ECOSOC 25TH JULY 2007

General Segment


The chair began the session by giving the floor to delegations on the item 14 entitled “Social and human rights questions”.

The United States first expressed its concerns about the draft resolution proposed under the sub-section of social development. The representative stated that his country had disassociated itself from part of the final text and asked that it should be reviewed further before it was to be put for adoption before the council.

China made a statement on the sub-section of Narcotic drugs, commending the action of the International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) and expressing its continuing support.

Sri-Lanka took the floor to respond to the statement made earlier by the Assistant High Commissioner for refugees under the sub-section on UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The representative expressed concerns about the recent trend of equating and clustering of countries as a means of expressing the nature of different humanitarian situations, which would not be helpful in carrying out the Inter-Agency and partnership approach chosen in Sri-Lanka. He requested that the UNHCR and other humanitarian partners acknowledge the uniqueness of the country’s situation and the existing structures and partnerships already in place to deal with it.

Pakistan, responding on the matter put forward by the United States, stated it was neither entirely satisfied with the whole document. However, the representative pointed out that it had been approved by consensus and that the United States had also participated in the negotiations. Consequently, he disagreed with the proposed decision to put the document for further review.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) took the floor and mentioned the forthcoming 30th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which would gather the governments and the IFRC with its worldwide network of National Societies in November, and constituted a forum of intensive examination of humanitarian challenges in the modern world. The theme of the conference will be “Together for Humanity”, with a general debate centred on four major issues; environmental hazards (including climate change), migration, violence and emergent and recurrent diseases.

The Interagency Panel on Juvenile Justice (IPJJ) made a statement on the sub-section on crime prevention and criminal justice. The panel welcomed the draft resolution and expressed particular support to its focus on comprehensive national action plans on crime prevention and child justice reform. The representative also commended the draft resolution for its explicit support to the work of the Panel and encouraged the members of the ECOSOC to adopt the resolution.

The Judicial Commission for the Auto-development of the First Andean People (CAPAJ) expressed itself on the sub-section on the report of the Permanent Forum on indigenous Issues. The representative first emphasised the necessity for the Indigenous People to have the control of its lands and natural resources and that no project affecting them should be put into practice without their free and informed consent, as approved in the Human Rights Committee under its resolution CCPR/C/CHL/CO/5. Consequently he urged that the report presented by the Permanent Forum, which was strongly related to that UNHRC resolution, should be taken into consideration.

Thereafter, the secretariat made oral statements, which gave an account of the financial component of the draft resolutions respectively on sub-sections on Narcotic Drugs and Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The resolutions were then adopted.

The chairperson then directed the debate on the item 7 on “Coordination, programme and other questions”. Under the sub-section on the Long-term programme of support for Haiti, the secretariat made an oral statement illustrating its budget. Canada then expressed appreciation to Barbados, Costa Rica, France, Ghana and Mexico, which had added themselves to the list of co-sponsors of the resolution. Additionally, the Philippines, Bolivia, Cape Verde, El Salvador and Paraguay also took the floor and requested to be included on the list of co-sponsors. The resolution was thereafter adopted. Brazil highlighted its historical links with Haiti and expressed its enchantment to participate in the project, which encompassed a broad range of sectors. Speaking as the representative of Haiti, the chair expressed gratitude to Canada and all the sponsors for their support.

Sudan then introduced the draft resolution on item 4 on “Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan”. South Africa expressed the will to be included on the list of co-sponsors. The chair acknowledged the introduction and stated that action on the draft resolution would be taken the following day.

Algeria raised a point of order, after the distribution of two statement delivered by Morocco on their right to reply on the issue of Western Sahara. The ambassador noted that the text in the second statement was not true and asked for the secretariat to provide transcript of the whole exchange in which the issue between Morocco and Algeria was raised. Morocco also took the floor to request to the secretariat a similar demand.