PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION ON 1994 CAIRO CONFERENCE APPROVES AGENDA, ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

5 April 1999

Press Release
POP/720

PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION ON 1994 CAIRO CONFERENCE APPROVES AGENDA, ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

19990405 Cairo Conference Review to be Held 30 June to 2 July; Committee Will Meet Again to Consider Implementation of Action Plan

The provisional agenda, provisions for the participation of non- governmental organizations and other organizational matters for the General Assembly's special session to review the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994) were approved Thursday evening, 1 April, as the Commission on Population and Development continued its session as the preparatory committee for the special session.

The Commission, however, could not agree on the key proposals for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the Cairo Conference. It decided to resume its session as the preparatory committee on a date to be determined later, in order to take action on those proposals and conclude its session.

By the draft provisional agenda and organizational matters, as orally revised, (E/CN.9/1999/CRP.2) the special session would be held from 30 June to 2 July and it would consider the overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the Cairo Conference. The special session would also establish an ad hoc committee of the whole, a credentials committee and a general committee. Statements during debate in the plenary would not exceed five minutes. Nine plenary meetings would be held over the three-day period, with three meetings per day, according the following schedule: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.; and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Commission also approved a note by the Chairman, as orally amended, on the establishment of the list of speakers for the debate in plenary of the special session (E/CN.9/1999/PC/CRP.3). By that note, the list of speakers for the debate in plenary would be established by a drawing of lots. A meeting for the purpose of establishing the list of speakers would be convened by the Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services on 21 May in the General Assembly Hall.

Population Preparatory Committee - 2 - Press Release POP/720 6th Meeting (Night) 5 April 1999

A orally amended draft decision on arrangements for the accreditation of non-governmental organizations at the special session was also approved (E/CN.9/1999/PC/L.2). By that text, the special session of the Assembly would invite non-governmental organizations that were in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and those non-governmental organizations that were already accredited to the Cairo Conference and/or the preparatory committee for the special session. The accreditation of interested non- governmental organizations should be granted by a committee composed of the bureau of the preparatory committee.

The draft report of the Commission's session was also adopted.

In a closing statement, Dr. Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said she hoped delegations were fully conversant with the content of the Programme of Action and they would work together to implement its goals. She thanked all the countries that had lent their support to the preparatory process. She also acknowledged the support of the following: the Bill Gates Foundation; the Hewlett and Packard Foundation; the Rockefeller Foundation; and the United Nations Foundation, which had been established by Ted Turner. She hoped that the intensity of the discussions at the current session was indicative of the interest in the issues. She also hoped that consideration of the key proposals for the further implementation of the Cairo Conference could be concluded, so that more political commitment at higher levels could be achieved.

Joseph Chamie, Director of the Population Division, said the preparatory committee was placed under a lot of stress and strain during the current session, but the support of the delegates was appreciated by the Secretariat. In navigating the Committee through turbulent waters, its Chairman had done a fine job. While those in the population field were used to working with population processes that were very slow and which usually took decades, a look back at the current session in three months time would reveal that a great deal had been accomplished.

Commission Chairman, Anwarul Chowdhury (Bangladesh), said he was grateful to the Commission members for their support and consideration in the way he ran the work of the preparatory committee. As the preparatory committee, the Commission had an important mandate and the work it had done so far had taken care of the major parts of the documents. Time could have been managed better, but that was not possible for a number of reasons. There would be opportunity in the future to make further progress and make the special session a success. The Cairo Conference was a milestone for development globally, and that success should guide the Commission in its work.

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