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7 October 1998

This morning, the Assembly commemorated the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries --- speakers were inscribed to address the Assembly on this item. The statement by the President of the General Assembly is available as a press release in both English and Spanish.

This afternoon, the Assembly will first consider the report of the Fifth Committee regarding the scale of assessment and apportionment of expenses of the United Nations, A/53/464, and then resume consideration of item 37, Implementation of the Outcome of the World Summit for Social Development. There are 16 speakers inscribed to address the Assembly on this item.

Tomorrow morning, the Assembly will hold elections for the five non-permanent members of the Security Council. This year, the two-year term of office expires for Japan and Kenya, representing Asia and Africa; Costa Rica, representing Latin America and the Caribbean, and for Portugal and Sweden, representing the Western European and Other States Group. The endorsed candidates by the regional groups are Malaysia and Namibia for the two vacancies for Africa and Asia, and Argentina, for the vacancy in the Latin American and Caribbean Group of States. For the two seats belonging to the Western European and Other States Group, there are three candidates: Canada, Greece and the Netherlands, but none of them has the Group's endorsement, so an election will take place in accordance with the Rules of procedure of the General Assembly.

As for the work of the main committees, this morning the Special Political and Decolonization Committee is holding hearings by petitioners from the non-self governing territories as part of its debate of decolonization matters. The Third Committee continues its general debate on social development, while the Fifth Committee continued this morning the consideration of issues that have been on the agenda since the beginning of the week, including support account for peacekeeping operations; administrative arrangements for the International Trade Centre; and gratis personnel -- before proceeding with informal consultations on the Development Account and the Support Account for peacekeeping operations.