Economic and Social Council: 14th plenary meeting, 2025 session

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, the 14th meeting of the Economic and Social Council is called to order. I now invite the Council to resume its considerations of agenda item 4, that is, elections nominations confirmations and appointments the documents before the council under this item are listed in today's Journal distinguished delegates before proceeding I would like to draw the council attention to the list of candidates dated April 2nd 2025 which is before you member states would recall the 31st March deadline for the presentations of candidates in accordance with paragraph 26 of the annex to the General Assembly resolutions 72 305. Let me now provide an overview of how the council is expected to proceed with the elections today. In principle, the council will follow the order of the election to the council's subsidiary and related bodies, as reflected in the list of the candidates. However, in order to make best use of the time available, the Council will first take up elections to that bodies for which there will be balloting. During this meeting, the Council will conduct elections by secret ballot for vacancies in the following bodies where the number of candidates exceeds the number of vacancies in one or more regional groups, namely the Statistical Commissions from among the Eastern European States, the Commissions on Narcotic Drugs from among the Asia-Pacific States, Eastern European States, and Western European and other States, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues from among the Eastern European States, and Programme Coordinating Body of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, from among the Eastern European States. With regard to any statement to be made in connection with elections, I will open the floor for statements before we proceed to the elections and again once all elections by acclamation have been completed. Delegations will also have the opportunity to make statements at the end of the meeting once the results of the secret balloting have been announced. Does any delegation wish to take the floor on the approach I have proposed or to make a statement in connection with the elections at this stage? I see no request for the floor. We shall now proceed with the elections. Distinguished delegates, I now invite the Council to turn its attention to elections by secret ballot. The elections will be held in accordance with the relevant rules of procedures of the Economic and Social Council. on elections and voting, in particular Rules 63, 68, 69 and 70. All representatives should remain seated during the meeting. No photography will be allowed during the balloting. A set of ballot papers will shortly be distributed to the members of the Council. I will briefly refer to the method for filling out the ballot papers. For the bodies for which members are to be elected in their national capacity, the names of the states that have been communicated to the Secretariat are reflected on the ballot papers. And additionally, the ballot papers provide as many blank lines as there are seats to be filled.

For the body.

For which members are to be elected in their personal capacity, namely the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, there are no blank lines on the ballot papers. Since the nomination process for this body has been completed, no additional names can be proposed at this stage. It is important that tailors counting the votes are able to determine the intentions of the voter. In filling out ballot papers, representatives are requested to write an X in the boxes next to the names of candidates that are printed on the ballot papers and write the name of another eligible state on the blank lines. If the box next to the name of a state is checked, the name of that state does not have to be repeated on the blank line. If a mistake is made in filling out a ballot paper, representatives should request a new ballot paper from the Council Secretariat. A total number of check boxes and handwritten names may not exceed the number of vacant seats to be filled as indicated in the ballot paper. A ballot paper will be declared invalid if it contains more votes than the number of vacant seats indicated on the ballot paper. If a ballot paper contains a notation other than a vote in favour of an eligible candidate, the election notations will be disregarded. Votes for Member States that are not from the relevant regional group will not be counted. A blank ballot paper will be considered an abstention. If more than the required number of candidates obtain the required majority in the first round, those candidates who have obtained the largest number of votes and the required majority will be considered as elected up to the number of seats.

To be filled.

I wish to inform the Council that the representatives of Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Lao PDR, Kingdom of Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Liechtenstein have agreed to serve as tellers for today's election. I would like to thank them for their assistance with the Council's work today. Before we begin the voting process, I would like to remind members that pursuant to rule 63 of the Rules of Procedure of the Council, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of the voting. The conference officers will now distribute the ballot papers and the voting process has thus begun. Now, the delegations are invited to complete all ballot papers. I now invite the tellers, that is Bangladesh and Dominican Republic, and the conference officers to approach the podium with the ballot boxes so that we can verify that boxes are empty. I now invite the tellers and the conference officers to proceed to collect the ballot papers. Distinguished delegates, may I request representatives who may not have voted to do so now by approaching the podium to cast their ballots. The voting is now closed. No more ballot papers will be accepted. I invite the tellers and secretariat staff to leave the chamber in order to count the ballot papers. The results of the vote will be announced once they are tallied. While we wait for the results of the secret ballots, I now invite the Council to turn its attention to elections to be conducted by acclamations. In accordance with the council resolutions, 1,147, Roman number 41, and 2024/2, I invite the council to elect members to the statistical commissions for a four-year term of the office, beginning on January 1st, 2026. since the number of candidates from the African States, the Asia-Pacific States, the Latin American and Caribbean States, and the Western European and other States is equal to the number of vacancies. May I take it that Council wishes to elect Australia, Austria, sorry, Benin, Brazil, Burundi, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Finland, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the New Zealand, Norway, Peru, and Uzbekistan, by acclamation, to the Statistician Commission for a four-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026.

I hear no objection.

It is so decided.

The results of the secret ballot for the candidates from the Eastern European states will be announced once available. In accordance with the Council Decisions 1995/320 and 2005/213, I invite the Council to elect members to the Commissions on Population and Development for a four-year term of office beginning at the first meeting of the Commissions' 60th sessions in 2026 and expiring at the close of the Commissions' 63rd sessions in 2030. Since the number of candidates from all regional groups is equal, to or less than the number of vacancies. May I take it that Council wishes to elect the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Ireland, Ghana, Malaysia, Mongolia, Norway, Russian Federation, Senegal, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and United Republic of Tanzania by acclamation to the Commission on Population and Development for a four-year term of office, beginning at the first meeting of the Commission's 60th session in 2026 and expiring at the close of the Commission's 63rd session in 2030.

I hear no objection.

It is so decided.

In accordance with the Council's decisions 1995/320 and 2005/213, I now invite the Council to take action on outstanding vacancies on the Commissions on Population and Development from the Asia and Pacific and Eastern European States. May I take it that the Council wishes to elect Albania, by acclamation, to the Commission on Population and Development for a term of office beginning on April 4, 2025, and expiring at the close of the Commission's 59th session in 2026; and Japan and the Philippines, by acclamation, to the Commission on Population and Development for a four-year term of office beginning at the first meeting of the Commission's 59th session in 2025 and expiring at the close of the Commission's 62nd session in 2029.

I hear no objection.

It is so decided.

In accordance with the Council decisions 2002, 234, I invite the Council to elect members to the Commissions on the Status of Women for a four-year term of office, beginning at the first meeting of the Commission's 71st session in 2026 and expiring at the close of the Commission's 74th session in 2030. Since the number of candidates from each regional group is equal to the number of vacancies. May I take it that the Council wishes to elect Cabo Verde, China, Gabon, Japan, Maldives, Mongolia, Morocco, Qatar, United Republic of Tanzania, and Zimbabwe by acclamation to the Commissions on the Status of Women for a four-year term of office. beginning at the first meeting of the Commission's 71st session in 2026 and expiring at the close of the Commission's 74th session in 2030.

I hear no objection.

It is so decided.

In accordance with article 9, paragraph 1 of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, I now invite the Council to elect members to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs for a four-year term of office, beginning on January 1, 2026. Since the number of candidates from the African States and Latin American and Caribbean States is equal to the number of vacancies, may I take it that the Council wishes to elect the National State of Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Honduras, Mauritania, and Trinidad and Tobago, by acclamation, to the Commission on the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice for a four-year term of office, beginning on January 1, 2026.

I hear no objections.

It is so decided.

The results of the secret ballot for the candidates from the Asia-Pacific States, the Eastern European States, and Western European and other States will be announced once available. I now invite the Council to elect members nominated by governments to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. As set out in Council resolution 2000/22 and decisions 2001/316 and 2016/205, eight members of the Permanent Forum are appointed by the President of the Council, and eight members are elected by the members of the Council. The President of the Council will appoint the eight members of the Permanent Forum after the Council has elected the eight members from among candidates nominated by governments. Hence, the information regarding the President's appointees to the Permanent Forum will be communicated to the Council in accordance with the Bureau at a later date. The term of office for all members is three years, beginning on January 1st, 2026. Since the number of candidates from the African States, the Asia Pacific States, the Latin American and Caribbean States, and Western European and other States is equal to or less than the number of vacancies, may I take it that the Council wishes to elect Brenda Gunn of Canada, Nan Li of China, Rodrigo Paila Leff Monard of Chile, Diego A. Tituana Matango of Ecuador, and Anna Chantel Nama of Cameroon by acclamation to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026.

I hear no objections.

It is so decided.

The result of the secret ballot for the candidates from the Eastern European States will be announced once available. In accordance with General Assembly resolution 48/162, I now invite the Council to elect members to the Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026. Since the number of candidates from the Asia-Pacific States and Eastern European States, the Latin American and Caribbean States, and the Western European and other States is equal to or less than the number of vacancies, may I take it that the Council wishes to elect Antigua and Barbuda, China, Georgia, Guatemala, Ireland, Japan, Iceland, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Ukraine, and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, by acclamation to the Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026.

I hear no objections.

It is so decided.

Also in connection with the Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund, for members that were previously elected by the Council, I would like to inform the Council that Australia, France and Portugal are resigning from their seats on the Executive Board, effective from 31st December 2025 and Canada, Turkey and Liechtenstein respectively have been endorsed by their regional group to assume the vacated seats. May I therefore take it that the Council wishes to elect by acclamation Canada, Turkiye and Liechtenstein to complete the unexpired term of office of Australia France, and Portugal, respectively, beginning on January 1, 2026, and expiring on December 31, 2027.

I hear no objections.

It is so decided.

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 48/162, I now invite the Council to elect members to the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Population Fund, and United Nations Office for Project Services for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026. Since the number of candidates from all regional groups is equal to the number of vacancies, may I take it that the Council wishes to elect Armenia, Plurinational State of Bolivia, China, Cuba, Estonia, Finland, Japan, Nepal, Norway, Rwanda, and United States of America, by acclamation to the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Population Fund, and United Nations Office for Project Services for a three-year term of office. beginning on January 1st 2026 I hear no objections it is so decided also in connection with the executive board of the United Nations development program United Nations population phone and United Nations office for project services for members that were previously elected by the council I would like to inform the council that Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Ireland are resigning from their seats on the Executive Board, effective from December 31, 2025, and Monaco, Switzerland, New Zealand and Turkey, respectively, have been endorsed by their regional group to assume the vacated seats. May I therefore take it that the Council wishes to elect by acclamation Monaco, New Zealand, and Turkey, to complete the unexpired term of office of Austria, Luxembourg, and Ireland, respectively, beginning on January 1, 2026, and expiring on December 31, 2026, and Switzerland to complete the unexpired term of office of Belgium, beginning on January 1, 2026, and expiring on December 31, 2027.

I hear no objection.

It is so decided.

In accordance with the General Assembly resolution 48/162, I now invite the Council to elect members to the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. UN women from the regional category in accordance with the Council resolution 2010/35 for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026. I wish to inform you that this morning the Council will only hold election to fill the 18 vacancies from the regional category in accordance with the provisions of the ECOSOC resolution 2010/35. 35, election to fill vacancies pursuant to paragraph 61 of General Assembly resolution 64/289 and Council resolution 2010/35, respectively, will be held later in 2025. Since the number of candidates from all regional groups is equal to or less than the number of vacancies, may I take it that the Council wishes to elect Burkina Faso, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Japan, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Rwanda, and Senegal by acclamations to the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1st, 2026.

I hear no objections.

It is so decided.

In accordance with General Assembly resolutions 65/266, I now invite the Council to elect members to the Executive Board of the World Food Program for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1st, 2026. Since the number of candidates from the list A and C is equal to the number of vacancies, may I take it that the Council wishes to elect Cuba, Gabon and Kenya by acclamation to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026?

I hear no objections.

It is so decided.

In accordance with the Council decisions 1995/223, I now invite the Council to elect the members to the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026. Since the number of candidates from the African states is equal to the number of vacancies, may--

It's actually less.

Sorry? It's actually less.

Or less than, less than the number of vacancies. May I take it that the Council wishes to elect Kenya by acclamation to the Program Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1st, 2026.

I hear no objections.

It is so decided.

The results of the secret ballot for the candidates from the Eastern European States will be announced once available. Also in connection with the Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS, I would like to inform the Council that Japan has resigned from its seats on the Program Coordinating Board, effective April 3, 2025, and the Philippines has been endorsed by the Regional Group to assume the vacated seat. May I therefore take it that the Council wishes to elect by acclamation the Philippines to complete the unexpired term of office of Japan beginning on April 4, 2025, and expiring on December 31, 2027.

I hear no objections.

It is so decided.

I now turn to nominations. In accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 2008/60 and General Assembly decisions 42/450. I now invite the Council to nominate members for elections by the General Assembly to the Committee for Program and Coordination for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026. May I take it that the Council wishes to nominate China, Cuba, Egypt, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, and Senegal for elections by the General Assembly to the Committee for Programme and Coordination for a three-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026.

I hear no objections.

It is so decided.

The Council will now take up outstanding vacancies to bodies for which there are no regular elections in 2025. In accordance with the Council decisions 2002/210, I now invite the Council to take action on outstanding vacancies on the Commission for Social Development from the Western European and other States. May I take it that Council wishes to elect Switzerland by acclamation to the Commission for Social Development for a term beginning on April 4, 2025, and expiring at the close of the Commission's 67th session in 2029?

I hear no objection.

It is so decided.

In accordance with ECOSOC resolutions 1982/67 and 1985/71, I now invite the Council to take action on outstanding vacancies on the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting from the Asia and Pacific States, the Eastern European States, and Latin American and Caribbean States, and the Western European and other States. May I take it that the Council wishes to elect Belarus, Colombia, India and Kyrgyzstan by acclamation to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting, each for a term of office beginning on April 4, 2025, and expiring on December 31, 2027. And Greece, by acclamations, to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting for a term of office beginning on April 4, 2025, and expiring on December 31, 2026.

I hear no objection.

It is so decided.

In accordance with the General Assembly resolution 46/201, I now invite the Council to take action on an outstanding vacancies on the Committee for the United Nations Population Award for the Asia Pacific States. May I take it that the Council wishes to elect Cyprus by acclamations to the Committee for the United Nations Population Award for a term of office beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring on 31 December 2027.

I hear no objection.

It is so decided.

I now invite any delegations wishing to make statements in relation to the elections conducted by acclamation, as well as nomination. Does any delegation wish to take the floor at this stage? I see no request for the floor. Distinguished delegates, the Council has concluded the election to be conducted by acclamation. I will therefore briefly suspend the meeting for 40 minutes until 11:25, pending the results of the ballots. The meeting is now suspended.

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Excellencies, distinguished delegates, we are still waiting for the results, and so it will take still about 20 minutes, and then we will resume the session. Thank you so much for your patience.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, the meeting is now resumed. Now I will read the result of the ballot. The name of the body is now the Statistical Commission. The results of the secret ballot for the Eastern European State are as follows. The number of ballots, 53. Number of invalid ballots, zero. Number of valid ballots, 53. Abstentions, zero. Members present and voting, 53. Majority required 27. The results of the vote are as follows. Romania, number of votes obtained 44. 44. Russian Federation, number of votes received 23.

23.

Belarus, number of votes received, 21. 2-1. Having obtained the required majority and the highest number of votes, I declare elected Romania to the Statistical Commission for a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2026. Since only one candidate obtained the required majority, it will be necessary to hold a second round of balloting restricted to Belarus and Russian Federation. Another name of the body, Committee on Narcotic Drugs, the results of the secret ballot for the Asia-Pacific states are as follows. Number of ballots, 53, 53. Number of invalid ballots, zero. Number of valid ballots, 53, 53. Abstention, one. Number of present and voting, 52, 52. Majority required, 27. The results of the vote are as follows. Pakistan, number of votes received, 50, 50. Kazakhstan, number of votes received, 46, 46. United Arab Emirates, Number of votes received, 4343. Kyrgyzstan. Number of votes received, 4141. Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran. Number of votes received, 2525. Having obtained the necessary majority, I declare elected Pakistan, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates, and Kyrgyzstan to the Commissions on Narcotic Drugs for a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2026. Name of the body, Committee on Narcotic Drugs. The results of the secret ballot for the Eastern European States are as follows. Number of ballots, 53. Number of invalid ballots, 2. Number of valid ballots, 51. Abstention, zero. Members present and voting, 51 51 majority required 26 26 the results of the vote are as follows Slovenia number of votes received 47 47 Lithuania number of votes received 37 37 Ukraine number of votes received 36. Russian Federation, number of votes received: 25. 6. Having obtained the necessary majority, I declare elected Slovenia, Lithuania, and Ukraine to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs for a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2026. Name of the body, Committee on Narcotic Drugs. The results of the secret ballot for the Western European and other states are as follows. Number of ballots, 5353. Number of invalid ballots, Zero. Number of valid ballots, 53. Abstention, zero. Members present and voting, 53. Majority required, 27, 27. The results of the vote are as follows. Belgium, number of votes received, 48.

48.

Germany, number of votes received, 48, 48. Switzerland, number of votes received, 44, 44. Australia, number of votes received, 40, 40. France, number of votes received, 39, 39. 39. Turkiye, number of votes received, 39. Having obtained the required majority, I declare elected the Western European and other states, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Australia to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs for a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2026. So for the one seat, and we'll go for the second round with the restricted ballot. And this is the elections of the two members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues from among Eastern European states. The results of the secret ballot are as follows: Number of ballot papers, 5353. Number of invalid ballots.

0.

Number of valid ballots: 5353. 0. Number of members present and voting: 5353. 27. Number of individual votes obtained: BALs, INS, TRADEs, LATVIA, number of votes received: 45.

45.

Suleiman Mamutov, Ukraine. Number of votes received: 34.

34.

Sergey Timoshkov, Russian Federation. Number of votes received: 25.

25.

Having obtained the required majority and highest number of votes, I declare elected Valds Instrats of Latvia and Sulema Mamutova of Ukraine to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues for a three-year term beginning on January 1, 2026. Now the results of the secret ballot for the Eastern European States. for Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS are as follows: Number of ballots 5353. Number of invalid ballots 0. Number of valid ballots 5353. Abstentions 1. Members present and voting.

52.

Majority required 27. The results of the vote are as follows. Ukraine, number of votes received 42. Belarus, number of votes received 10. Having obtained the necessary majority, I declare elected Ukraine to the Program Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS for a three-year term beginning on January 1, 2026. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I now invite the Council to proceed to second round of balloting for the purpose of filling the one remaining seat on the Statistical Commission for a four-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026, from among candidates from the Eastern European States, and to a second round of balloting for the purpose of filling the one remaining seat on the Commission on Narcotic Drugs for a four-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026, from among candidates from the Western European and other states. In accordance with rule 69 of the Rules of Procedure of the Council, this restricted ballot for the Statistician Commission is limited to two candidates who obtain the largest number of votes and did not obtain the required majority in the previous ballot. These two candidates are Belarus and Russian Federation. The restricted ballot for the Commission on Narcotic Drugs is limited to two candidates who obtained an equal number of votes in the first round of balloting. These two candidates are France and Turkey. The delegations are requested to check the box against the name of one candidate from among the two names which have been read out for the respective ballot. I should like to caution the members that any ballot having a vote for more than one candidate will be considered invalid. Any empty ballot will be considered an abstention. May I ask the representative of Costa Rica, Lao PDR, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Poland to act again as tellers for this election. The voting process will now begin. The conference officer will now distribute the ballot papers and the voting process has thus begun.

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Delegations are invited to complete the ballot papers. I now invite the tellers from Lao PDR and Poland and the conference officer to approach the podium with the ballot boxes so that we can verify that the boxes are empty. Please proceed to collect the ballot papers now. May I request delegations who may not have voted to do so now by approaching the podium to cast their votes. The voting is now closed. No more ballot papers will be accepted. I invite the tellers and secretariat staff to leave the chamber. in order to count the ballot papers. The results of the vote will be announced once they are tallied. I will therefore briefly suspend the meeting for 20 minutes pending the results of the ballots. The meeting is suspended now.

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Excellencies, distinguished delegates, now we resume the session. Now I'm going to announce the results of the secret ballot. The name of the body, Statistical Commission, the result of the secret ballot for the Eastern European State are as follows: number of ballots, 5252; number of invalid ballots, zero; number of valid ballots, 5252; abstentions, 16; members present and voting, 36. 36. Majority required 19. 19. The results of the vote are as follows. Russian Federation, number of votes received 23. 23. Belarus, number of votes received 13. 13. Having obtained the required majority and the highest number of votes, I declare elected Russian Federation to the Statistical Commission for a four-year term of office beginning on January 1, 2026. The results of the secret ballot for the Western European and other States for the Committee on Narcotic Drugs.

Are as follows.

The number of ballots, 5252, number of invalid ballots, zero, number of valid ballots, 5252, abstention, one, members present and voting, 51, majority required, 2626. The results of the vote are as follows. France, number of votes, 26. 2626. Turkey, number of votes received, 2525. Having obtained the required majority, I declare elected from the Western European and other States, France, to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs for a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2026. I now invite any delegations wishing to make statements in relation to the elections conducted by secret ballot. I see no request for the floor. With this, Excellencies and distinguished delegates, this concludes the ECOSOC meeting to conduct elections to subsidiary and related bodies. The results of the secret ballot will be posted on ECOSOC Place shortly after the adjournment of the meeting. I thank the tailors for their support and the secretariat for the preparations of the meeting. Now the meeting is adjourned.