GENERAL ASSEMBLY DECISION 51/467 OF 18 APRIL 1997

PARTICIPATION OF MAJOR GROUPS, INCLUDING NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NINETEENTH SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

At its 96th plenary meeting, on 18 April 1997, the General Assembly, recalling it resolution 51/181 of 16 December 1996, in which it recongnized, inter alia, the important contributions made by major groups, including non-governmental organizations, at the United Nations Conference on Enviromnent and Development, held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3 to 14 June 1992, and in the implementation of its recommendantions, and recalling also that in the same resolution it invited the President of the General Assembly, in consultation with Member States, to propose to Member States appropriate modalities for the effective involvement of major groups in the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly:

(a) Decided that major groups, as identified in Agenda 21 and represented by non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and on the Roster, would be invited to participate in the plenary meeting of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly in the debate on an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21; 1/

(b) Decided also that representatives of such major groups who could not be accommodated in the debate on an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21 in the plenary meeting of the nineteenth special session may be invited to address the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole of the special session;

(c) Invited the President of the General Assembly to extend invitations to representatives of such major groups to participate in the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly;

(d) Decided that arrangements concerning the participation of representatives of such major groups in the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly would in no way create a precedent for other special sessions of the Assembly.

1/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992 (A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (vol.I and vol.I/Corr.1, vol.II, vol.III and vol. III/Corr.1) (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol.I: Resolutions Adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex II.