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General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL A/RES/54/281 15 August 2000

Fifty-fourth session
Agenda item 49 (b)

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
[without reference to a Main Committee (A/54/L.87)]

54/281. Organization of the Millennium Summit of the United Nations

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 53/202 of 17 December 1998, by which it decided, inter alia, to designate the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly "The Millennium Assembly of the United Nations" and to convene, as an integral part of the Millennium Assembly, a Millennium Summit of the United Nations,

Recalling also its resolution 54/254 of 15 March 2000, in which it:

(a) Decided that the Millennium Summit should be held from 6 to 8 September 2000,

(b) Decided also that the Millennium Summit would be composed of plenary meetings and four interactive round-table sessions, with each interactive session to be held in concurrence with a plenary meeting,

(c) Decided further that, owing to the unique symbolic moment of the Millennium Summit, the country of the President of the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly and the country of the President of the fifty-fifth session of the Assembly would jointly preside over the Summit,

(d) Requested the President of the General Assembly to hold consultations with all Member States in an open-ended process, with a view to taking decisions on all outstanding issues relating to the Millennium Summit, including its outcome,

Recalling further its resolution 54/261 of 10 May 2000, in which it:

(a) Decided that the Millennium Summit shall consist of a total of six meetings, on the basis of two meetings a day,

(b) Decided also that the Millennium Summit shall hold four interactive round-table sessions, the modalities for which shall be established in accordance with the following procedure:

1. The four round tables will have at least forty seats each and will be chaired by a head of State or Government,
2. The chairpersons of three of the round tables will be from the three regions not represented by the two Co-Chairpersons of the Millennium Summit. Those three chairpersons will be selected by their respective regional groups in consultation with the President of the General Assembly. The choice of chairperson of the fourth round table will be subject to further consultations,
3. Following the selection of the chairpersons of the round tables, each regional group will determine which of its members will participate in each round table, ensuring that equitable geographical distribution will be maintained, allowing for some flexibility. The chairpersons of the regional groups will communicate to the President of the General Assembly the list of countries from their respective regions that will participate in each round table. Member States are encouraged to be represented at the round tables at the level of heads of State or Government,
4. All four round tables will cover the same overarching theme and sub-themes,

Bearing in mind that the list of speakers for the plenary meetings was established by the drawing of lots in accordance with the provisions contained in resolution 54/261,

Decides that the Millennium Summit shall be organized in accordance with the procedure set forth in the annex to the present resolution.

99th plenary meeting
11 August 2000

ANNEX

Organization of the Millennium Summit of the United Nations

1. Owing to the unique symbolic moment of the Millennium Summit, the two Co-Chairpersons, the head of State of the country of the President of the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly (Namibia) and the head of State of the country of the President of the fifty-fifth session of the Assembly (Finland), will jointly preside over the Summit. The podium in the General Assembly Hall will have three seats to accommodate the two Co-Chairpersons and the Secretary-General. In the absence of one of the heads of State of these countries, the highest-ranking official in the delegation of these countries will sit instead.

2. The overarching theme of the Millennium Summit, "The role of the United Nations in the twenty-first century", will also be the agenda of the round tables. The heads of State and heads of Government would be free to discuss any sub-themes proposed in the report of the Secretary-General,⁽¹⁾ those raised during the consultations, or any other matter they wish to address.

3. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 54/261, it has been agreed that one of the four round tables will be chaired by the Group of African States. Thus, the four round tables will be chaired by the following four regional groups:

(a) African States;

(b) Asian States;

(c) Eastern European States;

(d) Latin American and Caribbean States.

4. Each head of State or head of Government or head of delegation attending the round tables may be accompanied by two advisers.

5. The composition of the four round tables will be subject to the principle of equitable geographical distribution. Thus, for each regional group, the distribution of its members for participation in each round table will be done in the following manner:

(a) For the round table to be held on Wednesday, 6 September, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.:

• African States: fifteen Member States;
• Asian States: fifteen Member States;
• Eastern European States: seven Member States;
• Latin American and Caribbean States: ten Member States;
• Western European and other States: nine Member States;

(b) For the round table to be held on Thursday, 7 September, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.:

• African States: fifteen Member States;
• Asian States: fifteen Member States;
• Eastern European States: seven Member States;
• Latin American and Caribbean States: ten Member States;
• Western European and other States: nine Member States;

(c) For the round table to be held on Thursday, 7 September, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.:

• African States: fifteen Member States;
• Asian States: fifteen Member States;
• Eastern European States: seven Member States;
• Latin American and Caribbean States: ten Member States;
• Western European and other States: nine Member States;

(d) For the round table to be held on Friday, 8 September, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.:

• African States: fifteen Member States;
• Asian States: fifteen Member States;
• Eastern European States: seven Member States;
• Latin American and Caribbean States: ten Member States;
• Western European and other States: nine Member States.

6. The round tables will be chaired in the following manner:

(a) The round table to be held on Wednesday, 6 September, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., will be chaired by His Excellency Mr. Goh Chok Tong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore;

(b) The round table to be held on Thursday, 7 September, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will be chaired by His Excellency Mr. Aleksander Kwasniewski, President of the Republic of Poland;

(c) The round table to be held on Thursday, 7 September, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., will be chaired by His Excellency Mr. Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela;

(d) The round table to be held on Friday, 8 September, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will be chaired by His Excellency Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria.

7. Member States that are not members of any of the regional groups may participate in different round tables to be determined in consultation with the President of the General Assembly. The Holy See and Switzerland, in their capacity as observer States, and Palestine, in its capacity as observer, as well as the intergovernmental organizations listed in paragraph 11 below, may also participate in different round tables to be determined also in consultation with the President of the General Assembly.

8. The list of participants in each round table will be made available as soon as possible.

9. The round tables would be closed to the media and the general public. Accredited delegates and observers will be able to follow the proceedings of the round tables via a closed-circuit television in the overflow room.

10. Summaries of the deliberations of the four round tables will be presented orally by the chairpersons of the round tables, individually or collectively, during the concluding plenary meeting of the Millennium Summit.

11. Pursuant to resolution 54/261, one or more representatives of intergovernmental organizations, parliaments and civil society may participate in the plenary meetings of the Millennium Summit, time permitting. In this connection, and without prejudice to other organizations which have observer status in the General Assembly, a representative of each of the following may be included in the list of speakers for the plenary meetings of the Summit:

League of Arab States
Organization of African Unity
European Commission
Organization of the Islamic Conference
Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments
Millennium Forum.

12. In addition, a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross and a representative of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta may also be included in the list of speakers for the plenary meetings of the Millennium Summit, time permitting.

13. Other than for Member States, the list of speakers for the plenary meetings of the Millennium Summit will be closed on Wednesday, 16 August 2000.

1. A/53/948 and Add.1.