A/520/Rev.

20

RULES OF PROCEDURE
OF THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(embodying amendments and additions
adopted by the General Assembly
up to and including its seventy-fifth session)

UNITED NATIONS
 A/520/Rev.20

RULES OF PROCEDURE
OF THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(embodying amendments and additions
adopted by the General Assembly
up to and including its seventy-fifth session)

UNITED NATIONS
New York, 2022
A/520/Rev.20
 CONTENTS
Page

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
EXPLANATORY NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxvi
RULES OF PROCEDURE
Rule

I. SESSIONS
Regular sessions
1. Opening date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2. Closing date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3. Place of meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
4. Place of meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
5. Notification of session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
6. Temporary adjournment of session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Special sessions
7. Summoning by the General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
8. Summoning at the request of the Security Council or Members . . . 2
9. Request by Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
10. Notification of session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Regular and special sessions
11. Notification to other bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
II. AGENDA
Regular sessions
12. Provisional agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
13. Provisional agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
14. Supplementary items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
15. Additional items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Special sessions
16. Provisional agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
17. Provisional agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
18. Supplementary items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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19. Additional items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Regular and special sessions
20. Explanatory memorandum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
21. Adoption of the agenda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
22. Amendment and deletion of items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
23. Debate on inclusion of items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
24. Modification of the allocation of expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
III. DELEGATIONS
25. Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
26. Alternates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
IV. CREDENTIALS
27. Submission of credentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
28. Credentials Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
29. Provisional admission to a session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
V. PRESIDENT AND V ICE-PRESIDENTS
30. Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
31. Temporary President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
32. Acting President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
33. Acting President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
34. Replacement of the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
35. General powers of the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
36. General powers of the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
37. The President shall not vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
VI. GENERAL C OMMITTEE
38. Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
39. Substitute members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
40. Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
41. Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
42. Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
43. Participation by members requesting the inclusion of items in
the agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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Rule Page

44. Revision of the form of resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

VII. SECRETARIAT
45. Duties of the Secretary-General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
46. Duties of the Secretary-General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
47. Duties of the Secretariat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
48. Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization . . 14
49. Notification under Article 12 of the Charter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
50. Regulations concerning the Secretariat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
VIII. LANGUAGES
51. Official and working languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
52. Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
53. Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
54. Languages of verbatim and summary records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
55. Languages of the Journal of the United Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
56. Languages of resolutions and other documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
57. Publications in languages other than the languages of the
General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
IX. RECORDS
58. Records and sound recordings of meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
59. Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
X. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MEETINGS OF THE GENERAL A SSEMBLY,
ITS COMMITTEES AND ITS SUBCOMMITTEES

60. General principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

61. Private meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
XI. MINUTE OF SILENT PRAYER OR MEDITATION
62. Invitation to silent prayer or meditation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
XII. PLENARY MEETINGS
Conduct of business
63. Emergency special sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
64. Report of the Secretary-General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
65. Reference to committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
66. Discussion of reports of Main Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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67. Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
68. Speeches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
69. Precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
70. Statements by the Secretariat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
71. Points of order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
72. Time limit on speeches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
73. Closing of list of speakers, right of reply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
74. Adjournment of debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
75. Closure of debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
76. Suspension or adjournment of the meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
77. Order of procedural motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
78. Proposals and amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
79. Decisions on competence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
80. Withdrawal of motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
81. Reconsideration of proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Voting
82. Voting rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
83. Two-thirds majority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
84. Two-thirds majority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
85. Simple majority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
86. Meaning of the phrase “members present and voting” . . . . . . . . . . 24
87. Method of voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
88. Conduct during voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
89. Division of proposals and amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
90. Voting on amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
91. Voting on proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
92. Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
93. Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
94. Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
95. Equally divided votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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XIII. C OMMITTEES
Establishment, officers, organization of work
96. Establishment of committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
97. Categories of subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
98. Main Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
99. Organization of work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
100. Representation of Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
101. Representation of Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
102. Subcommittees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
103. Election of officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
104. The Chairman of a Main Committee shall not vote . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
105. Absence of officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
106. Functions of the Chairman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
107. Functions of the Chairman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Conduct of business
108. Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
109. Speeches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
110. Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
111. Precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
112. Statements by the Secretariat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
113. Points of order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
114. Time limit on speeches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
115. Closing of list of speakers, right of reply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
116. Adjournment of debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
117. Closure of debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
118. Suspension or adjournment of the meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
119. Order of procedural motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
120. Proposals and amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
121. Decisions on competence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
122. Withdrawal of motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
123. Reconsideration of proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

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Voting
124. Voting rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
125. Majority required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
126. Meaning of the phrase “members present and voting” . . . . . . . . . . 35
127. Method of voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
128. Conduct during voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
129. Division of proposals and amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
130. Voting on amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
131. Voting on proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
132. Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
133. Equally divided votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
XIV. ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS TO THE UNITED N ATIONS
134. Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
135. Notification of applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
136. Consideration of applications and decision thereon . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
137. Consideration of applications and decision thereon . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
138. Notification of decision and effective date of membership . . . . . . . 38
XV. ELECTIONS TO PRINCIPAL ORGANS
General provisions
139. Terms of office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
140. By-elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Secretary-General
141. Appointment of the Secretary-General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Security Council
142. Annual elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
143. Qualifications for membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
144. Re-eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Economic and Social Council
145. Annual elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
146. Re-eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

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Trusteeship Council
147. Occasions for elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
148. Terms of office and re-eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
149. Vacancies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
International Court of Justice
150. Method of election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
151. Method of election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
XVI. A DMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY QUESTIONS
General provisions
152. Regulations for financial administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
153. Financial implications of resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
154. Financial implications of resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions
155. Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
156. Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
157. Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Committee on Contributions
158. Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
159. Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
160. Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
XVII. SUBSIDIARY ORGANS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
161. Establishment and rules of procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
XVIII. INTERPRETATION AND AMENDMENTS
162. Italicized headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
163. Method of amendment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
ANNEXES
I. Recommendations and suggestions of the Special Committee on
Methods and Procedures of the General Assembly approved by
the Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
II. Methods and procedures of the General Assembly for dealing with
legal and drafting questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

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III. Resolution 1898 (XVIII) adopted on the recommendation of the

Ad Hoc Committee on the Improvement of the Methods of Work
of the General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
IV. Conclusions of the Special Committee on the Rationalization of
the Procedures and Organization of the General Assembly . . . . . . 59
V. Decision 34/401 on the rationalization of the procedures and
organization of the General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
VI. Conclusions of the Special Committee on the Charter of the
United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the
Organization concerning the rationalization of the procedures of
the General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
VII. Conclusions of the Special Committee on the Charter of the
United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the
Organization concerning the rationalization of existing
United Nations procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
VIII. Guidelines on the Rationalization of the Agenda of the
General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
IX. Opening date and duration of the general debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
X. Oath of office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
XI. Code of ethics for the President of the General Assembly . . . . . . . 97
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

x
 INTRODUCTION

1. At its first regular session, the General Assembly, at the 2nd plenary
meeting on 11 January 1946, considered the proposal by the President of the
General Assembly and adopted provisional rules of procedure
(A/71/Rev.1) based on a text contained in the report of the Preparatory
Commission of the United Nations. 1
2. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of the
Fifth Committee (A/47) and, by resolution 15 (I) of 13 February 1946,
decided to amend rules 37 and 40.2
3. Also at the same session, the General Assembly considered the report
of the Sixth Committee (A/14) and, by resolution 17 (I) of 26 and 29 January
1946, decided to amend rules 33 and 73 and add rule 33A.3
4. Also at its first regular session, the General Assembly considered the
reports of the Fifth Committee (A/215 and A/209) and, by resolutions 73 (I)
and 77 (I) of 7 December 1946, decided to amend rules 42 and 1,
respectively.
5. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of the
Sixth Committee (A/182) and, by resolution 87 (I) of 9 November 1946,
decided to amend rule 87.
6. Also at the same session, the General Assembly, at the 67th plenary
meeting on 15 December 1946, considered the report of the General
Committee (A/279) and, by resolution 102 (I) of the same date, established
the Committee on Procedures and Organization, consisting of 15 Member
States.
7. At its second session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Sixth Committee (A/482 and A/482/Corr.1), which had made a
recommendation on the text of the rules of procedure, after its consideration
of the report of the Committee on Procedures and Organization,4 which
contained draft rules of procedure proposed by the Committee,5 and, by

__________________
1
PC/20, chap. I, sect. 3.
2
Rules 155 and 158 of the present rules of procedure.
3
Rules 41, 43 and 92 of the present rules of procedure.
4
A/388.
5
Ibid., part III.

xi
resolution 173 (II) of 17 November 1947, adopted its rules of procedure.
These rules entered into force on 1 January 1948.
8. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the First Committee (A/502) and, by resolution 116 (II) of 21 November
1947, decided to add new rules 113, 114, 116 and 117, 6 relating to the
admission of new Members.
9. At its third session, the General Assembly considered the report of the
Sixth Committee (A/799) and, by resolution 262 (III) of 11 December
1948, decided to include Spanish among its working languages and to
amend accordingly rules 44 to 48. 7
10. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Ad Hoc Political Committee (A/839) and, by resolution 271 (III) of
29 April 1949, established the Special Committee on Methods and
Procedures of the General Assembly, consisting of 15 Member States.
11. At its fourth session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Sixth Committee (A/1026 and A/1026/Corr.1), which had considered
the report of the Special Committee on Methods and Procedures of the
General Assembly 8 and amendments (A/1036 and A/1037/Rev.1), and, by
resolution 362 (IV) of 22 October 1949, decided:
(a) To amend rules 14, 31, 33, 35, 59, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69, 72, 80, 81,
82, 97, 98, 102, 103, 105, 106, 107, 110, 117, 118 and 119; 9
(b) To add new rules 1A, 19, 19B, 19C, 31A, 35A, 35B, 56A, 89A
and 97A. 10
By the same resolution, the General Assembly approved several of the
recommendations and suggestions of the Special Committee and
requested the Secretary-General to prepare a document embodying these
recommendations and suggestions in a convenient form for use by the
General Committee and delegations of Member States in the Assembly.
The text of these recommendations and suggestions is reproduced in
annex I.

__________________
6
Rules 134, 135, 137 and 138 of the present rules of procedure.
7
Rules 51 to 55 of the present rules of procedure.
8
Official Records of the General Assembly, Fourth Session, Supplement No. 12
(A/937).
9
Rules 15, 35, 38, 40, 66, 71, 72, 74, 75, 76, 79, 88, 89, 90, 106, 108, 113, 114,
116, 117, 118, 121, 128, 129 and 130 of the present rules of procedure.
10
Rules 2, 20, 22, 23, 36, 41, 42, 62, 99 and 107 of the present rules of procedure.

xii
12. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Sixth Committee (A/1165) and, by resolution 366 (IV) of
3 December 1949, adopted rules for the calling by the Economic and
Social Council, under Article 62, paragraph 4, of the Charter, of
international conferences of States.
13. At its fifth session, the General Assembly considered the reports of
the First and Fifth Committees (A/1456 and A/1463) and, by resolution
377 A (V) of 3 November 1950, adopted several amendments and
additions to its rules of procedure relating to the holding of emergency
special sessions; by that resolution, the Assembly decided:
(a) To add a paragraph (b) to rule 8;
(b) To add a paragraph (b) to rule 9;
(c) To insert a new sentence at the end of rule 10;
(d) To insert a new sentence at the end of rule 16;
(e) To insert a new sentence at the end of rule 19;
(f) To insert a new rule 65. 11
14. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Sixth Committee (A/1433) and, by resolution 475 (V) of 1 November
1950, adopted a new rule 84A 12 concerning the majority required for
decisions of the Assembly on amendments to proposals relating to
important questions and on parts of such proposals put to the vote
separately.
15. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Sixth Committee (A/1632) and, by resolution 479 (V) of
12 December 1950, adopted rules for the calling by the Economic and
Social Council, under Article 62, paragraph 4, of the Charter, of
non-governmental conferences.
16. At its sixth session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Sixth Committee (A/2004/Rev.1) and, by resolution 597 (VI) of
20 December 1951, established the Special Committee for the
Consideration of the Methods and Procedures of the General Assembly
for Dealing with Legal and Drafting Questions, consisting of 15 Member
States.

__________________
11
Rule 63 of the present rules of procedure.
12
Rule 84 of the present rules of procedure.

xiii
17. At its seventh session, the General Assembly considered the report
of the Sixth Committee (A/2247), which had considered the report of the
Special Committee for the Consideration of the Methods and Procedures
of the General Assembly for Dealing with Legal and Drafting
Questions,13 and, by resolution 684 (VII) of 6 November 1952, decided
that:
(a) The terms of these recommendations shall be embodied as an
annex to the rules of procedure;
(b) The annex should also reproduce paragraphs 19, 20, 29, 30 and
35 to 39 of the report of the Special Committee.
The texts of the recommendations and the specified parts of the report of
the Special Committee are reproduced in annex II.
18. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the reports
of the Fifth and Sixth Committees (A/2326 and A/2349) and, by
resolution 689 A (VII) of 21 December 1952, established the Special
Committee on Measures to Limit the Duration of Regular Sessions of
the General Assembly, consisting of 15 Member States. By resolution
689 B (VII) of the same date, the Assembly decided to amend rule 2
whereby the Assembly shall, at the beginning of each session, fix “a
closing date for the session” rather than “a target date for the closing of
the session”.
19. At its eighth session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Sixth Committee (A/2512 and A/2512/Corr.1), which had considered
the report of the Special Committee on Measures to Limit the Duration
of Regular Sessions of the General Assembly, 14 and, by resolution
791 (VIII) of 23 October 1953, decided:
(a) To amend rules 38 and 39, relating to the composition of the
General Committee;
(b) To amend rule 98, 15 relating to priorities in the consideration of
items in the Main Committees.
20. At its ninth session, the General Assembly considered part I of the
report of the Fourth Committee (A/2747) and, by resolution 844 (IX) of
11 October 1954, adopted six special rules designed to govern its

__________________
13
A/2174.
14
A/2402.
15
Rule 99 of the present rules of procedure.

xiv
procedure for the examination of reports and petitions relating to the
Territory of South West Africa. 16
21. At its eleventh session, the General Assembly considered the second
and third reports of the General Committee (A/3344 and A/3349) and, at
the 577th plenary meeting on 15 November 1956, decided:
(a) To establish an eighth vice-presidency of the Assembly;
(b) To change the name of the “Ad Hoc Political Committee” to
“Special Political Committee” and to confer a permanent character or
that Committee.
At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of the
Sixth Committee (A/3404) and, by resolution 1104 (XI) of 18 December
1956, decided to amend rules 31, 38, 39 and 101.17
22. At its twelfth session, the General Assembly considered the report
of the Special Political Committee (A/3781) and, by resolution 1192
(XII) of 12 December 1957, decided to increase the number of Vice-
Presidents of the Assembly from 8 to 13 and decided to amend rules 31
and 38. In an annex to the resolution, the Assembly approved the pattern
according to which the Vice-Presidents should be elected.
23. At its sixteenth session, the General Assembly considered the report
of the Fifth Committee (A/4973) and, by resolution 1659 (XVI) of
28 November 1961, decided to increase the membership of the Advisory
Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions from 9 to 12 and
decided to amend rules 156 and 157. 18
24. At its seventeenth session, the General Assembly, at the 1162nd
plenary meeting on 30 October 1962, considered the proposal of the
President of the General Assembly and established the Ad Hoc
Committee on the Improvement of the Methods of Work of the General
Assembly, consisting of 18 members. The Assembly considered the
report of the Ad Hoc Committee (A/5370) and, by resolution 1845
(XVII) of 19 December 1962, decided to continue the Ad Hoc
Committee.
25. At its eighteenth session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Improvement of the Methods of

__________________
16
By resolution 2372 (XXII) of 12 June 1968, the General Assembly decided that
“South West Africa” would be known as “Namibia”. See introduction, para. 46.
17
Rule 98 of the present rules of procedure.
18
Rules 155 and 156 of the present rules of procedure.

xv
Work of the General Assembly 19 and, by resolution 1898 (XVIII) of
11 November 1963, took note of the observations contained in that
report and approved the recommendations submitted by the Committee.
The text of the resolution is reproduced in annex III.
26. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Special Political Committee (A/5675) and, by resolution 1990
(XVIII) of 17 December 1963, decided to increase the number of Vice-
Presidents of the Assembly from 13 to 17 and decided to amend rules 31
and 38. In an annex to the resolution, the Assembly approved the pattern
according to which the President of the Assembly, the 17 Vice-
Presidents of the Assembly and the 7 Chairs of the Main Committees
should be elected.
27. At its twentieth session, the General Assembly considered the report
of the Sixth Committee (A/6132 and A/6132/Corr.1) and, by resolution
2046 (XX) of 8 December 1965, following the entry into force of the
amendments to Articles 23, 27 and 61 of the Charter, amended its rules
of procedure as follows:
(a) In rule 8 (b), the word “seven” was replaced by the word “nine”;
(b) In rule 143, 20 the word “three” was replaced by the word “five”;
(c) In rule 146, 21 the word “six” was replaced by the word “nine”.
The pattern for the election of the non-permanent members of the
Security Council is reproduced in a footnote to rule 142.
28. At its twenty-second session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Sixth Committee (see A/6960 and A/6960/Corr.1) and, by
resolution 2323 (XXII) of 16 December 1967, decided to amend rules 89
and 12822 by adding to each of these rules a new paragraph (b) to take
into account the installation of mechanical means of voting.
29. At the same session, the General Assembly, at the 1629th plenary
meeting on 13 December 1967, took note of a correction to the French
version of rule 1523 whereby the words “caractère d’importance ou
d’urgence” in the first sentence of that rule were replaced by the words
“caractère d’importance et d’urgence”.

__________________
19
A/5423.
20
Rule 142 of the present rules of procedure.
21
Rule 145 of the present rules of procedure.
22
Rules 87 and 127 of the present rules of procedure.
23
A/BUR/169.

xvi
30. At its twenty-third session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Fifth Committee (A/7349) and, by resolution 2390 (XXIII)
of 25 November 1968, decided to increase the membership of the
Committee on Contributions from 10 to 12 and to amend rule 159. 24
31. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Fifth Committee (A/7472) and, by resolution 2479 (XXIII) of
21 December 1968, decided to include Russian among its working
languages and to amend accordingly rule 51.
32. At its twenty-fourth session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Sixth Committee (A/7846) and, by resolution 2553 (XXIV)
of 12 December 1969, decided to amend rules 52, 53 and 5525 as a
consequence of the amendment to rule 51 adopted at the twenty-third
session.
33. At its twenty-fifth session, the General Assembly considered a draft
resolution proposed by Afghanistan, Argentina, Austria, Barbados,
Belgium, Brazil, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark,
Finland, Greece, Guyana, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Liberia,
Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines,
Singapore, Sweden, Tunisia, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Zambia
(A/L.601/Rev.2 and A/L.601/Rev.2/Add.1) and, by resolution 2632
(XXV) of 9 November 1970, established the Special Committee on the
Rationalization of the Procedures and Organization of the General
Assembly, consisting of 31 Member States.
34. At its twenty-sixth session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Special Committee on the Rationalization of the Procedures
and Organization of the General Assembly 26 together with the report of
the Sixth Committee (A/8572) and, by resolution 2837 (XXVI) of
17 December 1971, decided:
(a) To amend rule 39 concerning the replacement of Vice-Presidents
and Chairs of the Main Committees;
(b) To amend rule 60 27 to reflect the practice of the Assembly and
its committees regarding the records and sound recordings of meetings;

__________________
24
Rule 158 of the present rules of procedure.
25
See introduction, para. 38.
26
Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-sixth Session, Supplement
No. 26 (A/8426).
27
Rule 58 of the present rules of procedure.

xvii
 (c) To amend rules 69 and 110 28 to authorize the presiding officer
to declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed when at least
one third of the members of the Assembly or one quarter of the members
of a committee are present;
(d) To amend rules 74 and 115 29 to permit no more than two
representatives to speak in favour, and two against, a proposal to limit
the time to be allowed to each speaker or the number of times each
representative may speak on any question;
(e) To amend rule 100 to include in it more detailed provisions
relating to the organization of work of the Main Committees, and to
renumber it rule 10130 (former rule 101 became rule 100 31);
(f) To amend rule 105 32 to provide that:
(i) Each Main Committee shall elect a Chairman, two Vice-
Chairmen and a Rapporteur;
(ii) Each other committee shall elect a Chairman, one or more Vice-
Chairmen and a Rapporteur;
(iii) Elections shall be held by secret ballot unless the committee
decides otherwise in an election where only one candidate is
standing;
(iv) The nomination of each candidate shall be limited to one
speaker, after which the committee shall immediately proceed to the
election and to adopt consequential amendments to rules 39 and
l07; 33
(g) To insert a new rule 112, 34 relating to congratulations to the
officers of Main Committees, and to renumber accordingly the existing
rules 112 to l64. 35
By resolution 2837 (XXVI), the General Assembly also approved the
conclusions of the Special Committee and decided that they should be
annexed to the rules of procedure; these conclusions are reproduced in

__________________
28
Rules 67 and 108 of the present rules of procedure.
29
Rules 72 and 114 of the present rules of procedure.
30
Rule 99 of the present rules of procedure.
31
Rule 98 of the present rules of procedure.
32
Rule 103 of the present rules of procedure.
33
Rule 105 of the present rules of procedure.
34
Rule 110 of the present rules of procedure.
35
Rules 111 to 163 of the present rules of procedure.

xviii
annex IV. In one of the recommendations, 36 the Secretary-General was
requested to undertake a comparative study of the versions of the rules
of procedure in the various official languages in order to ensure their
concordance; this request was complied with and the relevant editing
changes were incorporated in the rules.
35. At the same session, the General Assembly considered the report of
the Fifth Committee (A/8571) and, by resolution 2798 (XXVI) of
13 December 1971, decided to increase the membership of the Advisory
Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions from 12 to 13
and to amend rule 157. 37
36. At the same session, the General Assembly considered part II of the
report of the Second Committee (A/8578/Add.1) and, by resolution 2847
(XXVI) of 20 December 1971, decided to adopt amendments to
Article 61 of the Charter to increase from 27 to 54 the number of
members of the Economic and Social Council. By that resolution, the
Assembly also decided that, upon the entry into force of the amendment
to the Charter, the word “nine” in rule 147 38 would be replaced by the
word “eighteen”. The amendment to the Charter entered into force on
24 September 1973. The pattern for the election of the members of the
Economic and Social Council, as set forth in resolution 2847 (XXVI), is
reproduced in a footnote to rule 145.
37. At its twenty-seventh session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Fifth Committee (A/8861) and, by resolution 2913 (XXVII)
of 9 November 1972, decided to increase the membership of the
Committee on Contributions from 12 to 13 and to amend rule 160. 39
38. At its twenty-eighth session, the General Assembly considered the
reports of the Fifth and Sixth Committees (A/9307, A/9464, A/9452 and
A/9452/Add.1) and, by resolutions 3189 (XXVIII) and 3190 (XXVIII) of
18 December 1973, decided:
(a) To include Chinese among the working languages of the
Assembly;
(b) To include Arabic among the official and the working
languages of the Assembly and its Main Committees.

__________________
36
Resolution 2837 (XXVI), annex II, para. 128.
37
Rule 155 of the present rules of procedure.
38
Rule 145 of the present rules of procedure.
39
Rule 158 of the present rules of procedure.

xix
By resolution 3191 (XXVIII) of 18 December 1973, the Assembly
adopted consequential amendments to its rules of procedure, whereby
rules 51 to 59 were replaced by new rules 51 to 57, and rules 60 to 165
were renumbered accordingly.
39. At its thirty-first session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Fifth Committee (A/31/427) and, by resolution 31/95 of
14 December 1976, decided to increase the membership of the
Committee on Contributions from 13 to 18 and, by resolution 31/96 of
the same date, decided to amend rule 158.
40. At its thirty-second session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Fifth Committee (A/32/454) and, by resolution 32/103 of
14 December 1977, decided to increase the membership of the Advisory
Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions from 13 to 16
and decided to amend rule 155. By the same resolution, the Assembly
also decided:
(a) To adopt an amendment to rule 156 whereby the members of
the Advisory Committee shall serve for a period of three years
corresponding to “three calendar years” rather than “three financial
years, as defined in the Financial Regulations of the United Nations”;
(b) To amend rule 157 to take into account, inter alia, the biennial
presentation of the budget.
41. At its thirty-third session, the General Assembly considered a report
of the Fifth Committee (A/33/351) and, by resolution 33/12 of
3 November 1978, decided to amend rule 159 whereby the members of
the Committee on Contributions shall serve for a period of three years
corresponding to “three calendar years”.
42. At the same session, the General Assembly considered a report of the
Special Political Committee (A/33/510) and, by resolution 33/138 of
19 December 1978, decided to increase the number of Vice-Presidents
of the Assembly from 17 to 21 and to amend rules 30 and 38. In an annex
to the resolution, which replaced the annex to resolution 1990 (XVIII), 40
the Assembly approved the pattern according to which the President of
the Assembly, the 21 Vice-Presidents of the Assembly and the 7 Chairs
of the Main Committees should be elected; the text of that annex is
reproduced in a footnote to rule 30.
43. At its thirty-fourth session, the General Assembly considered the
first, third, fourth, sixth and seventh reports of the General Committee
__________________
40
See introduction, para. 26.

xx
(A/34/250, A/34/250/Add.2, A/34/250/Add.3, A/34/250/Add.5 and
A/34/250/Add.6) and, by decision 34/401 of 21 September, 25 October,
29 November and 12 December 1979, adopted a number of provisions
concerning the rationalization of the procedures and organization of the
Assembly. Sections I to V of the decision are reproduced in annex V.
44. At its thirty-fifth session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Fifth Committee (A/35/780) and, by resolutions 35/219 A
and B of 17 December 1980, decided to include Arabic among the
official and working languages of the subsidiary organs of the Assembly,
no later than 1 January 1982, and to amend rules 51, 52, 54 and 56.
45. At its thirty-ninth session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Sixth Committee (A/39/781 and A/39/781/Corr.1) and, by
resolution 39/88 B of 13 December 1984, approved the conclusions of
the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the
Strengthening of the Role of the Organization concerning the
rationalization of the procedures of the Assembly and decided that they
should be annexed to the rules of procedure; these conclusions are
reproduced in annex VI.
46. As a result of the accession of Namibia (formerly the Territory of
South West Africa) to independence on 21 March 1990, annex III to the
rules of procedure (A/520/Rev.15), entitled “Procedure for the
examination of reports and petitions relating to the Territory of South
West Africa”, is no longer applicable and has been removed. Subsequent
annexes have been renumbered accordingly.
47. At its forty-fifth session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Sixth Committee (A/45/739) and, by its resolution 45/45 of
28 November 1990, approved the conclusions of the Special Committee
on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the
Role of the Organization concerning the rationalization of existing
United Nations procedures, and decided that they should be reproduced
as an annex to its rules of procedure. These conclusions are reproduced
in annex VII.
48. At its forty-seventh session, the General Assembly considered a draft
resolution proposed by the President of the General Assembly
(A/47/L.64) and, by its resolution 47/233 of 17 August 1993, decided to
rationalize the structure of the Main Committees of the Assembly and to
amend accordingly rules 31, 41 38 and 98 of its rules of procedure.

__________________
41
Rule 30 of the present rules of procedure.

xxi
49. At its forty-eighth session, the General Assembly considered a draft
resolution proposed by the President of the General Assembly
(A/48/L.61) and, by its resolution 48/264 of 29 July 1994, adopted the
Guidelines on the Rationalization of the Agenda of the General
Assembly, set forth in annex I to the resolution, and decided that they
should be annexed to its rules of procedure. The Guidelines are
reproduced in annex VIII. By the same resolution, the Assembly
approved the pattern of election of the six Chairs of the Main
Committees, set forth in annex II to the resolution. The text of that annex,
which replaced paragraph 4 of the annex to resolution 33/138 of
19 December 1978, is reproduced in a footnote to rule 30.
50. At its fifty-second session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Sixth Committee (A/52/652) and, by its resolution 52/163
of 15 December 1997, decided to amend the first sentence of rule 103 of
the rules of procedure to increase the number of Vice-Chairs of each
Main Committee from two to three, as from the fifty-third session.
51. At its fifty-fifth session, the General Assembly considered a draft
resolution proposed by the President of the General Assembly
(A/55/L.19) and, by its resolution 55/14 of 3 November 2000, amended
rule 1 of the rules of procedure whereby the Assembly shall meet every
year in regular session commencing on the Tuesday following the
second Monday in September.
52. At its fifty-sixth session, the General Assembly considered a draft
resolution proposed by the President of the General Assembly
(A/56/L.80) and, by its resolution 56/509 of 8 July 2002, decided:
(a) To amend rule 30 to allow the Assembly to elect a President and
21 Vice-Presidents at least three months before the opening of the session
over which they are to preside;
(b) To amend rule 31 so that if, at the opening of a session of the
Assembly, the President for that session has not yet been elected, the
President of the previous session, or the chairman of that delegation from
which the President of the previous session was elected, shall preside until
the Assembly has elected a President;
(c) To amend paragraph (a) of rule 99 to allow all the Main
Committees, at least three months before the opening of the session, to
elect a Chair and elections of the other officers provided for in rule 103 to
be held at the latest by the end of the first week of the session.
53. At its fifty-seventh session, the General Assembly considered a draft
resolution proposed by the President of the General Assembly (A/57/L.75)

xxii
and, by its resolution 57/301 of 13 March 2003, decided to amend rule 1
of the rules of procedure whereby the Assembly shall meet every year in
regular session commencing on the Tuesday of the third week in
September, counting from the first week that contains at least one working
day.
54. At the same session, the General Assembly, also by its resolution
57/301, decided to change the opening date and length of the general
debate and to annex paragraph 2 of the resolution to the rules of procedure.
The paragraph is reproduced in annex IX.
55. At its sixty-eighth session, the General Assembly, at the 24th plenary
meeting on 1 October 2013, considered the proposal by the President of
the General Assembly and, by its decision 68/505 of the same date,
approved the interim arrangement concerning the rotation of the Chairs of
the Main Committees of the Assembly at its next five sessions.
56. At its seventieth session, the General Assembly considered the report
of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the Work of the
General Assembly (A/70/1003) and, by its resolution 70/305 of
13 September 2016, decided that the President-elect of the General
Assembly shall take an oath of office of his or her own, as detailed in
annex I to the resolution, at the moment of handing over the gavel in the
final plenary meeting of the preceding session, and that the text of the oath
shall be annexed to the rules of procedure of the Assembly. The text of the
oath is reproduced in annex X.
57. At the same session, the General Assembly, also by its resolution
70/305, decided that the President of the General Assembly shall observe
a code of ethics, as detailed in annex II to the resolution, and that the text
of the code of ethics for the President of the Assembly shall be annexed to
the rules of procedure of the Assembly. The text of the code of ethics is
reproduced in annex XI.
58. At its seventy-first session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the Work of
the General Assembly (A/71/1007) and, by its resolution 71/323 of
8 September 2017, decided to amend rule 92 by deleting its second
sentence.
59. At its seventy-second session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the Work of
the General Assembly (A/72/896) and, by its resolution 72/313 of
17 September 2018, decided to establish the pattern for the rotation of the

xxiii
Chairs of the Main Committees for the seventy-fourth to the eighty-third
session, as contained in the annex to the resolution.
60. At its seventy-fourth session, the General Assembly considered a
draft resolution submitted by the State of Palestine on behalf of the States
that are members of the Group of 77 and China, taking into account also
the provisions of Assembly resolution 73/5 of 16 October 2018 (A/74/L.5),
and, by its resolution 74/267 of 14 January 2020, decided to increase the
membership of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and
Budgetary Questions from 16 to 21 and adopted a consequential
amendment to rule 155. By the same resolution, the Assembly also
decided that seats shall be distributed as follows among regional groups:
Group of African States, five; Group of Asian and Pacific States, five;
Group of Eastern European States, three; Group of Latin American and
Caribbean States, four; and Group of Western European and other States,
four.
61. At its seventy-fifth session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the Work
of the General Assembly (A/75/973) and, by its resolution 75/325 of
10 September 2021, decided to amend rule 1 whereby the Assembly
shall meet every year in regular session commencing on the Tuesday of
the second week in September, counting from the first week that contains
at least one working day, and whereby the general debate in the
Assembly shall open on the Tuesday of the fourth week in September
and be held without interruption over a period of nine working days.
62. The present revised edition of the rules of procedure embodies all
the amendments adopted by the General Assembly during the period up
to and including its seventy-fifth session.
63. The previous versions of the rules of procedure and of the
amendments and corrigenda thereto have been issued under the
following symbols:

December 1947............................................ A/520

June 1948 ..................................................... A/520/Corr.1 (French only)
January 1950................................................ A/520/Rev.1
January 1951................................................ A/520/Rev.2
July 1954 ..................................................... A/520/Rev.3
March 1956 .................................................. A/520/Rev.4
September 1957 ........................................... A/520/Rev.5 (formerly A/3660)
January 1958................................................ A/520/Rev.5/Corr.1
(formerly A/3660/Corr.1)
February 1961.............................................. A/520/Rev.6 (formerly A/4700)

xxiv
February 1962.............................................. A/520/Rev.6/Corr.1
(formerly A/4700/Corr.1)
June 1964 ..................................................... A/520/Rev.7
March 1966 .................................................. A/520/Rev.8
January 1968................................................ A/520/Rev.9
April 1969.................................................... A/520/Rev.9/Corr.1
July 1970 ..................................................... A/520/Rev.10
May 1972 ..................................................... A/520/Rev.11
November 1973 ........................................... A/520/Rev.11/Amend.1
February 1974.............................................. A/520/Rev.12
January 1977................................................ A/520/Rev.12/Amend.1
March 1978 .................................................. A/520/Rev.12/Amend.2
March 1979 .................................................. A/520/Rev.13
March 1982 .................................................. A/520/Rev.14
May 1985 ..................................................... A/520/Rev.15
August 1991 ................................................. A/520/Rev.15/Amend.1
October 1993................................................ A/520/Rev.15/Amend.2
September 2006............................................ A/520/Rev.16
September 2007............................................ A/520/Rev.16/Corr.1
April 2008 .................................................... A/520/Rev.17
November 2016 ............................................ A/520/Rev.18 and
A/520/Rev.18/Amend.1
January 2021 ................................................ A/520/Rev.19

September 2022

xxv
 EXPLANATORY NOTE

Rules 49, 82, 83, 85, 144, 146 and 161, which reproduce textually
provisions of the Charter, are printed in bold type and are, in addition,
provided with a footnote. A footnote has also been added to other rules
which, while based directly on provisions of the Charter, do not reproduce
those provisions textually.
Figures indicated between square brackets in sections dealing with
rules for plenary meetings refer to identical or corresponding rules for
committee meetings, and vice versa.
Attention is drawn to rule 162, which provides that the italicized
headings of the rules, which were inserted for reference purposes only,
shall be disregarded in the interpretation of the rules.
Any reference in the rules of procedure to a male person shall be
deemed to constitute a reference to any person.

xxvi
 RULES OF PROCEDURE
I. SESSIONS
REGULAR SESSIONS
Opening date
Rule 11
(a) The General Assembly shall meet every year in regular session
commencing on the Tuesday of the third week in September, counting
from the first week that contains at least one working day.
(b) The general debate in the General Assembly shall open on the
Tuesday of the fourth week in September, counting from the first week that
contains at least one working day, and shall be held without interruption
over a period of nine working days.

Closing date
Rule 22
On the recommendation of the General Committee, the General
Assembly shall, at the beginning of each session, fix a closing date for the
session.

Place of meeting
Rule 3
The General Assembly shall meet at the Headquarters of the United
Nations unless convened elsewhere in pursuance of a decision taken at a
previous session or at the request of a majority of the Members of the
United Nations.
Rule 4
Any Member of the United Nations may, at least one hundred and
twenty days before the date fixed for the opening of a regular session,
__________________
1
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 20); see introduction,
paras. 51, 53 and 61.
2
See introduction, paras. 11 and 18; see also annex IV, para. 4.
1
request that the session be held elsewhere than at the Headquarters of the
United Nations. The Secretary-General shall immediately communicate
the request, together with his recommendations, to the other Members of
the United Nations. If within thirty days of the date of this communication
a majority of the Members concur in the request, the session shall be held
accordingly.

Notification of session
Rule 5
The Secretary-General shall notify the Members of the United
Nations, at least sixty days in advance, of the opening of a regular session.

Temporary adjournment of session

Rule 6
The General Assembly may decide at any session to adjourn
temporarily and resume its meetings at a later date.

SPECIAL SESSIONS
Summoning by the General Assembly
Rule 73
The General Assembly may fix a date for a special session.

Summoning at the request of the Security Council or Members

Rule 84
(a) Special sessions of the General Assembly shall be convened
within fifteen days of the receipt by the Secretary-General of a request for
such a session from the Security Council or from a majority of the
Members of the United Nations or of the concurrence of a majority of
Members as provided in rule 9.
(b) Emergency special sessions pursuant to General Assembly
resolution 377 A (V) shall be convened within twenty-four hours of the
receipt by the Secretary-General of a request for such a session from the

__________________
3
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 20).
4
See introduction, paras. 13 and 27.
2
Security Council, on the vote of any nine members thereof, or of a request
from a majority of the Members of the United Nations expressed by vote
in the Interim Committee or otherwise, or of the concurrence of a majority
of Members as provided in rule 9.

Request by Members
Rule 95
(a) Any Member of the United Nations may request the Secretary-
General to convene a special session of the General Assembly. The
Secretary-General shall immediately inform the other Members of the
request and inquire whether they concur in it. If within thirty days of the
date of the communication of the Secretary-General a majority of the
Members concur in the request, a special session of the General Assembly
shall be convened in accordance with rule 8.
(b) This rule shall apply also to a request by any Member of the
United Nations for an emergency special session pursuant to resolution
377 A (V). In such a case, the Secretary-General shall communicate with
the other Members by the most expeditious means of communication
available.

Notification of session
Rule 105
The Secretary-General shall notify the Members of the United
Nations, at least fourteen days in advance, of the opening of a special
session convened at the request of the Security Council, and at least ten
days in advance in the case of a session convened at the request of a
majority of the Members or upon the concurrence of a majority in the
request of any Member. In the case of an emergency special session
convened pursuant to rule 8 (b), the Secretary-General shall notify
Members at least twelve hours before the opening of the session.

__________________
5
See introduction, para. 13.
3
 REGULAR AND SPECIAL SESSIONS
Notification to other bodies
Rule 11
Copies of the notice convening each session of the General Assembly
shall be addressed to all other principal organs of the United Nations and
to the specialized agencies referred to in Article 57, paragraph 2, of the
Charter.

II. AGENDA
REGULAR SESSIONS
Provisional agenda
Rule 12
The provisional agenda for a regular session shall be drawn up by the
Secretary-General and communicated to the Members of the United
Nations at least sixty days before the opening of the session.

Rule 13
The provisional agenda of a regular session shall include:
(a) The report of the Secretary-General on the work of the
Organization;
(b) Reports from the Security Council, the Economic and Social
Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, the
subsidiary organs of the General Assembly and the specialized agencies
(where such reports are called for under agreements entered into);
(c) All items the inclusion of which has been ordered by the General
Assembly at a previous session;
(d) All items proposed by the other principal organs of the United
Nations;
(e) All items proposed by any Member of the United Nations;6
(f) All items pertaining to the budget for the next financial year and
the report on the accounts for the last financial year;

__________________
6
See annex IV, para. 18, and annex VI, para. 2.
4
 (g) All items which the Secretary-General deems it necessary to put
before the General Assembly;
(h) All items proposed under Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Charter
by States not Members of the United Nations.

Supplementary items
Rule 14
Any Member or principal organ of the United Nations or the
Secretary-General may, at least thirty days before the date fixed for the
opening of a regular session, request the inclusion of supplementary items
in the agenda.6 Such items shall be placed on a supplementary list, which
shall be communicated to Members at least twenty days before the opening
of the session.

Additional items
Rule 157
Additional items of an important and urgent character, proposed for
inclusion in the agenda less than thirty days before the opening of a regular
session or during a regular session, may be placed on the agenda if the
General Assembly so decides by a majority of the members present and
voting. No additional item may, unless the General Assembly decides
otherwise by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, be
considered until seven days have elapsed since it was placed on the agenda
and until a committee has reported upon the question concerned.

SPECIAL SESSIONS
Provisional agenda
Rule 168
The provisional agenda of a special session convened at the request of
the Security Council shall be communicated to the Members of the United
Nations at least fourteen days before the opening of the session. The
provisional agenda of a special session convened at the request of a
majority of the Members, or upon the concurrence of a majority in the

__________________
7
See introduction, paras. 11 and 29; see also annex IV, paras. 18 and 24.
8
See introduction, para. 13.
5
request of any Member, shall be communicated at least ten days before the
opening of the session. The provisional agenda of an emergency special
session shall be communicated to Members simultaneously with the
communication convening the session.

Rule 17
The provisional agenda for a special session shall consist only of those
items proposed for consideration in the request for the holding of the
session.

Supplementary items
Rule 18
Any Member or principal organ of the United Nations or the
Secretary-General may, at least four days before the date fixed for the
opening of a special session, request the inclusion of supplementary items
in the agenda. Such items shall be placed on a supplementary list, which
shall be communicated to Members as soon as possible.

Additional items
Rule 198
During a special session, items on the supplementary list and additional
items may be added to the agenda by a two-thirds majority of the members
present and voting. During an emergency special session, additional items
concerning the matters dealt with in resolution 377 A (V) may be added to
the agenda by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting.

REGULAR AND SPECIAL SESSIONS

Explanatory memorandum
Rule 209
Any item proposed for inclusion in the agenda shall be accompanied
by an explanatory memorandum and, if possible, by basic documents or by
a draft resolution.

__________________
9
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex IV, para. 18.
6
Adoption of the agenda
Rule 2110
At each session the provisional agenda and the supplementary list,
together with the report of the General Committee thereon, shall be
submitted to the General Assembly for approval as soon as possible after
the opening of the session.

Amendment and deletion of items

Rule 2211
Items on the agenda may be amended or deleted by the General
Assembly by a majority of the members present and voting.

Debate on inclusion of items

Rule 2311
Debate on the inclusion of an item in the agenda, when that item has
been recommended for inclusion by the General Committee, shall be
limited to three speakers in favour of, and three against, the inclusion. The
President may limit the time to be allowed to speakers under this rule.

Modification of the allocation of expenses

Rule 24
No proposal for a modification of the allocation of expenses for the
time being in force shall be placed on the agenda unless it has been
communicated to the Members of the United Nations at least ninety days
before the opening of the session.

__________________
10
See annex IV, paras. 19–23, and annex VI, paras. 1–2.
11
See introduction, para. 11.
7
 III. DELEGATIONS
Composition
Rule 2512
The delegation of a Member shall consist of not more than five
representatives and five alternate representatives and as many advisers,
technical advisers, experts and persons of similar status as may be required
by the delegation.

Alternates
Rule 26
An alternate representative may act as a representative upon
designation by the chairman of the delegation.

IV. CREDENTIALS
Submission of credentials
Rule 27
The credentials of representatives and the names of members of a
delegation shall be submitted to the Secretary-General if possible not less
than one week before the opening of the session. The credentials shall be
issued either by the Head of the State or Government or by the Minister
for Foreign Affairs.

Credentials Committee
Rule 28
A Credentials Committee shall be appointed at the beginning of each
session. It shall consist of nine members, who shall be appointed by the
General Assembly on the proposal of the President. The Committee shall
elect its own officers. It shall examine the credentials of representatives
and report without delay.

__________________
12
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 9, para. 2). See annex IV,
para. 44.
8
Provisional admission to a session
Rule 29
Any representative to whose admission a Member has made objection
shall be seated provisionally with the same rights as other representatives
until the Credentials Committee has reported and the General Assembly
has given its decision.

V. PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTS

Elections
Rule 3013
Unless the General Assembly decides otherwise, the General
Assembly shall elect a President and twenty-one Vice-Presidents14 at least
three months before the opening of the session over which they are to
preside. The President and the Vice-Presidents so elected will assume their
functions only at the beginning of the session for which they are elected
and shall hold office until the close of that session.15 The Vice-Presidents
shall be elected after the election of the Chairmen of the six Main
Committees referred to in rule 98, in such a way as to ensure the
representative character of the General Committee.

__________________
13
See introduction, paras. 21, 22, 26, 42 and 52 (a).
14
In the annex to resolution 33/138 of 19 December 1978, the General Assembly
decided as follows:
“1. In the election of the President of the General Assembly, regard shall be
had for equitable geographical rotation of this office among the regions
mentioned in paragraph 4 below.
“2. The twenty-one Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly shall be elected
according to the following pattern, subject to paragraph 3 below:
“(a) Six representatives from African States;
“(b) Five representatives from Asian States;
“(c) One representative from an Eastern European State;
“(d) Three representatives from Latin American States;
“(e) Two representatives from Western European or other States;
“(f) Five representatives from the permanent members of the Security
Council.
“3. The election of the President of the General Assembly will, however, have
the effect of reducing by one the number of vice-presidencies allocated to
the region from which the President is elected.”
15
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 21, second sentence).
9
Temporary President
Rule 3116
If, at the opening of a session of the General Assembly, the President
for that session has not yet been elected, in accordance with rule 30 above,
the President of the previous session, or the chairman of that delegation
from which the President of the previous session was elected, shall preside
until the Assembly has elected a President.

Acting President
Rule 32 [105]
If the President finds it necessary to be absent during a meeting or any
part thereof, he shall designate one of the Vice-Presidents to take his place.

Rule 33 [105]
A Vice-President acting as President shall have the same powers and
duties as the President.

Replacement of the President

Rule 34 [105]
If the President is unable to perform his functions, a new President
shall be elected for the unexpired term.

General powers of the President

Rule 3517 [106]
In addition to exercising the powers conferred upon him elsewhere by
these rules, the President shall declare the opening and closing of each
plenary meeting of the session, direct the discussions in plenary meeting,
ensure observance of these rules, accord the right to speak, put questions
and announce decisions. He shall rule on points of order and, subject to
these rules, shall have complete control of the proceedings at any meeting
and over the maintenance of order thereat. The President may, in the course
of the discussion of an item, propose to the General Assembly the
__________________
16
See introduction, paras. 21, 22, 26 and 52 (b).
17
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex I, para. 39, annex III, para. (g),
annex IV, paras. 39 and 67, annex V, para. 3, and annex VI, para 7.
10
limitation of the time to be allowed to speakers, the limitation of the
number of times each representative may speak, the closure of the list of
speakers or the closure of the debate. He may also propose the suspension
or the adjournment of the meeting or the adjournment of the debate on the
item under discussion.

Rule 3617 [107]

The President, in the exercise of his functions, remains under the
authority of the General Assembly.

The President shall not vote

Rule 37 [104]
The President, or a Vice-President acting as President, shall not vote
but shall designate another member of his delegation to vote in his place.

VI. GENERAL COMMITTEE

Composition
Rule 3818
The General Committee shall comprise the President of the General
Assembly, who shall preside, the twenty-one Vice-Presidents and the
Chairmen of the six Main Committees. No two members of the General
Committee shall be members of the same delegation, and it shall be so
constituted as to ensure its representative character. Chairmen of other
committees upon which all Members have the right to be represented and
which are established by the General Assembly to meet during the session
shall be entitled to attend meetings of the General Committee and may
participate without vote in the discussions.

Substitute members
Rule 3919
If a Vice-President of the General Assembly finds it necessary to be
absent during a meeting of the General Committee, he may designate a
member of his delegation to take his place. The Chairman of a Main
Committee shall, in case of absence, designate one of the Vice-Chairmen
__________________
18
See introduction, paras. 11, 19, 21, 22, 26, 42 and 48.
19
See introduction, paras. 19, 21 and 34; see also annex IV, para. 10.
11
of the Committee to take his place. A Vice-Chairman shall not have the
right to vote if he is of the same delegation as another member of the
General Committee.

Functions
Rule 4020
The General Committee shall, at the beginning of each session,
consider the provisional agenda, together with the supplementary list, and
shall make recommendations to the General Assembly, with regard to each
item proposed, concerning its inclusion in the agenda, the rejection of the
request for inclusion or the inclusion of the item in the provisional agenda
of a future session. It shall, in the same manner, examine requests for the
inclusion of additional items in the agenda and shall make
recommendations thereon to the General Assembly. In considering matters
relating to the agenda of the General Assembly, the General Committee
shall not discuss the substance of any item except insofar as this bears upon
the question whether the General Committee should recommend the
inclusion of the item in the agenda, the rejection of the request for inclusion
or the inclusion of the item in the provisional agenda of a future session,
and what priority should be accorded to an item the inclusion of which has
been recommended.

Rule 4120
The General Committee shall make recommendations to the General
Assembly concerning the closing date of the session. It shall assist the
President and the General Assembly in drawing up the agenda for each
plenary meeting, in determining the priority of its items and in coordinating
the proceedings of all committees of the Assembly. It shall assist the
President in the general conduct of the work of the General Assembly
which falls within the competence of the President. It shall not, however,
decide any political question.

__________________
20
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex III, para. (f), annex IV, paras. 11–14,
annex V, para. 1, annex VI, para. 4, and annex VII, paras. 3 and 6.
12
 Rule 4221
The General Committee shall meet periodically throughout each
session to review the progress of the General Assembly and its committees
and to make recommendations for furthering such progress. It shall also
meet at such other times as the President deems necessary or upon the
request of any other of its members.

Participation by members requesting the inclusion of items in the agenda

Rule 43
A member of the General Assembly which has no representative on
the General Committee and which has requested the inclusion of an item
in the agenda shall be entitled to attend any meeting of the General
Committee at which its request is discussed and may participate, without
vote, in the discussion of that item.

Revision of the form of resolutions

Rule 44
The General Committee may revise the resolutions adopted by the
General Assembly, changing their form but not their substance. Any such
changes shall be reported to the General Assembly for its consideration.

VII. SECRETARIAT
Duties of the Secretary-General
Rule 45
The Secretary-General shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the
General Assembly,22 its committees and its subcommittees. He may
designate a member of the Secretariat to act in his place at these meetings.

Rule 46
The Secretary-General shall provide and direct the staff required by
the General Assembly and any committees or subsidiary organs which it
may establish.

__________________
21
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex I, para. 20, annex III, para. (f), annex IV,
paras. 13 and 14, annex V, para. 2, annex VI, para. 4 and annex VII, para. 5.
22
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 98).
13
Duties of the Secretariat
Rule 47
The Secretariat shall receive, translate, print and distribute documents,
reports and resolutions of the General Assembly, its committees and its
organs;23 interpret speeches made at the meetings; prepare, print and
circulate the records of the session;24 have the custody and proper
preservation of the documents in the archives of the General Assembly;
distribute all documents of the Assembly to the Members of the United
Nations, and, generally, perform all other work which the Assembly may
require.

Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization

Rule 48
The Secretary-General shall make an annual report, and such
supplementary reports as are required, to the General Assembly on the
work of the Organization.22 He shall communicate the annual report to the
Members of the United Nations at least forty-five days before the opening
of the session.

Notification under Article 12 of the Charter

Rule 4925
The Secretary-General, with the consent of the Security Council,
shall notify the General Assembly at each session of any matters
relative to the maintenance of international peace and security which
are being dealt with by the Security Council and shall similarly notify
the General Assembly, or the Members of the United Nations if the
General Assembly is not in session, immediately the Security Council
ceases to deal with such matters.

__________________
23
See annex IV, para. 107, and annex V, paras. 25, 26 and 28–30.
24
See annex IV, para. 108.
25
Rule reproducing textually a provision of the Charter (Article 12, para. 2).
14
Regulations concerning the Secretariat
Rule 5026
The General Assembly shall establish regulations concerning the staff
of the Secretariat.27

VIII. LANGUAGES
Official and working languages
Rule 5128
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish shall be both
the official and the working languages of the General Assembly, its
committees and its subcommittees.

Interpretation
Rule 5228
Speeches made in any of the six languages of the General Assembly
shall be interpreted into the other five languages.

Rule 5328
Any representative may make a speech in a language other than the
languages of the General Assembly. In this case, he shall himself provide
for interpretation into one of the languages of the General Assembly or of
the committee concerned. Interpretation into the other languages of the
General Assembly or of the committee concerned by the interpreters of the
Secretariat may be based on the interpretation given in the first such
language.

Languages of verbatim and summary records

Rule 5428
Verbatim or summary records shall be drawn up as soon as possible
in the languages of the General Assembly.

__________________
26
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 101, para. 1).
27
For the Staff Regulations of the United Nations, see resolution 72/254 and
ST/SGB/2018/1/Rev.2.
28
See introduction, paras. 9, 31, 32, 38 and 44.
15
Languages of the Journal of the United Nations
Rule 5528
During the sessions of the General Assembly, the Journal of the
United Nations shall be published in the languages of the Assembly.

Languages of resolutions and other documents

Rule 5628
All resolutions and other documents shall be published in the
languages of the General Assembly.

Publications in languages other than the languages of the

General Assembly
Rule 5728
Documents of the General Assembly, its committees and its
subcommittees shall, if the Assembly so decides, be published in any
language other than the languages of the Assembly or of the committee
concerned.

IX. RECORDS
Records and sound recordings of meetings
Rule 5829
(a) Verbatim records of the meetings of the General Assembly and
of the Disarmament and International Security Committee (First
Committee) shall be drawn up by the Secretariat and submitted to those
organs after approval by the presiding officer. The General Assembly shall
decide upon the form of the records of the meetings of the other Main
Committees and, if any, of the subsidiary organs and of special meetings
and conferences. No organ of the General Assembly shall have both
verbatim and summary records.
(b) Sound recordings of the meetings of the General Assembly and
of the Main Committees shall be made by the Secretariat. Such recordings
shall also be made of the proceedings of subsidiary organs and special
meetings and conferences when they so decide.

__________________
29
See introduction, para. 34; see also annex IV, para. 108, and annex V, para. 27.
16
Resolutions
Rule 59
Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly shall be communicated
by the Secretary-General to the Members of the United Nations within
fifteen days after the close of the session.

X. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MEETINGS OF THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ITS COMMITTEES AND
ITS SUBCOMMITTEES
General principles
Rule 60
The meetings of the General Assembly and its Main Committees shall
be held in public unless the organ concerned decides that exceptional
circumstances require that the meeting be held in private. Meetings of other
committees and subcommittees shall also be held in public unless the organ
concerned decides otherwise.

Private meetings
Rule 61
All decisions of the General Assembly taken at a private meeting shall
be announced at an early public meeting of the Assembly. At the close of
each private meeting of the Main Committees, other committees and
subcommittees, the Chairman may issue a communiqué through the
Secretary-General.

XI. MINUTE OF SILENT PRAYER OR MEDITATION

Invitation to silent prayer or meditation
Rule 6230
Immediately after the opening of the first plenary meeting and
immediately preceding the closing of the final plenary meeting of each
session of the General Assembly, the President shall invite the
representatives to observe one minute of silence dedicated to prayer or
meditation.

__________________
30
See introduction, para. 11.
17
 XII. PLENARY MEETINGS
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
Emergency special sessions
Rule 6331
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other rule and unless the
General Assembly decides otherwise, the Assembly, in case of an
emergency special session, shall convene in plenary meeting only and
proceed directly to consider the item proposed for consideration in the
request for the holding of the session, without previous reference to the
General Committee or to any other committee; the President and Vice-
Presidents for such emergency special sessions shall be, respectively, the
chairmen of those delegations from which were elected the President and
Vice-Presidents of the previous session.

Report of the Secretary-General

Rule 64
Proposals to refer any portion of the report of the Secretary-General
to one of the Main Committees without debate shall be decided upon by
the General Assembly without previous reference to the General
Committee.

Reference to committees
Rule 65
The General Assembly shall not, unless it decides otherwise, make a
final decision upon any item on the agenda until it has received the report
of a committee on that item.

Discussion of reports of Main Committees

Rule 6632
Discussion of a report of a Main Committee in a plenary meeting of
the General Assembly shall take place if at least one third of the members
present and voting at the plenary meeting consider such a discussion to be

__________________
31
See introduction, para. 13.
32
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex V, para. 15.
18
necessary. Any proposal to this effect shall not be debated but shall be
immediately put to the vote.

Quorum
Rule 6733 [108]
The President may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to
proceed when at least one third of the members of the General Assembly
are present. The presence of a majority of the members shall be required
for any decision to be taken.

Speeches
Rule 6834 [109]
No representative may address the General Assembly without having
previously obtained the permission of the President. The President shall
call upon speakers in the order in which they signify their desire to speak.
The President may call a speaker to order if his remarks are not relevant to
the subject under discussion.

Precedence
Rule 69 [111]
The Chairman and the Rapporteur of a committee may be accorded
precedence for the purpose of explaining the conclusions arrived at by their
committee.

Statements by the Secretariat

Rule 70 [112]
The Secretary-General, or a member of the Secretariat designated by
him as his representative, may at any time make either oral or written
statements to the General Assembly concerning any question under
consideration by it.

__________________
33
See introduction, para. 34; see also annex III, para. (g) (i), annex IV, para. 67,
and annex VI, para. 7.
34
See annex III, para. (g) (ii), annex IV, paras. 69–71, and annex V, para. 17.
19
Points of order
Rule 7135 [113]
During the discussion of any matter, a representative may rise to a
point of order, and the point of order shall be immediately decided by the
President in accordance with the rules of procedure. A representative may
appeal against the ruling of the President. The appeal shall be immediately
put to the vote, and the President’s ruling shall stand unless overruled by a
majority of the members present and voting. A representative rising to a
point of order may not speak on the substance of the matter under
discussion.

Time limit on speeches

Rule 7236 [114]
The General Assembly may limit the time to be allowed to each
speaker and the number of times each representative may speak on any
question. Before a decision is taken, two representatives may speak in
favour of, and two against, a proposal to set such limits. When the debate
is limited and a representative exceeds his allotted time, the President shall
call him to order without delay.

Closing of list of speakers, right of reply

Rule 7337 [115]
During the course of a debate, the President may announce the list of
speakers and, with the consent of the General Assembly, declare the list
closed. He may, however, accord the right of reply to any member if a
speech delivered after he has declared the list closed makes this desirable.

Adjournment of debate
Rule 7438 [116]
During the discussion of any matter, a representative may move the
adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion. In addition to the
proposer of the motion, two representatives may speak in favour of, and
__________________
35
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex IV, para. 79.
36
See introduction, paras. 11 and 34.
37
See annex IV, paras. 46, 69, 77 and 78, and annex V, paras. 8–11.
38
See introduction, para. 11.
20
two against, the motion, after which the motion shall be immediately put
to the vote. The President may limit the time to be allowed to speakers
under this rule.

Closure of debate
Rule 7538 [117]
A representative may at any time move the closure of the debate on
the item under discussion, whether or not any other representative has
signified his wish to speak. Permission to speak on the closure of the debate
shall be accorded only to two speakers opposing the closure, after which
the motion shall be immediately put to the vote. If the General Assembly
is in favour of the closure, the President shall declare the closure of the
debate. The President may limit the time to be allowed to speakers under
this rule.

Suspension or adjournment of the meeting

Rule 7638 [118]
During the discussion of any matter, a representative may move the
suspension or the adjournment of the meeting. Such motions shall not be
debated but shall be immediately put to the vote. The President may limit
the time to be allowed to the speaker moving the suspension or
adjournment of the meeting.

Order of procedural motions

Rule 77 [119]
Subject to rule 71, the motions indicated below shall have precedence
in the following order over all other proposals or motions before the
meeting:
(a) To suspend the meeting;
(b) To adjourn the meeting;
(c) To adjourn the debate on the item under discussion;
(d) To close the debate on the item under discussion.

21
Proposals and amendments
Rule 7839 [120]
Proposals and amendments shall normally be submitted in writing to
the Secretary-General, who shall circulate copies to the delegations. As a
general rule, no proposal shall be discussed or put to the vote at any
meeting of the General Assembly unless copies of it have been circulated
to all delegations not later than the day preceding the meeting. The
President may, however, permit the discussion and consideration of
amendments, or of motions as to procedure, even though such amendments
and motions have not been circulated or have only been circulated the same
day.

Decisions on competence
Rule 7938 [121]
Subject to rule 77, any motion calling for a decision on the competence
of the General Assembly to adopt a proposal submitted to it shall be put to
the vote before a vote is taken on the proposal in question.

Withdrawal of motions
Rule 80 [122]
A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting
on it has commenced, provided that the motion has not been amended. A
motion thus withdrawn may be reintroduced by any member.

Reconsideration of proposals
Rule 81 [123]
When a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may not be
reconsidered at the same session unless the General Assembly, by a two-
thirds majority of the members present and voting, so decides. Permission
to speak on a motion to reconsider shall be accorded only to two speakers
opposing the motion, after which it shall be immediately put to the vote.

__________________
39
See annex IV, paras. 87 and 88.
22
 VOTING
Voting rights
Rule 8240 [124]
Each member of the General Assembly shall have one vote.

Two-thirds majority
Rule 8340
Decisions of the General Assembly on important questions shall
be made by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting.
These questions shall include: recommendations with respect to the
maintenance of international peace and security, the election of the
non-permanent members of the Security Council, the election of the
members of the Economic and Social Council, the election of members
of the Trusteeship Council in accordance with paragraph 1 c of Article
86 of the Charter, the admission of new Members to the United
Nations, the suspension of the rights and privileges of membership, the
expulsion of Members, questions relating to the operation of the
trusteeship system, and budgetary questions.

Rule 8441
Decisions of the General Assembly on amendments to proposals
relating to important questions, and on parts of such proposals put to the
vote separately, shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the members
present and voting.

Simple majority
Rule 8540 [125]
Decisions of the General Assembly on questions other than those
provided for in rule 83, including the determination of additional
categories of questions to be decided by a two-thirds majority, shall be
made by a majority of the members present and voting.

__________________
40
Rules 82, 83 and 85 reproducing textually the three paragraphs of Article 18 of
the Charter.
41
See introduction, para. 14.
23
Meaning of the phrase “members present and voting”
Rule 86 [126]
For the purposes of these rules, the phrase “members present and
voting” means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members
which abstain from voting are considered as not voting.

Method of voting
Rule 8742 [127]
(a) The General Assembly shall normally vote by show of hands or
by standing, but any representative may request a roll-call. The roll-call
shall be taken in the English alphabetical order of the names of the
members, beginning with the member whose name is drawn by lot by the
President. The name of each member shall be called in any roll-call, and
one of its representatives shall reply “yes”, “no” or “abstention”. The result
of the voting shall be inserted in the record in the English alphabetical
order of the names of the members.
(b) When the General Assembly votes by mechanical means, a
non-recorded vote shall replace a vote by show of hands or by standing and
a recorded vote shall replace a roll-call vote. Any representative may
request a recorded vote. In the case of a recorded vote, the General
Assembly shall, unless a representative requests otherwise, dispense with
the procedure of calling out the names of the members; nevertheless, the
result of the voting shall be inserted in the record in the same manner as
that of a roll-call vote.

Conduct during voting

Rule 8843 [128]
After the President has announced the beginning of voting, no
representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in
connection with the actual conduct of the voting. The President may permit
members to explain their votes, either before or after the voting, except
when the vote is taken by secret ballot. The President may limit the time
to be allowed for such explanations. The President shall not permit the
__________________
42
See introduction, para. 28; see also annex IV, para. 84, and annex VII, para. 2.
43
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex IV, paras. 74–76, and annex V, paras. 6, 7
and 11.
24
proposer of a proposal or of an amendment to explain his vote on his own
proposal or amendment.

Division of proposals and amendments

Rule 8944 [129]
A representative may move that parts of a proposal or of an
amendment should be voted on separately. If objection is made to the
request for division, the motion for division shall be voted upon.
Permission to speak on the motion for division shall be given only to two
speakers in favour and two speakers against. If the motion for division is
carried, those parts of the proposal or of the amendment which are
approved shall then be put to the vote as a whole. If all operative parts of
the proposal or of the amendment have been rejected, the proposal or the
amendment shall be considered to have been rejected as a whole.

Voting on amendments
Rule 9044 [130]
When an amendment is moved to a proposal, the amendment shall be
voted on first. When two or more amendments are moved to a proposal,
the General Assembly shall first vote on the amendment furthest removed
in substance from the original proposal and then on the amendment next
furthest removed therefrom, and so on until all the amendments have been
put to the vote. Where, however, the adoption of one amendment
necessarily implies the rejection of another amendment, the latter
amendment shall not be put to the vote. If one or more amendments are
adopted, the amended proposal shall then be voted upon. A motion is
considered an amendment to a proposal if it merely adds to, deletes from
or revises part of the proposal.

Voting on proposals
Rule 91 [131]
If two or more proposals relate to the same question, the General
Assembly shall, unless it decides otherwise, vote on the proposals in the
order in which they have been submitted. The General Assembly may,
after each vote on a proposal, decide whether to vote on the next proposal.

__________________
44
See introduction, para. 11.
25
Elections
Rule 9245 [103]
All elections shall be held by secret ballot.
Rule 93 [132]
When only one person or Member is to be elected and no candidate
obtains in the first ballot the majority required, a second ballot shall be
taken, which shall be restricted to the two candidates obtaining the largest
number of votes. If in the second ballot the votes are equally divided, and
a majority is required, the President shall decide between the candidates
by drawing lots. If a two-thirds majority is required, the balloting shall be
continued until one candidate secures two thirds of the votes cast; provided
that, after the third inconclusive ballot, votes may be cast for any eligible
person or Member. If three such unrestricted ballots are inconclusive, the
next three ballots shall be restricted to the two candidates who obtained the
greatest number of votes in the third of the unrestricted ballots, and the
following three ballots thereafter shall be unrestricted, and so on until a
person or Member is elected. These provisions shall not prejudice the
application of rules 143, 144, 146 and 148.

Rule 94
When two or more elective places are to be filled at one time under
the same conditions, those candidates obtaining in the first ballot the
majority required shall be elected. If the number of candidates obtaining
such majority is less than the number of persons or Members to be elected,
there shall be additional ballots to fill the remaining places, the voting
being restricted to the candidates obtaining the greatest number of votes in
the previous ballot to a number not more than twice the places remaining
to be filled; provided that, after the third inconclusive ballot, votes may be
cast for any eligible person or Member. If three such unrestricted ballots
are inconclusive, the next three ballots shall be restricted to the candidates
who obtained the greatest number of votes in the third of the unrestricted
ballots, to a number not more than twice the places remaining to be filled,
and the following three ballots thereafter shall be unrestricted, and so on
until all the places have been filled. These provisions shall not prejudice
the application of rules 143, 144, 146 and 148.

__________________
45
See annex V, para. 16. See also introduction, para. 58.
26
Equally divided votes
Rule 95 [133]
If a vote is equally divided on matters other than elections, a second
vote shall be taken at a subsequent meeting which shall be held within
forty-eight hours of the first vote; and it shall be expressly mentioned in
the agenda that a second vote will be taken on the matter in question. If
this vote also results in equality, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected.

XIII. COMMITTEES
ESTABLISHMENT, OFFICERS, ORGANIZATION OF WORK
Establishment of committees
Rule 96
The General Assembly may establish such committees as it deems
necessary for the performance of its functions.

Categories of subjects
Rule 9746
Items relating to the same category of subjects shall be referred to the
committee or committees dealing with that category of subjects.
Committees shall not introduce new items on their own initiative.
Main Committees
Rule 9847
The Main Committees of the General Assembly are the following:
(a) Disarmament and International Security Committee (First
Committee);
(b) Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth
Committee);
(c) Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee);

__________________
46
See annex I, paras. 22 and 23, annex II, paras. 1, 19 and 20, annex IV, paras. 25–28,
annex V, para. 4, annex VI, para. 3, and annex VII, para. 4.
47
See introduction, paras. 21, 34 and 48; see also annex IV, paras. 29–38.
27
 (d) Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (Third
Committee);
(e) Administrative and Budgetary Committee (Fifth Committee);
(f) Legal Committee (Sixth Committee).

Organization of work
Rule 9948
(a) All the Main Committees shall, at least three months before the
opening of the session, elect a Chairman. Elections of the other officers
provided for in rule 103 shall be held at the latest by the end of the first
week of the session;
(b) Each Main Committee, taking into account the closing date for
the session fixed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the
General Committee, shall adopt its own priorities and meet as may be
necessary to complete the consideration of the items referred to it. It shall
at the beginning of the session adopt a programme of work indicating, if
possible, a target date for the conclusion of its work, the approximate dates
of consideration of items and the number of meetings to be allocated to
each item.

Representation of Members
Rule 100
Each Member may be represented by one person on each Main
Committee and on any other committee that may be established upon
which all Members have the right to be represented. It may also assign to
these committees advisers, technical advisers, experts or persons of similar
status.

Rule 101
Upon designation by the chairman of the delegation, advisers,
technical advisers, experts or persons of similar status may act as members
of committees. Persons of this status shall not, however, unless designated
as alternate representatives, be eligible for election as Chairmen,
__________________
48
See introduction, paras. 11, 19, 34 and 51; see also annex V, paras. 21 and 23.
See also, with regard to the election of other officers at least three months before
the opening of the session, resolution 58/126 of 19 December 2003.
28
Vice-Chairmen or Rapporteurs of committees or for seats in the General
Assembly.

Subcommittees
Rule 10249
Each committee may set up subcommittees, which shall elect their
own officers.

Election of officers
Rule 10350 [92]
Each Main Committee shall elect a Chairman, three Vice-Chairmen
and a Rapporteur. In the case of other committees, each shall elect a
Chairman, one or more Vice-Chairmen and a Rapporteur. These officers
shall be elected on the basis of equitable geographical distribution,
experience and personal competence. The elections shall be held by secret
ballot unless the committee decides otherwise in an election where only
one candidate is standing. The nomination of each candidate shall be
limited to one speaker, after which the committee shall immediately
proceed to the election.

The Chairman of a Main Committee shall not vote

Rule 104 [37]
The Chairman of a Main Committee shall not vote, but another
member of his delegation may vote in his place.

__________________
49
See annex I, para. 14, annex II, para. 29, annex III, para. (e), and annex IV,
para. 66.
50
See introduction, paras. 34 and 49; see also annex IV, paras. 40 and 54–57, and
annex V, paras. 18–20, as well as the information contained in footnote 14.
In its resolution 72/313 of 17 September 2018, the General Assembly decided to
establish the pattern for the rotation of the Chairs of the Main Committees for the
seventy-fourth to the eighty-third session, as contained in the annex to the
resolution.
See also General Assembly resolution 68/307 of 10 September 2014, which
provides that the Rapporteur of a Main Committee should be elected from the
regional group that held the chairmanship of the Committee at the previous session
(annex, para. 4).
29
Absence of officers
Rule 10551 [32–34]
If the Chairman finds it necessary to be absent during a meeting or any
part thereof, he shall designate one of the Vice-Chairmen to take his place.
A Vice-Chairman acting as Chairman shall have the same powers and
duties as the Chairman. If any officer of the committee is unable to perform
his functions, a new officer shall be elected for the unexpired term.

Functions of the Chairman

Rule 10652 [35]
The Chairman shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting
of the committee, direct its discussions, ensure observance of these rules,
accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions. He shall
rule on points of order and, subject to these rules, shall have complete
control of the proceedings at any meeting and over the maintenance of
order thereat. The Chairman may, in the course of the discussion of an
item, propose to the committee the limitation of the time to be allowed to
speakers, the limitation of the number of times each representative may
speak, the closure of the list of speakers or the closure of the debate. He
may also propose the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting or the
adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion.
Rule 10752 [36]
The Chairman, in the exercise of his functions, remains under the
authority of the committee.

CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
Quorum
Rule 10853 [67]
The Chairman may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to
proceed when at least one quarter of the members of the committee are

__________________
51
See introduction, para. 34.
52
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex I, para. 39, annex III, para. (g), annex IV,
paras. 39 and 67, annex V, paras. 3 and 22, and annex VI, paras. 6 and 7.
53
See introduction, paras. 11 and 34.
30
present. The presence of a majority of the members shall be required for
any decision to be taken.

Speeches
Rule 10954 [68]
No representative may address the committee without having
previously obtained the permission of the Chairman. The Chairman shall
call upon speakers in the order in which they signify their desire to speak.
The Chairman may call a speaker to order if his remarks are not relevant
to the subject under discussion.

Congratulations
Rule 11055
Congratulations to the officers of a Main Committee shall not be
expressed except by the Chairman of the previous session – or, in his
absence, by a member of his delegation – after all the officers of the
Committee have been elected.

Precedence
Rule 111 [69]
The Chairman and the Rapporteur of a committee or subcommittee
may be accorded precedence for the purpose of explaining the conclusions
arrived at by their committee or subcommittee.

Statements by the Secretariat

Rule 112 [70]
The Secretary-General, or a member of the Secretariat designated by
him as his representative, may at any time make either oral or written
statements to any committee or subcommittee concerning any question
under consideration by it.

__________________
54
See annex III, para. (g), (ii), annex IV, paras. 69–71, and annex VI, para. 6.
55
See introduction, para. 34.
31
Points of order
Rule 11356 [71]
During the discussion of any matter, a representative may rise to a
point of order, and the point of order shall be immediately decided by the
Chairman in accordance with the rules of procedure. A representative may
appeal against the ruling of the Chairman. The appeal shall be immediately
put to the vote, and the Chairman’s ruling shall stand unless overruled by
a majority of the members present and voting. A representative rising to a
point of order may not speak on the substance of the matter under
discussion.

Time limit on speeches

Rule 11457 [72]
The committee may limit the time to be allowed to each speaker and
the number of times each representative may speak on any question. Before
a decision is taken, two representatives may speak in favour of, and two
against, a proposal to set such limits. When the debate is limited and a
representative exceeds his allotted time, the Chairman shall call him to
order without delay.

Closing of list of speakers, right of reply

Rule 11558 [73]
During the course of a debate, the Chairman may announce the list of
speakers and, with the consent of the committee, declare the list closed. He
may, however, accord the right of reply to any member if a speech
delivered after he has declared the list closed makes this desirable.

__________________
56
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex IV, para. 79.
57
See introduction, paras. 11 and 34.
58
See annex IV, paras. 69, 77 and 78, annex V, paras. 8–10, and annex VI, para. 6.
32
Adjournment of debate
Rule 11659 [74]
During the discussion of any matter, a representative may move the
adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion. In addition to the
proposer of the motion, two representatives may speak in favour of, and
two against, the motion, after which the motion shall be immediately put
to the vote. The Chairman may limit the time to be allowed to speakers
under this rule.

Closure of debate
Rule 11759 [75]
A representative may at any time move the closure of the debate on
the item under discussion, whether or not any other representative has
signified his wish to speak. Permission to speak on the closure of the debate
shall be accorded only to two speakers opposing the closure, after which
the motion shall be immediately put to the vote. If the committee is in
favour of the closure, the Chairman shall declare the closure of the debate.
The Chairman may limit the time to be allowed to speakers under this rule.

Suspension or adjournment of the meeting

Rule 11859 [76]
During the discussion of any matter, a representative may move the
suspension or the adjournment of the meeting. Such motions shall not be
debated but shall be immediately put to the vote. The Chairman may limit
the time to be allowed to the speaker moving the suspension or
adjournment of the meeting.

Order of procedural motions

Rule 119 [77]
Subject to rule 113, the motions indicated below shall have precedence
in the following order over all other proposals or motions before the
meeting:
(a) To suspend the meeting;

__________________
59
See introduction, para. 11.
33
 (b) To adjourn the meeting;
(c) To adjourn the debate on the item under discussion;
(d) To close the debate on the item under discussion.

Proposals and amendments

Rule 12060 [78]
Proposals and amendments shall normally be submitted in writing to
the Secretary-General, who shall circulate copies to the delegations. As a
general rule, no proposal shall be discussed or put to the vote at any
meeting of the committee unless copies of it have been circulated to all
delegations not later than the day preceding the meeting. The Chairman
may, however, permit the discussion and consideration of amendments, or
of motions as to procedure, even though such amendments and motions
have not been circulated or have only been circulated the same day.

Decisions on competence
Rule 12161 [79]
Subject to rule 119, any motion calling for a decision on the
competence of the committee to adopt a proposal submitted to it shall be
put to the vote before a vote is taken on the proposal in question.

Withdrawal of motions
Rule 122 [80]
A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting
on it has commenced, provided that the motion has not been amended. A
motion thus withdrawn may be reintroduced by any member.

Reconsideration of proposals
Rule 123 [81]
When a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may not be
reconsidered at the same session unless the committee, by a two-thirds
majority of the members present and voting, so decides. Permission to

__________________
60
See annex IV, paras. 87 and 88.
61
See annex IV, para. 96.
34
speak on a motion to reconsider shall be accorded only to two speakers
opposing the motion, after which it shall be immediately put to the vote.

VOTING
Voting rights
Rule 124 [82]
Each member of the committee shall have one vote.

Majority required
Rule 125 [85]
Decisions of committees shall be made by a majority of the members
present and voting.

Meaning of the phrase “members present and voting”

Rule 126 [86]
For the purposes of these rules, the phrase “members present and
voting” means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members
which abstain from voting are considered as not voting.

Method of voting
Rule 12762 [87]
(a) The committee shall normally vote by show of hands or by
standing, but any representative may request a roll-call. The roll-call shall
be taken in the English alphabetical order of the names of the members,
beginning with the member whose name is drawn by lot by the Chairman.
The name of each member shall be called in any roll-call, and its
representative shall reply “yes”, “no” or “abstention”. The result of the
voting shall be inserted in the record in the English alphabetical order of
the names of the members.
(b) When the committee votes by mechanical means, a non-recorded
vote shall replace a vote by show of hands or by standing and a recorded
vote shall replace a roll-call vote. Any representative may request a
recorded vote. In the case of a recorded vote, the committee shall, unless a

__________________
62
See introduction, para. 28; see also annex IV, para. 84, and annex VII, para. 2.
35
representative requests otherwise, dispense with the procedure of calling
out the names of the members; nevertheless, the result of the voting shall
be inserted in the record in the same manner as that of a roll-call vote.

Conduct during voting

Rule 12863 [88]
After the Chairman has announced the beginning of voting, no
representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in
connection with the actual conduct of the voting. The Chairman may
permit members to explain their votes, either before or after the voting,
except when the vote is taken by secret ballot. The Chairman may limit the
time to be allowed for such explanations. The Chairman shall not permit
the proposer of a proposal or of an amendment to explain his vote on his
own proposal or amendment.

Division of proposals and amendments

Rule 12964 [89]
A representative may move that parts of a proposal or of an
amendment should be voted on separately. If objection is made to the
request for division, the motion for division shall be voted upon.
Permission to speak on the motion for division shall be given only to two
speakers in favour and two speakers against. If the motion for division is
carried, those parts of the proposal or of the amendment which are
approved shall then be put to the vote as a whole. If all operative parts of
the proposal or of the amendment have been rejected, the proposal or the
amendment shall be considered to have been rejected as a whole.

Voting on amendments
Rule 13064 [90]
When an amendment is moved to a proposal, the amendment shall be
voted on first. When two or more amendments are moved to a proposal,
the committee shall first vote on the amendment furthest removed in
substance from the original proposal and then on the amendment next
furthest removed therefrom, and so on until all the amendments have been
__________________
63
See introduction, para. 11; see also annex IV, paras. 74–76, and annex V, paras. 6
and 7.
64
See introduction, para. 11.
36
put to the vote. Where, however, the adoption of one amendment
necessarily implies the rejection of another amendment, the latter
amendment shall not be put to the vote. If one or more amendments are
adopted, the amended proposal shall then be voted upon. A motion is
considered an amendment to a proposal if it merely adds to, deletes from
or revises part of the proposal.

Voting on proposals
Rule 131 [91]
If two or more proposals relate to the same question, the committee
shall, unless it decides otherwise, vote on the proposals in the order in
which they have been submitted. The committee may, after each vote on a
proposal, decide whether to vote on the next proposal.

Elections
Rule 132 [93]
When only one person or Member is to be elected and no candidate
obtains in the first ballot the majority required, a second ballot shall be
taken, which shall be restricted to the two candidates obtaining the largest
number of votes. If in the second ballot the votes are equally divided, and
a majority is required, the Chairman shall decide between the candidates
by drawing lots.

Equally divided votes

Rule 133 [95]
If a vote is equally divided on matters other than elections, the
proposal shall be regarded as rejected.

XIV. ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS

TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Applications
Rule 13465
Any State which desires to become a Member of the United Nations
shall submit an application to the Secretary-General. Such application shall
__________________
65
See introduction, para. 8.
37
contain a declaration, made in a formal instrument, that the State in
question accepts the obligations contained in the Charter.

Notification of applications
Rule 13565
The Secretary-General shall, for information, send a copy of the
application to the General Assembly, or to the Members of the United
Nations if the Assembly is not in session.

Consideration of applications and decision thereon

Rule 136
If the Security Council recommends the applicant State for
membership, the General Assembly shall consider whether the applicant is
a peace-loving State and is able and willing to carry out the obligations
contained in the Charter and shall decide, by a two-thirds majority of the
members present and voting, upon its application for membership.

Rule 13765
If the Security Council does not recommend the applicant State for
membership or postpones the consideration of the application, the General
Assembly may, after full consideration of the special report of the Security
Council, send the application back to the Council, together with a full
record of the discussion in the Assembly, for further consideration and
recommendation or report.

Notification of decision and effective date of membership

Rule 13865
The Secretary-General shall inform the applicant State of the decision
of the General Assembly. If the application is approved, membership shall
become effective on the date on which the General Assembly takes its
decision on the application.

38
 XV. ELECTIONS TO PRINCIPAL ORGANS
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Terms of office
Rule 139
Except as provided in rule 147, the term of office of members of
Councils shall begin on 1 January following their election by the General
Assembly and shall end on 31 December following the election of their
successors.
By-elections
Rule 140
Should a member cease to belong to a Council before its term of office
expires, a by-election shall be held separately at the next session of the
General Assembly to elect a member for the unexpired term.

SECRETARY-GENERAL
Appointment of the Secretary-General
Rule 141
When the Security Council has submitted its recommendation on the
appointment of the Secretary-General, the General Assembly shall consider
the recommendation and vote upon it by secret ballot in private meeting.

SECURITY COUNCIL
Annual elections
Rule 14266
The General Assembly shall each year, in the course of its regular
session, elect five non-permanent members of the Security Council for a
term of two years.67
__________________
66
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 23, para. 2, as amended
under General Assembly resolution 1991 A (XVIII) of 17 December 1963).
See introduction, para. 27.
67
Under paragraph 3 of resolution 1991 A (XVIII), the General Assembly decided
that “the ten non-permanent members of the Security Council shall be elected
according to the following pattern:

39
Qualifications for membership
Rule 14368
In the election of non-permanent members of the Security Council,
due regard shall, in accordance with Article 23, paragraph 1, of the Charter,
be specially paid, in the first instance, to the contribution of Members of
the United Nations to the maintenance of international peace and security
and to the other purposes of the Organization, and also to equitable
geographical distribution.67

Re-eligibility
Rule 14469
A retiring member of the Security Council shall not be eligible for
immediate re-election.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Annual elections
Rule 14570
The General Assembly shall each year, in the course of its regular
session, elect eighteen members of the Economic and Social Council for a
term of three years.71

__________________
“(a) Five from African and Asian States;
“(b) One from Eastern European States;
“(c) Two from Latin American States;
“(d) Two from Western European and other States.”
68
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 23, para. 1).
69
Rule reproducing textually a provision of the Charter (Article 23, para. 2, last
sentence).
70
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 61, para. 2, as amended
under General Assembly resolution 2847 (XXVI)). See introduction, paras. 27
and 36.
71
Under paragraph 4 of resolution 2847 (XXVI), the General Assembly decided
that “the members of the Economic and Social Council shall be elected according
to the following pattern:
“(a) Fourteen members from African States;
“(b) Eleven members from Asian States;
“(c) Ten members from Latin American States;

40
Re-eligibility
Rule 14672
A retiring member of the Economic and Social Council shall be
eligible for immediate re-election.

TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL
Occasions for elections
Rule 147
When a Trusteeship Agreement has been approved and a Member of
the United Nations has become an Administering Authority of a Trust
Territory in accordance with Article 83 or Article 85 of the Charter, the
General Assembly shall hold such election or elections to the Trusteeship
Council as may be necessary, in accordance with Article 86. A Member or
Members elected at any such election at a regular session shall take office
immediately upon their election and shall complete their terms in
accordance with the provisions of rule 139 as if they had begun their terms
of office on 1 January following their election.

Terms of office and re-eligibility

Rule 14873
A non-administering member of the Trusteeship Council shall be
elected for a term of three years and shall be eligible for immediate
re-election.

Vacancies
Rule 149
At each session, the General Assembly shall, in accordance with
Article 86 of the Charter, elect members to fill any vacancies.

__________________
“(d) Thirteen members from Western European and other States;
“(e) Six members from socialist States of Eastern Europe.”
72
Rule reproducing textually a provision of the Charter (Article 61, para. 2, last
sentence).
73
Rule based directly on a provision of the Charter (Article 86, para. l c).
41
 INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Method of election
Rule 150
The election of the members of the International Court of Justice shall
take place in accordance with the Statute of the Court.

Rule 151
Any meeting of the General Assembly held in pursuance of the Statute
of the International Court of Justice for the purpose of electing members
of the Court shall continue until as many candidates as are required for all
the seats to be filled have obtained in one or more ballots an absolute
majority of votes.

XVI. ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY QUESTIONS

GENERAL PROVISIONS
Regulations for financial administration
Rule 152
The General Assembly shall establish regulations for the financial
administration of the United Nations.74

Financial implications of resolutions

Rule 15375
No resolution involving expenditure shall be recommended by a
committee for approval by the General Assembly unless it is accompanied
by an estimate of expenditures prepared by the Secretary-General. No
resolution in respect of which expenditures are anticipated by the
Secretary-General shall be voted by the General Assembly until the
Administrative and Budgetary Committee (Fifth Committee) has had an
opportunity of stating the effect of the proposal upon the budget estimates
of the United Nations.

__________________
74
For the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, see resolution
67/246 and ST/SGB/2013/4 and ST/SGB/2013/4/Amend.1.
75
See annex IV, paras. 97 and 98, and annex V, paras. 12 and 13.
42
 Rule 15475
The Secretary-General shall keep all committees informed of the
detailed estimated cost of all resolutions which have been recommended
by the committees for approval by the General Assembly.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE

AND BUDGETARY QUESTIONS

Appointment
Rule 15576
The General Assembly shall appoint an Advisory Committee on
Administrative and Budgetary Questions consisting of twenty-one
members, including at least three financial experts of recognized standing.

Composition
Rule 15677
The members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and
Budgetary Questions, no two of whom shall be nationals of the same State
shall be selected on the basis of broad geographical representation,
personal qualifications and experience and shall serve for a period of three
years corresponding to three calendar years. Members shall retire by
rotation and shall be eligible for reappointment. The three financial experts
shall not retire simultaneously. The General Assembly shall appoint the
members of the Advisory Committee at the regular session immediately
preceding the expiration of the term of office of the members or, in case of
vacancies, at the next session.

Functions
Rule 15778
The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions
shall be responsible for expert examination of the programme budget of
the United Nations and shall assist the Administrative and Budgetary
Committee (Fifth Committee). At the beginning of each regular session at
__________________
76
See introduction, paras. 23, 35, 40 and 60.
77
See introduction, paras. 23 and 40. See also, with regard to the distribution of
seats among regional groups, introduction, para. 60.
78
See introduction, para. 40.
43
which the proposed programme budget for the following biennium is to be
considered, it shall submit to the General Assembly a detailed report on
the proposed programme budget for that biennium. It shall also submit, at
such times as may be specified in the applicable provisions of the Financial
Regulations and Rules of the United Nations,79 a report on the accounts of
the United Nations and all United Nations entities for which the Secretary-
General has administrative responsibility. It shall examine on behalf of the
General Assembly the administrative budgets of specialized agencies and
proposals for financial and budgetary arrangements with such agencies. It
shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to it under the Financial
Regulations of the United Nations.

COMMITTEE ON CONTRIBUTIONS
Appointment
Rule 15880
The General Assembly shall appoint an expert Committee on
Contributions consisting of eighteen members.

Composition
Rule 15981
The members of the Committee on Contributions, no two of whom shall
be nationals of the same State, shall be selected on the basis of broad
geographical representation, personal qualifications and experience and shall
serve for a period of three years corresponding to three calendar years.
Members shall retire by rotation and shall be eligible for reappointment. The
General Assembly shall appoint the members of the Committee on
Contributions at the regular session immediately preceding the expiration of
the term of office of the members or, in case of vacancies, at the next session.

Functions
Rule 160
The Committee on Contributions shall advise the General Assembly
concerning the apportionment, under Article 17, paragraph 2, of the
Charter, of the expenses of the Organization among Members, broadly
__________________
79
Resolution 67/246 and ST/SGB/2013/4 and ST/SGB/2013/4/Amend.1.
80
See introduction, paras. 30, 37 and 39.
81
See introduction, para. 41.
44
according to capacity to pay. The scale of assessments, when once fixed
by the General Assembly, shall not be subject to a general revision for at
least three years unless it is clear that there have been substantial changes
in relative capacity to pay. The Committee shall also advise the General
Assembly on the assessments to be fixed for new Members, on appeals by
Members for a change of assessments and on the action to be taken with
regard to the application of Article 19 of the Charter.

XVII. SUBSIDIARY ORGANS OF THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Establishment and rules of procedure
Rule 16182
The General Assembly may establish such subsidiary organs as it
deems necessary for the performance of its functions.83 The rules
relating to the procedure of committees of the General Assembly, as well
as rules 45 and 60, shall apply to the procedure of any subsidiary organ
unless the Assembly or the subsidiary organ decides otherwise.

XVIII. INTERPRETATION AND AMENDMENTS

Italicized headings
Rule 162
The italicized headings of these rules, which were inserted for
reference purposes only, shall be disregarded in the interpretation of the
rules.

Method of amendment
Rule 16384
These rules of procedure may be amended by a decision of the General
Assembly, taken by a majority of the members present and voting, after a
committee has reported on the proposed amendment.

__________________
82
See annex VI, para. 11 and annex VII, para. 7.
83
Sentence reproducing textually a provision of the Charter (Article 22).
84
See annex II, para. 1 (c).
45
 ANNEX Ia
Recommendations and suggestions of the Special Committee
on Methods and Procedures of the General Assembly
approved by the Assemblyb
CONSIDERATION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF INTERNATIONAL
CONVENTIONS NEGOTIATED BY CONFERENCES OF GOVERNMENT
REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL MEMBER S TATES

13. The Special Committee found that in the past some of the Main Committees
of the General Assembly had devoted a particularly large number of meetings to
the detailed consideration, article by article, of texts of international conventions.
This was even the case where the text of a convention had been drawn up by an
international conference on which all Member States had been represented. It
was pointed out in this connection that experience had shown that a Main
Committee, by the very fact of its size, was not particularly fitted to draft
conventions, and that when it was entrusted with the detailed study of
conventions, it often did not have time to deal satisfactorily with the other
questions for which it was responsible.
The Special Committee recognizes the importance of the sponsorship of
conventions by the General Assembly. It believes that the authority of the
General Assembly and the powerful influence its debates have on public opinion
should, in many cases, be used for the benefit of international cooperation. It
therefore favours the retention by the General Assembly of the necessary
freedom of action.

__________________
a
By resolution 362 (IV) of 22 October 1949, the General Assembly approved
various recommendations and suggestions of the Special Committee on Methods
and Procedures of the General Assembly which had been established under
resolution 271 (III) of 29 April 1949. The Assembly considered these
recommendations and suggestions “worthy of consideration by the General
Assembly and its committees” and requested the Secretary-General “to prepare a
document embodying the above-mentioned recommendations and suggestions in
convenient form for use by the General Committee and the delegations of
Member States in the General Assembly”. In pursuance of this request, the
recommendations and suggestions of the Special Committee, as set forth in
annex II to resolution 362 (IV), have been reproduced in the present annex.
b
The paragraph numbers refer to paragraphs of the report of the Special
Committee. The full text of the report may be found in the Official Records of the
General Assembly, Fourth Session, Supplement No. 12 (A/937). Subtitles and
footnotes have been inserted by the Secretariat for convenience of reference.
47
 The Special Committee therefore confines itself to recommending that
when conventions have been negotiated by international conferences in which
all the Members of the United Nations have been invited to take part, and on
which they have been represented, not only by experts acting in a personal
capacity but by representatives of Governments, and when these conventions are
subsequently submitted to the General Assembly for consideration, the
Assembly should not undertake a further detailed examination, but should limit
itself to discussing them in a broad manner and to giving its general views on the
instruments submitted to it. After such a debate, the General Assembly could, if
desirable, adopt the conclusions reached by the conferences and recommend to
Members the acceptance or ratification of such conventions.
This procedure might be applied in particular to conventions submitted to
the General Assembly as a result of conferences of all Member States convened
by the Economic and Social Council under Article 62, paragraph 4, of the
Charter.

CONSIDERATION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF INTERNATIONAL

CONVENTIONS PREPARED BY EXPERTS OR BY CONFERENCES IN WHICH NOT ALL
MEMBER STATES TAKE PART – DRAFTING OF LEGAL TEXTS
14. Furthermore, when it is proposed that the General Assembly should
consider conventions prepared by groups of experts not acting as governmental
representatives, or by conferences in which not all Members of the United
Nations have been invited to take part, it would be advisable for the General
Committee and the General Assembly to determine whether one of the Main
Committees, especially the Legal Committee, would have enough time during
the session to examine these conventions in detail, or whether it would be
possible to set up an ad hoc committee to undertake this study during the session.
If this is not possible, the Special Committee recommends that the General
Assembly should decide, after or without a general debate on the fundamental
principles of the proposed convention, that an ad hoc committee should be
established to meet between sessions. Alternatively, the General Assembly
might decide to convene a conference of plenipotentiaries, between two of its
own sessions, to study, negotiate, draft, and possibly sign, the convention. The
conference of plenipotentiaries might be empowered by the General Assembly
to transmit the instruments directly to Governments for acceptance or
ratification. In this case too, the General Assembly might, at a subsequent
session, express its general opinion on the convention resulting from the
conference, and might recommend to Members its acceptance or ratification.
With regard to the drafting of legal texts, the Special Committee strongly
recommends that small drafting committees should be resorted to whenever
possible.

48
 MEETINGS OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE AND OF THE
MAIN COMMITTEES
20. In order that more frequent meetings of the General Committee should not
delay the work of plenary and committee meetings, the Special Committee
wishes to mention that it would be desirable for the General Committee to be
enabled to meet, whenever necessary, at the same time as the plenary or the Main
Committees. (In such cases, one of the Vice-Presidents could take the chair at
plenary meetings and the Vice-Chairman could replace the Chairman at Main
Committee meetings.)
The Special Committee also considers that, in order to save time at the
beginning of the session, some of the Main Committees should not wait until the
end of the general debate before starting their work.

ALLOCATION OF AGENDA ITEMS TO THE M AIN COMMITTEES

22. In the past, some of the Main Committees have been allocated more items
requiring prolonged consideration than have others. This has especially been the
case for the First Committee. The Special Committee noted, however, that,
during the third session of the General Assembly, exception had been made to
the principle laid down in rule 89, c that “items relating to the same category of
subjects shall be referred to the committee or committees dealing with that
category of subjects”.
The Special Committee feels that the allocation of items to committees
might be effected in a less rigid manner and that questions which may be
considered as falling within the competence of two or more committees should
preferably be referred to the committee with the lightest agenda.

CONSIDERATION OF AGENDA ITEMS IN PLENARY MEETINGS

WITHOUT PRIOR REFERENCE TO A M AIN COMMITTEE

23. Another means of lightening the task of any given Main Committee would
be to consider directly in plenary meeting, without preliminary reference to
committee, certain questions which fall within the terms of reference of the Main
Committee. This procedure would, moreover, have the great advantage of
reducing to a notable extent repetition of debate.
It is felt that the amount of time saved by this method would be
considerable, especially if the Main Committee and plenary meetings could be
held concurrently.

__________________
c
Rule 97 of the present rules of procedure.
49
 If the Main Committee could not meet at the same time as the plenary
meeting, the fact that the Committee was not meeting would enable another Main
Committee to meet in its place.
The consideration of questions in plenary meetings would have the benefit
of the attendance of leaders of delegations and of greater solemnity and publicity.
The slightly higher cost to the United Nations of plenary meetings, due in
particular to the distribution of verbatim records of the meetings, would
undoubtedly be compensated by the shorter duration of the session.
The General Committee would be responsible for suggesting to the General
Assembly which items on the agenda might be dealt with in this manner. The
Special Committee recommends that this method should be introduced on an
experimental basis at future sessions.
The Special Committee is of the opinion that this procedure would be
especially appropriate for certain questions the essential aspects of which are
already familiar to Members, such as items which have been considered by the
General Assembly at previous sessions and which do not require either the
presence of representatives of non-member States or the hearing of testimony.

THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, OF

THE CHAIRMEN OF COMMITTEES AND OF THE SECRETARIAT

39. At this point the Special Committee desires to stress once more the
importance of the role of the President of the General Assembly and of the
Chairmen of committees. The satisfactory progress of the proceedings depends
essentially on their competence, authority, tact and impartiality, their respect for
the rights both of minorities as well as majorities, and their familiarity with the
rules of procedure. The General Assembly, or the committee, as the case may
be, is the master of the conduct of its own proceedings. It is, however, the special
task of the Chairmen to guide the proceedings of these bodies in the best interests
of all the Members.
The Special Committee considers that everything possible should be done
to help Chairmen in the discharge of these important functions. The President of
the General Assembly and the General Committee should assist the Chairmen of
committees with their advice. The Secretary-General should place his experience
and all his authority at their disposal.
The Special Committee is happy to note the Secretariat’s valuable practice
of holding daily meetings of the committee secretaries, under the chairmanship
of the Executive Assistant to the Secretary-General, where the procedural
questions arising from day to day in the General Assembly and committees are
thoroughly examined. Furthermore, the Special Committee stresses the value of
having, as in the past, a legal adviser from the Secretariat in attendance at
meetings to give the Chairmen or the committees such advice as they need for
the conduct of their business and the interpretation of the rules of procedure.

50
 ANNEX IIa
Methods and procedures of the General Assembly for dealing
with legal and drafting questions b
Part 1
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The General Assembly,
...
1. Recommends:
(a) That, whenever any Committee contemplates making a
recommendation to the General Assembly to request an advisory opinion from
the International Court of Justice, the matter may, at some appropriate stage of
its consideration by that Committee, be referred to the Sixth Committee for
advice on the legal aspects and on the drafting of the request, or the Committee
concerned may propose that the matter should be considered by a joint
Committee of itself and the Sixth Committee;
(b) That, whenever any Committee contemplates making a
recommendation to the General Assembly to refer a matter to the International
Law Commission, the Committee may, at some appropriate stage of its
consideration, consult the Sixth Committee as to the advisability of such a
reference and on its drafting;
(c) That, whenever any Committee contemplates making a
recommendation for the adoption by the General Assembly of any amendment
to the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, the matter shall, at some
appropriate stage of its consideration by that Committee, be referred to the
__________________
a
By resolution 684 (VII) of 6 November 1952, the General Assembly, having
examined the report of the Special Committee for the Consideration of the
Methods and Procedures of the General Assembly for Dealing with Legal and
Drafting Questions, established under resolution 597 (VI) of 20 December 1951,
adopted certain recommendations on this subject and directed that the terms of
these recommendations “shall be embodied as an annex to the rules of procedure
of the General Assembly”. The resolution further provided that “the said annex
shall also set out, verbatim, paragraphs 19, 20, 29, 30, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39 of the
report of the Special Committee” (A/2174). The text of the aforementioned
recommendations of the General Assembly is accordingly reproduced in part 1,
and that of the specified paragraphs of the report of the Special Committee in
part 2, of the present annex.
b
The paragraph numbers refer to paragraphs of the report of the Special
Committee. Subtitles as well as words in square brackets and footnotes have been
inserted by the Secretariat for convenience of reference.
51
Sixth Committee for advice on the drafting of such amendment and of any
consequential amendment;
(d) That, when a Committee considers the legal aspects of a question
important, the Committee should refer it for legal advice to the Sixth Committee
or propose that the question should be considered by a joint Committee of itself
and the Sixth Committee.

Part 2
EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE FOR THE
CONSIDERATION OF THE METHODS AND PROCEDURES OF THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY FOR DEALING WITH LEGAL AND DRAFTING QUESTIONS
Allocation of agenda items to the Main Committees
19. As to the first of those problems [namely, the allocation of agenda items to
the Main Committees by the General Assembly at the outset of each session],
the Special Committee recalled that rule 97 of the rules of procedure of the
General Assembly provided that “Items relating to the same category of subjects
shall be referred to the committee or committees dealing with that category of
subjects ...” It also noted that a recommendation of the Special Committee on
Methods and Procedures, approved by the General Assembly in resolution
362 (IV) of 22 October 1949 and annexed to the rules of procedure, provided
that “... questions which may be considered as falling within the competence of
two or more committees should preferably be referred to the committee with the
lightest agenda”.
20. In view of those provisions, the present Special Committee did not find it
necessary to make any formal recommendation on the allocation of agenda items
at the opening of each session. It was confident that the General Committee, in
making recommendations to the General Assembly on the distribution of agenda
items, would continue to bear in mind the Sixth Committee’s function, laid down
in rule 99c of the rules of procedure, as the Legal Committee.

Drafting of complex legal instruments

29. During the course of the discussion [on the question of the drafting of
complex legal instruments such as international agreements, statutes of tribunals,
etc.] it was pointed out that the Special Committee on Methods an d Procedures,
in paragraphs 13 and 14 of its report, approved by General Assembly resolution
362 (IV) of 22 October 1949 and annexed to the rules of procedure, d made certain
recommendations concerning the drafting of conventions, and concluded: “With

__________________
c
Rule 98 of the present rules of procedure.
d
See annex I.
52
regard to the drafting of legal texts, the Special Committee strongly recommends
that small drafting committees should be resorted to whenever possible.”
30. The Special Committee was in complete agreement with those
recommendations and, in view of their previous approval by the General
Assembly, did not find it necessary to adopt a new provision on the subject.
However, the Special Committee considered it desirable that that point should
be reaffirmed in its report. On that understanding, the United Kingdom withdrew
its draft proposal. e

Drafting of General Assembly resolutions

35. In addition to the above proposals, f the United Kingdom submitted a draft
(A/AC.60/L.22) which provided for periodic meetings of the rapporteurs of
Committees with the competent officials of the Secretariat to establish, insofar
as practicable, common methods of drafting and to ensure that in general the
drafting of resolutions was satisfactory from the point of view of style, form and
the use of technical terms.
36. It was pointed out that there might be certain practical difficulties in
arranging for periodic meetings of rapporteurs. The Special Committee decided
__________________
e
This proposal (A/AC.604/L.18) provided:
“That, in principle, the drafting of all clauses, texts or instruments
of the following kinds should be either carried out, or, at some appropriate
stage, reviewed, by a body of experts legally qualified to do so:
“(a) Any regulation for adoption by the General Assembly;
“(b) The terms of reference, functions and powers of subsidiary
organs or tribunals hereafter set up by the General Assembly;
“(c) Any convention, declaration, agreement or other similar
international instrument drawn up under the auspices of the General
Assembly, and the drafting of which is to be effected by the Assembly
itself, including agreements or instruments to which the United Nations as
an Organization is to be a party.”
f
Proposal by El Salvador (A/AC.60/L.20) which was withdrawn in favour of a
revised text (A/AC.60/L.20/Rev.1) incorporating amendments by the United
Kingdom (A/AC.60/L.21), Belgium and Egypt. This revised text, which was
worded as follows, was included in the recommendations of the Special
Committee to the General Assembly:
“(e) That, normally, the Chairman of a Committee shall, at the
appropriate time, call upon the Vice-Chairman and the Rapporteur to join
him for the purpose of proceeding, in consultation with the competent
officials of the Secretariat, to examine the draft resolutions from the point
of view of style, form and the use of technical terms, and, when
appropriate, to suggest to the Committee such changes as they deem
necessary.”
53
to make no formal recommendation on the subject, nevertheless, the Committee
believes that it is desirable that informal consultation should take place from time
to time between the various rapporteurs and officials of the Secretariat for the
purpose described in the United Kingdom proposal.
Reports of the Secretary-General under General Assembly
resolution 362 (IV)
37. The United Kingdom submitted a draft proposal (A/AC.60/L.23) suggesting
that the Secretary-General should be requested to furnish to the General
Assembly an annual report on the matters dealt with by the Special Committee,
indicating to what extent the Assembly or its Committees had succeeded during
the year in realizing the objectives aimed at and suggesting any appropriate
adjustments or improvements in the methods and procedures involved.
38. During the discussion, the representative of the Secretary-General recalled
that the General Assembly, in paragraph 6 of resolution 362 (IV) of 22 October
1949, had requested the Secretary-General “to carry out appropriate studies and
to submit, at such times as he may consider appropriate, suitable proposals for
the improvement of the methods and procedures of the General Assembly and
its committees ...”. It was pointed out that the Secretary-General was much
concerned with improving the procedures and methods of the Assembly and that
there was no need for a new resolution requesting reports on that subject.
39. The Special Committee agreed that the points covered by the United
Kingdom draft could be included when advisable in reports of the Secretary-
General under resolution 362 (IV); such reports should be submitted at the
appropriate times, and at reasonably frequent intervals. Consequently, the United
Kingdom draft was withdrawn, and the Committee made no formal
recommendation on the subject.

54
 ANNEX III
Resolution 1898 (XVIII) adopted on the recommendation
of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Improvement of the
Methods of Work of the General Assembly a

The General Assembly,

Recalling with appreciation the initiative taken by the President of the
sixteenth session of the General Assembly in his memorandum of 26 April 1962
on the methods of work of the Assembly, b
Recalling its decision of 30 October 1962 establishing the Ad Hoc
Committee on the Improvement of the Methods of Work of the General
Assembly and its resolution 1845 (XVII) of 19 December 1962, by which it
decided to continue the Committee,
Having considered the report submitted by the Ad Hoc Committee in
pursuance of the above-mentioned resolution, c
Conscious of the need to adapt its methods of work to the changed
circumstances in the General Assembly, in particular those resulting from the
recent increase in the number of Member States,
Concerned however to avoid reducing in any way the possibilities for action
available to the General Assembly under the Charter of the United Nations and
the rules of procedure of the Assembly,
Convinced that it is in the interests of the Organization and of Member
States that the work of the General Assembly should be carried out as efficiently
and expeditiously as possible and that, save in quite exceptional cases, the
duration of regular sessions should not exceed thirteen weeks,
Takes note of the observations contained in the report of the Ad Hoc
Committee on the Improvement of the Methods of Work of the General
Assembly and approves the recommendations submitted by the Committee, in
particular those which provide that:
(a) The President of the General Assembly should make every effort to
ensure that the general debate proceeds in a methodical and regular manner, and
should close the list of speakers, with the consent of the Assembly, as soon as he
considers it feasible;

__________________
a
Adopted by the General Assembly at its 1256th plenary meeting, on
11 November 1963.
b
A/5123.
c
A/5423.
55
 (b) All the Main Committees, except the First Committee, should begin
their work not later than two working days after they have received the list of
agenda items referred to them by the General Assembly;
(c) The First Committee should meet as soon as possible to organize its
work, determine the order of discussion of the items allocated to it and start the
systematic consideration of its agenda; at the beginning of the session, such
meetings might be held when there is an interruption in the general debate; later,
plenary meetings might be held during one part of the day, the other part being
reserved for the First Committee, thus enabling the Committee to proceed with its
regular work as soon as possible after the opening of the session;
(d) Each of the Main Committees should establish its programme of work
as soon as possible, including the approximate dates on which it will consider
the various items referred to it and the date on which it proposes to conclude its
work, on the understanding that this programme will be transmitted to the
General Committee to enable it to make such recommendations as it may deem
relevant, including, when the General Committee considers it appropriate,
recommendations as to the dates by which Main Committees should conclude
their work;
(e) Each of the Main Committees should consider the establishment, in the
circumstances referred to in paragraphs 29 to 32 of the report of the Ad Hoc
Committee,d of subcommittees or working groups of limited size but
representative of its membership, for the purpose of facilitating its work;

__________________
d
These paragraphs read as follows:
“29. The increase in the number of Members of the United
Nations has created a situation in which it frequently happens that more
than 100 delegations are present and most of them participate in the
debates in the Main Committees. Although the presence of such a large
number of delegations involves no practical difficulties when statements
of the positions of Governments are being made, it makes it more difficult
to discuss concrete points, to have a rapid exchange of views on subjects
where ideas differ or to draft and modify texts. The Committee is of the
opinion that in many cases the examination of agenda items by the
committees would be greatly facilitated if, as soon as possible and
especially when the main points of view have been expressed, the
committee decided, on the initiative of its Chairman or of one or more of
its members, to set up a subcommittee or working group, in conformity
with rule 104 [now 102] of the rules of procedure (98 [now 96] in the case
of the plenary Assembly). This procedure might be particularly helpful
when there is general agreement on the question under discussion but
disagreement on points of detail.

56
 (f) The General Committee should fulfil its functions under rules 40, 41
and 42 of the rules of procedure and, in particular, make appropriate
recommendations for furthering the progress of the Assembly and its
Committees, in such a way as to facilitate the closing of the session by the date
__________________
“30. The Ad Hoc Committee would recall in this connection that
in the course of the first sessions of the General Assembly frequent use
was made of subcommittees and working groups and that they were of
great assistance to the General Assembly in the preparation of texts which
to this day govern the structures of the United Nations in the formulation
of important international instruments and in the solution of difficult
political problems (one example is the sub-committee which dealt with the
future status of the former Italian colonies). As far back as 1947, the report
of the Committee on Procedures and Organization expressed itself on this
subject as follows:
“‘The Main Committees should consider carefully at an early stage
in their work how their programmes might be expedited by the
establishment of sub-committees. It is, of course, impossible to adopt
fixed rules on this matter. If the debate in full committee showed that there
was general agreement on the question under discussion but disagreement
on points of detail, it would clearly be desirable to set up a small drafting
committee to prepare a resolution for submission to the Main Committee.
Technical questions on which there is no substantial disagreement should
be referred to sub-committees as quickly as possible. In some cases the
work of sub-committees would be facilitated by working informally, and
on occasion, in private.’ (A/388, para. 21.)
“31. The subcommittees or working groups could, in most cases,
consist of representatives of the delegations with the closest interest in the
agenda item, representatives who are especially competent to deal with the
problem under discussion and others chosen in such a way as to ensure
that the sub-committee or working group will be broadly representative,
geographically and politically.
“32. These bodies could meet either in public or in private,
according to the circumstances, and could either follow formal procedures
or discuss matters informally. Their function would be to make it possible
for those primarily interested in an item to exchange views, thus
facilitating subsequent agreement and compromise solutions; they could
prepare draft resolutions or at least formulate alternative solutions: they
could appoint rapporteurs to present their conclusions and to give the
necessary explanations to the committee which established them. The
committee itself would be entirely free to take final decisions but, since all
aspects of the problem would have been given minute examination, it
would undoubtedly find its own work greatly facilitated both with regard
to substance and to the time thus saved. It would also often be possible for
the committee to consider other items on its agenda while the
sub-committee or working group was carrying out its assignment.”
57
fixed; to this end, the General Committee should meet at least once every three
weeks;
(g) Presiding officers should make use of the resources provided by the
rules of procedure and exercise their prerogatives under rules 35 and 108, e in
order to accelerate the work of the General Assembly; to that effect they should,
inter alia:
(i) Open meetings at the scheduled time;
(ii) Urge representatives to take the floor in the order in which they were
inscribed on the list of speakers, it being understood that representatives
prevented from so doing will normally be placed at the end of the list, unless
they have arranged to change places with other representatives;
(iii) Apply the rules of procedure in such a way as to ensure the proper
exercise of the right of reply, explanation of votes and points of order.

__________________
e
Rule 106 of the present rules of procedure.
58
 ANNEX IVa
Conclusions of the Special Committee on the Rationalization of the
Procedures and Organization of the General Assembly

CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
I. MANDATE OF THE S PECIAL COMMITTEE .................................... 1–2 62
II. GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF SESSIONS
A. Opening date......................................................................... 3 62
B. Duration of sessions ............................................................. 4–5 62
C. Residuary sessions................................................................ 6 62
III. GENERAL COMMITTEE
A. Composition of the General Committee .............................. 7–10 63
1. Increase in membership .............................................. 7–8 63
2. Absence of members of the General Committee
elected in their personal capacity............................... 9–10 63
B. Functions of the General Committee ................................... 11–14 63
1. Importance of the role of the General Committee ...... 11 63
2. Adoption of the agenda and allocation of items ......... 12 63
3. Organization of the work of the General Assembly .... 13–14 64
C. Ways of facilitating the work of the General Committee ..... 15–16 64
1. Preparatory meetings .................................................. 15 64
2. Subsidiary organs ........................................................ 16 64
IV. AGENDA
A. Presentation and preliminary consideration of the
provisional agenda................................................................ 17–18 65
B. Reduction in the number of agenda items .......................... 19–24 65
1. Non-inclusion of certain items ................................... 19 65
2. Staggering of items over two or more years and
grouping of related items ............................................ 20–21 65

__________________
a
By resolution 2837 (XXVI) of 17 December 1971, the General Assembly approved
the conclusions of the Special Committee on the Rationalization of the Procedures
and Organization of the General Assembly established under resolution 2632
(XXV) of 9 November 1970, declared those conclusions to be useful and worthy of
consideration by the Assembly, its committees and other relevant organs and
decided that they should be annexed to the rules of procedure; the conclusions of the
Special Committee are reproduced in the present annex. By the same resolution, the
General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Special Committee, decided to
amend rules 39, 60 (now rule 58), 69 (now rule 67), 74 (now rule 72), 101
(now rule 98), 105 (now rule 103), 107 (now rule 105), 110 (now rule 108) and 115
(now rule 114) of its rules of procedure and to adopt a new rule 112 (now rule 110)
(see introduction, para. 34). For the report of the Special Committee, see Official
Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 26
(A/8426).
59
 CONTENTS (continued)
Paragraphs Page
3. Referral to other organs ............................................... 22–23 66
4. Non-receivability of certain additional items ............. 24 66
C. Allocation of agenda items ................................................... 25–28 66
1. Division of work among the Main Committees ......... 25–27 66
2. Non-referral of certain items to two or
more Committees ........................................................ 28 66
V. ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK OF THE MAIN COMMITTEES
A. Functions of the individual Committees .............................. 29–38 67
1. First Committee ........................................................... 32–33 67
2. Special Political Committee ....................................... 34–35 67
3. Second Committee....................................................... 36 68
4. Third Committee .......................................................... 37 68
5. Conflicts of competence among Committees ............. 38 68
B. Role of the presiding officers ............................................... 39–41 68
C. Number of Vice-Chairmen ................................................... 42 68
D. Reports of the Committees ................................................... 43 69
VI. MAXIMUM UTILIZATION OF AVAILABLE TIME
A. Plenary Assembly ................................................................. 44–53 69
1. General debate ............................................................. 44–49 69
(a) Frequency............................................................ 44 69
(b) Organization of meetings ................................... 45–46 69
(i) Length of the general debate ...................... 45 69
(ii) Closure of the list of speakers ..................... 46 69
(c) Length of statements ........................................... 47–48 69
(d) Submission of written statements ....................... 49 70
2. Debate on items already considered in Committee ..... 50 70
3. Non-utilization of the rostrum ..................................... 51 70
4. Presentation of the reports of the Main Committees 52–53 70
B. Main Committees.................................................................. 54–66 71
1. Nomination of officers................................................. 54–57 71
2. Commencement of work .............................................. 58–59 71
3. Progress of work .......................................................... 60 71
4. General debate in Committee ..................................... 61–64 72
5. Concurrent consideration of several agenda items ...... 65 72
6. Establishment of subcommittees or working groups .... 66 72
C. Measures applicable both to the plenary Assembly and to
the Main Committees............................................................. 67–86 73
1. Opening of meetings at the scheduled time................. 67–68 73
2. List of speakers ............................................................ 69–71 73
3. Limiting the length of speeches or number of speakers ..... 72–73 73
4. Explanations of vote .................................................... 74–76 74
5. Right of reply ............................................................... 77–78 74
6. Points of order.............................................................. 79 74
7. Congratulations ............................................................ 80–81 76
8. Condolences ................................................................. 82–83 76
9. Roll-call votes .............................................................. 84 76
10. Electronic devices ........................................................ 85–86 77

60
 CONTENTS (continued)
Paragraphs Page
VII. RESOLUTIONS
A. Submission of draft resolutions ............................................ 87–94 77
1. Date of submission of draft resolutions ...................... 87–88 77
2. Submission of draft resolutions in writing .................. 89 77
3. Consultations ............................................................... 90–91 77
4. Number of sponsors .................................................... 92–93 78
5. Time-lapse between the submission and the
consideration of draft resolutions ................................ 94 78
B. Content of resolutions........................................................... 95–96 78
C. Financial implications .......................................................... 97–100 78
1. Financial controls ........................................................ 97–98 78
2. Work of the Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions ........................................... 99 79
3. Resolutions setting up new organs .............................. 100 79
D. Voting procedure .................................................................. 101–104 79
1. Required majority ........................................................ 101–102 79
2. Measures to accelerate procedures .............................. 103 79
3. Consensus .................................................................... 104 79
E. Reduction in the number of resolutions ............................... 105 80
VIII. DOCUMENTATION
A. Reduction in the volume of documentation ......................... 106 80
B. Preparation and distribution of documents .......................... 107 80
C. Records of meetings and sound recordings.......................... 108 81
IX. SUBSIDIARY ORGANS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
A. Reduction of the number of organs ...................................... 109–110 81
B. Composition of organs ......................................................... 111–114 81
C. Calendar of meetings ............................................................ 115 82
X. OTHER QUESTIONS
A. Credentials of delegations .................................................... 116 82
B. Role of the Secretary-General .............................................. 117 82
C. Secretariat ............................................................................. 118 82
D. Guidance regarding General Assembly procedure and
assistance to presiding officers ............................................. 119–125 82
1. Preparation of a manual on procedure ........................ 119 82
2. Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs ....... 120 83
3. Preparation of a repertory of practice on the rules of
procedure of the General Assembly ............................ 12l 83
4. Reminders of previous recommendations ................... 122–123 83
5. Assistance in procedural matters................................. 124–125 83
E. Studies of the rules of procedure .......................................... 126–128 84
F. Special training programme ................................................. 129 84
G. Regional groups .................................................................... 130 84

61
 I. MANDATE OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
1. The members of the Special Committee agreed that the existing rules of
procedure were generally satisfactory and that most improvements would be
achieved not through changes in the rules of procedure but through better
application of the existing rules, due account being taken of the conclusions of
the Special Committee and of the various committees responsible for reviewing
the procedures and organization of the General Assembly [para. 12 of the report
of the Special Committee b].
2. The Special Committee considered, moreover, that it would be desirable to
review from time to time the procedures and organization of the General
Assembly [para. 13].

II. GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF SESSIONS

A. OPENING DATE
3. The Special Committee is of the opinion that it would not be desirable to
change the date fixed for the opening of sessions [para. 18].

B. DURATION OF SESSIONS
4. The Special Committee, noting that, despite the appreciable increase in the
number of Member States, it has been possible to maintain an average duration
of thirteen weeks for regular sessions, is of the view that this period should not
be changed and that, in any case, the session should end before Christmas
[para. 22].
5. The Special Committee did not endorse the suggestion that the session
should be divided into two parts. The Committee likewise did not endorse the
suggestion that the session should theoretically last a whole year and should
merely be adjourned after a two-month main session [para. 23].

C. RESIDUARY SESSIONS
6. The Special Committee did not endorse the suggestion that a brief meeting
of the General Assembly, to be called a “residuary session”, might be held at
head-of-mission level about the end of April for the discussion of certain
administrative and routine questions [para. 24].

__________________
b
Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-sixth Session, Supplement
No. 26 (A/8426).
62
 III. GENERAL COMMITTEE
A. COMPOSITION OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
1. Increase in membership
7. The Special Committee decided not to take any action on the question of
either maintaining or increasing the present membership of the General
Committee [para. 31].
8. Furthermore, the Special Committee did not retain the suggestion that the
Chairman of the Credentials Committee should be authorized to participate in
the work of the General Committee [para. 32].

2. Absence of members of the General Committee elected

in their personal capacity
9. The Special Committee considers that the problems which arise when the
Chairman or Vice-Chairman of a Main Committee cannot attend a meeting of
the General Committee would be settled for the most part if the General
Assembly decided to increase the number of Vice-Chairmen of the Main
Committees [para. 36].
10. The Special Committee also considers that, if the General Assembly took
such a decision, the Chairman of a Main Committee, in designating a Vice-
Chairman as his substitute, should take into account the representative character
of the General Committee [para. 37].

B. FUNCTIONS OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE

1. Importance of the role of the General Committee
11. The Special Committee considers that the General Committee, in view of
the functions conferred on it by the rules of procedure, should play a major role
in advancing the rational organization and general conduct of the proceedings of
the General Assembly. The Committee is of the opinion that the General
Committee should discharge completely and effectively the functions assigned
to it under rules 40, 41 and 42 of the rules of procedure, the purpose of which is
to assist the Assembly in the general conduct of its work [para. 41].

2. Adoption of the agenda and allocation of items

12. The Special Committee recommends that, within the framework of the
functions conferred on it by the rules of procedure, and subject to the limitation
prescribed in rule 40 as regards the discussion of the substance of an item, the
General Committee should examine the provisional agenda, together with the
supplementary list and requests for the inclusion of additional items, more
attentively and carry out more fully and consistently its functions of

63
recommending with regard to each item its inclusion in the agenda, the rejection
of the request for inclusion or its inclusion in the provisional agenda of a future
session, as well as of allocating items to the Main Committees, regard being had
to rules 99 and 101c of the rules of procedure, with a view to ensuring that all
items inscribed on the agenda can be taken up by the end of the session
[para. 45].

3. Organization of the work of the General Assembly

13. The Special Committee recalls the recommendation, in subparagraph (f) of
General Assembly resolution 1898 (XVIII),d that the General Committee should
meet at least once every three weeks. The Special Committee notes that the
recommendation has not been complied with and expresses the hope that the
General Committee will be able to hold more frequent meetings, in conformity
with rule 42 of the rules of procedure, without thereby interfering with the
normal meeting schedule of the plenary and the Main Committees [para. 49].
14. The Special Committee also considers that, in the discharge of the functions
conferred by rules 41 and 42 of the rules of procedure and subject to the
limitation prescribed in rule 41 regarding the decision of any political question,
the General Committee should review the progress of the General Assembly and
the Main Committees and should, as required, assist and make recommendations
to the President and the Assembly for the coordination of the proceedings of the
Main Committees and for expediting the general conduct of business [para. 50].

C. WAYS OF FACILITATING THE WORK OF THE

GENERAL COMMITTEE
1. Preparatory meetings
15. The Special Committee does not consider that it is in a position to make any
recommendation with regard to the holding of preparatory meetings of the
General Committee [para. 54].

2. Subsidiary organs
16. The Special Committee does not consider that it is in a position to make any
recommendation with regard to the establishment of subsidiary organs of the
General Committee [para. 58].

__________________
c
Rules 97 and 98 of the present rules of procedure.
d
See annex III.
64
 IV. AGENDA
A. PRESENTATION AND PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATION OF
THE PROVISIONAL AGENDA

17. The Special Committee, aware of the need to assist delegations, to the
greatest extent possible, to prepare for the work of the General Assembly,
recommends to the Assembly that the Secretary-General should be requested:
(a) To communicate to Member States, not later than 15 February, the
unofficial list of items proposed for inclusion in the provisional agenda of the
Assembly;
(b) To communicate to Member States, not later than 15 June, an
annotated list of items which would indicate briefly the history of each item, the
available documentation, the substance of the matter to be discussed and earlier
decisions by United Nations organs;
(c) To communicate to Member States before the opening of the session
an addendum to the annotated list [para. 64].
l8. Furthermore, the Special Committee recommends that Member States
requesting the inclusion of an item should, if they deem it advisable, make a
suggestion concerning its referral to a Main Committee or to the plenary
Assembly [para. 65].

B. REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF AGENDA ITEMS

1. Non-inclusion of certain items
19. The Special Committee, considering that the General Assembly should take
into account the relative importance of agenda items in the light of the purposes
and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, recommends to the Assembly
that, in the context of rules 22 and 40 of the rules of procedure, Member States
should take special interest in the contents of the Assembly’s agenda and, in
particular, in deciding on the appropriate solution of questions or on the
elimination of items which have lost their urgency or relevance, are not ripe for
consideration or could be dealt with and even disposed of equally well by
subsidiary organs of the General Assembly [para. 70].

2. Staggering of items over two or more years and grouping of

related items
20. The Special Committee considers that the staggering of items over two or
more years constitutes one means of rationalizing the procedures of the General
Assembly [para. 74].

65
21. Moreover, the Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly
that, as far as possible and appropriate, related items should be grouped under
the same title [para. 75].

3. Referral to other organs

22. The Special Committee recommends that the General Assembly should,
where relevant, refer specific items to other United Nations organs or to
specialized agencies, taking into account the nature of the question [para. 79].
23. The Special Committee also recommends that the General Assembly should
give due weight to the debates that have taken place in other organs [para. 80].

4. Non-receivability of certain additional items

24. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that
additional items, which are proposed for inclusion in the agenda less than thirty
days before the opening of a session, should be included only if the conditions
prescribed by rule 15 of the rules of procedure are fully satisfied [para. 84].

C. ALLOCATION OF AGENDA ITEMS

1. Division of work among the Main Committees
25. The Special Committee wishes to draw attention to the importance of a
rational distribution of agenda items among the Main Committees. In this
connection, the Committee, recognizing that the structure of the Main
Committees gives them specialization and experience, recommends that the
allocation of agenda items should be based not only on the workload of the
Committees but also on the nature of the item, regard being had to rules 99 and
101c of the rules of procedure [para. 89].
26. The Special Committee also considers that it would be helpful if
suggestions concerning the allocation of items were made much earlier so that
Member States might have more time to study them [para. 90].
27. Lastly, the Special Committee recommends that the General Committee and
the General Assembly should consider, in some cases, the possibility of referring
more items directly to the plenary [para. 91].

2. Non-referral of certain items to two or more Committees

28. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that agenda
items should be so allocated as to ensure, as far as possible, that the same
questions or the same aspects of a question are not considered by more than one
Committee [para. 95].

66
 V. ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK OF THE MAIN COMMITTEES
A. FUNCTIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL COMMITTEES
29. There was general agreement among the members of the Special Committee
that a flexible approach should be adopted towards the whole question of the
division of work among the Main Committees and that the Committee should
not make any recommendation concerning the referral of specific items, in order
not to go beyond its field of competence [para. 97].
30. The Special Committee, considering that the potential of the seven Main
Committees should be utilized to the full, recommends that the General
Assembly should ensure a more balanced division of work among the
Committees, giving due account to the nature of items. The Committee does not,
however, feel that it should specify which items might be transferred from one
Committee to another [para. 98].
31. The Special Committee, recognizing that the workload of a number of
Committees is extremely heavy, is of the opinion that the General Assembly
should advise those Committees so to organize their work as to enable them to
consider their agenda in the most effective way [para. 99].

1. First Committee
32. The Special Committee, recognizing that the role of the First Committee is
essentially political, recommends that this Committee devote itself primarily to
problems of peace, security and disarmament [para. 103].
33. The Special Committee, not wishing to make any specific recommendation
concerning the allocation of agenda items, did not feel that it should take any
decision on the proposal that the reports of the International Atomic Energy
Agency and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic
Radiation should be submitted to the First Committee [para. 104].

2. Special Political Committee

34. The Special Committee, reaffirming the major role which must be played
by the Special Political Committee and recognizing further that the agenda of
that Committee is relatively light, recommends that the General Assembly
should consider transferring to the Special Political Committee one or two items
usually considered by other Committees with a view to ensuring a better division
of work among the Main Committees [para. 108].
35. The Special Committee did not endorse the suggestions concerning the
renaming of the Special Political Committee [para. 109].

67
 3. Second Committee
36. The Special Committee did not feel that it should take any decision on the
proposals that all the social aspects of development should be dealt with by the
Second Committee. Accordingly, it did not endorse the suggestion to change the
name of that Committee [para. 113].

4. Third Committee
37. The Special Committee did not feel it should take a decision on the proposal
that some of the items on the agenda of the Third Committee should be
transferred to other Main Committees [para. 117].

5. Conflicts of competence among Committees

38. The Special Committee considers that conflicts of competence among the
Main Committees should be avoided whenever possible. Without prejudging the
decision to be taken in each individual case, the Committee wishes to draw
attention to the existence of this problem and to the advisability for the General
Committee and the General Assembly to consider the most effective ways of
remedying it [para. 119].

B. ROLE OF THE PRESIDING OFFICERS

39. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that the
Chairmen of the Main Committees should fully exercise the functions assigned
to them in the rules of procedure and, in particular, make use of the prerogatives
given them in rule 108e [para. 123].
40. The Special Committee also reaffirms that the Chairmen of the Main
Committees should be elected on the basis of equitable geographical distribution
as well as on that of experience and competence, as provided for in rule 105 f of
the rules of procedure [para. 124].
41. The Special Committee did not endorse the suggestion that candidates
should have had at least one year’s experience in one of the Main Committees
or the suggestion that Chairmen should be elected at the end of the previous
session [para. 125]

C. NUMBER OF VICE-CHAIRMEN
42. From its own experience, the Special Committee recommends to the
General Assembly that its subsidiary organs should consider, as far as possible,
the designation of three Vice-Chairmen in order to ensure the representative
character of their officers [para. 131].

__________________
e
Rule 106 of the present rules of procedure.
f
Rule 103 of the present rules of procedure.
68
 D. REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEES
43. The Special Committee, recalling General Assembly resolution 2292
(XXII), recommends to the Assembly that the reports of the Main Committees
should be as concise as possible and, save in exceptional cases, should not
contain a summary of the debates [para. 133]. g

VI. MAXIMUM UTILIZATION OF AVAILABLE TIME

A. PLENARY ASSEMBLY
1. General debate
(a) Frequency
44. The Special Committee, recognizing the unquestionable value of the
general debate, considers that it should continue to be held every year and that
the time devoted to it should be utilized to the maximum. It wishes to stress also
the importance of participation by Heads of State or Government, Ministers for
Foreign Affairs and other high officials as a means of enhancing the significance
of the general debate [para. 137].

(b) Organization of meetings

(i) Length of the general debate
45. The Special Committee feels that the general debate would be more
meaningful, as far as organization was concerned, if it took place intensively and
without interruption. Its length should not normally exceed two and a half weeks
if the time available were utilized to the maximum [para. 142].

(ii) Closure of the list of speakers

46. Considering that the organization of the general debate would be improved
if delegations were required to decide more quickly when to speak, the Special
Committee recommends to the General Assembly that the list of speakers
wishing to take part in the general debate should be closed at the end of the third
day after the opening of the debate [para. 144].

(c) Length of statements

47. The Special Committee, noting that during the session commemorating the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the United Nations it had been possible to hear a large
number of speakers during a relatively short period without limiting the duration
of statements, considers that this result was due to a better utilization of the time
__________________
g
For the recommendations concerning the reports of subsidiary organs, see
para. 107 below.
69
available and not to the imposition of a limitation on the length of speeches
[para. 147].
48. The Committee notes that during recent sessions of the General Assembly
the average length of speeches has been thirty-five minutes and expresses the
hope that delegations will ensure that their statements will not be excessively
long [para. 148].

(d) Submission of written statements

49. The Special Committee considers that the submission of written statements
should not be formally instituted with regard to the general debate [para. 152].

2. Debate on items already considered in Committee

50. The Special Committee is of the opinion that rule 68 h of the rules of
procedure has been applied judiciously and with satisfactory results [para. 155].

3. Non-utilization of the rostrum

51. The Special Committee thinks that it would be useful to draw the attention
of representatives to the possibility of speaking without going to the rostrum. It
considers, however, that in all cases it is for representatives to decide whether
they prefer to speak from their seats or from the rostrum, whether on a point of
order, for an explanation of vote or in exercise of their right of reply [para. 157].

4. Presentation of the reports of the Main Committees

52. The Special Committee wishes to recall the recommendation made in 1947
by the Committee on Procedures and Organization of the General Assembly that
Rapporteurs should not read out their reports in plenary meetings. i It wishes to
stress that the presentation of reports in plenary meetings should be limited to
brief introductory statements [para. 158].
53. The Special Committee recommends also that the General Assembly should
confirm the practice whereby certain related reports of a non-controversial nature
may be introduced simultaneously to the plenary Assembly by the Rapporteur
[para. 159].

__________________
h
Rule 66 of the present rules of procedure.
i
A/388, para. 26.
70
 B. MAIN COMMITTEES
1. Nomination of officers
54. The members of the Special Committee agreed that the nomination of
candidates involved a significant loss of time. They also recognized that the
terms of rule 105 of the rules of procedure, which provided that elections should
be held by secret ballot, no longer corresponded to the present practice, since in
most cases, as a result of prior consultations, there was only one candidate for
each post and voting by secret ballot was therefore superfluous [para. 161].j
55. The Special Committee, bearing in mind particularly the financial
implications of such a procedure, did not retain the suggestion that nominations
should be made in writing [para. 162].
56. Furthermore, in view of the dictates of courtesy and the possibility that cases
might arise in which nominees would not be known until the last moment, the
Special Committee did not deem it advisable to dispense completely with the
oral nomination of candidates [para. 163].
57. The Special Committee considers that the nomination of candidates should
be limited to one statement for each candidate, after which the Committee would
proceed to the election immediately. The Special Committee considers, however,
that the general principle that elections are held by secret ballot should be
retained [para. 164].

2. Commencement of work
58. The Special Committee recommends that all the Main Committees, with the
possible exception of the First Committee, should begin their work on the
working day following the receipt of the list of items referred to them by the
General Assembly [para. 170].
59. The Special Committee also recommends that the First Committee should
be ready to meet whenever no plenary meeting of the Assembly is being held
[para. 171].

3. Progress of work
60. The Special Committee recommends that the Main Committees should
from time to time review the progress of their work [para. 176].

__________________
j
Rule 105 (now rule 103) was subsequently amended (see introduction,
para. 34 (f)).
71
 4. General debate in Committee
61. The Special Committee, while recognizing the unquestionable usefulness
and importance of the general debate, considers that Chairmen should encourage
the Main Committees:
(a) To recognize the advisability of shortening the general debate,
whenever that is possible without detriment to the work of the Committees;
(b) To extend, whenever appropriate, the practice of holding a single
debate on related and logically linked agenda items [para. 180].
62. The Special Committee recognizes that a general debate on questions
previously considered by a United Nations organ and covered by a report of the
organ concerned should be retained. The Committee, however, draws the
attention of the Chairmen of the Main Committees to the possibility of consulting
their Committees in every case when a general debate on a certain item does not
seem to be needed. The Chairmen may resort to this practice to ascertain in
particular whether the Committees desire to hold a general debate on every
question referred to them by other organs [para. 181].
63. At the same time, the Special Committee wishes to reaffirm that the general
debate serves a necessary and very useful purpose in the work of the Main
Committees and that its organization should in no circumstances be changed
without the consent of the Committees concerned, which therefore should decide
on the applicability of the above-mentioned suggestions [para. 182].
64. The Special Committee did not deem it appropriate to make a
recommendation concerning the suggestion that delegations sharing the same
point of view could use a spokesman who would express those views in a single
statement. Nor did the Committee retain the suggestion that the consideration of
certain items already debated in previous sessions might be introduced by
specially appointed rapporteurs who would summarize the main issues emerging
from previous debates [para. 183].

5. Concurrent consideration of several agenda items

65. The Special Committee considers that in certain cases, when a Main
Committee cannot proceed with its discussion of one item, it should be prepared
to begin considering the next item on its agenda [para. 187].

6. Establishment of subcommittees or working groups

66. The Special Committee wishes to remind the General Assembly of the
desirability of the Main Committees’ making use of subcommittees or working
groups [para. 188].

72
 C. M EASURES APPLICABLE BOTH TO THE PLENARY ASSEMBLY AND
TO THE MAIN COMMITTEES

1. Opening of meetings at the scheduled time

67. The members of the Special Committee agreed that the General Assembly
would operate much more efficiently if the presiding officers made a special
effort to open meetings at the scheduled time [para. 190].
68. The Special Committee did not endorse the suggestion to have meetings
begin at 9.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. in view of the practical difficulties that such a
measure would entail [para. 192].

2. List of speakers
69. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that the
President of the Assembly or the Chairman of a Main Committee should, soon
after the beginning of the debate on an item, indicate a date for the closing of the
list of speakers. He should endeavour to have the list of speakers closed at the
latest after one third of the meetings allocated to the item have been held
[para. 202].
70. Moreover, the Special Committee considers that speakers should, as far as
possible, avoid putting down their names to speak on a given item and at the
same time indicating an alternative meeting if they are unable to keep to their
original schedule [para. 203].
71. Finally, the Special Committee wishes to reaffirm the practice whereby
presiding officers should invite representatives to speak in the order of their
inscription on the list of speakers, on the understanding that those prevented from
doing so should normally be moved to the end of the list, unless they have
arranged to change places with other representatives [para. 204].

3. Limiting the length of speeches or number of speakers

72. The Committee wishes to stress that the amendment on this subject k is of a
purely technical nature, its only purpose being to limit the number of
representatives who could speak on a proposal submitted under rules 74 and 115 l
of the rules of procedure [para. 210].
73. With regard to the general question of setting a time limit on interventions,
the Special Committee, while recognizing that, insofar as possible, statements
should be kept brief so as to allow all delegations to present the views of their

__________________
k
See introduction, para. 34 (d).
l
Rules 72 and 114 of the present rules of procedure.
73
Governments, considers that no rigid rule on the question could be applied
[para. 211].

4. Explanations of vote
74. The Special Committee considers that, in explaining their votes, delegations
should limit their statements to an explanation, as brief as possible, of their own
votes and should not use the occasion to reopen the debate [para. 216].
75. The Special Committee also considers that presiding officers should be
encouraged to use, whenever they deem it appropriate, their powers under
rules 90 and 129 m of the rules of procedure [para. 217].
76. Finally, the Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that
a delegation should explain its vote only once on the same proposal, in either a
Main Committee or a plenary meeting, unless the delegation considers it
essential to explain it in both meetings. It recommends further that the sponsor
of a draft resolution adopted by a Main Committee should refrain from
explaining its vote during the consideration of that draft resolution in the plenary
unless it deems it essential to do so [para. 218].

5. Right of reply
77. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that
delegations should use restraint in the exercise of their right of reply, both in
plenary meetings and in the Main Committees, and that their statements in
exercise of that right should be as brief as possible [para. 223].
78. The Special Committee recommends, furthermore, that statements made in
the exercise of the right of reply should be delivered, as a general rule, at the end
of meetings [para. 224].

6. Points of order
79. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption
of the following text as a description of the concept of a point of order
[para. 229]:
“(a) A point of order is basically an intervention directed to the
presiding officer, requesting him to make use of some power inherent in his
office or specifically given him under the rules of procedure. It may, for
example, relate to the manner in which the debate is conducted, to the
maintenance of order, to the observance of the rules of procedure or to the
way in which presiding officers exercise the powers conferred upon them
by the rules. Under a point of order, a representative may request the
__________________
m
Rules 88 and 128 of the present rules of procedure.
74
 presiding officer to apply a certain rule of procedure or he may question the
way in which the officer applies the rule. Thus, within the scope of the rules
of procedure, representatives are enabled to direct the attention of the
presiding officer to violations or misapplications of the rules by other
representatives or by the presiding officer himself. A point of order has
precedence over any other matter, including procedural motions (rules 73
[114]n and 79 [120]o).
“(b) Points of order raised under rule 73 [114]n involve questions
necessitating a ruling by the presiding officer, subject to possible appeal.
They are therefore distinct from the procedural motions provided for in
rules 76 [117]p to 79 [120]o which can be decided only by a vote and on
which more than one motion may be entertained at the same time, rule 79
[120]o laying down the precedence of such motions. They are also distinct
from requests for information or clarification, or from remarks relating to
material arrangements (seating, interpretation system, temperature of the
room), documents, translations, etc., which – while they may have to be
dealt with by the presiding officer – do not require rulings from him.
However, in established United Nations practice, a representative intending
to submit a procedural motion or to seek information or clarification often
rises to ‘a point of order’ as a means of obtaining the floor. The latter usage,
which is based on practical grounds, should not be confused with the raising
of points of order under rule 73 [114].n
“(c) Under rule 73 [114], n a point of order must be immediately
decided by the presiding officer in accordance with the rules of procedure;
any appeal arising therefrom must also be put immediately to the vote. It
follows that as a general rule:
“(i) A point of order and any appeal arising from a ruling thereon is
not debatable;
“(ii) No point of order on the same or a different subject can be
permitted until the initial point of order and any appeal arising
therefrom have been disposed of.
“Nevertheless, both the presiding officer and delegations may request
information or clarification regarding a point of order. In addition, the
presiding officer may, if he considers it necessary, request an expression of
views from delegations on a point of order before giving his ruling; in the
exceptional cases in which this practice is resorted to, the presiding officer

__________________
n
Rule 71 [113] of the present rules of procedure.
o
Rule 77 [119] of the present rules of procedure.
p
Rule 74 [116] of the present rules of procedure.
75
 should terminate the exchange of views and give his ruling as soon as he is
ready to announce that ruling.
“(d) Rule 73 [114]n provides that a representative rising to a point of
order may not speak on the substance of the matter under discussion.
Consequently, the purely procedural nature of points of order calls for
brevity. The presiding officer is responsible for ensuring that statements
made on a point of order are in conformity with the present description.”

7. Congratulations
80. The Special Committee is of the opinion that it would be better to retain the
current practice of the plenary Assembly whereby congratulations to the
President are confined to brief remarks included in the speeches made during the
general debate [para. 235].
81. With regard to subsidiary organs of the General Assembly, the Special
Committee recommends that, in the case of a newly established organ or of the
rotation of officers on an existing one, congratulations to the Chairman should
be expressed only by the temporary Chairman and congratulations to other
officers should be expressed only by the Chairman [para. 237].q

8. Condolences
82. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that
condolences addressed to a delegation on the death of a prominent person or in
the event of a disaster should be expressed solely by the President of the General
Assembly, by the Chairman of a Main Committee or by the Chairman of a
subsidiary organ on behalf of all members. Where circumstances warrant it, the
President of the General Assembly might call a special plenary meeting for that
purpose [para. 242].
83. The Special Committee moreover takes note of the practice whereby the
President of the General Assembly, on behalf of all members, dispatches a cable
to the country concerned [para. 243].

9. Roll-call votes
84. The Special Committee, while believing that there is no need to change the
rules of procedure relating to roll-call votes, recommends that delegations should
endeavour not to request such a vote except when there are good and sound
reasons for doing so [para. 247].

__________________
q
For congratulations in the Main Committees, see rule 110, adopted on the
recommendation of the Special Committee.
76
 10. Electronic devices
85. The Special Committee did not believe that it should express any views on
the possible use of an electronic voting system by all Committees, since the
question of the installation of mechanical means of voting was included in the
draft agenda of the twenty-sixth session of the General Assembly [para. 249].
86. The Special Committee did not retain the suggestion that a mechanical or
electronic timing device might be installed in the General Assembly Hall and the
Main Committee rooms [para. 250].

VII. RESOLUTIONS
A. SUBMISSION OF DRAFT RESOLUTIONS
1. Date of submission of draft resolutions
87. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that draft
resolutions should be submitted as early as possible so as to give debates a more
concrete character. It considers, however, that no rigid rule should be established
in the matter, since it is for delegations to determine, in each case, the most
appropriate moment for submitting draft resolutions [para. 254].
88. So as to ensure that debates take shape as quickly as possible without
making it mandatory for delegations to submit a formal draft resolution, the
Special Committee also considers that delegations might resort more often to the
possibility of circulating draft resolutions as informal working papers which
would provide a basis for the discussion but whose contents would be strictly
provisional [para. 255].

2. Submission of draft resolutions in writing

89. Because of the appreciable loss of time that such a procedure could entail,
the Special Committee decided not to endorse the suggestion that proposals and
amendments should be submitted in writing only [para. 256].

3. Consultations
90. The Special Committee, recognizing the indisputable value of
consultations, believes that delegations should explore every avenue for arriving
at negotiated texts. It considers, however, that the initiative for such
consultations must rest solely with the delegations concerned and can, under no
circumstances, be dictated in mandatory provisions [para. 258].
91. The Special Committee also believes that the Chairmen of the Main
Committees should be invited to bear in mind the possibility of establishing,
where necessary, working groups for the purpose of facilitating the adoption of
agreed texts. Such groups may be open, as appropriate, to interested delegations.

77
It does not, however, consider it advisable to contemplate the establishment of
such working groups whenever two or more draft resolutions have been
introduced on the same matter [para. 259].

4. Number of sponsors
92. The Special Committee did not endorse the suggestion that the number of
sponsors of a draft resolution should be limited [para. 260].
93. The Special Committee does, however, wish to draw attention to the
practice whereby the sponsors of a proposal decide whether other delegations
can become co-sponsors [para. 261].

5. Time-lapse between the submission and the

consideration of draft resolutions
94. The Special Committee, while recognizing the difficulties experienced by
some delegations in consulting their Governments within the time laid down by
rules 80 and 121r of the rules of procedure, does not deem it advisable to propose
an amendment to those rules [para. 265].

B. CONTENT OF RESOLUTIONS
95. The Special Committee is of the opinion that the wording of resolutions, to
be effective, must be as clear and succinct as possible. It recognizes, however,
that only the delegations concerned can decide upon the content of the proposals
which they are sponsoring [para. 267].
96. The Special Committee also wishes to emphasize that the text of a draft
resolution should not go beyond the competence of the Committee in which it is
submitted. Where, however, it is suggested that a draft resolution does so, the
Special Committee feels that it is up to the Committee concerned to take a
decision in the matter [para. 268].

C. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
1. Financial controls
97. The Special Committee feels that the provisions of rules 154 and 155 s of the
rules of procedure are satisfactory and should be strictly applied [para. 272].
98. The Special Committee is also of the opinion that the financial implications
of draft resolutions should be viewed in terms of an overall assessment of
priorities and that the principal organs should give careful consideration to the
__________________
r
Rules 78 and 120 of the present rules of procedure.
s
Rules 153 and 154 of the present rules of procedure.
78
draft resolutions adopted by their subsidiary organs where such drafts call for the
appropriation of funds [para. 273].

2. Work of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and

Budgetary Questions
99. The Special Committee recognizes that the Advisory Committee on
Administrative and Budgetary Questions should meet more frequently, but does
not consider itself qualified to make detailed recommendations on the matter
[para. 275].

3. Resolutions setting up new organs

100. While acknowledging that new organs should be set up only after mature
consideration, the Special Committee believes that it would be inadvisable to
amend the rules of procedure and lay down hard and fast rules in the matter
[para. 277].

D. VOTING PROCEDURE
1. Required majority
101. The Special Committee considers that rules 88 and 127 t of the rules of
procedure should be left unchanged [para. 282].
102. The Special Committee also considers that the suggestion referred to in
paragraph 279 of the report is unacceptable and, moreover, goes beyond its
mandate [para. 283].

2. Measures to accelerate procedures

103. The Special Committee, recalling the recommendations which it has made
elsewhere concerning debate on items already considered in Committee (see
para. 50 above) and roll-call votes (see para. 84 above), feels that it is inadvisable
to make any changes in the relevant provisions of the rules of procedure
[para. 287].

3. Consensus
104. The Special Committee considers that the adoption of decisions and
resolutions by consensus is desirable when it contributes to the effective and
lasting settlement of differences, thus strengthening the authority of the United
Nations. It wishes, however, to emphasize that the right of every Member State
to set forth its view in full must not be prejudiced by this procedure [para. 289].

__________________
t
Rules 86 and 126 of the present rules of procedure.
79
 E. REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF RESOLUTIONS
105. The Special Committee did not endorse the suggestions aimed at reducing
the number of resolutions adopted by the General Assembly [para. 293].

VIII. DOCUMENTATIONu
A. REDUCTION IN THE VOLUME OF DOCUMENTATION
106. The Special Committee recommends that the General Assembly should:
(a) Draw attention to the provisions of its resolutions 2292 (XXII) and
2538 (XXIV) summarized in document A/INF/136, and stress the need for strict
adherence to them, not only in letter, but also in spirit, by Member States and
also, in the light of its internal rules, by the Secretariat;
(b) Instruct its subsidiary organs to include in the agenda of each session
an item on the control and limitation of the documentation of the organ itself in
the spirit of paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 1272 (XIII) [para. 300].

B. PREPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS

107. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that:
(a) Timely distribution of documents in all working languages should be
scrupulously observed;
(b) All the subsidiary organs of the General Assembly should be required
to complete their work and submit their reports before the opening of each
regular session of the Assembly;
(c) Reports to be considered by the General Assembly should be as brief
as possible and contain precise information confined to a description of the work
done by the organ concerned, to the conclusions it has reached, to its decisions
and to the recommendations made to the Assembly; the reports should include,
where appropriate, a summary of proposals, conclusions and recommendations.
As a rule, no previously issued material (working papers and other basic
documents) should be incorporated in or appended to such reports, but, where
necessary, referred to;
(d) Taking into account the needs of Member States, the number of copies
of reports and other United Nations documents should, whenever appropriate, be
limited, i.e., they should be issued in the /L. series [para. 304].v

__________________
u
See also resolution 2836 (XXVI).
v
For the recommendations concerning the reports of the Main Committees, see
para. 43 above.
80
 C. RECORDS OF MEETINGS AND SOUND RECORDINGS
108. The Special Committee recommends that rule 60, as revised, w should be
applied in accordance with the following observations:
(a) Summary records should continue to be provided for the General
Committee and for all Main Committees other than the First Committee;
(b) The General Assembly, on the recommendation of the General
Committee, should decide annually whether the option that has traditionally been
approved for the Special Political Committee to have, on specific request,
transcriptions of the debates of some of its meetings, or portions thereof, should
be maintained;
(c) The provision of summary records to subsidiary organs should be
reviewed periodically by the General Assembly in the light of the report of the
Joint Inspection Unit on the use of minutes instead of summary records, and of
the comments of the Secretary-General and the Advisory Committee on
Administrative and Budgetary Questions thereon; x
(d) Sound recordings should be kept by the Secretariat in accordance with
its practice [para. 309].

IX. SUBSIDIARY ORGANS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

A. REDUCTION OF THE NUMBER OF ORGANS
109. The Special Committee recommends that the General Assembly should
review, either periodically or when considering their reports, the usefulness of
its various subsidiary organs [para. 313].
110. The Special Committee also recommends that the General Assembly should
consider the possibility of merging some of these organs [para. 314].

B. COMPOSITION OF ORGANS
111. The Special Committee considers that membership of a body depends on
the nature and function of that body and that it cannot, therefore, be subject to
any general rule [para. 318].
112. The Special Committee is of the opinion that subsidiary organs of the
General Assembly should, where appropriate, have the authority to invite a
Member State which is not a member of the organ concerned to participate
without vote in the discussion of a matter which the organ considers to be of
particular interest to that Member State [para. 319].
__________________
w
Rule 58 of the present rules of procedure (see introduction, para. 34 (b)).
x
E/4802, and E/4802/Add.1 and E/4802/Add.2.
81
113. The Special Committee is also of the opinion that the composition of
subsidiary organs should be subject to periodic change [para. 320].
114. Finally, the Special Committee considers that visits of subsidiary organs
away from their normal meeting places should be authorized by the General
Assembly only when the nature of the work renders such visits essential
[para. 321].

C. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS
115. The Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that the
Secretary-General should play a greater role in drawing up the calendar of
meetings, it being understood that in every case the final decision rests with the
organ concerned [para. 323].

X. OTHER QUESTIONS
A. CREDENTIALS OF DELEGATIONS
116. The Special Committee, while aware of the problems posed by the
non-recognition by the General Assembly of a delegation’s credentials, feels that
it is not in a position to make any proposal on the matter [para. 327].

B. ROLE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

117. The Special Committee is of the opinion that the Secretary-General should
play an active role in making suggestions with regard to the organization of
sessions, it being understood that the final decision on the recommendations he
makes lies with the General Assembly [para. 331].

C. SECRETARIAT
118. The Special Committee considers that the question of the reorganization of
the Secretariat, however valid it might be, does not come within its terms of
reference. It is of the opinion, therefore, that it should not make any
recommendation on the matter [para. 333].

D. GUIDANCE REGARDING GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROCEDURE

AND ASSISTANCE TO PRESIDING OFFICERS

1. Preparation of a manual on procedure

119. The Special Committee recommends that the General Assembly should
consider requesting the Secretary-General to prepare a systematic and
comprehensive compilation of the conclusions which the Assembly may adopt
on the basis of the reports of the Special Committee and of the Joint Inspection

82
Unit, this compilation to form an annex to the rules of procedure of the General
Assembly [para. 339].
2. Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs
120. The Special Committee, recognizing the usefulness of the Repertory of
Practice of United Nations Organs, expresses the hope that it will be brought up
to date as quickly as possible [para. 341].

3. Preparation of a repertory of practice on the rules of

procedure of the General Assembly
121. The Special Committee did not consider that it should endorse the proposal
to issue a repertory of practice on the rules of procedure of the General Assembly
[para. 344].

4. Reminders of previous recommendations

122. It was suggested that at the beginning of the session the President of the
General Assembly should remind the Assembly of, and particularly invite the
attention of the Chairmen of Main Committees to, the recommendations for
improving the methods of work which were specifically approved in General
Assembly resolution 1898 (XVIII).y While there was general agreement on the
principle underlying that suggestion, the Special Committee did not feel that it
need make any specific recommendation in that regard [paras. 345 and 346].
123. The Special Committee did not retain the suggestion that the report of the
Ad Hoc Committee on the Improvement of the Methods of Work of the General
Assembly z should be reissued on account of the financial implications that such
a measure would entail [paras. 345 and 346].

5. Assistance in procedural matters

124. The Special Committee noted that it was not possible to assign a member
of the Office of Legal Affairs continuously to each of the Main Committees but
that legal advice was always furnished, either orally or in writing, when
requested [para. 348].
125. The Special Committee did not consider that it should make any
recommendation on the proposal that the President of the General Assembly and
the Chairmen of Main Committees should enlist several assistants under them,
both from the Secretariat and, wherever possible, from the delegations
themselves, to whom they would allocate items on the agenda for the purpose of

__________________
y
See annex III.
z
A/5423.
83
closely following them up with the delegations directly concerned and
expediting the progress of the General Assembly [paras. 347 and 348].

E. STUDIES OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE

126. The Special Committee did not consider that it should retain the suggestions
concerning the insertion in the rules of procedure of the General Assembly of
provisions similar to those in the rules of procedure of the Economic and Social
Council [para. 352].
127. The Special Committee took note of the proposal concerning a comparative
study of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly and those of the
governing bodies of the specialized agencies and suggests that the United
Nations Institute for Training and Research should consider undertaking such a
project [para. 353].
128. Lastly, the Special Committee recommends to the General Assembly that
the Secretariat should be instructed to undertake a comparative study of the
versions of the General Assembly’s rules of procedure in the various official
languages in order to ensure their concordance [para. 354].

F. SPECIAL TRAINING PROGRAMME

129. The Special Committee, aware of the training problems facing delegations,
particularly as regards newly arrived representatives, suggests that the United
Nations Institute for Training and Research should consider ways of helping to
solve these problems [para. 356].

G. REGIONAL GROUPS
130. The Special Committee endorses the suggestion that the names of chairmen
of the regional groups for the month should be published in the Journal of the
United Nations and recommends that it should be left to the Secretariat to decide
how often it should be applied [paras. 357 and 358].

84
 ANNEX V
Decision 34/401 on the rationalization of the procedures
and organization of the General Assembly a
I. ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION
A. GENERAL COMMITTEE
1. The General Committee should, at the outset of each session, consider how
the work of the session can best be rationalized.
2. The General Committee should also meet periodically throughout the
session to review the progress of work and to make recommendations to the
General Assembly on the general programme of the session and on measures
aimed at improving its work.

B. SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS
3. Both plenary and committee meetings should begin at 10.30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
and, in order to expedite the work of the General Assembly, all meetings should
begin promptly at the scheduled time.

C. ALLOCATION OF ITEMS
4. Substantive items should normally be discussed initially in a Main
Committee and, therefore, items previously allocated to plenary meetings should
henceforth be referred to a Main Committee unless there are compelling
circumstances requiring their continued consideration in plenary meeting.

D. GENERAL DEBATE
5. Out of consideration for the other speakers and in order to preserve the
dignity of the general debate, delegations should refrain from expressing their
congratulations in the General Assembly Hall after a speech has been delivered.

E. EXPLANATIONS OF VOTE
6. Explanations of vote should be limited to ten minutes.
7. When the same draft resolution is considered in a Main Committee and in
plenary meeting, a delegation should, as far as possible, explain its vote only
__________________
a
Adopted by the General Assembly at its 4th, 46th, 82nd and 99th plenary
meetings, on 21 September, 25 October, 29 November and 12 December 1979,
on the recommendations of the General Committee. Section VI of the decision,
which related mostly to the establishment of the Ad Hoc Committee on
Subsidiary Organs, has not been reproduced in the present annex.
85
once, i.e., either in the Committee or in plenary meeting, unless that delegation’s
vote in plenary meeting is different from its vote in the Committee.

F. RIGHT OF REPLY
8. Delegations should exercise their right of reply at the end of the day
whenever two meetings have been scheduled for that day and whenever such
meetings are devoted to the consideration of the same item.
9. The number of interventions in the exercise of the right of reply for any
delegation at a given meeting should be limited to two per item.
10. The first intervention in the exercise of the right of reply for any delegation
on any item at a given meeting should be limited to ten minutes and the second
intervention should be limited to five minutes.

G. NON- UTILIZATION OF THE ROSTRUM

11. Explanations of vote, interventions in the exercise of the right of reply and
procedural motions should be made by delegations from their seats.

H. BUDGETARY AND FINANCIAL QUESTIONS

12. It is imperative that Main Committees should allow sufficient time for the
preparation of the estimate of expenditures by the Secretariat and for its
consideration by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary
Questions and the Fifth Committee and that they should take this requirement
into account when they adopt their programme of work.
13. Furthermore:
(a) A mandatory deadline, not later than 1 December, should be
established for the submission to the Fifth Committee of all draft resolutions with
financial implications;
(b) The Fifth Committee should, as a general practice, consider accepting
without debate the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on
Administrative and Budgetary Questions on the financial implications of draft
resolutions up to a prescribed limit, namely, $25,000 on any one item;
(c) Firm deadlines should be set for the early submission of the reports of
subsidiary organs which require consideration by the Fifth Committee;
(d) A minimum period of forty-eight hours should be allowed between the
submission and the voting of a proposal involving expenditure in order to allow
the Secretary-General to prepare and present the related statement of
administrative and financial implications.

86
 I. REPORTS OF THE M AIN COMMITTEES
14. Reports of the Main Committees should be as concise as possible and, save
in exceptional cases, should not contain a summary of the debates.
15. The practice of dealing in plenary meeting with reports of the Second
Committee, whereby it is stated that the positions of delegations regarding draft
resolutions recommended by the Second Committee have been made clear in the
Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records, should be extended
to reports of other committees.

J. BALLOTING PROCEDURE
16. The practice of dispensing with the secret ballot for elections to subsidiary
organs when the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be
filled should become standard and the same practice should apply to the election
of the President and Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly, unless a
delegation specifically requests a vote on a given election.

K. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS
17. To save time at the end of the session, the practice of making concluding
statements in the General Assembly and its Main Committees should be
dispensed with except for statements by the presiding officers.

II. WORK OF THE MAIN COMMITTEES

18. Before the conclusion of a session of the General Assembly, regional groups
should agree on the distribution of chairmanships among them for the following
session.
19. Candidates for the chairmanships of the Main Committees should be
nominated as soon as possible.
20. It is strongly recommended that nominees for the chairmanships of the Main
Committees should have experience in the work of the General Assembly.
21. During sessions, the Chairmen or other officers of the Main Committees
should be entrusted by their Committees, whenever appropriate, with the conduct
of informal negotiations aimed at reaching agreement on specific issues.
22. Chairmen of Main Committees should fully exercise their authority under
rule 106 of the rules of procedure and, in particular, propose more frequently the
limitation of the time to be allowed to speakers or of the number of times each
representative may speak on any given item.

87
23. The Main Committees which require the largest number of meetings should
be encouraged to hold more meetings early in the session in order to ensure a
better distribution of meetings over the whole session.
III. DOCUMENTATION
24. Subsidiary organs should be required to complete their work at the latest by
1 September, so that their reports may be available in all the working languages
in time for consideration by the opening of the session of the General Assembly,
and the Committee on Conferences should take this provision fully into account.
25. No reports should contain a compilation of other previous documents.
26. Subsidiary organs should not annex to their reports summary records of
their meetings or other material which were already distributed to all Member
States.
27. The General Assembly should review periodically the need for summary
records of its subsidiary organs.
28. The General Assembly, including its Main Committees, should merely take
note of those reports of the Secretary-General or subsidiary organs which do not
require a decision by the Assembly and should neither debate nor adopt
resolutions on them, unless specifically requested to do so by the Secretary-
General or the organ concerned.
29. The publication of reports of the principal organs and of subsidiary organs
of the General Assembly and of draft resolutions and amendments should be
given priority over that of any individual communications received from
Member States.
30. Member States should refrain, to the extent possible, from requesting the
circulation of any individual communications as documents of the General
Assembly and in lieu thereof, where circulation of such documents is desired,
should, as far as possible, request such circulation under the cover of a note
verbale in the official languages in which they submit them.

IV. RESOLUTIONS
31. Subsidiary organs reporting to the General Assembly should make every
effort to submit draft resolutions in order to facilitate the consideration of the
items.
32. Whenever possible, resolutions requesting the discussion of a question at a
subsequent session should not call for the inclusion of a separate new item and
such discussion should be held under the item under which the resolution was
adopted.

88
 V. PLANNING OF MEETINGS
33. The Committee on Conferences should be authorized to play a more
effective role in the planning of meetings and in the use of conference facilities.
34. No subsidiary organ of the General Assembly should be permitted to meet
at United Nations Headquarters during a regular session of the Assembly, unless
explicitly authorized by the Assembly.

VI. SUBSIDIARY ORGANS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLYb

...

__________________
b
This section, which related mostly to the establishment of the Ad Hoc Committee
on Subsidiary Organs, has not been reproduced in the present annex.
89
 ANNEX VIa
Conclusions of the Special Committee on the Charter of the
United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization
concerning the rationalization of the procedures
of the General Assembly
1. The agenda of the sessions of the General Assembly should be simplified
as much as possible by grouping or merging related items, after consultation and
with the agreement of the delegations concerned.*
2. Specific items should be referred, where relevant, to other United Nations
organs or to specialized agencies. The right of States to request that specific
items be discussed in the General Assembly should remain unimpaired.
3. The recommendation in paragraph 28 of annex IV to the rules of procedure
of the General Assembly, according to which the Assembly should ensure, as far
as possible, that the same questions, or the same aspects of a question, are not
considered by more than one Main Committee, should be more fully
implemented, except when it would be helpful for the Sixth Committee to be
consulted on the legal aspects of questions under consideration by other Main
Committees.
4. The General Committee should play more fully its role under rule 42 of the
rules of procedure and paragraphs 1 and 2 of General Assembly decision 34/401,
reviewing periodically the work of the Assembly and making the necessary
recommendations.
5. The Chairmen of the Main Committees should take the initiative, in the light
of past experience, to propose the grouping of similar or related items and the
holding of a single general debate on them.
6. The Chairmen of the Main Committees should propose to the Committee
the closing of the list of speakers on each item at a suitably early stage.
7. Agreed programmes of work should be respected. To this end, meetings
should start at the scheduled time and the time allotted for meetings should be
fully utilized.

__________________
* The view was expressed that the agreement of the delegations concerned was not
an essential condition.
a
By resolution 39/88 B of 13 December 1984, the General Assembly approved the
conclusions of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and
on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization concerning the
rationalization of the procedures of the General Assembly and decided that they
should be annexed to the rules of procedures. These conclusions are reproduced
in the present annex.
90
8. The officers of each Main Committee should review periodically the
progress of work. In case of need, they should propose appropriate measures to
ensure that the work remains on schedule.
9. Negotiation procedures should be carefully selected to suit the particular
subject matter.
10. The Secretariat should facilitate informal consultations by providing
adequate conference services.*
11. The mandate of subsidiary organs should be carefully defined in order to
avoid overlapping and duplication of work. The General Assembly should also
review periodically the usefulness of its subsidiary organs.
12. Resolutions should be as clear and succinct as possible.

__________________
* The view was expressed that this recommendation was not intended to have any
financial implications whatsoever and was approved subject to that condition.
91
 ANNEX VIIa
Conclusions of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations
and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization concerning the
rationalization of existing United Nations procedures

1. Without prejudice to Article 18 of the Charter of the United Nations and with
a view to facilitating the work of the United Nations, including, whenever possible,
the adoption by the General Assembly of agreed texts of resolutions and decisions,
informal consultations should be carried out with the widest possible participation
of Member States.
2. When an electronic voting system is available for recording how votes were
cast, a roll-call vote should as far as possible not be requested.
3. Before the end of each session of the General Assembly, the General
Committee should, in the light of the experience it has acquired during that session,
consider drawing up its observations on the organization of the work of the session,
with a view to facilitating the organization of the work of future sessions of the
General Assembly.
4. The agenda of the General Assembly should be simplified by grouping or
merging, to the extent possible, related items and, where it is appropriate for
discussion of a particular item, by setting an interval of more than a year between
the discussions on it. For this purpose, the Chairman of the Main Committee
concerned or, as appropriate, the President of the General Assembly, should
undertake consultations with delegations.
5. The General Committee should consider, at the beginning of each session of
the General Assembly, recommending that certain Main Committees should meet
in sequential order, taking into account such matters as the number of meetings
required for the consideration of the questions with which they are charged at that
session, the organization of the work of the whole session and the problem of
participation of smaller delegations.
6. In making recommendations as to how agenda items should be allocated to
the Main Committees and to the plenary Assembly, the General Committee should
ensure the best use of the expertise of the Committees.

__________________
a
By resolution 45/45 of 28 November 1990, the General Assembly approved the
conclusions of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and
on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization concerning the
rationalization of existing United Nations procedures and decided that they
should be annexed to the rules of procedure. These conclusions are reproduced
in the present annex.
92
7. When the General Assembly considers whether it needs to establish subsidiary
organs, in accordance with Article 22 of the Charter, it should give careful
consideration as to whether the subject matter in question could be dealt with by
existing organs, including its Main Committees and their working groups.
Subsidiary organs should seek constantly to improve their procedures and methods
of work in order to ensure effective consideration of questions allocated to them by
the Assembly.
8. The dates and length of the sessions of bodies of the General Assembly that
meet intersessionally should be determined as soon as possible by the Assembly,
as appropriate, following advice from the Committee on Conferences, on the
proposal of the Secretary-General. The Assembly should take account of the past
experience, the state of current work in regard to the mandate given to the body in
question and the need to avoid as far as possible overlapping meetings of bodies
that deal with subject matter of a similar nature.
9. Informal consultations about the work of bodies of the General Assembly that
meet intersessionally should continue to be held in advance of the sessions of such
bodies in order to facilitate the conduct of their sessions, especially as regards the
composition of the bureau and the organization of work.
10. Resolutions should request observations from States or reports by the
Secretary-General insofar as they are likely to facilitate the implementation of the
resolutions or the continued examination of the question.

93
 ANNEX VIIIa
Guidelines on the Rationalization of the Agenda
of the General Assembly

1. The plenary meetings of the General Assembly should constitute a forum for
high-level policy statements, as well as for the consideration, inter alia, of agenda
items of special political importance and/or urgency.
2. Agenda items which are of a nature that relates to more than one Main
Committee or which do not come within the purview of any Main Committee
should be considered by the General Assembly in plenary meeting, taking into
account the recommendations of the General Committee.
3. Substantive items initially allocated directly to a plenary meeting of the
General Assembly could be reviewed for allocation to a Main Committee in
accordance with the rules of procedure of the Assembly, in particular with
Assembly decision 34/401, which is reproduced in annex VI to the rules of
procedure.b
4. There shall be periodic reviews of the agenda, taking into account the views
of concerned Member States, in order to ascertain whether it is possible to delete
any item on which no resolution or decision has been adopted for a period of time.
5. The Main Committees should be encouraged to continue with the review of
their respective agendas, taking into account, inter alia, the following:
(a) Agenda items concerning issues of closely related substance could be
merged within a single agenda title or be incorporated as sub-items where this is
possible without loss of focus on the items/sub-items concerned;
(b) Items that cover related matters or issues could be considered in agreed
clusters;
(c) Biennialization and triennialization of items on the agenda of the Main
Committees could be considered in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the
General Assembly;
(d) The existing broad division of work among the Main Committees should
be maintained.

__________________
a
By resolution 48/264 of 29 July 1994, the General Assembly adopted the
Guidelines on the Rationalization of the Agenda of the General Assembly
and decided that they should be annexed to the rules of procedure of the
Assembly. The Guidelines are reproduced in the present annex.
b
Annex V to the present rules of procedure.
94
 ANNEX IXa
Opening date and duration of the general debate

“The General Assembly,

…
“2. Also decides that the general debate in the General Assembly
shall open on the Tuesday following the opening of the regular session of
the General Assembly and shall be held without interruption over a period
of nine working days;”.

__________________
a
By resolution 57/301 of 13 March 2003, the General Assembly decided to
change the opening date and length of the general debate and also decided to
annex paragraph 2 of the resolution to the rules of procedure of the
Assembly. The paragraph is reproduced in the present annex.
95
 ANNEX Xa
Oath of office

“I solemnly declare that I shall truthfully perform my duties and

exercise the functions entrusted to me as President of the General Assembly
of the United Nations in all loyalty, discretion and conscience, and that I shall
discharge these functions and regulate my conduct with the interest of the
United Nations only in view and in accordance with the Charter of the United
Nations and the code of ethics for the President of the General Assembly,
without seeking or accepting any instruction in regard to the performance of
my duties from any Government or other source external to the Organization.”

__________________
a
By resolution 70/305 of 13 September 2016, the General Assembly decided
that the President-elect of the General Assembly shall take an oath of office
of his or her own, as detailed in annex I to the resolution, at the moment of
handing over the gavel in the final plenary meeting of the preceding session,
and that the text of the oath shall be annexed to the rules of procedure of the
Assembly.
96
 ANNEX XIa
Code of ethics for the President of the General Assembly

1. The President of the General Assembly in performing his or her duties

and responsibilities as an elected official, fully in line with the Charter of the
United Nations and the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, shall at
all times from the date of election observe the highest standards of ethical
conduct.
2. The President shall perform his or her duties and responsibilities in an
impartial and equitable manner and in full honesty and good faith.
3. The President shall avoid any action that might result in or create the
appearance of:
(a) The use of the office of the Presidency or resources attached
thereto for private gain;
(b) Giving unwarranted preferential treatment to any State,
organization or person;
(c) Impeding the work of the Organization, or taking a
preferential, biased or prejudged approach;
(d) Affecting adversely the confidence of Member States in the
integrity of the work of the Organization.
4. The President shall engage with Member States in a consultative and
cooperative manner, while at the same time refraining from receiving or
accepting instructions from any individual or governmental or non-
governmental organization or group whatsoever.
5. The President shall avoid any situation involving a conflict between his
or her own personal or private interest and the interests of the Presidency or
the United Nations.
6. The President shall ensure the greatest possible transparency in the
utilization of property, premises, services and resources made available for
the discharge of the functions of the office and ensure that they are used only
for the official business of the Presidency and not for other purposes.

__________________
a
By resolution 70/305 of 13 September 2016, the General Assembly decided
that the President of the General Assembly shall observe a code of ethics, as
detailed in annex II to the resolution, and that the text of the code of ethics for
the President of the Assembly shall be annexed to the rules of procedure of
the Assembly.
97
7. The President shall ensure the greatest possible transparency in any
external activities, and any commercial dealings, to protect against conflict of
interest. Holding of any commercial office during his or her term in office is
not compatible with the post of the President.
8. In the event that the President considers that a conflict of interest may
arise, he or she shall recuse himself or herself from handling the matter and,
in accordance with the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, appoint
an Acting President in relation to that matter or meeting.
9. In the fulfilment of his or her mandate, the President is accountable to
the General Assembly.
10. Any reference to the President in the present code shall also include
members of his or her office while in the exercise of their functions as
members of the Office of the President of the General Assembly.
11. Nothing in this code shall preclude the President or members of his or
her Office from being seconded from their Government or from retaining the
privileges, immunities and diplomatic status granted by a Member State.

98
 INDEX
This index provides a reference to the rules of procedure and to the
recommendations contained in the annexes to the rules. It should be noted that:
(a) In the first column, entitled “Rules”, numbers in italics refer to the rules
applicable to committees;
(b) In the second column, entitled “Annexes”, Roman numerals I to IX refer
to the respective annexes and Arabic numerals indicate the relevant paragraphs in
each annex.

Rules Annexes
A
Absence of officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32, 105
Additional items: See Agenda
Adjournment: See Procedural motions;
Sessions
Administrative and budgetary questions . . 13, 24, 83, 152–160 IV 97, 98; V 12, 13
Admission of new Members . . . . . . . . . 83, 134–138
Advisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 100, 101
Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions . . . . . . . . . 155–157
Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12–24 VI 1
Additional items:
Intersessional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VII 8
Regular sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 IV 24
Special sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Adoption of agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 IV 19–23
Allocation of items . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 I 22, 23; IV 25–28;
V 4; VI 3; VII 4;
VIII
Amendment and deletion of items . . . 22
Annotated list of items . . . . . . . . . . IV 17 (b)
Debate on inclusion of items . . . . . . . 23

99
 Rules Annexes

Expenses, proposal for modification of

the allocation of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Explanatory memorandum . . . . . . . . 20 IV 18
General Committee, functions of . . . . 40, 41 IV 12, 14
Main Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Preliminary list of items . . . . . . . . . . IV 17 (a)
Provisional agenda:
Regular sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 13
Special sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 17
Supplementary items:
Regular sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Special sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 19
Allocation of expenses, proposal for the
modification of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Allocation of items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 I 22, 23; IV 25–28;
V 4; VI 3
Alternate representatives . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 26, 101
Amendment of rules of procedure . . . . . 163 II 1 (c)
Amendments:
See also Proposals and amendments
Definition of amendments . . . . . . . . 90, 130
Voting on amendments . . . . . . . . . . 84, 90, 130
Annotated list of items . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 17 (b), 17 (c)
Appointments:
Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions . . . . . . . 155
Committee on Contributions . . . . . . . 158
Secretary-General . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
B
Budget: See Administrative and
budgetary questions

100
 Rules Annexes

C
Chairman of General Committee . . . . . . 38, 39
Chairmen of Main Committees:
Acting Chairmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Assistance to Chairmen . . . . . . . . . . I 39; IV 124
Congratulations to Chairmen . . . . . . 110
Election of Chairmen . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 105 IV 40, 54–57;
V 18–20
Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Members of General Committee . . . . 38, 39 IV 10
Powers of Chairmen . . . . . . . . . . . . 106–109, 115–118, I 39; III (g); IV 39;
120, 128 V 22; VI 5, 6, 8
Precedence as speakers . . . . . . . . . . 69, 111
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Ruling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 IV 79
Voting right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Charter:
Article 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Article 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Article 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VII 1
Article 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Article 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VII 7
Article 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Article 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Article 57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Article 83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Article 85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Article 86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 147, 149
Circulation of communications . . . . . . . V 30
Closure of debate: See Debate
Committee on Contributions . . . . . . . . . 158–160

101
 Rules Annexes

Committee reports:
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 43, 107 (c);
V 14
Discussion in plenary meeting . . . . . . 66 V 15
Oral presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 52, 53
Requirement of a report . . . . . . . . . . 15, 65, 163
Committees:
See also Advisory Committee;
Chairmen of Main Committees;
Committee on Contributions;
Credentials Committee; General
Committee; Main Committees;
Rapporteurs; Subcommittees;
subsidiary organs; Vice-Chairmen
Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Establishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Officers:
Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101, 103, 105 IV 40; V 18–20
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Records and sound recordings of
meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 IV 108
Referral of subjects to a committee . . . 63–65, 97 I 22, 23; II 1, 19,
20; IV 25, 26,
28; V 4; VI 3
Reports: See Committee reports
Representation of Members . . . . . . . 100, 101
Communications, circulation of . . . . . . . V 30
Competence of General Assembly or
committees:
Conflicts of competence . . . . . . . . . I 22; II 19; IV 38
Decisions on competence . . . . . . . . . 79, 121
Draft resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 96

102
 Rules Annexes

Concluding statements . . . . . . . . . . . . V 17
Condolences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 82, 83
Conduct of business at meetings . . . . . . 63–81, 108–123
Congratulations:
To officers of Main Committees . . . . 110
To officers of subsidiary organs . . . . . IV 81
To President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 80
To speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V5
Consensus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 104
Conventions ................. I 13, 14
Credentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27–29
Credentials Committee . . . . . . . . . . 28
Provisional admission as representative 29
Submission of credentials. . . . . . . . . 27
D
Debate:
See also Speakers
Adjournment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 116
Order of motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77, 119
Powers of Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 106
Closure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75, 117
Order of motions . . . . . . . . . . . . 77, 119
Powers of Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 106
Delegations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 26, 100, 101 IV 44
Division of proposals and amendments 89, 129
Documents:
Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56, 57
Preparation and distribution of
documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 IV 107; V 24–26,
29, 30
Reduction in volume of documentation IV 106
Request for inclusion of item . . . . . . 20 IV 18

103
 Rules Annexes

Draft resolutions: See Proposals and

amendments; Resolutions; Voting
E
Economic and Social Council:
By-elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Election of members . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 145, 146
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Terms of office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 83, 92–94, 102,
103, 105, 132,
139–151
See also Voting
By-elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34, 105, 140
Dispensing with secret ballot . . . . . . V 16
Economic and Social Council,
members of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 145, 146
Equally divided votes . . . . . . . . . . . 93, 132
Explanations of vote not allowed in
secret ballot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 128
International Court of Justice,
members of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150, 151
Nominations not to be made . . . . . . . 92
Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101–103 IV 40, 54–57;
V 18–20
President and Vice-Presidents . . . . . . 30 V 16
Procedure to be followed . . . . . . . . . 92–94, 132
Secret ballot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92, 103 V 16
Security Council, non-permanent
members of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 142–144
Terms of office of Council members . . 139
Trusteeship Council, non-administering
members of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 147–149
Emergency special sessions: See Sessions
Equally divided votes: See Elections;
Voting

104
 Rules Annexes

Expenditures:
See also Advisory Committee;
Committee on Contributions
Estimates required . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Financial implications of resolutions . . 154 IV 97, 98; V 12, 13
Proposals for modification of allocation
of expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 100, 101
Explanations of vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 128 IV 74–76; V 6, 7,
11
F
Financial implications of resolutions . . . . 153, 154 IV 97, 98; V 12, 13
Financial questions: See Administrative
and budgetary questions
G
General Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38–44
Chairman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38, 39
Chairmen of Main Committees . . . . . 38, 39 IV 10
Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Closing date for session . . . . . . . . . . 2, 41, 99 IV 4
Frequency of meetings . . . . . . . . . . 42 I 20; III (f); IV 13;
V 2; VI 4; VII 5
Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40–42, 44 III (f); IV 11, 12,
14; V 1; VI 4;
VII 3 and 6
Participation of members requesting
inclusion of items . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Recommendation on inclusion of items 21, 23, 40 IV 12
Representative character . . . . . . . . . 30, 38 IV 10
Resolutions, revision of . . . . . . . . . . 44
Substitute members . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 IV 10
General debate:
Main Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 61–63; VI 5

105
 Rules Annexes

Plenary meetings:
Congratulations to speakers . . . . . V5
Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 44
Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 45
List of speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 46
Opening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IX 2
Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 48
I
Important questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83–85
International conventions . . . . . . . . . . . I 13, 14
International Court of Justice:
Election of members . . . . . . . . . . . . 150, 151
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Requests for advisory opinion . . . . . . II (a)
International peace and security,
maintenance of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49, 83
International trusteeship system . . . . . . . 83
Interpretation:
From languages of General Assembly . 52
From languages other than those of
General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Interpretation of rules of procedure. . . . . 162
J
Journal of the United Nations . . . . . . . . 55
L
Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51–57
Committees and subcommittees . . . . . 51
Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56, 57
General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Interpretation:
From languages of General
Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

106
 Rules Annexes

From languages other than those of

General Assembly . . . . . . . . . 53
Journal of the United Nations . . . . . . 55
Main Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Official languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Other than languages of General
Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53, 57
Records:
Summary records . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Verbatim records . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Resolutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Working languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Legal and drafting questions, methods
and procedures for dealing with . . . . . II
List of speakers: See Speakers
M
Main Committees:
See also Meetings; Speakers
Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Conflicts of competence . . . . . . . . . I 22; II 19; IV 38
Concurrent consideration of items . . . IV 65
Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 IV 29–38
General debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 61–63; VI 5
Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Officers:
Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99, 101, 103 IV 40; V 18–20
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Records and sound recordings of
meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 IV 108; V 27
Reports: See Committee reports
Representation of Members . . . . . . . 100, 101

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Subcommittees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 I 14; II 29; III (e);

IV 66
Work:
Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 58, 59
Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 V 21, 23
Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 60; VI 8
Majority required: See Voting
Meditation, minute of silent prayer or . . . 62
Meetings:
See also Main Committees; Plenary
meetings
Adjournment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76, 77, 118, 119
Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 106
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 67, 106, 108 III (g) (i); IV 67;
V 3; VI 7
Public and private meetings . . . . . . . 60, 61
Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67, 108
Suspension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76, 77, 118, 119
Members:
Admission of new Members . . . . . . . 83, 134–138
Communications to Members:
Annotated list of items . . . . . . . . IV 17 (b),17 (c)
Preliminary list of items. . . . . . . . IV 17 (a)
Provisional agenda . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 16
Resolutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Supplementary list . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 18
Delegations:
Alternate representatives . . . . . . . 26
Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Credentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27–29
Expulsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Participation in General Committee . . 43
Representation on Main Committees. . 100, 101

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Requests for holding sessions away

from Headquarters . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Request for inclusion of items:
Regular sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . 13–15 IV 18
Special sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 18, 19
Requests for special sessions and
emergency special sessions. . . . . . 9
Suspension of rights and privileges. . . 83
Minute of silent prayer or meditation . . . 62
Motions: See Procedural motions;
Proposals and amendments
N
Non-member States:
Requests for inclusion of items in
provisional agenda . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Non-recorded vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 127
Non-utilization of the rostrum . . . . . . . . IV 51; V 11
Notes verbales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V 30
O
Officers: See Chairmen of Main
Committees; Committees; President;
Rapporteurs; Vice-Chairmen;
Vice-Presidents
Official languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Order, call to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68, 72, 109, 114
Order, point of: See Points of order
P
Plenary meetings:
See also Meetings; Speakers
Committee reports:
Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Oral presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 52, 53
Condolences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 82, 83
Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 80

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General debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 IV 44–48

Non-utilization of the rostrum . . . . . . IV 51
Officers:
Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 80
Election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 92–94
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32–34
Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Records and sound recordings of
meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 IV 108 (d)
Referral of items to plenary meetings . IV 27
Points of order:
Decision on points of order . . . . . . . . 71, 113
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 79
During voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 128
Powers of Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 106
Prayer or meditation, minute of silence . . 62
Preliminary list of items . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 17 (a)
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30–37
Acting President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32, 33, 37 XI 8
Code of ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XI
Congratulations to President . . . . . . . IV 80
Credentials Committee, appointment of 28
Election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 V 16
Emergency special session . . . . . . . . 63
General Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38, 41, 42
Oath of office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X
Powers of President . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 36, 67, 68, I 39; III (g); IV 39
73–76, 78, 88
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Ruling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 IV 79 (b), 79 (c)
Temporary President . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Term of office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Voting right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

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Principal organs, other:

See also Economic and Social Council;
International Court of Justice;
Secretariat; Security Council;
Trusteeship Council
Notification of General Assembly
session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Provisional agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Supplementary items:
Regular sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Special sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Private meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60, 61
Procedural motions:
Debate:
Adjournment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 116
Closure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75, 117
Meeting:
Adjournment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76, 118
Suspension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76, 118
Non-utilization of the rostrum . . . . . . V 11
Number of speakers allowed, limitation
of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 75, 116, 117
Order of procedural motions . . . . . . . 77, 119
Powers of Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 106
Proposals and amendments:
See also Resolutions; Voting
Competence of General Assembly or
Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79, 121 IV 38, 96
Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89, 129
Equally divided votes . . . . . . . . . . . 95, 133
Order of voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90, 91, 130, 131
See also Procedural motions
Reconsideration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81, 123
Submission and circulation . . . . . . . . 78, 120 IV 87, 88

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Withdrawal and reintroduction . . . . . 80, 122

Public meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60, 61
Q
Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67, 108
R
Rapporteurs:
Election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102, 103, 105 IV 54–57
Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Precedence as speakers . . . . . . . . . . 69, 111
Reconsideration of proposals . . . . . . . . 81, 123
Recorded vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 127
Records:
Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Secretariat duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 IV 107
Sound recordings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 IV 108
Summary records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 54, 58 IV 108; V 27
Verbatim records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 54, 58 IV 108
Reintroduction of motions . . . . . . . . . . 80, 122
Reply, right of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 115 IV 77, 78; V 8–11
Reports:
Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions . . . . . . . 157
Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 65, 66, 163 IV 43, 52, 53, 107;
V 14, 15
Financial reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Economic and Social Council . . . . . . 13
International Court of Justice . . . . . . 13
Secretary-General . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 48, 64
Security Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 136, 137, 141
Specialized agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Subsidiary organs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 IV 107; V 24–26,
28, 31
Trusteeship Council . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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Representatives: See Members

Resolution 377 A (V) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 9, 19
Resolutions:
See also Proposals and amendments;
Voting
Communication to Members . . . . . . . 59
Consensus, adoption by . . . . . . . . . . IV 104
Consultations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 90, 91
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 95, 96; VI 12
Date of submission . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 87, 88
Drafting of resolutions . . . . . . . . . . II 36; IV 95; V 32
Draft resolution accompanying request
for inclusion of item . . . . . . . . . . 20
Financial implications . . . . . . . . . . . 153, 154 IV 97, 98; V 12, 13
Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Revision by General Committee . . . . 44
Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 93
Right of reply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 115 IV 77, 78; V 8–11
Roll-call vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 127 IV 84
Rostrum, non-utilization of . . . . . . . . . . IV 51; V 11
Rules of procedure, interpretation and
amendments of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162, 163 II 1 (c)
Ruling:
By Chairman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 IV 79 (b), 79 (c)
By President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 IV 79 (b), 79 (c)
S
Secretariat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45–50
Duties with regard to General Assembly 47 VI 10
Regulations concerning staff . . . . . . . 50
Statements at meetings . . . . . . . . . . 70, 112
Secretary-General:
Annotated list of items . . . . . . . . . . IV 17 (b), 17 (c)

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Annual and supplementary reports . . . 13, 48

Referral to Main Committees . . . . 64
Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Duties with regard to General Assembly 45, 46
Emergency special sessions . . . . . . . 8, 9
Financial implications of resolutions . . 153, 154 IV 97
International peace and security,
maintenance of . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Notification of sessions . . . . . . . . . . 5, 10, 11
Notification under Article 12 of Charter 49
Organization of sessions . . . . . . . . . IV 117
Preliminary list of items . . . . . . . . . . IV 17 (a)
Provisional agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 13
Special sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 9
Statements at meetings . . . . . . . . . . 70, 112
Supplementary items. . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 18
Security Council:
Admission of new Members,
recommendation on . . . . . . . . . . 136, 137
By-elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Election of non-permanent members . . 83, 142–144
Emergency special session of General
Assembly, request for . . . . . . . . . 8–10
International peace and security,
maintenance of . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Notification under Article 12 of Charter 49
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 136, 137, 141
Secretary-General, recommendation on
appointment of . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Special session of General Assembly,
request for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8–10
Terms of office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Separate votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89, 129

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Sessions:
See also Agenda
Emergency special sessions . . . . . . . 8–10, 63
Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Request for session . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 9
Summoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 9
Regular sessions:
Closing date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 41, 99 IV 4
Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 11
Opening date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Place:
At Headquarters . . . . . . . . . . 3
Away from Headquarters . . . . . 4
Temporary adjournment . . . . . 6
Special sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7–11
Date fixed by General Assembly . . 7
Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 11
Request for special session . . . . . . 8, 9
Summoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7–9
Show of hands: See Voting
Silent prayer or meditation, minute of . . . 62
Sound recordings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 IV 108
Speakers:
See also Debate
Closure of list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 115 IV 46, 69
Powers of Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 106
Concluding statements . . . . . . . . . . V 17
Congratulations to speakers . . . . . . . V5
Non-utilization of rostrum . . . . . . . . IV 51; V 11
Number of interventions allowed to
each representative, limitation of . . 72, 114
Powers of Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 106

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Number of speakers allowed,

limitation of
Adjournment of debate . . . . . . . . 74, 116
Closure of debate . . . . . . . . . . . . 75, 117
Division of proposals and amendments . 89, 129
Inclusion of items in agenda . . . . . 23
Reconsideration of proposals . . . . 81, 123
Time limit on speeches . . . . . . . . 72, 114 IV 48; V 22
Order of speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68, 109 III (g) (ii); IV 70,
71
Precedence of Committee Chairmen
and Rapporteurs. . . . . . . . . . . . . 69, 111
Right of reply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 115 IV 77, 78; V 8–11
Time limit:
Adjournment of debate . . . . . . . . 74, 116
Closure of debate . . . . . . . . . . . . 75, 117
Explanations of vote . . . . . . . . . . 88, 128 IV 74–76; V 6, 7
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72, 114 IV 48, 73
Inclusion of items in agenda . . . . . 23
Powers of Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 106
Suspension or adjournment of
meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76, 118
Specialized agencies:
Administrative budgets . . . . . . . . . . 157
Agenda items, referral of . . . . . . . . . IV 22; VI 2
General Assembly sessions,
notification of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Statements, concluding . . . . . . . . . . . . V 17
Subcommittees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51, 102 I 14; II 29; III (e);
IV 66
Subsidiary organs:
Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 113
Congratulations to officers . . . . . . . . IV 81

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Dispensing with secret ballot . . . . . . V 16

Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 106 (b);
V 24–26
Establishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 VI 11; VII 7
Meetings:
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 115; V 33, 34
Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 114; V 33, 34
Number of organs . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 109, 110; VI 11
Participation by Member States not
members of organs . . . . . . . . . . . IV 112
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Vice-Chairmen, number of . . . . . . . . IV 42
Summary records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 54, 58 IV 108; V 27
Supplementary items: See Agenda
Suspension of meeting: See Procedural
motions
T
Technical advisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 100, 101
Temporary adjournment of session . . . . . 6
Terms of office:
Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions . . . . . . . 156
Committee on Contributions . . . . . . . 159
Council members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Economic and Social Council . . . . . . 145
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Security Council, non-permanent
members of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Trusteeship Council, non-administering
members of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Vice-Presidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

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Trusteeship Council:
By-elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Election of non-administering members 83, 147–149
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Terms of office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Trusteeship system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Two-thirds majority: See Voting
V
Vacancies: See Appointments; Elections
Verbatim records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54, 58 IV 108
Vice-Chairmen:
Acting Chairman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102, 103, 105
Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Subsidiary organs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV 42
Voting right when replacing Chairman
in General Committee . . . . . . . . . 39
Vice-Presidents:
Acting President:
Designation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
No voting right . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Powers and duties . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 V 16
Emergency special sessions . . . . . . . 63
General Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38, 39
Terms of office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82–95, 124–133
See also Elections
Abstentions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86, 126
Amendments, voting on . . . . . . . . . . 90, 130
Amendments to proposals relating to
important questions, two-thirds
majority required for . . . . . . . . . . 84

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Chairman does not vote . . . . . . . . . . 104

Chairman’s ruling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 IV 79 (b), 79 (c)
Conduct during voting . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 128
Decision as to whether to vote on
proposal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91, 131
Division of proposals and amendments 89, 129
Equally divided votes . . . . . . . . . . . 95, 133
Explanations of vote . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 128 IV 74–76; V 6, 7,
11
General Committee, voting in . . . . . . 38, 39
Important questions, majority
required on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Interruption of voting . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 128
Majority required on important
questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Mechanical means of voting . . . . . . . 87, 127
“Members present and voting”,
meaning of phrase . . . . . . . . . . . 86, 126
Method of voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 127 VII 2
Non-recorded vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 127
Order of voting:
Amendments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90, 130
Competence, decisions on . . . . . . 79, 121
Procedural motions . . . . . . . . . . . 77, 119
Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91, 131
Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VII 1
President does not vote . . . . . . . . . . 37
President’s ruling ........... 71 IV 79 (b), 79 (c)
Proposals, voting on 91, 131
Recorded vote 87, 127
Reports of Main Committees, proposal
to discuss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 V 15
Roll-call vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 127 IV 84; VII 2
Rules of procedure, amendment of . . . 163

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Ruling:
By Chairman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 IV 79 (b), 79 (c)
By President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 IV 79 (b), 79 (c)
Separate votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89, 129
Show of hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, 127
Simple majority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85, 125
Two-thirds majority required:
Additional items, consideration of . . 15
Admission of new Members . . . . . 83, 136
Budgetary questions . . . . . . . . . . 83
Election of members of Economic
and Social Council, Security
Council and Trusteeship Council 83
Expulsion of Members . . . . . . . . 83
Important questions . . . . . . . . . . 83, 84
International peace and security,
maintenance of . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Reconsideration of proposals,
motion for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81, 123
Supplementary and additional items
for agenda of special session or
emergency special session . . . . 19
Suspension of rights and privileges
of Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Trusteeship system . . . . . . . . . . . 83
W
Withdrawal of motions . . . . . . . . . . . . 80, 122
Working groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 14; II 29; III (e);
IV 66
Working languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

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