STATEMENT BY
MR. MOHD HAFIZ OTHMAN
MINISTER COUNSELLOR, PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
AT THE THEMATIC DEBATE OF THE AD HOC WORKING GROUP ON THE REVITALIZATION OF THE WORK OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY (AHWG) – GA ROLE AND AUTHORITY
NEW YORK, 12 MARCH 2020
Thank you, Co-Chairs. All protocol observed.
Co-Chairs,
2. Without member states, there is no United Nations. And there is no substitute for the General Assembly – in which all 193 member states meet under the condition of equality. It is the only UN principal organ, which each member state holds the same rights to engage and to vote on important issues.
3. The UN Charter clearly places the General Assembly first, higher than other principal organs. This is a clear reflection of its primacy and credibility – as the world's most deliberative and inclusive forum. At the same time, Malaysia fully recognizes the imperative and complementary roles of other principal organs in advancing the three pillars of the UN.
Co-Chairs,
4. On the specific theme of public diplomacy and global communication today, Malaysia is of the view that much more needs to be done to bring the General Assembly closer to the people. In this context, my delegation urges the Secretariat – particularly the Department of Global Communications to place greater, if not equal emphasis on promoting the work of the General Assembly and its committees, not just during the high-level week but also throughout the main and resumed sessions. We note that much has been reported and published on the work of the Secretariat and its agencies rather than the General Assembly and other principal organs. We also urge the Secretariat to observe, harmonize and coordinate its communication plan according to the mandated outcomes of the principal organs, particularly the General Assembly.
5. In this regard, my delegation wishes to highlight on the provision of the Charter, which states that the Secretariat shall only act in that capacity and perform "such other functions as are entrusted" by other United Nations organs. In this regard, we call on the Secretariat and its agencies to observe the position of wider member states in disseminating accurate information and message of the work of the United Nations.
6. To conclude, Malaysia calls on all parties to work collectively in addressing these challenges. My delegation stands ready to engaging constructively on this matter.
Thank you.
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