Sixth Committee (Legal) — 70th session
Observer status for the International Civil Defence Organization in the General Assembly
(Agenda item 171)
- Item proposed by the Russian Federation (A/70/191)
Documentation
Summary of work
Background (source: A/70/200)
By the letter dated 29 July 2015 (A/70/191) addressed to the Secretary-General, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations requested the inclusion of this item in the provisional agenda of the seventieth session.
Consideration at the seventieth session
The Sixth Committee considered the item at its 11th and 16th meetings, on 19 and 26 October 2015 (see A/C.6/70/SR.11 and 16).
Statements were made by the representatives of the Russian Federation, Cuba, the Syrian Arab Republic and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
Some delegations supported the request for observer status of the International Civil Defence Organization. It was stated that the International Civil Defence Organization fully complied with criteria set out in Assembly decision 49/426. Support for the resolution was also expressed due to the important role played by the organization in capacity-building in relation to man-made and natural disasters.
Action taken by the Sixth Committee
At the 11th meeting, on 19 October 2015, the representative of the Russian Federation, on behalf of Armenia, Belarus, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Syrian Arab Republic and Zimbabwe introduced a draft resolution entitled “Observer status for the International Civil Defence Organization in the General Assembly” (A/C.6/70/L.6).
At its 16th meeting, on 26 October 2015, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.6/70/L.6 without a vote.
Under this draft resolution, the General Assembly would decide to invite the International Civil Defence Organization to participate in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly in the capacity of observer; and would request the Secretary-General to take the action necessary to implement the resolution.
Subsequent action taken by the General Assembly
