UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE CONCLUDES WORK BY ADOPTING

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001172 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON SENV EFIN UNGA CU SUBJECT: UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE CONCLUDES WORK BY ADOPTING 15 RESOLUTIONS REF: STATE 129979 ¶1. SUMMARY: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) Second Committee concluded its work by adopting 15 draft resolutions - 14 by consensus and one by vote - on December 11. As instructed, the United States called for a vote and voted against the resolution entitled, "Toward a New International Economic Order." The resolution, a Cuban-led initiative reviving the 34-year-old Declaration on a New International Economic Order, passed 115-1(U.S.)-49, after which the United States delivered reftel Explanation of Vote (EOV). Despite not voting against the resolution, Canada, Australia, France (on behalf of the EU),Chile, Peru and Colombia asserted that it includes elements that are not appropriate to today's economic situation and which threaten to detract from ongoing multilateral efforts to address the global financial crisis. END SUMMARY. WRAPPING UP ITS WORK BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS -------------- ¶2. The UNGA Second Committee (Economic and Financial) adopted 14 resolutions by consensus and approved one by vote during its final meeting of the 63rd General Assembly on December ¶11. The Secretariat issued statements to clarify that three resolutions calling for future meetings and conferences contain no current Program Budget Implications (PBIs),but future implications could arise once the details of those meetings have been agreed. In addition to reftel EOV, the United States delivered Explanations of Position (EOP) on draft resolutions covering Implementation of Agenda 21, the Second UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, and the Role of Microcredit and Microfinance. U.S. statements are available at www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/press release.php. All decisions and resolutions adopted in the Second Committee this session will undergo final action in the General Assembly during the week of December 15. 1974 OR 2008? NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER DRAFT APPROVED -------------- -------------- ¶3. As instructed in reftel, the United States called for a vote and voted against the draft resolution A/C.2/63/L.34 entitled, "Towards a New International Economic Order," submitted under Agenda item 51(a). The resolution, a Cuban-led redux of the 1974 Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, passed by a vote of 115-1(U.S.)-49. Ambassador T. Vance McMahan delivered reftel EOV, expressing regret that this resolution was approved despite failing to contribute constructively to the numerous multilateral efforts underway to address the financial and economic crisis. ¶4. Canada, Australia and France (on behalf of the EU) abstained during the vote, but each delivered a statement critical of the resolution. Canada echoed the U.S. position that the resolution does not support ongoing multilateral efforts to address the global financial crisis. It cautioned that the resolution threatens to dilute the progress achieved at the recent Doha Financing for Development (FfD) Conference by sending conflicting signals to the UN Secretariat and the international community. France called the resolution's references to the 1974 Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order "irrelevant and outdated," and argued that the resolution could marginalize other, productive UN efforts to respond to the current economic situation. ¶5. Chile, Peru and Colombia explained that they voted for the resolution "because they are G77 members," but questioned the appropriateness of references to the 1974 Declaration in the context of today's crisis. The Chilean Delegate hinted at frustration over the G77's decision not to adopt (unspecified) amendments it offered during informal consultations, and stressed that the FfD Conference outcome document should form the framework for the UN's response to the crisis. Colombia went further by disassociating itself from references to the old Declaration and affirmed only its agreement "to the general principles of the resolution." ¶6. Russia and Mexico, on the other hand, welcomed the resolution's contribution to the GA's work to address the crisis. Cuba, as the resolution's sponsor and main driving force, insisted that the fundamental principles of the 1974 Declaration remain "more relevant today than ever before," because "the world has become more chaotic, unfair and unequal." CUBA referenced the U.S. EOV when railing against the "senseless theory of market prominence defended by ideologues," in its statement, and suggested that "even those ideologues now recognize the need for deep, radical reform of its economic model and institutions." FOURTEEN RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS -------------- ¶7. The Second Committee approved the following 14 draft resolutions by consensus after the Secretariat clarified that there are no current PBIs for the resolutions on Least Developed Countries, International Migration, and Combating Corruption, although future implications could arise once the modalities and logistics have been decided for meetings contained in these resolutions. All other drafts contained no PBIs. --A/C.2/63/L.62 entitled, "Implementation of Agenda 21, the Program for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development," submitted under Agenda item 49(a). --A/C.2/63/L.61 entitled, "Convention on Biological Diversity," submitted under Agenda item 49(f). --A/C.2/63/L.54 entitled, "Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program on its tenth special session," submitted under Agenda item 49(g). --A/C.2/63/L.64 entitled, "Implementation of the Outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and Strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat)," submitted under Agenda item 50. --A/C.2/63/L.66 entitled, "Role of the United Nations in Promoting Development in the Context of Globalization and Interdependence," submitted under Agenda item 51(a). --A/C.2/63/L.67 entitled, "International Migration and Development," submitted under Agenda item 51(b). --A/C.2/63/L.60 entitled, "Preventing and Combating Corrupt Practices and Transfer of Assets of Illicit Origin and Returning Such Assets, in Particular to the Countries of Origin, Consistent with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption," submitted under Agenda item 51(d). --A/C.2/63/L.57 entitled, "Implementation of the Brussels Program of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010," submitted under Agenda item 52(a). --A/C.2/63/L.59 entitled, "Groups of Countries in Special Situations: Specific Actions Related to the Particular Needs and Problems of Landlocked Developing Countries: Outcome of the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries and International Financial and Development Institutions on Transit Transport Cooperation," submitted under Agenda item 52(b). --A/C.2/63/L.58 entitled, "Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017)," submitted under Agenda item 53(a). --A/C.2/63/L.56 entitled, "Role of Microcredit and Microfinance in the Eradication of Poverty," submitted under Agenda item 53(a). --A/C.2/63/L.48 entitled, "Operational Activities for Development," submitted under Agenda item 54. --A/C.2/63/L.63 entitled, "High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation," submitted under Agenda item 54. --A/C.2/63/L.68 entitled, "Draft Program of Work of the Second Committee for the Sixty-Fourth Session of the General Assembly. US STATEMENTS ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, POVERTY, AND MICROFINANCE -------------- ¶8. Following adoption of the resolution on Implementation of Agenda 21, the United States, Canada and Australia delivered EOPs expressing reservations about holding a 2012 high-level event on sustainable development, as originally proposed in the resolution, in order to avoid disrupting the ongoing work of the Commission on Sustainable Development and to prevent overcrowding an already busy UN calendar. The United States delivered an EOP on the Second UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty to underscore the need for coherence and close coordination among UN agencies and funds in the fight against poverty. On Microfinance and Microcredit, the United States welcomed policy reforms by countries to level the playing field for small enterprises and noting that it looks forward to continued international cooperation in this field. Khalilzad