Sixth Committee (Legal) — 79th session
Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country (Agenda item 168)
- Authority: resolution 78/116
- List of speakers
Documentations
- A/79/26 — Report of the Host Country Committee
- A/C.6/79/L.5 — Draft resolution
Summary of work
Background (source: A/79/100)
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, 76/122, 77/114 and 78/116).
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-eighth session, the Assembly allocated the item to the Sixth Committee, where statements in the debate were made by 12 delegations (see A/C.6/78/SR.35). 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-ninth session (resolution 78/116).
Consideration at the seventy-ninth session
The Sixth Committee considered the item at its 33rd and 39th meetings, on 4 and 22 November 2024 (see A/C.6/79/SR.33 and 39). The Chair of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country introduced the report of the Committee (A/79/26).
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 North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina aligned themselves with the statement)), the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations), Belarus, Cuba, Sudan, Singapore, the Islamic Republic of Iran, China, Syrian Arab Republic, the Russian Federation, Eritrea and the United States of America.
The representative of the Russian Federation spoke in the exercise of the right of reply.
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 to enable the full participation of all delegations in the work of the United Nations, thereby allowing the UN to fully and efficiently discharge its responsibilities and fulfil its purposes. The necessity to preserve multilateralism and safeguard the integrity of the relevant body of international law, particularly UN Charter, 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. It was recalled that the provisions of the Headquarters Agreement should be applicable irrespective of the bilateral relations between the Governments and the Host Country and that political considerations should not interfere with the provision of facilities required under the Headquarters Agreement for the Member States to participate in the United Nations activities.
The challenges and complexities faced by the host country was appreciated and host country’s commitment to engage on all matters related to its status as Host Country and to uphold its obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement was acknowledged. 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. The Host Country was called upon to take all necessary measures to remove all remaining travel restrictions without delay. A concern was also raised about the secondary screening procedure imposed by the Host Country against representatives of certain Member States.
Concern was also expressed in relation to the non-issuance of entry visas or the issuance of single-entry visas to certain representatives of certain Member States and difficulties experienced by some permanent missions in obtaining visas, as well as other restrictions in relation to the permanent missions, their premises and their personnel.
The existing restrictions were considered by some delegations as politically motivated, arbitrary and discriminatory in nature and in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Headquarter Agreements and international law. A call was made to treat the outstanding issues, in particular visa-related ones, with priority.
The increased active engagement of the Legal Counsel, as well as that of the Secretary General himself, with the authorities of the Host Country and concerned Permanent Missions was welcomed. 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. It was also noted that dialogue, in a spirit of good faith and in full regard for the interest of the Organization, remained the best avenue for finding acceptable solutions in line with international law.
Archived videos and summaries of plenary meetings
33rd meeting (4 November 2024, 10:00am – 1:00pm) | Summary
39th meeting (22 November 2024, 3:00pm – 6:00pm) | Summary
Action taken by the Sixth Committee
At the 39th meeting, on 22 November, the representative of Cyprus, also on behalf of the sponsors, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country” (A/C.6/79/L.5).
At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.6/79/L.5 without a vote.
Under the draft resolution, the General Assembly would, inter alia, strongly urge the host country to remove all travel restrictions imposed by it on staff of certain missions and staff members of the Secretariat of certain nationalities, and express serious concern regarding multiple cases of denial and non-issuance of entry visas, including in particular to delegates participating in high-level events and the general debate of the General Assembly, and in the work of the Main Committees of the General Assembly. The Assembly would also reiterate its request to the Secretary-General to give the most serious consideration and take any appropriate steps under section 21 of the Headquarters Agreement and intensify efforts to expedite resolution of the issues.
Subsequent action taken by the General Assembly
This agenda item will be considered at the eightieth session (2025).
