Mr. President,

First, allow me to thank the NGO Branch for their tireless work towards the NGO Committee.

NGOs play a pivotal role in advancing society and bettering governments. Consequently, the NGO Committee’s purpose of strengthening the relationship between these organizations and the United Nations is of great importance. Israel, as a member of the NGO Committee, supports the purpose of this body and understands the benefit of increasing the dialogue between civil society and Member States.

ECOSOC resolution 1996/31 directs NGO Committee members as how to engage and advance this partnership. Part of this process is for members of the Committee to scrupulously survey NGOs to ensure that they are complying with the standards set out in the resolution. The other part of this process is for the NGO Committee is to grant consultative status with those NGOs that comply with these standards – regardless of whether the work or the goals of these NGOs conform to our own individual national interests.

Mr. President,

In this regard, my delegation is concerned by the course of action some members have taken in recent NGO Committee sessions. We are particularly dismayed with the procedural attempts that have been undertaken to further disrupt definitive action over certain NGOs. Even when NGOs engage openly and constructively with the Committee, their status is often delayed without credible reason.

My delegation has carefully reviewed the applications of the organizations before us and we find them to be organizations which fully comply with the relevant criteria for granting consultative status to NGOs.

Israel therefore joins others in support of the granting of consultative status to the NGOs that appear before us today.

Thank you.