UN: EU Statement on Implementation of the outcome of the UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and strengthening of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)

UN 61st Session; II Committee, Plenary, Agenda Item 54: Implementation of the outcome of the UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and strengthening of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)

Explanation of Position on adoption of draft decision A/C.2/61/L.17 by Ms. Seija Toro, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN, on behalf of the European Union

New York, 6 December 2006

Madam Chairperson,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the EFTA country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and Moldova align themselves with this declaration.

* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

The EU is pleased to join the consensus which was reached in the understanding that the UN-Habitat Governing Council is the decision making body of the organisation and this resolution will not prejudge the decisions to be taken by it. 

The wording of Operative Paragraph 1 of  the document A/C.2/61/L.17 should not be interpreted as a directive to the Governing Council, and hence does not in any way limit the prerogative of the Council to set its own agenda and to consider the various agenda items in the manner it deems appropriate.

The European Union also notes that the operative paragraphs 1 and 3 from the document A/C.2/61/L.17 have been placed to the preambular section of the document A/C.2/61/L.57 to highlight that the General Assembly has not taken any stand on the documents mentioned in these paragraphs.

We look forward to the six year medium-term strategic and institutional plan of UN Habitat and wish to emphasise the crucial role that UN-Habitat can play in the rapid urbanisation now taking place especially in the developing world.

Thank you,  Madam Chairperson.