Delegates Also Adopt Text on Education for Democracy, Closing Digital Divides
Amount of Member States voting: Also speaking today were the representatives of Mongolia, Iran, Denmark and Equatorial Guinea. Opening the meeting, the General Assembly took note of a 17 January notice addressed to its Chief executive from the Secretary-General (document A/77/702 ) informing the Assembly of the nine Member States — Comoros, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Lebanon, Sao Tome plus Principe, Somalia, South Sudan and Venezuela — within arrears in the payment of the financial contributions to the Un within the terms of Article 19 of the Charter. The representative of Belarus stressed that UNEP should be outside the political ambitions associated with Member States and should take into account the ambitions of the whole developing world. In emphasizing the principle of fair geographical representation, she mentioned her country is in prefer of opening up the call pertaining to candidates to serve as Professional Director and underscored that will “L. 47” will make certain transparency and regional involvement. 167 Required majority: The representative of the Russian Federation , stressing his country’s assistance for the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and its work on environmentally friendly pillar of sustainable advancement, voiced his disappointment over the lack of consensus regarding the presentation of an Executive Director applicant for that Programme. Some Member States, he underscored, are attempting to present the current situation as though the Russian Federation is dissatisfied with UNEP and it is acting in relation to the subject of Ukraine. In calling on those States not to narrow the scope of the problem, he pointed out that his Government has long been concerned about UNEP’s work and its prejudice in favour of its largest donor countries well before the exclusive military operation in Ukraine. UNEP has been monopolized by representatives of Western nations, with six of its seven Executive Directors in the past 3 decades coming exclusively from that regional group, he explained. Despite his country’s is attractive, the Secretary-General did not suggest advancing candidates from other countries. A worldwide civil servant, he carried on, must be an honest broker and take into account the interests of all, which includes those suffering most through environmental degradation. Ms. Andersen, on the other hand, has freely advanced European environmental focal points and allowed herself to politicize the Programme’s function by moving the passions of developing countries to the backburner, he said just before registering his objection to her candidacy. Education for Democracy Variety of votes obtained: Number of valid ballots: 136 31 Number of ballot papers: 167 The representative of Mongolia , introducing the draft resolution entitled “Education for Democracy” (document A/77/L. 44), recalled that his delegation initiated this biennial resolution in 2012 on the basis of the strong belief in the mutually reinforcing link between schooling and democracy. Noting a number of rounds of informal consultation services conducted in a transparent way, he said the text was enriched with several proposals from Member States. The draft has important vocabulary that calls on Associate States to work with relevant stakeholders to take steps to close the digital divides and promote digital inclusion by dealing with the challenges associated with accessibility, affordability, digital literacy and digital skills, he mentioned. Further, it contains updates, including references to the Transforming Education and learning Summit of September 2022 as well as its pre-summit within Paris, he said, saying thanks to the United Nations Educational, Medical and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its support. The General Assembly will reconvene on Monday, 6 February, from 10 a. m. to hear a briefing by the Secretary-General on his priorities for 2023 and take up his survey on the Organization’s work. The Assembly then rejected that text by a recorded vote of thirteen in favour to 77 against, with 63 abstentions. The results of the voting had been as follows: Number of invalid ballots: Abstentions: Within introducing a draft decision with that request, the representative of the Russian Federation voiced his disappointment over the lack of consensus regarding the presentation of an Executive Director for UNEP, a Programme which he or she said has been monopolized from the representatives of Western nations, openly advanced European environment priorities and ignored the particular interests of developing nations. Despite his country’s is attractive, the Secretary-General did not offer nor advance candidates from a different nation. Opening up the call for candidates will ensure transparency and regional participation, his friend from Belarus emphasized. Speaking in explanation of place before vote, the associated with Denmark requested a documented vote on the draft, whilst stressing his country’s strong support for the principle of equal geographical distribution of staff. While Ms. Andersen happens to be Danish, which was not the reason for the request for a vote on this write, he said, adding that will what is at stake is not just the particular continuity of the strong leadership at UNEP, but also the authority of the Secretary-General and the integrity of established reappointment procedures. During the Secretary-General’s consultation services before her nomination, it had been clear that Ms. Andersen had broad assistance among Member States with no credible objections were made to her merits or achievements, he noted. Further, the girl reappointment has followed all of the rules and procedures; consequently , there is no legitimate reason in order to question it, he stated, encouraging delegates to vote against the draft decision. Countering their statements, Sweden’s speaker pointed out that the particular Secretary-General has engaged in clear consultations with regional groups on this matter since 2022. For months, he engaged openly and no alternative candidate was proposed, the representative of america echoed, stressing that the Ruskies Federation’s draft seeks to undermine the Secretary-General’s specialist. 136 In other business, the Assembly also followed without a vote a write resolution which strongly encouraged Member States and other stakeholders to integrate education pertaining to democracy into their education requirements and called on them to utilize relevant stakeholders to near digital divides. Election of Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme The representative of Equatorial Guinea said their delegation’s vote was not recorded. The Chair said this was due to that countrzy’s name being on the list of Member Declares in arrears to the Business.
| In light of the objections raised concerning Ms. Andersen’s re-election, mount proceeded to an election simply by secret ballot. By a vote of 136 in favour with 31 abstentions, it elected Ms. Andersen (Denmark), who obtained the required majority of votes, as UNEP’s Executive Director for a term of four years, beginning on 15 June 2023 and ending on 14 June 2027. | He then introduced his country’s associated draft decision (document A/77/L. 47 ), anxious how unfair it is that other countries could not take part by presenting candidates plus requested other delegations to offer their support. The Ruskies Federation, he noted, does not intend to put forward a candidate and it is acting purely in the attention of developing countries. Since there is still time before the end of Ms. Andersen’s current term, it really is fairest to return to the query of elections after conducting a transparent competition, this individual urged. |
| He then introduced his country’s associated draft decision (document A/77/L. 47 ), anxious how unfair it is that other countries could not take part by presenting candidates plus requested other delegations to offer their support. The Ruskies Federation, he noted, does not intend to put forward a candidate and it is acting purely in the attention of developing countries. Since there is still time before the end of Ms. Andersen’s current term, it really is fairest to return to the query of elections after conducting a transparent competition, this individual urged. | |
| The representative of Iran , speaking in explanation of vote, pointed out that the 2030 Agenda designed for Sustainable Development, Incheon Announcement adopted during the World Schooling Forum 2015 and UNESCO’s Education 2030 Agenda are usually non-legally binding and non-reflex. His country is not devoted to the Education 2030 Incheon Declaration and Framework to use it in any way which contradicts national laws and policies along with Islamic and religious concepts, norms and values, this individual stressed, adding that national programmes and instruments are seen as the main references for action. He then dissociated himself from preambular paragraphs 5 and eleven and from operative section 4. | The Assembly then followed that text without a election. By its terms, the Assembly strongly encouraged Member Claims and other stakeholders to incorporate education for democracy, along with civic education, human legal rights education and education regarding sustainable development, into their schooling standards. It also called upon Member States to work with relevant stakeholders to take steps to close the digital divides, including the rural-urban, youth-older persons and gender digital divides. |
| Scale of Assessments for Apportionment associated with United Nations Expenses | The draft decision is not only obstructive to Ms. Andersen, who has demonstrated strong leadership as UNEP’s current Executive Director, but additionally undermines an effective United Nations, Canada’s delegate added. “This politicization from the UN Executive Director position exemplifies what is wrong around at the moment: our group inability to serve the citizens — that we prefer to take every possible opportunity to throw a wrench into the functions of the General Assembly, in order to cause mischief and to take away from our solemn obligations to guarantee the efficient, effective and fair processes of representation from the United Nations, ” he chided. |
| The draft decision is not only obstructive to Ms. Andersen, who has demonstrated strong leadership as UNEP’s current Executive Director, but additionally undermines an effective United Nations, Canada’s delegate added. “This politicization from the UN Executive Director position exemplifies what is wrong around at the moment: our group inability to serve the citizens — that we prefer to take every possible opportunity to throw a wrench into the functions of the General Assembly, in order to cause mischief and to take away from our solemn obligations to guarantee the efficient, effective and fair processes of representation from the United Nations, ” he chided. |
