Concluding Resumed Session, Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations Recommends Status for 158 Groups, Reinstatement of 21, Withdrawal of 129 for Non-Reporting

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today adopted the report of its 2014 resumed session, held from 19 to 28 May, during which it recommended to the Economic and Social Council 158 organizations for consultative status and deferred 153 for further consideration at its regular session in 2015.

The Committee’s final report (document E/2014/32, Part II) contained several draft decisions calling for action by the Economic and Social Council on reclassifying the status of one such organization, and reinstating the consultative status of 21.  The document noted the Committee’s consideration of 150 quadrennial reports, including new and deferred reports.  The Committee also recommended that the Council close, without prejudice, the applications of 29 candidates for their failure to respond to queries over the course of two consecutive sessions, and that it suspend for one year the consultative status of 106 groups with outstanding quadrennial reports.  It also recommended the withdrawal of consultative status of 129 others, which continuously failed to submit their quadrennial reports. 

Also by the report, the Committee proposed that the Council set the dates for the 2015 regular session from 26 January to 3 February and on 13 February, and the resumed session from 26 May to 3 June and on 12 June.

Today’s outcome text was introduced by Asya Tsvetanova, who filled in Committee Rapporteur Ana Peña.  

Navid Hanif, Director of the Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, recognized the service of Andrei Abramov, Chief of the NGO Branch, who is retiring soon.  The representatives of China, Sudan, Israel, Russian Federation, United States, Senegal, Cuba, Nicaragua, Morocco, Belgium and Venezuela took the floor to express appreciation for Mr. Abramov, following which Committee Chair Gizem Sucuoğlu (Turkey) declared the session closed.