STATEMENT BY MR MARK SEAH, DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPORE, AT THE THEMATIC DEBATE OF THE AD HOC WORKING GROUP ON “THE ROLE AND AUTHORITY OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY”, ECOSOC, 28 MARCH 2024

Co-Chairs,

        Thank you for convening this debate, and all protocols observed. As my delegation has spoken at length about the importance of transparency and inclusiveness at our November debate, I will focus on a few specific points. 

2       Revitalising this General Assembly requires returning to basics and implementing in full the powers inherent in it. The General Assembly is the UN’s most representative and universal organ, and its chief deliberative body.  It is the Parliament of the world.  There have been comments about respecting the respective mandates of the GA and the Security Council.  While the respective mandates and Article 12 of the UN Charter are clear, it is also clear from Article 24 (1) that the Council acts on behalf of the GA [and I quote: “its members confer on the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and agree that in carrying out …this responsibility the Security Council acts on their behalf”].

3       While UNSCR 2728 was a welcome exception, the Council has generally faced difficulty in delivering its mandate on pressing security issues in recent times.  The Assembly should therefore, first, exercise its inherent authority to hold the Council to account. 

One, through insisting on a timely and analytical annual report pursuant to Art 15 (1) of the Charter and OP 25 of Resolution 77/335.  There should also be a proper exchange of views between the GA and the Council, and I commend the first-ever consultations between the UK as penholder of the annual report and the GA, convened by the PGA on 16 January 2024. 

Two, through the continued implementation of Resolution 76/262, on the Veto Initiative.  

Three, through ensuring the GA’s views on the report when it is presented and debated in June are summarised and transmitted to the Council as called for in OP 26 of Resolution 77/335.

4       Second, we should ensure that the Assembly’s role and responsibility in appointing the Secretary-General pursuant to Article 97 of the Charter is maintained and enhanced, and not reduced to rubber-stamping the Council’s choice.  We ought to preserve the improvements in process achieved in 2015 and 2016, and ensure that the Secretary-General’s selection and appointment is indeed guided by the principles of transparency and inclusiveness stressed in OP58 of Resolution 77/335.  For instance, the joint letter from the PGA and UNSC President inviting nominations should be circulated in late 2025, so that member states have sufficient lead time to nominate and interact with potential candidates in open dialogue as called for in OP63 of this same resolution. 

5       Third, and last, we should mean what we say when we term the GA the the UN’s most representative and chief deliberative body.  Of late, the High-Level Week calendar has been increasingly crowded.  Our attempts to revitalise and restore the General Assembly’s role and authority will mean little should the general debate be reduced to a mere backdrop for other competing mandated high-level events and side events.  We should take a serious look at implementing OP 17 of Resolution 77/335, and “limit the number of high-level events held in the margins of the general debate to those of key significance that require immediate attention from Heads of State and Government, to enable the meaningful participation of all countries in the general debate”.

Co-Chairs,

6       As my delegation said last month, we need a strong and revitalised General Assembly at the core of these United Nations.  Preserving the GA’s primacy through implementing what have agreed on is the first step towards achieving this.

7       Thank you for your attention.

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