeting on 25 October to continue discussions on programme planning. 

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 7 October, to begin its general debate. 

Press releases, in English and French, on the Second Committee’s public meetings are prepared by the Department of Global Communications and are made available on the United Nations website.