Different Phases in Implementing Main

Committee Work Plans

Presented by: Anne S.Y. KwakGeneral Assembly Affairs Branch/GAEAD/DGACM

29 August 2012

Work cycle of the GA

1. Inclusion of the item in the agenda

2. Opening of the agenda item

5. Closing of the item

4. Consideration of draft proposals

Submissionof reports

Requestfor reports

3. Debate

list of speakers• Rule 68 [109] of the rules of procedure:

“No representative may address the General Assembly without having previously obtained the permission of the President. The President shall call upon speakers in the order in which they signify their desire to speak...”

• Opening the list of speakers– Delegates wishing to deliver statements

should inscribe on the list of speakers– Order of speakers: first-come-first-serve

subject to protocol

Requesting the floor• Raise your name plate to request the floor;• A point of order is usually signified as a T

• Closing the list of speakers

– Rule 73 [115] of the rules of procedure:“During the course of a debate,

the President may announce the list of speakers, and, with the consent of the General Assembly, declare the list closed...”

• Time limit on speeches

– Rule 72 [114] of the rules of procedure: “The General Assembly may limit

the time to be allowed to each speaker and the number of times each representative may speak on any question...”

Different types of statements

1. Statements in debate

2. Explanation of vote before the vote

3. Explanation of vote after the vote

4. Right of reply

5. Point of order

Explanations of vote (EoV)• Limited to 10 minutes and is

delivered from the delegate’s seat;• Can be made either before or after

the vote;• Rule 88 [128] of the rules of

procedure: “The President shall not permit the proposer of a proposal or of an amendment to explain his vote on his own proposal or amendment”.

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Explanations of vote before the vote

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Before giving the floor to the speaker(s) in explanation of vote before the vote, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

[Explanations of vote]

We have heard the only/last speaker in explanation of vote before the vote.

Right of reply

• A Member State can request to exercise its right of reply to the statement of another Member State;

• Only twice per agenda item – first intervention is limited to 10 minutes and the second intervention is limited to 5 minutes;

• Right of reply is exercised at the end of the consideration of the item;

• No oral right of reply to a Head of State;

U n ite d N a tio n s A / 6 6 /3 8 5

G en era l A ssem b ly D i s t r. : G e n e r a l 2 8 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 1 O r i g i n a l : E n g l i s h

S ix ty - s ix th s e s s io n A g e n d a i t e m 8 G e n e r a l d e b a te

Letter dated 22 September 2011 from the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the U n ite d N a tio n s a d d re sse d to th e P re s id e n t o f th e G e n e r a l A sse m b ly

I h a v e th e h o n o u r to e n c lo s e h e re w ith th e te x t o f th e w r i t te n s ta te m e n t o f th e d e le g a t io n o f th e U n ite d K in g d o m in e x e rc is e o f th e r ig h t o f r e p ly to th e r e m a rk s m a d e b y H e r E x c e l le n c y M s . C r is t in a F e rn á n d e z d e K irc h n e r, P re s id e n t o f th e A rg e n t in e R e p u b lic , o n 2 1 S e p te m b e r 2 0 11 in th e G e n e ra l A s s e m b ly (s e e a n n e x ) .

I s h o u ld b e m o s t g ra te fu l i f y o u c o u ld a r r a n g e to h a v e th e te x t o f th e p re s e n t le t te r a n d i ts a n n e x c ir c u la te d a s a d o c u m e n t o f th e G e n e ra l A s s e m b ly, u n d e r a g e n d a i te m 8 .

(S ig n ed ) M a rk L y a ll G r a n t A m b a s s a d o r

P e rm a n e n t R e p re s e n ta t iv e

Point of order• Rule 71 [113] of the rules of procedure:

“During the discussion of any matter, a representative may rise to a point of order, and the point of order shall be immediately decided by the President in accordance with the rules of procedure...

... A representative may appeal against the ruling of the President. The appeal shall be immediately put to the vote, and the President’s ruling shall stand unless overruled by a majority of the members present and voting.”

Challenging the ruling of the President

25 September 2009, 8th plenary meeting, 64th session of the General Assembly:Address by the President of the High Transitional Authority of the Republic of Madagascar

• The representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo made a statement on a point of order.

• The President of the General Assembly made a statement, in the course of which he announced that he intended to proceed in accordance with rule 29 of the rules of procedure.

• The representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo made a statement, in the course of which he invoked rule 71 of the rules of procedure.

• By 4 votes to 23, with 6 abstentions (recorded vote), the General Assembly decided that the head of the delegation of the Republic of Madagascar could not participate in the general debate.

Work cycle of the GA

1. Inclusion of the item in the agenda

2. Opening of the agenda item

5. Closing of the item

4. Consideration of draft proposals

Submissionof reports

Requestfor reports

3. Debate

Consideration of draft proposals

• Introduction of the draft proposal– Usually introduced by the “main

sponsor”, summarizing the content and purpose of the draft resolution.

– It is possible to orally correct or revise the draft resolution at this stage. Note that this is different from an amendment.

Taking action

• Member States can submit draft resolutions and decisions under an agenda item;

• “24-hour rule” requires the draft proposal to be circulated to all Member States a day prior to its consideration (rule 78 [120]).

to vote or not to to vote or not to vote?vote?

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Action on draft resolution

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The Assembly will now take action on draft

resolution A/__/L.__ entitled “------”.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to

adopt draft resolution A/__/L.__?

It is so decided.

===============A vote is requested ===============

A recorded vote has been requested. We shall now begin the voting process.

Those in favour of draft resolution A/__/L.__, please signify. Those against. Abstentions.

[PAUSE for voting]

The result of the vote is as follows: In favour ____; Against ____; Abstention____.

Draft resolution A/__/L.__ is/is not adopted.

Required majority:how many votes?

• Simple majority of Member States “present and voting”– The phrase “members present and voting”

means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members which abstain from voting are considered not as voting: Rule 86 [126]. A drastic example: a draft resolution is adopted if 2 vote in favour; 1 vote against; 190 abstain

• Rule 83: Decisions of the General Assembly on important questions shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting.

Tie vote?

• In plenary meeting, Rule 95 applies: “...a second vote shall be taken at a

subsequent meeting which shall be held within forty-eight hours of the first vote...”

• In the Main Committees, Rule 133 applies:

“If a vote is equally divided on matters other than elections, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected.”

Voting on parts of a draft proposal

• Rule 89 [129] of the rules of procedure:

“A representative may move that parts of a proposal or of an amendment be voted on separately...

If objection is made to the request for division, the motion for division shall be voted upon...”

Amendments

– Rule 78 [120] of the rules of procedure:“Proposals and amendments shall normally be submitted in writing to the Secretary-General, who shall circulate copies to the delegations...”

- Can be proposed orally during the meeting

Amendments

• What is an amendment?Rule 90 [130] of the rules of procedure:

“A motion is considered an amendment if it merely adds to, deletes from or revises part of the proposal.

Therefore, a proposal that would completely change the sense of a previous proposal is cannot be an amendment but rather a separate proposal.

Amendment is proposed

No vote is requested

on the amendment

A vote is requested

on the amendment

Amendment adopted

Amendment is adopted

without vote

Proceed to take action

on DR as amended

Amendment rejected

Proceed to take action

on DR as it was

FLOW CHART:amendment

process

Adjournment of debate

• Also known as the “No action motion”;• Rule 74 [116]:

“During the discussion of any matter, a representative may move the adjournment of the debate on the item under consideration...” Established practice that the motion to adjourn the debate includes the motion to take no action on an item or on draft proposals.

other procedural contingencies

• Postpone the consideration of the draft proposal;

• Suspend the meeting for a set time to allow for informal consultations;

• Proposer may withdraw the draft proposal

after taking action on draft proposals ...

Return to the list of speakers to hear:

• Explanations of vote after the vote• Rights of reply

Work cycle of the GA

1. Inclusion of the item in the agenda

2. Opening of the agenda item

5. Closing of the item

4. Consideration of draft proposals

Submissionof reports

Requestfor reports

3. Debate

Thank you for listening!

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