Modalities of the 2028 United Nations Conference on the Final Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, "Water for Sustainable Development", 2018–2028

A/RES/80/304View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 18 Sustainable development, published in 2026.

What subjects does this mandate have?

2 subjects

What’s in this document?

94 operative paragraphs

Decides that the 2028 United Nations Conference on the Final Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028, hosted by Tajikistan, will be held in Dushanbe from 4 to 6 May 2028, to promote the implementation of water-related actions and to take stock of the progress catalysed by the International Decade;

Also decides that all costs relating to the Conference and its preparation shall be financed through extrabudgetary resources;

Further decides that a one-day high-level meeting will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2027 to support effective preparations for the Conference;

Recalls that the Secretary-General was invited to submit, with the support of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat and UN-Water, the specialized agencies, the regional commissions and other entities of the United Nations system, a report taking into account actions, initiatives, best practices and lessons learned, as well as obstacles and constraints encountered, to assess progress on the implementation of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028, for the consideration of the General Assembly at its eighty-first session;

Decides that the Conference shall adopt by consensus a non‑binding, action-oriented and intergovernmentally negotiated sole outcome document, to be agreed in advance, that serves as the “Dushanbe Water Framework” and provides a basis for advancing water action;

Also decides that the Conference will be preceded by regional and global preparatory meetings, as appropriate, and that all costs relating to the Conference and its preparation will be financed through voluntary contributions, and in this connection requests the Secretary-General to coordinate the preparatory process with the support of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Water and to invite UN‑Water and all relevant organizations of the United Nations system, including the regional commissions and other relevant organizations, within their respective mandates, to provide support to the review process and the Conference;

Requests the President of the General Assembly to appoint two co‑facilitators, one from a developing country and one from a developed country, reflecting different views and perspectives on water, to conduct the intergovernmental consultations, through an open, transparent and Member State-driven process, on the “Dushanbe Water Framework” outcome document, to be concluded by April 2028;

Decides that the Conference shall:

Assess the progress made in the implementation of the objectives of the Decade, including the Secretary-General’s Plan: Water Action Decade 2018–2028, while reaffirming the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including those contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;¹⁵

¹⁵Resolution 70/1.

Identify possible challenges and obstacles related to the achievement of the objectives of the Decade, as well as opportunities and innovative ways and means to support their implementation and acceleration of progress, in order to help to achieve the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including those contained in the 2030 Agenda;

Support further action, initiatives and success, and enhance means of implementation and partnerships as well as cooperation at all relevant levels, including international cooperation, as appropriate, to accelerate the achievement of the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including those contained in the 2030 Agenda, including Sustainable Development Goal 6, and promote the implementation of the objectives of the Decade, including with regard to sustainable development and integrated management of water resources, including through collaborative approaches;

Share ongoing efforts, best practices and experience gained in the implementation of the objectives of the Decade;

Involve all relevant stakeholders, bringing together, among other actors, Governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other interested international bodies, non‑governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, local authorities, the scientific community, persons with disabilities, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities to assess challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as to support further action to implement, in accordance with national circumstances and priorities, the objectives of the Decade and the water-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda;

Contribute to the follow-up and review process of the 2030 Agenda by providing an input to the high-level political forum on sustainable development, in accordance with resolutions 67/290 of 9 July 2013, 70/1, and 70/299 of 29 July 2016, unless otherwise agreed in line with the aforementioned resolutions;

Also decides that the Conference shall elect from among the representatives of participating States the following officers: one President, and 14 Vice-Presidents,¹⁶ one of whom shall be designated as Rapporteur-General, and one ex officio Vice-President from the host country;

¹⁶Three from each of the following groups: African States; Asia-Pacific States; Eastern European States; Latin American and Caribbean States; and Western European and other States. The election of the President will, however, have the effect of reducing by one the number of Vice-Presidents allocated to the region from which the President is elected.

Further decides that the Conference shall comprise eight plenary meetings, including an opening and a closing segment, and six interactive dialogues, which shall result in summaries of their work, in accordance with annex II to the present resolution;

Decides that interactive dialogues will be held in parallel with the plenary meetings, in accordance with annex II to the present resolution;

Requests the Secretary-General to appoint a Secretary-General of the Conference to serve as focal point within the Secretariat for providing support to the organization of the Conference;

Decides that the organizational arrangements for the interactive dialogues will be as follows:

The interactive dialogues shall be collaborative and multi-stakeholder in nature, with due regard for gender and geographical balance, ensuring a structured, transparent and inclusive process throughout all interactive dialogues;

Each interactive dialogue will be presided over by two Co-Chairs, one from a developing country and one from a developed country, reflecting different views and perspectives on water, to be appointed by the host of the Conference at least six months in advance of the Conference;

The Secretary-General of the Conference will prepare concept papers on each of the themes of the interactive dialogues at least six months ahead of the Conference;

The host country of the Conference, in coordination with the Secretary-General of the Conference, will designate a moderator and up to four panellists for each interactive dialogue, taking into account gender balance and equitable geographical representation in the appointment of Co-Chairs, moderators and panellists;

The panel discussions, facilitated by the moderator, will be followed by an interactive debate among States and other relevant stakeholders;

Summaries of the interactive dialogues shall be factual, shall be prepared and presented to the Conference by their respective Co-Chairs at its closing meeting, and shall not constitute negotiated outcomes;

Contribute to the mainstreaming of a gender perspective in ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation for all, including through the empowerment of women and girls, as their full, equal and meaningful participation is key to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6;

Also contribute to the follow-up and review process of the 2030 Agenda by providing an input to the high-level political forum on sustainable development, in accordance with resolutions 67/290, 70/1, 70/299 and 75/290 B of 25 June 2021;

Encourages participation in the Conference at the highest possible level;

Recommends the provisional agenda set forth in annex I to the present resolution for adoption by the Conference;

Decides that the Conference shall be organized in accordance with the organization of work set forth in annex II to the present resolution;

Recommends the provisional rules of procedure set forth in annex III to the present resolution, which are based on the established practice of the General Assembly and its conferences, without prejudice to the provisions of the present resolution, for adoption by the Conference;

Notes that the Conference will build upon the discussions held during the interactive dialogues of the United Nations Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028, and the discussions held during the interactive dialogues of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to Accelerate the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all;

Decides that the themes of the interactive dialogues at the Conference shall be the same as the themes of the interactive dialogues of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to Accelerate the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6;

Considers the contribution from other existing water-related meetings that may serve to provide input for the preparatory process of the Conference, and of Member States in organizing meetings intended to feed into the 2028 Conference;

Encourages Member States, relevant United Nations bodies, the specialized agencies, the regional commissions and other organizations of the United Nations system, as well as other relevant partners, including the private sector, to continue to contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6, including through capacity-building, in order to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda;

Takes note of the United Nations System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation, which aims to enhance the coordination and delivery of water priorities across the United Nations system and to place particular emphasis on the water-related needs of the developing countries, including those related to finance, technology transfer and capacity-building;

Decides that the Conference and its preparatory process shall be open to all States Members of the United Nations and members of the specialized agencies;

Invites other relevant stakeholders, including organizations and bodies of the United Nations, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other interested international bodies and non‑governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, local authorities, the scientific community, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, persons with disabilities, the private sector and philanthropic organizations, whose work is relevant to the Conference, accredited in accordance with the provisions set forth in annex II to the present resolution, to participate as observers in the Conference and its preparatory meeting;

Decides that accreditation to the Conference shall be in accordance with the provisions set forth in annex II to the present resolution;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide appropriate support from all relevant parts of the Secretariat, and in cooperation with UN-Water and other relevant parts of the United Nations system, to the work of the Conference and to facilitate inter-agency cooperation to that end, as well as to ensure the efficient use of resources, so that the objectives of the Conference can be achieved;

Encourages States and international donors, as well as the private sector, financial institutions, foundations and other donors in a position to do so, to support the preparations for the Conference through voluntary contributions to a trust fund in support of preparations for the Conference and to support the participation of representatives of developing countries, priority being given to representatives of the least developed countries and small island developing States, including coverage of economy-class air tickets, daily subsistence allowances and terminal expenses, in the meetings of the Conference and its preparatory meeting.

Annex I

Provisional agenda of the 2028 United Nations Conference on the Final Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028

Tajikistan, 4 to 6 May 2028

Opening of the Conference.

Election of the President.

Adoption of the rules of procedure.

Adoption of the agenda of the Conference.

Election of officers other than the President.

Organization of work and other organizational matters.

Credentials of representatives to the Conference:

Appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee;

Report of the Credentials Committee.

General debate.

Interactive dialogues.

Outcome of the Conference.

Adoption of the report of the Conference.

Closure of the Conference.

Annex II

Proposed organization of work of the 2028 United Nations Conference on the Final Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028

Tajikistan, 4 to 6 May 2028

The 2028 United Nations Conference on the Final Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028, will be held in Dushanbe from 4 to 6 May 2028.

Organization of work

Plenary meetings

The Conference will consist of a total of eight plenary meetings, to be held as follows:

Thursday, 4 May: from 9 to 10 a.m., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m.

Friday, 5 May: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 6 May: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., from 3 to 6 p.m. and from 6 to 7 p.m.

The plenary meetings will be devoted to statements.

The list of speakers for the plenary meetings will be established on a first-come first-served basis, with the customary protocol that ensures that Heads of State or Government speak first, followed by other heads of delegation. The European Union will be included in the list of speakers. Detailed arrangements will be communicated in a timely manner through a note by the Secretariat.

At the opening of the Conference, to take place during the first plenary meeting, consideration will be given to all procedural and organizational matters, including the adoption of the rules of procedure and the agenda, the election of the President of the Conference, the election of officers, the establishment of subsidiary organs, as appropriate, the appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee, arrangements for the preparation of the report of the Conference and other matters. At the first plenary meeting, statements will be made by the President of the Conference, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly, the President of the Economic and Social Council, the Secretary-General of the Conference, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Water and the Chair of UN-Water.

The plenary meetings will also hear statements, in accordance with the practices of the General Assembly, from representatives of intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, international bodies, the specialized agencies, funds and programmes, as well as major groups and other stakeholders accredited to the Conference as observers in accordance with the present annex.

The final plenary meeting, to be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, 6 May, is expected to conclude with, inter alia, reporting on the interactive dialogues, to be followed by the adoption of the “Dushanbe Water Framework” and the report of the Conference.

The plenary meetings will run in parallel with the interactive dialogues, unless otherwise specified in the present resolution.

Interactive dialogues

The Conference will include six interactive dialogues, to be held in parallel with the plenary meetings, as follows:

Thursday, 4 May: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m.

Friday, 5 May: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 6 May: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m.

Summaries of the interactive dialogues should be presented to the Conference at its closing plenary meeting, followed by a written submission for the final report of the Conference.

Main Committee

The Main Committee, established in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Conference, will meet, if necessary, in parallel with plenary meetings, except during the opening and closing of the Conference, and will be responsible for finalizing any outstanding matters.

Credentials of representatives to the Conference: appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee

The Credentials Committee will be appointed according to the rules of procedure of the Conference.

Accreditation: international organizations and other entities

Relevant intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions and international bodies with a standing invitation to participate in the work of the General Assembly as observers or that were accredited to the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the United Nations Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028, the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to Accelerate the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the intergovernmental conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, the United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, the Review Conference on the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, the international meeting entitled “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity”, the 2017, 2022 and 2025 United Nations Conferences to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, and to the United Nations conferences on the sustainable development of small island developing States, held in Barbados, Mauritius, Samoa and Antigua and Barbuda, may participate in the deliberations of the Conference and its preparatory meeting, as appropriate, in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Conference.

Interested intergovernmental organizations that were not accredited to the conferences and summits listed in paragraph 13 above may apply to the General Assembly for accreditation following the established accreditation procedure.

Accreditation: non‑governmental organizations and all relevant stakeholders

The non‑governmental organizations and major groups as identified in Agenda 21,¹⁷ in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, as well as those that were accredited to the conferences and summits listed in paragraph 13 above, shall register in order to participate.

¹⁷Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3–‍14 June 1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by the Conference (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigendum), resolution 1, annex II.

The President of the General Assembly shall also draw up lists of other relevant non‑governmental organizations, civil society and youth organizations, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, local and regional authorities, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations and other stakeholders whose work is relevant to the Conference, which may participate in the Conference and the preparatory meeting, taking into account the principles of transparency and of equitable geographical representation, with due regard for gender parity, and shall submit the proposed lists to Member States for their consideration on a non‑objection basis. The President of the General Assembly shall bring the lists to the attention of the General Assembly for a final decision by the Assembly on participation in the high-level meeting before the preparatory meeting and, in any case, no later than six months before the Conference.¹⁸

¹⁸The lists will include proposed as well as final names. The general basis of any objections, if requested by one or more States Members of the United Nations or States members of the specialized agencies, will be made known to the Office of the President of the General Assembly and the requester.

The provisions of paragraph 15 of General Assembly resolution 67/290 of 9 July 2013 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the Conference and its preparatory process.

Secretariat

The Secretary-General of the Conference will serve as focal point within the Secretariat for providing support to the organization of the Conference, in cooperation with the representative of the President.

Documentation

In accordance with the practice followed at previous United Nations conferences, the official documentation of the Conference will include documents issued before, during and after the Conference.

In accordance with the practice followed at previous United Nations conferences, it is recommended that the Conference adopt a report consisting of the decisions of the Conference, a brief account of the proceedings and a reportorial account of the work of the Conference and the action taken at the plenary meetings.

Summaries of the plenary meetings and interactive dialogues of the Conference and a list of voluntary commitments announced at the Conference should also be included in the report of the Conference.

Organization of parallel meetings and other events of the Conference

Parallel meetings and other events, including those of major groups and other stakeholders, will be held during the same hours as the plenary meetings and interactive dialogues, space permitting. Interpretation services will be provided for such meetings, as available.

Side events

Side events, including briefings, seminars, workshops and panel discussions on issues related to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 will be organized by participants in the Conference. Guidelines for organizing such events and the calendar of those events will be made available on the Conference website.

Media coverage

Press materials will be prepared by the Department of Global Communications of the Secretariat for journalists covering the Conference. In addition, regular press releases will be issued on the results of plenary meetings, interactive dialogues and other events. All relevant documentation will be made available on the Conference website.

The plenary meetings, the interactive dialogues and the press conferences will be broadcast live to the media area. A programme of special media briefings and press conferences will be announced.

Annex III

Provisional rules of procedure of the 2028 United Nations Conference on the Final Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028

Representation and credentials

Rule 1

Composition of delegations

The delegation of each State participating in the Conference and that of the European Union shall consist of a head of delegation and such other representatives, alternate representatives and advisers as may be required.

Rule 2

Alternates and advisers

The head of delegation may designate an alternate representative or an adviser to act as a representative.

Rule 3

Submission of credentials

The credentials of representatives and the names of alternate representatives and advisers shall be submitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, if possible, not less than one week before the date fixed for the opening of the Conference. The credentials shall be issued either by the Head of the State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs or, in the case of the European Union, by the President of the European Commission.

Rule 4

Credentials Committee

A Credentials Committee of nine members shall be appointed at the beginning of the Conference. Its composition shall be based on that of the Credentials Committee of the General Assembly at its eighty-first session. It shall examine the credentials of representatives and report to the Conference without delay.

Rule 5

Provisional participation in the Conference

Pending a decision of the Conference on their credentials, representatives shall be entitled to participate provisionally in the Conference.

Officers

Rule 6

Elections

The Conference shall elect from among the representatives of participating States the following officers: one President, from Tajikistan, and 14 Vice-Presidents,¹⁹ one of whom shall be designated as Rapporteur-General, one ex officio Vice-President from the host country, as well as a Chair for the Main Committee established in accordance with rule 46. The officers shall be elected with a view to ensuring the representative character of the General Committee. The Conference may also elect such other officers as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.

¹⁹Three from each of the following groups: African States; Asia-Pacific States; Eastern European States; Latin American and Caribbean States; and Western European and other States. The election of the President will, however, have the effect of reducing by one the number of Vice-Presidents allocated to the region from which the President is elected.

Rule 7

General powers of the President

The President shall preside at the plenary meetings of the Conference. In addition to exercising the powers conferred upon him elsewhere by these rules, the President shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting, put questions to the vote and announce decisions. The President shall rule on points of order and, subject to those rules, shall have complete control over the proceedings and the maintenance of order thereat. The President may propose to the Conference the closure of the list of speakers, a limitation on the time to be allowed to speakers and on the number of times each representative may speak on a question, the adjournment or closure of the debate and the suspension or adjournment of a meeting.

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

Rule 8

Acting President

If the President is to be absent from a meeting or any part thereof, he may designate one of the Vice-Presidents to preside.

A Vice-President acting as President shall have the same powers and duties as the President.

Rule 9

Replacement of the President

If the President is unable to perform his functions, a new President shall be elected.

Rule 10

Voting rights of the President

The President, or a Vice-President acting as the President, shall not vote in the Conference, but may appoint another member of her or his delegation to vote in her or his place.

General Committee

Rule 11

Composition

The President, the Vice-Presidents, the Rapporteur-General and the Chair of the Main Committee shall constitute the General Committee. The President, or, in his absence, a Vice-President designated by him, shall serve as Chair of the General Committee. The Chair of the Credentials Committee and other committees established by the Conference in accordance with rule 48 may participate, without the right to vote, in the General Committee.

Rule 12

Substitute members

If the President or a Vice-President of the Conference is to be absent during a meeting of the General Committee, she or he may designate a member of her or his delegation to sit and vote in the Committee. In case of absence, the Chair of the Main Committee shall designate the Vice-Chair of that Committee as her or his substitute. When serving on the General Committee, a Vice-Chair of the Main Committee shall not have the right to vote if she or he is a member of the same delegation as another member of the General Committee.

Rule 13

Functions

The General Committee shall assist the President in the general conduct of the business of the Conference and, subject to the decisions of the Conference, shall ensure the coordination of the work of the Conference.

Secretariat of the Conference

Rule 14

Duties of the Secretary-General of the United Nations

The Secretary-General of the United Nations or a designated representative shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the Conference and its subsidiary organs.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations or a designated representative shall direct the staff required by the Conference.

Rule 15

Duties of the secretariat of the Conference

The secretariat of the Conference shall, in accordance with the present rules:

Provide simultaneous interpretation of speeches made at meetings;

Receive, translate, reproduce and circulate the documents of the Conference;

Publish and circulate the official documents of the Conference;

Prepare and circulate records of public meetings;

Make and arrange for the keeping of sound recordings of meetings;

Arrange for the custody and preservation of the documents of the Conference in the archives of the United Nations;

Generally perform all other work that the Conference may require.

Rule 16

Statements by the Secretariat

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, or any member of the Secretariat designated for that purpose, may, at any time, make either oral or written statements concerning any question under consideration.

Opening of the Conference

Rule 17

Temporary President

The Secretary-General of the United Nations or, in her or his absence, any member of the Secretariat designated by her or him for that purpose, shall open the first meeting of the Conference and preside until the Conference has elected its President.

Rule 18

Decisions concerning organization

The Conference shall, at its first meeting:

Adopt its rules of procedure;

Elect its officers and constitute its subsidiary organs;

Adopt its agenda, the draft of which shall, until such adoption, be the provisional agenda of the Conference;

Decide on the organization of its work.

Conduct of business

Rule 19

Quorum

The President may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed when at least one third of the States participating in the Conference are present. The presence of a majority of the States so participating shall be required for any decision to be taken.

Rule 20

Speeches

No representative may address the Conference without having previously obtained the permission of the President. Subject to rules 21, 22 and 25 to 27, the President shall call upon speakers in the order in which they indicate their desire to speak. The secretariat shall be in charge of drawing up a list of speakers.

Debate shall be confined to the question before the Conference and the President may call a speaker to order if her or his remarks are not relevant to the subject under discussion.

The Conference may limit the time allowed to each speaker and the number of times each participant may speak on any question. Permission to speak on a motion to set such limits shall be accorded to only two representatives in favour of and to two opposing such limits, after which the motion shall be immediately put to the vote. In any event, with the consent of the Conference, the President shall limit each intervention on procedural matters to five minutes. When the debate is limited and a speaker exceeds the allotted time, the President shall call her or him to order without delay.

Rule 21

Points of order

During the discussion of any matter, a representative may at any time raise a point of order, which shall be immediately decided by the President in accordance with the present rules. 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 States present and voting. A representative may not, in raising a point of order, speak on the substance of the matter under discussion.

Rule 22

Precedence

The Chair or the Rapporteur of the Main Committee, or of other subsidiary organs, may be accorded precedence for the purpose of explaining the conclusions arrived at by the body concerned.

Rule 23

Closing of the list of speakers

During the course of a debate, the President may announce the list of speakers and, with the consent of the Conference, declare the list closed.

Rule 24

Right of reply

Notwithstanding rule 23, the President shall accord the right of reply to a representative of any State participating in the Conference or of the European Union who requests it. Any other representative of a State may be granted the opportunity to make a reply.

The statements made under the present rule shall normally be made at the end of the last meeting of the day, or at the conclusion of the consideration of the relevant item if that is sooner.

Representatives of a State or of the European Union may make no more than two statements under the present rule at a given meeting on any item. The first shall be limited to five minutes and the second to three minutes. Representatives shall, in any event, attempt to be as brief as possible.

Rule 25

Adjournment of debate

A representative of any State participating in the Conference may at any time move the adjournment of the debate on the question under discussion. In addition to the proposer of the motion, permission to speak on the motion shall be accorded to only two representatives in favour and to two opposing the adjournment, after which the motion shall, subject to rule 28, be immediately put to the vote.

Rule 26

Closure of debate

A representative of any State participating in the Conference may at any time move the closure of the debate on the question under discussion, whether or not any other representative has signified her or his wish to speak. Permission to speak on the motion shall be accorded to only two representatives opposing the closure, after which the motion shall, subject to rule 28, be immediately put to the vote.

Rule 27

Suspension or adjournment of the meeting

Subject to rule 38, a representative of any State participating in the Conference may at any time move the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting. No discussion on such motions shall be permitted and they shall, subject to rule 28, be immediately put to the vote.

Rule 28

Order of motions

The motions indicated below shall have precedence in the following order over all proposals or other motions before the meeting:

To suspend the meeting;

To adjourn the meeting;

To adjourn the debate on the question under discussion;

To close the debate on the question under discussion.

Rule 29

Submission of proposals and substantive amendments

Proposals and substantive amendments shall normally be submitted in writing to the Secretary-General or her or his designated representative, who shall circulate copies to all delegations in the languages of the Conference. Unless the Conference decides otherwise, substantive proposals shall not be discussed or put to a decision unless copies 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, even though those amendments have not been circulated or have been circulated only the same day.

Rule 30

Withdrawal of proposals and motions

A proposal or a motion may be withdrawn by its sponsor at any time before a decision on it has been taken, provided that it has not been amended. A proposal or a motion thus withdrawn may be reintroduced by any representative.

Rule 31

Decisions on competence

Subject to rule 28, any motion calling for a decision on the competence of the Conference to adopt a proposal submitted to it shall be put to the vote before a decision is taken on the proposal in question.

Rule 32

Reconsideration of proposals

When a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may not be reconsidered unless the Conference, by a two-thirds majority of the States present and voting, so decides. Permission to speak on a motion to reconsider shall be accorded to only two speakers opposing reconsideration, after which the motion shall be immediately put to the vote.

Decision-making

Rule 33

General agreement

The Conference shall adopt, by consensus, the “Dushanbe Water Framework”, and make its best endeavour to ensure that all other work of the Conference is accomplished by consensus.

Rule 34

Voting rights

Each State participating in the Conference shall have one vote.

Rule 35

Majority required

Subject to rule 33, decisions of the Conference on all matters of substance shall be taken by a two-thirds majority of the States present and voting.

Except as otherwise provided in the present rules, decisions of the Conference on all matters of procedure shall be taken by a majority of the States present and voting.

If the question arises whether a matter is one of procedure or of substance, the President of the Conference shall rule on the question. An appeal against that ruling shall be immediately put to the vote, and the President’s ruling shall stand unless overruled by a majority of the States present and voting.

If a vote is equally divided, the proposal or motion shall be regarded as rejected.

Rule 36

Meaning of the phrase “States present and voting”

For the purpose of the present rules, the phrase “States present and voting” means States casting an affirmative or negative vote. States which abstain from voting shall be regarded as not voting.

Rule 37

Method of voting

Except as provided in rule 44, the Conference may vote by show of hands, except that a representative may request a roll call, which shall then be taken in the English alphabetical order of the names of the States participating in the Conference, beginning with the delegation whose name is drawn by lot by the President. The name of each State shall be called in all roll calls, and its representative shall reply “yes”, “no” or “abstention”.

When the Conference votes by mechanical means, a non‑recorded vote shall replace a vote by show of hands and a recorded vote shall replace a roll call. A representative may request a recorded vote, which shall, unless a representative requests otherwise, be taken without calling out the names of the States participating in the Conference.

The vote of each State participating in a roll call or a recorded vote shall be inserted in any record of or report on the meeting.

Rule 38

Conduct during voting

After the President has announced the commencement of voting, no representative shall interrupt the voting, except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting.

Rule 39

Explanation of vote

Representatives may make brief statements, consisting solely of explanations of vote, before the voting has commenced or after the voting has been completed. The President may limit the time to be allowed for such explanations. The representative of a State sponsoring a proposal or motion shall not speak in explanation of vote thereon, except if it has been amended.

When the same matter is considered successively in several organs of the Conference, a State should, as far as possible, explain its vote only in one such organ, unless its vote in one organ is different from that in another organ.

Rule 40

Division of proposals

A representative may move that parts of a proposal be decided on separately. If a representative objects, the motion for division shall be voted upon. Permission to speak on the motion shall be accorded to only two representatives in favour of and to two opposing the division. If the motion is carried, those parts of the proposal that are subsequently approved shall be put to the Conference for decision as a whole. If all operative parts of the proposal have been rejected, the proposal shall be considered to have been rejected as a whole.

Rule 41

Amendments

A proposal is considered an amendment to another proposal if it merely adds to, deletes from or revises part of that proposal. Unless specified otherwise, the word “proposal” in these rules shall be regarded as including amendments.

Rule 42

Order of voting on amendments

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 Conference shall vote first 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 shall not be put to the vote. If one or more amendments are adopted, the amended proposal shall then be voted upon.

Rule 43

Order of voting on proposals

If two or more proposals, other than amendments, relate to the same question, they shall, unless the Conference decides otherwise, be voted on in the order in which they were submitted. The Conference may, after each vote on a proposal, decide whether to vote on the next proposal.

Revised proposals shall be voted on in the order in which the original proposals were submitted, unless the revision substantially departs from the original proposal. In that case, the original proposal shall be regarded as withdrawn and the revised proposal shall be treated as a new proposal.

A motion requiring that no decision be taken on a proposal shall be put to the vote before a decision is taken on the proposal in question.

Rule 44

Elections

All elections shall be held by secret ballot unless, in the absence of any objection, the Conference decides to proceed without taking a ballot when there is an agreed candidate or slate of candidates.

Rule 45

Balloting

When one or more elective places are to be filled at one time under the same conditions, those candidates, in a number not exceeding the number of such places, obtaining in the first ballot a majority of the votes cast and the largest number of votes shall be elected.

If the number of candidates obtaining such majority is less than the number of places to be filled, additional ballots shall be held to fill the remaining places, the voting being restricted to the candidates obtaining the largest number of votes in the previous ballot, to a number not more than twice the places remaining to be filled.

Subsidiary organs

Rule 46

Main Committee

The Conference may establish a Main Committee.

Rule 47

Representation on the Main Committee

Each State participating in the Conference and the European Union may be represented by one representative on the Main Committee. They may assign to the Committee such alternate representatives and advisers as may be required.

Rule 48

Other committees and working groups

In addition to the Main Committee referred to above, the Conference may establish such committees and working groups as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.

Subject to the decision of the plenary of the Conference, the committees may set up subcommittees and working groups.

Rule 49

Members of committees, subcommittees and working groups

The members of the committees and working groups of the Conference, referred to in rule 48, paragraph 1, shall be appointed by the President, subject to the approval of the Conference, unless the Conference decides otherwise.

Members of the subcommittees and working groups of committees shall be appointed by the Chair of the committee in question, subject to the approval of that committee, unless the committee decides otherwise.

Rule 50

Officers

Except as otherwise provided in rule 6, each committee, subcommittee and working group shall elect its own officers.

Rule 51

Quorum

The Chair of the Main Committee may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed when at least one quarter of the States participating in the Conference are present. The presence of a majority of the States so participating shall be required for any decision to be taken.

A majority of the members of the General Committee or the Credentials Committee or of any committee, subcommittee or working group shall constitute a quorum.

Rule 52

Officers, conduct of business and voting

The rules contained in sections II, VI (except rule 19) and VII above shall be applicable, mutatis mutandis, to the proceedings of committees, subcommittees and working groups, except that:

The Chairs of the General Committee and the Credentials Committee and the Chairs of the committees, subcommittees and working groups may exercise the right to vote, provided that they are representatives of participating States;

Decisions of committees, subcommittees and working groups shall be taken by a majority of the members present and voting, except that the reconsideration of a proposal or an amendment shall require the majority established by rule 32.

Languages and records

Rule 53

Languages of the Conference

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish shall be the languages of the Conference.

Rule 54

Interpretation

Speeches made in a language of the Conference shall be interpreted into the other five languages.

A representative may speak in a language other than a language of the Conference if the delegation concerned provides for interpretation into one of the languages of the Conference.

Rule 55

Languages of official documents

Official documents of the Conference shall be made available in the languages of the Conference.

Rule 56

Sound recordings of meetings

Sound recordings of the plenary meetings of the Conference, the interactive dialogues and of the meetings of the Main Committee shall be made and kept in accordance with the practice of the United Nations. Unless otherwise decided by the Conference or the Main Committee, no such recordings shall be made of any of the other meetings held during the Conference.

Public and private meetings

General principles

Rule 57

The plenary meetings of the Conference and the meetings of any committee shall be held in public unless the body concerned decides otherwise. All decisions taken by the plenary of the Conference at a private meeting shall be announced at an early public meeting of the plenary.

Rule 58

As a general rule, meetings of the General Committee, the Credentials Committee, subcommittees or working groups shall be held in private.

Rule 59

Communiqués on private meetings

At the close of a private meeting, the presiding officer of the organ concerned may issue a communiqué through the Secretary-General of the United Nations or a designated representative.

Other participants and observers

Rule 60

Intergovernmental organizations and other entities²⁰ having received a standing invitation to participate as observers in the sessions and work of the General Assembly

²⁰For the purpose of the present rules, the term “other entities” includes the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Olympic Committee, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Sovereign Order of Malta.

Representatives designated by intergovernmental organizations and other entities having received a standing invitation to participate as observers in the sessions and work of the General Assembly have the right to participate as observers, without the right to vote, in the deliberations of the Conference, the Main Committee and, as appropriate, any other committee or working group.

Rule 61

Associate members of regional commissions

Representatives designated by the associate members of regional commissions listed in the footnote below may participate as observers, without the right to vote, in the deliberations of the Conference, the Main Committee and, as appropriate, any other committee or working group.

Rule 62

Representatives of the specialized agencies and related organizations²²

²²For the purpose of the present rules, the term “related organizations” includes the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Criminal Court, the International Organization for Migration, the International Seabed Authority, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization and the World Trade Organization.

Representatives designated by the specialized agencies and related organizations may participate as observers, without the right to vote, in the deliberations of the Conference, the Main Committee and, as appropriate, any other committee or working group on questions within the scope of their activities.

Rule 63

Representatives of other intergovernmental organizations and other international bodies

Save where otherwise specifically provided with respect to the European Union in these rules of procedure, representatives designated by other intergovernmental organizations and other international bodies invited to the Conference may participate as observers, without the right to vote, in the deliberations of the Conference, the Main Committee and, as appropriate, any other committee or working group on questions within the scope of their activities.

Rule 64

Representatives of interested United Nations organs

Representatives designated by interested organs of the United Nations may participate as observers, without the right to vote, in the deliberations of the Conference, the Main Committee and, as appropriate, any other committee or working group on questions within the scope of their activities.

Rule 65

Representatives of non‑governmental organizations

Non-governmental organizations accredited to participate in the Conference may designate representatives to attend public meetings of the Conference and the Main Committee as observers.

Upon the invitation of the presiding officer of the Conference and subject to the approval of the Conference, such observers may make oral statements on questions in which they have special competence. If the number of requests to speak is too large, the non‑governmental organizations shall be requested to form themselves into constituencies, such constituencies to speak through spokespersons.

Rule 66

Written statements

Written statements submitted by the designated representatives referred to in rules 60 to 65 shall be circulated by the secretariat to all delegations in the quantities and the languages in which the statements are made available to it at the site of the Conference, provided that a statement submitted on behalf of a non‑governmental organization must be related to the work of the Conference and be on a subject in which the organization has a special competence. Written statements shall not be made available at United Nations expense and shall not be issued as official documents.

Suspension and amendment of the rules of procedure

Rule 67

Method of suspension

Any of these rules may be suspended by the Conference provided that 24 hours’ notice of the proposal for the suspension has been given, which may be waived if no representative objects. Any such suspension shall be limited to a specific and stated purpose and to a period required to achieve that purpose.

Rule 68

Method of amendment

These rules of procedure may be amended by a decision of the Conference taken by a two-thirds majority of the States present and voting, after the General Committee has reported on the proposed amendment.

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