Sixth Committee (Legal) — 77th session
Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country (Agenda item 168)
- Authority: resolution 76/122
Documentation
- A/77/26 — Report of the Host Country Committee
- A/C.6/77/L.14 — Draft resolution
Summary of work
Background (source: A/77/100)
At its twenty-sixth session, the General Assembly established the Committee on Relations with the Host Country and decided to include the item entitled “Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country” in the provisional agenda of its twenty-seventh session (resolution 2819 (XXVI)).
The Assembly has had the item on its agenda annually since its twenty-seventh session (resolutions 3033 (XXVII), 3107 (XXVIII), 3320 (XXIX), 3498 (XXX), 31/101, 32/46, 33/95, 34/148, 35/165, 36/115, 37/113, 38/140, 39/87, 40/77, 41/82, 42/210 A and B, 42/229 A and B, 42/230, 42/232, 43/48, 43/49, 43/172, 44/38, 45/46, 46/60, 47/35, 48/35, 49/56, 50/49, 51/163, 52/159, 53/104, 54/104, 55/154, 56/84, 57/22, 58/78, 59/42, 60/24, 61/41, 62/72, 63/130, 64/120, 65/35, 66/108, 67/100, 68/120, 69/128, 70/121, 71/152, 72/124, 73/212, 74/195, 75/146 and 76/122).
At present, the Committee is composed of the following 19 Member States: Bulgaria, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, France, Honduras, Hungary, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Russian Federation, Senegal, Spain, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America.
At its seventy-sixth session, the Assembly allocated the item to the Sixth Committee, where statements in the debate were made by 10 delegations (see A/C.6/76/SR.27). The Assembly requested the Committee to continue its work in conformity with resolution 2819 (XXVI) and, in that framework, to continue to consider additional appropriate measures to enhance the work of the Committee and its effectiveness and to make recommendations in its report to the Assembly at its seventy-seventh session (resolution 76/122).
Consideration at the seventy-seventh session
The Sixth Committee considered the item at its 34th and 36th meetings, on 7 and 18 November 2022 (see A/C.6/77/SR.34 and 36). The Chair of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country introduced the report of the Committee (A/77/26).
Statements were made by the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement), the European Union (also on behalf of its Member States (the Candidate Countries Türkiye, Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of Moldova, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Georgia, aligned themselves with the statement)), the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela [in English] (on behalf of Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations), the Islamic Republic of Iran, Belarus, China, Singapore, Cuba, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Russian Federation, the Syrian Arab Republic and the United States of America.
The conclusions and recommendations formulated by the Committee were endorsed, with some delegations noting the important role of the Committee in handling a variety of matters on relations with the host country.
It was emphasized that the observance of privileges and immunities of diplomatic personnel was an issue of great importance which was based on solid legal principles. The necessity to preserve multilateralism and safeguard the integrity of the relevant body of international law, particularly the Headquarters Agreement between the United Nations and the Host Country, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations was underlined. Some delegations emphasized that there was no room for application of measures based on reciprocity in the treatment accorded to permanent missions accredited to the United Nations in New York.
Appreciation of the host country’s efforts to accommodate the needs, interests and requirements of the diplomatic community in various areas was also expressed. Some delegations noted the progress achieved in resolving some of the issues pending before the Committee.
Concern was voiced over the remaining travel and movement restrictions imposed by the Host Country on staff of certain missions and staff members of the Secretariat of certain nationalities. These restrictions were considered by some delegations as politically motivated, arbitrary and discriminatory in nature.
Concern was also expressed in relation to the non-issuance of entry visas to certain representatives of certain Member States and other difficulties experienced by some permanent missions in obtaining visas, opening bank accounts and carrying out banking transactions, as well as restrictions arising from the bilateral relations of the Host Country in relation to the permanent missions, their premises and their personnel.
The Secretary-General was called upon to ensure that the Host Country strictly and fully complied with the provisions of the Headquarters Agreement and to consider and take any appropriate steps under section 21 of the Headquarters Agreement.
Archived videos and summaries of plenary meetings
34th meeting (7 November 2022, 10:00am – 1:00pm) | Summary
36th meeting (18 November 2022, 10:00am – 1:00pm) | Summary
Action taken by the Sixth Committee
At the 36th meeting, on 18 November, the representative of Cyprus, also on behalf of Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica and Côte d’Ivoire, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country” (A/C.6/77/L.14).
At the same meeting the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.6/77/L.14 without a vote.
Under the draft resolution, the General Assembly would, inter alia, strongly urge the host country to remove all remaining travel restrictions imposed by it on staff of certain missions and staff members of the Secretariat of certain nationalities; express serious concern regarding the non-issuance of entry visas to certain representatives of certain Member States; anticipate the prompt issuance by the host country of entry visas to all representatives of all Member States and members of the Secretariat pursuant to the Headquarters Agreement; and reiterate its recommendation to the Secretary-General to give most serious consideration and take any appropriate steps under section 21 of the Headquarters Agreement and to enhance efforts to resolve the issues.
Subsequent action taken by the General Assembly
This agenda item will be considered at the seventy-eighth session (2023).
