Reform of the General Assembly

8/8/2019 Reform of the General Assembly

1/26

REFORMS OF THEGENERAL ASSEMBLY


2/26

In his March 2005 report, In Larger Freedom, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan

called for a new push in that direction. Annan suggested that the Assembly

simplify and focus its agenda. He also proposed that the GA end its reliance on

consensus, which often results in weak resolutions, since a handful of states can

impose their views on the rest. Annan further suggested that the GA pay more

attention to implementation of its resolutions, so that they do not remain dead-

letters of non-compliance. Other reform proposals include strengthening the role

of the Assembly's president, setting up a more efficient committee system and

involving NGOs directly in consultation to its work.


3/26


4/26

T H E G E N E R A L A S S E M B L Y

Reaffirmingthe central role of the General Assembly, the only principal organ of the

United Nations consisting of all the 'Members of the United Nations, as the chief

deliberative policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations,

Recallingits previous resolutions relating to the revitalization of its work,

Recognizingthat the current interdependent and globalized environment requires

the strengthening of the multilateral system,

Recognizing that the current interdependent and globalized environment requires

the strengthening of the multilatera1 system,

Recognizingalso that, in order to be effective, relevant and fully utilized, the General

Assembly must play its role as envisaged in the Charter of United Nations


5/26

Stressingthe need to strengthen The role and authority of the

General Assembly so asto establish a culture of relevance and

efficiency,

Reaffirmingthat the legislative responsibility on global matters of

concern to the international community lies with the General

Assembly,

Reaffirmingthat the plenary meetings of the General Assembly

should constitute a forum for high-level policy statements, as well as

for the consideration, inter alia, of agenda items of special political

importance and/or urgency,


6/26

K E Y D O C U M E N T S

R E VI T A L I ZA T I O N O F T H E W O R K O F T H E G E N E R A LA S S E M B L Y ( A P R I L 2 0 0 8 )

To make the GA more effective, efficient, and relevant, Member States have been discussing the

revitalization of its work for nearly 17 years.

I. ENHANCING THE ROLE AND AUTHORITY OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

A. The Relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council

B.Encroachment Issues and Improved Transparency in the Work of the Security Council

C.Improved Coordination between the Presidents of the Security Council and the General

Assembly

D.Improving Implementation of Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly

E. Strengthening the Presidency of the General Assembly and Proposed Changes in Selecting

the President

F.Improving the General Assemblys Visibility


7/26

IMPROVING THE WORKING METHODS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1)Streamlining and rationalizingthe agenda

Typically, there were more than 300 items on the agenda of the General Assembly. By

clustering, biennialization, triennialization or elimination of agenda items, Member States agreed

to make the agenda shorter so that they could focus more on priority issues. During the current,

62nd session, there are 167 items on the agenda. Agenda items are now organized under nine

headings: main

ten

an

ce of in

tern

ation

al peace; promotion

of sustain

ed econ

omic growth an

d

sustainable development; development of Africa; promotion of human rights; effective

coordination of humanitarian assistance efforts; promotion of justice and international law;

disarmament; drug control, crime prevention and combating international terrorism; and

organizational, administrative and other matters.They agreed at the 59th session that they would

review these headings in the 61st session.21 They also agreed as a general rule to refer agenda

items that could be considered in the Main Committees to these committees.


8/26

2)Reduction and consolidation of documentation

To reduce the heavy volume of documentation, Member States asked the Secretary-General to

update earlier notes on this subject for their consideration, as well as on the consolidation of

reports. They requested the Secretary-General, the President of the GA and the Chairmen of the

Main Committees to try and consolidate their reports on related subjects. Member States urged

all bodies to exercise restraint when requesting new reports from the Secretary-General. Instead

of reports, Member States were encouraged to request information either orally or in writing in

the form of information sheets, annexes, tables etc. The Secretary-General was requested to

ensure that documentation and reports are issued well in advance of scheduled debates and at minimum in

keeping with the six-week rule for the simultaneous issuance of documentation in

all official languages.


9/26

3) Improving Proceedings: dates, promptness, rules of procedure, votingThose presiding over meetings were urged to start all meetings on time and the Conference Management was

asked to provide statistics on the financial impact of failing to do so. Plenary meetings should normally be held on

Mondays andThursdays. The General Assemblys plenary meetings shall start every year on theTuesday of the

third week in September, counting from the first week that contains at least one working day. Member States

considered scheduling two substantive periods during each session without additional costs, longer or more

meetings, or staggering the work schedules of the Main Committees. Although the Secretariat circulated a note in

this regard (A/58/CRP.3), which was considered at the 58th session, it is unclear whether any specific decisions

were made in this regard. Mandatorytime limits on speeches should be enforced 15 minutes in plenary

meetings, but not applicable to the general debate, and Main Committees and the GA President shall call a

representative who exceeds his allotted time to order without delay in accordance with procedural rules 72 and

114. Member States were encouraged to align their statements with those made by the chair of a group and focus

on points that have not already been adequately addressed. The GA should consider obtaining optical scanners to

expedite the counting of votes cast through secret ballots. Member States asked for a consolidated version of the

rules of procedure in the six official languages of the UN

(see A/62/608).


10/26

4)Reporting fromtheSecretary-Generalto MemberStates

Member States told the Secretary-General that his annual report should be comprehensive,

informative and analytical to make it easier for them to set priorities and to determine whether

mandates have been fulfilled. In addition, the report set specific goals for the Secretariat to

accomplish in the year ahead to make the report more forward-looking, taking into account

agreed-to medium-term plans and the fact that the responsibility for establishing priorities rests

with Member States (Medium-term plans are now, on a trial basis, replaced with a strategic plan).The introduction of this report should be done orally in the form of an executive summary,

highlighting main issues. Sections of the report may be referred to Main Committees for further

consideration.


11/26

5) Improving coordination among Main Committees andtheir working methods

The bureaux of the Main Committees were invited to enhance their cooperation and learn from

each others best practices. Chairs should leave a report for their successors at the end of their

terms of office regarding their observations and lessons learned. Incoming bureaux should meet

with outgoing bureaux no later than two weeks after their election. Committees should also

consider the biennialization, triennialization, clustering, and elimination of agenda items. Each

committee should adopt a provisional programme of work at the end of each session for the

next session. Debates should be interactive and panel discussions expanded to allow informal,

in-depth discussions with input from experts. Question and Answer sessions should be used to

enable a dynamic and candid exchange with UN officials, staff, and rapporteurs. The Secretary-

General was requested to produce a historical and analytical note on the practices and working

methods of the Main Committees (see A/58/CRP.5). Main Committees should examine in a

detailed and structured way the reports of the Board of Auditors, the Joint Inspection Unit and

the Office of Internal Oversight Services that were relevant to their work and improve their

websites.


12/26

An ad hoc working group on the revitalization of the

General Assembly is to be established during the 62nd session

to evaluate and assess the status of implementation of relevant

resolutions, to identify ways to further enhance the role,

authority, effectiveness and efficiency of the Assembly, inter

alia, by building on previous resolutions, and to submit a report

thereon to the Assembly.


13/26

AD HOC WORKI NG GROUP

Letter from the Co-Chairs regarding the draft programme of the work on

Revitalization of the General Assembly. (29 May 2009)

Letter from the Co-Chairs regarding the first meeting of the ad-hoc working

group on the revitalization of the General Assembly will be held on 15 April 2009.

(9 April 2009)

Letter from the Co-Chairs transmitting a document entitled "GA paper ballots

voting proposal". (18 June 2008)

Letter from the Co-Chairs including the explanatory note and the chart. (9

May 2008)

Letter from the Co-Chairs regarding the next meeting of the ad-hoc working

group on the revitalization of the General Assembly. (12 June 2008)


14/26

LE T T E RS BY T HE PRE S I D ENT OFTHE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Letter to all Permanent Missions and Permanent Observer

Missions to the United Nations regarding the appointment of

Co-chairpersons on revitalization of the General Assembly. (20

March 2009)


15/26

RESOLUTIONS

Revitalization of the Work of the General Assembly:

Resolution / Adopted by the General Assembly A/RES/62/276

Report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization

of the General AssemblyA/62/952/ADD.1

Revitalizing the role and the authority of the General

Assembly and strengthening its performanceA/RES/61/292

The 2005 World Summit OutcomeA/RES/60/1


16/26

RESOLUTIONS

Revitalization of the General AssemblyA/RES/60/286

A strengthened and revitalized General Assembly

A/RES/59/313

Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly

A/RES/58/126

Further measures for the revitalization of the work of the

General AssemblyA/RES/58/316


17/26

SECRETARY-GENERAL'SREPORT

Report of the Secretary-GeneralA/62/608

Revitalization of the work of General Assembly

A/61/483


18/26

PAST SESSIONS

The UNGAs regular session begins each year on a Tuesday, on the

third week of September, counting from the first week that contains

at least one working day.

The UNGA meets each year in regular session, intensively from

September to December, and resumes in January until all issues on

the agenda are addressed which often is just before the next session

starts.


19/26

REGULAR SESSIONS

64th (2009-2010)

63rd (2008-2009)

62nd (2007-2008)

61st (2006-2007)

60th (2005-2006)

59th (2004-2005)

58th (2003-2004)


20/26

SPECIAL SESSIONS

The UNGA may meet in special sessions at the

request of the Security Council, of a majority ofMember States, or of one Member State if the

majority of Members concur.


21/26

SPECIAL SESSIONS

28th Session (2005)

Commemoration

of the sixtieth ann

iversary of the liberation

of the Naziconcentration camps Date: 24 January 2005

Requested or convened by: General Assembly

Resolution: [A/RES/59/26]

Official records

24 January 2005: [A/S-28/PV.1] | [A/S-28/PV.2]


22/26

SPECIAL SESSIONS

27th Session (2002)

World Summit for ChildrenDate : 8 - 10 May 2002 (previously scheduled

for 19 to 21 September 2001)

Requested or convened by: General Assembly

Resolutions and decisions adopted by the General Assembly: [A/27/24]

Report of the Committee of the whole: [A/S-27/19] [A/S-27/19/REV.1]


23/26

EMERGENCY SPECIALSESSIONS

Emergency special sessions may be called within 24 hours of a

request by the Security Council on the vote of any nine Councilmembers, or by a majority of UN Member States, or by one Member

State if the majority of Members concur.


24/26

10th Session- Illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the

rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory

9th Session- The situation in the occupied Arab territories [Convened by

the Security Council on 29 January to 5 February 1982]

Resolutions

Records of meetings

8th Session- Question of Namibia [Convened by Zimbabwe on 13-14

September 1981]

Resolutions

Records of meetings


25/26

Did You Know?

At the beginning of each regular session, the UNGA holds

a general debate, usually addressed by heads of state and government,

in which Member States express their views on the most pressing

international issues.


26/26

Did You Know?

Guinea will occupy the first seat in the General Assembly

Hall at the 65th session the delegation of Guinea will sit at the

first desk at the right of the President and the other countries will

follow in the English alphabetical order.

Documents

Reform of the General Assembly