General Assembly Adopts Decisions on Counter-Terrorism, Extending ‘Silence Procedure’ for Conducting Its Work

The General Assembly adopted two decisions since 15 May, one on counter-terrorism and the other on extending the world body’s “silence procedure” until the end of June so it can continue its work amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under that procedure, the Assembly adopted decision 74/555 — “Extension of the procedure for taking decisions of the General Assembly during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic” (document A/74/L.65) — on 15 May.

Also under the silence procedure, it decided to extend the terms of Assembly decision 74/544, which it adopted on 27 March.  It also decided that the Assembly’s subsidiary organs may apply the working methods set out in decision 74/544, which explains how the silence procedure works.

Further by decision 74/544 — “Procedure for taking decisions of the General Assembly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic” — the Assembly authorized its President to circulate, where, in his view, a plenary meeting of the General Assembly was not practicable due to the coronavirus pandemic, its draft decisions to all Member States under the silence procedure at least 72 hours after consultation with the General Committee.  It also decided that, if the silence is not broken, the decision should be considered adopted.  (For more details, see Press Release GA/12244.)

On 20 May, the Assembly adopted decision 74/556, “The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy” (document A/74/L.61).  By terms of that text, it decided to postpone its examination of the Secretary-General’s report on the Strategy’s implementation, taking into account the unprecedented technical and logistical challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.  It also decided to postpone the seventh biennial review of the Strategy.

The final version of decisions adopted during the resumed part of the General Assembly’s seventy-fourth session will be contained in the Assembly’s official record (document A/74/49 (Vol. III)) after editorial review.