Sixth Committee (Legal) — 73rd session
Observer status for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in the General Assembly (Agenda item 177)
- Item proposed by China (A/73/194)
Documentation
- A/73/194 — Letter dated 17 August 2018 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
Summary of work
Background (source: A/73/200)
In a letter dated 17 August 2018 (A/73/194), the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations requested the inclusion of this item in the provisional agenda of the seventy-third session.
Consideration at the seventy-third session
The Sixth Committee considered the item at its 14th and 31st meetings, on 15 October and 1 November 2018 (see A/C.6/73/SR.14 and 31).
Statements were made by the representatives of China [in English], the Russian Federation, Singapore, South Africa, Brazil, India and Viet Nam.
Delegations expressed support for granting observer status to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
Action taken by the Sixth Committee
At the 14th meeting, on 15 October, the representative of China, also on behalf of Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tonga and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Observer status for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in the General Assembly” (A/C.6/73/L.7) and announced that Argentina, Cambodia, Israel, Nepal, the Netherlands, Romania, Sudan, Turkey and Viet Nam had joined as sponsors of the draft resolution. Subsequently, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria and Papua New Guinea joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.
At its 31st meeting, on 1 November, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.6/73/L.7 without a vote.
Under this draft resolution, the General Assembly would decide to invite the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to participate in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly in the capacity of observer; and request the Secretary-General to take the necessary action to implement the resolution.
Subsequent action taken by the General Assembly
