Monitoring Policy Making at the United Nations |
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Report on 15 December Report on 15 December Meeting
of Governments on NGO Access
By Naomi Onaga
World Federalist Movement
December 15, 1997On 15 December, governments held another informal consultation on the issue of NGO access to the UN. It was held in Conference Room 9 from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with translation; the meeting was closed to NGOs. Attached is the most recent draft text issued: 1) preambular part, dated 11 December, and 2) operative part, dated 12 December.
According to reports, the tone of this meeting was significantly different from that of the previous meetings over the past week. The meetings of Monday 8 December, Tuesday 9 December, and Thursday 11 December were relatively substantive, and member states discussed the language of a draft text for a General Assembly resolution on NGO access. In the meeting of Monday 15 December, the discussion was different - representatives from regional groups, who had not previously participated in the discussions over the last week, made statements based on principles rather than discussing the draft text at hand, and called for postponement or slowing down of the process.
Tanzania, stating that it was speaking on behalf of G-77, and in part also for the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) of NAM and G-77, expressed misgivings about the interim invite of NGOs to the GA, and raised questions such as those on financial implications; it reiterated a position the JCC had taken in discussions on civil society during the UN reform debate (Action 17 in the Secretary-General's reform package, A/51/950), including supporting a systematic approach, the inclusion of "all areas of the work of the UN", and the participation of Southern NGOs. It is unclear if G-77 and NAM had meetings recently that specifically produced a position on the draft text at hand. Liberia, speaking on behalf of the group of African States, suggested postponing the debate. Tunisia, speaking on behalf of Arab group (which is not an "official" UN regional group) spoke strongly for postponement. Statements were made about the process being too fast, or the interim invitation prejudging the outcome of the consideration of the question of NGOs in the GA.
There will probably be another meeting of governments on Wednesday, 17 December. The 52nd General Assembly session has been extended through Friday, December 19.
The possibility of reaching a consensus agreement on the text in order to introduce it as a GA President's text seems very unlikely at this point; it is unclear if the draft text will be introduced this session as a draft resolution by a number of co- sponsors.
Item 60: Strengthening the UN system
11 December 1997 The General Assembly,
[preambular part]
Recognizing the importance of the [contribution] [participation] by NGOs to [all areas of] the work of the United Nations [as well as the need to develop appropriate arrangements for their participation in [all areas of] its work], [in light of the experience gained through the arrangements for consultation between NGO's and Ecosoc],
Or: Bearing in mind the experience gained through existing modalities for NGO involvement in the work of the United Nations,
Recalling in this connection Article 71 of the Charter of the UN, Ecosoc resolution 1996/31 and its decision 1996/297, as well as the interpretive statement read by the Council President upon the adoption of the latter decision,
Bearing in mind the existing modalities for NGO involvement in the work of the United Nations, [inter alia through the arrangements for NGO participation in the work of the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies, as well as international conferences convened under the auspices of the United Nations],
Item 60: Strengthening the United Nations
12 December 1997 [operative part]
1. [Decides, as [an interim measure] [[a first step], second step to be clarified by Egypt], pending the outcome of the review described in para. 5 below, to invite non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Ecosoc or on its roster to attend open meetings of the General Assembly plenary, all its Main Committees and Special Sessions, [as well as its intergovernmental subsidiary bodies], [and calls upon these bodies, upon proposals by their respective bureaux, to extend such an invitation to [other] interested NGOs [associated with the Department of Public Information]]; [India recalls that they are interested in a mention of the treaty bodies somewhere in the text]
2. [Requests the Secretary-General to arrange appropriate access and seating procedures for attendance, access to official UN documentation and provisions to deposit written contributions by such NGO's;]
3. Encourages UN bodies to develop further ways and means to improve their substantive interaction with NGO's, inter alia through informal dialogue, panel discussions, without prejudice to any participation already taking place under existing arrangements and practices;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare and present at the 53rd session of the General Assembly a report containing information on existing arrangements and practices of NGO- interaction in the United Nations system; [Egypt: and the legal implications for widening the scope of participation of NGOs beyond the provisions of the Charter as well as the financial implications of such an endeavor] [Italy: this would require requesting the SG to make proposals to that effect]
4 bis (Liechtenstien suggestion): Further requests the SG to include in his report proposals on possible measures for further enhancing such interaction, and comprehensive information on all implications thereof;
5. Decides to undertake [South Africa: add "and complete"], at its 53rd session, a review of all aspects of participation of NGO's in ALL AREAS OF (added by South Africa and accepted) the work of the United Nations, including the question of FACILITATING THE (added by Cuba and accepted) participation of NGOs from all regions, particularly from developing countries, as well as processes of accreditation of NGO's, giving due consideration to the contents of the SG's report, the provisions of Ecosoc resolution 1996/31, as well as actions taken by other parts of the UN system in furtherance of this resolution. #026#
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