Sixth Committee (Legal) — 73rd session
Observer status for the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in the General Assembly (Agenda item 175)
- Item proposed by Norway (A/73/145)
Documentation
- A/73/145 — Letter dated 6 July 2018 from the Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
Summary of work
Background (source: A/73/150)
In a letter dated 6 July 2018 (A/73/145), the Permanent Representative of Norway 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 Norway (on behalf of the Nordic countries) and South Africa.
Delegations expressed support for granting observer status to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.
Action taken by the Sixth Committee
At the 14th meeting, on 15 October, the representative of Norway, also on behalf of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Observer status for the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in the General Assembly” (A/C.6/73/L.5) and announced that Belgium, Canada, France, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain and the United States of America had joined in sponsoring the draft resolution. Subsequently, Seychelles also joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.
At its 31st meeting, on 1 November, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.6/73/L.5 without a vote.
Under this draft resolution, the General Assembly would decide to invite the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea 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
