The GA Handbook - A practical guide to the United Nations ...

The GA Handbook

A practical guide to the United Nations General Assembly

The GA Handbook

A practical guide to the United Nations General Assembly

The GA Handbook A practical guide to the United Nations General Assembly

Published by the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations

The GA Handbook: A practical guide to the United Nations General Assembly

Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations 633 Third Avenue, 29th floor New York, New York 10017

Copyright ? 2017, 2011 by Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations First edition 2011. Second edition 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing from the publishers.

ISBN: 978-0-615-49660-3

Edited by Johann Aeschlimann and Mary Regan

Text by Nicole Ruder, Kenji Nakano and Johann Aeschlimann

Project management by Johann Aeschlimann and Linda Florio

Design by Linda Florio, Florio Design

Interior photography by Sally Montana

Printed and bound by GHP, Inc., USA

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7 Letter from the President 9 Reader's Guide

11 1 The General Assembly and its President 13 1.1 Mandate of the GA 14 1.2 GA Sessions 15 1.3 The President of the GA 17 1.4 The Vice-Presidents of the GA 17 1.5 The GA Committees 19 1.6 The High-Level Political Forum 22 1.7 The UN System and the GA 24 1.8 The Department for General Assembly and Conference

Management (DGACM)

27 2 Participation and Credentials 28 2.1 Member States 30 2.2 Observers 31 2.3 UN Entities and Civil Society

35 3 The General Assembly at Work 36 3.1 The GA Agenda 39 3.2 GA Meetings 44 3.3 Conduct of Business 46 3.4 Debating GA Agenda Items 52 3.5 GA Resolutions and Decisions 61 3.6 Elections and Appointments

67 4 Main Committees 68 4.1 The Work of the Main Committees 69 4.2 First Committee 71 4.3 Second Committee 73 4.4 Third Committee 75 4.5 Fourth Committee 76 4.6 Fifth Committee 79 4.7. Sixth Committee

83 5 Key General Assembly Events 84 5.1 The Opening Week 85 5.2 The High-Level Week 86 5.3 The General Debate 88 5.4 GA High-Level Meetings 89 5.5 Thematic Debates 90 5.6 Civil Society Hearings 91 5.7 Commemorative GA Meetings

93 6 The Office of the President of the General Assembly 94 6.1 The Code of Ethics 95 6.2 The PGA Team 96 6.3 Office and Infrastructure 96 6.4 Technical Support 98 6.5 Funding and Finances 99 6.6 Safety and Security 100 6.7 Protocol Services 100 6.8 Official Travel

110 Appendix 125 Source Notes 132 Index 135 Photo Credits 136 Acknowledgments

103 7 Information and Communication 104 7.1 Information and communication 104 7.2 Communication tools 105 7.3 The PGA and the Member States 105 7.4 The PGA and the Media 106 7.5 The PGA and the Other Principal Organs of the UN 107 7.6 Outreach

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In 2017, Switzerland celebrates 15 years as a Member State of the United Nations. In March of 2002, a majority of citizens from the 26 Swiss cantons voted to apply for membership, and in September of that same year, the 57th session of the General Assembly accepted our application and welcomed the Swiss Confederation as the 190th Member State.

This anniversary is a good time to take stock. Looking back on the past 15 years, I can say with confidence that the Swiss people made the right decision in 2002. It is plainly visible that all nations need to connect, communicate and search for common ground if we want to find solutions to urgent global problems. And for this, we need the universal forum of the United Nations and its General Assembly.

The challenges are formidable: Climate change, growing global inequalities, natural and humanitarian disasters, the breakdown of states, a vicious circle of unemployment, vulnerability and exclusion -- all leading to human suffering, casualties, masses of refugees or internally displaced people, and a disquieting trend towards radicalization in many countries. The United Nations is the place where we can find the answers that are acceptable to all stakeholders. This is doable: Look at the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Let us reach those goals!

As a member of the global community, Switzerland has a great interest in a United Nations that works well. We highly value the universal membership of the Organization and the system of "one country, one vote" in the General Assembly. These tenets are the basis of its legitimacy as the eminent and representative policymaking organ of the United Nations.

In order for the UN to achieve its goals, its principal organs must function as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Thus, seven years ago, when my predecessor Joseph Deiss served as the first Swiss President of the General Assembly, the Swiss Mission to the UN produced this handbook as a practical guide to the procedures and practices of the General Assembly. Now it was time for an update, and I hope that this second edition remains valuable to all interested in the inner workings of this great body.

Doris Leuthard President of the Swiss Confederation

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