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Special Session of the General Assembly to Review and Appraise the Implementation of Agenda 21

Late Breaking News

Updated 25 April 1997

On 18 April, the General Assembly decided that major groups, as identified in Agenda 21 and represented by non-governmental organizations with consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and on the Council's roster, would be invited to participate in the plenary meeting of the Assembly's nineteenth special session.

Adopted without a vote, the decision, submitted by Assembly President Razali Ismail (Malaysia) and orally revised, allows the major groups to participate in the debate on an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21.

By other provisions of the decision, the Assembly decided that representatives of such major groups that could not be accommodated in the debate in the plenary meeting of the nineteenth special session might be invited to address the session's ad hoc committee of the whole.

The Assembly President was invited to extend invitations to representatives of such major groups to participate in the special session. In addition, the Assembly decided that arrangements concerning the participation of representatives of such major groups would in no way create a precedent for other special sessions.

During the meeting, Razali announced criteria by which he would select the representatives of the major groups that would participate in the special session. Those criteria include:

  • non-governmental organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC, including those on the Council's roster, particularly those with a demonstrated commitment to and involvement in the implementation of Agenda 21;
  • equitable geographical distribution;
  • gender balance; and
  • the representatives must be at the highest level.

Amendments to the original text of the draft decision (document A/51/L.70) were proposed by the representatives of the United States, Cuba, Russian Federation and Ukraine.

This information has been excerpted from General Assembly Plenary - 2 - Press Release GA/9234 96th Meeting (AM) 18 April 1997.