Economic and Social Council Grants 174 Non-Governmental Organizations Consultative Status, Adopts 30 Draft Texts, as Management Segment Resumes
Resuming its two-day Management Segment today, which began on 7 June, the Economic and Social Council considered 16 reports of its subsidiary bodies and other United Nations entities and adopted 30 draft texts, including a decision granting 174 non-governmental organizations consultative status.
The subsidiary bodies consist of the six regional economic commissions, as well as the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, United Nations Forum on Forests, Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Committee of Experts on Public Administration, Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations.
Reports were also considered from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as on the follow-up to the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries. Also considered were the reports of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and on the outcomes of the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly.
Tackling the draft texts contained in the report on regional cooperation, the Council adopted without a vote a draft resolution on “Admission of Djibouti to membership in the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)”. However, China’s delegate moved to defer consideration of the draft resolution “Implementation of the rapid response mechanism for the protection of environmental defenders under the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention)”.
By a recorded vote, the Council rejected the motion to defer with 22 against to 2 in favour (China, India), with 18 abstentions, and then adopted the draft resolution without a vote. Speaking in explanation of position after action, the Russian Federation’s delegate said that a group of European States abused the human-rights-protection agenda to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.
Taking up the report of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, speakers sparred over the legitimacy of the Council “disregarding” recommendations by the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations and deliberated about the draft decision “Applications of non-governmental organizations for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council” being considered.
Introducing the draft decision that included seven contested non-governmental organizations seeking consultative status, the representative of the United States said that enabling a diverse range of voices to participate in the United Nations system makes the Organization stronger. The seven organizations listed in the draft decision represent only a fraction of the 300 that have had their applications unfairly deferred for years. Until the Committee’s working methods improve, her delegation will be forced to take this type of action, she said.
Echoing those concerns, Belgium’s delegate stressed that the Committee is unfortunately not living up to its obligations, subjecting eligible non-governmental organizations to irrelevant and repetitive questions which ultimately lead to deferrals of their applications. “Reform is overdue,” he stated, as the seven non-governmental organizations concerned are eligible and credible, but have been deferred for over four years. New Zealand’s delegate concurred, emphasizing that those non-governmental organizations “deserve better, and so does this Council”.
However, the representative of China rejected those positions, stating that the draft decision ignores the outcome of the Committee’s work and overrules its collective decisions. Further, it was pieced together selectively by one country for political purposes. Iran’s delegate expressed regret over the misuse of the Council as a platform to serve the narrow political interests of specific delegations. The Russian Federation’s representative agreed, emphasizing that the decision is part of a clear trend of one group of States seeking to destroy the Committee’s authority.
The Council then adopted the draft decision by a recorded vote of 24 in favour to 11 against, with 12 abstentions. It went on to adopt, without a vote, the six decisions contained within the report, including the draft decision that contained the seven contested organizations, thus granting 174 non-governmental organization consultative status.
The Council also held secret ballots for two vacancies on the International Narcotics Control Board, electing France and Brazil, as well as elections by acclamation to fill vacancies on the Committee for Programme and Coordination (Costa Rica), and the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (Mexico).
The Council further took note of the report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on its sixty-third session, and the relevant sections of the proposed programme budget for 2024.
The Council will reconvene on 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 26 July, to conclude its Management Segment...
https://press.un.org/en/2023/ecosoc7143.doc.htm
