UNITED NATIONS - A UN committee has voted to withdraw the roster status of two Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOS) -- African Technology Development Link and African Technical Association -- which were engaged in anti-Pakistan propaganda, especially about the situation in Balochistan.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organization, which has 19 members, vets applications submitted by non-governmental organizations, recommending general, special or roster status on the basis of such criteria as the applicant’s mandate, governance and financial regime. Organizations enjoying general and special status can attend meetings of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and issue statements, while those with general status can also speak during meetings and propose agenda items.
A recorded vote was held on a proposal by the delegation of Pakistan to withdraw the roster status of two accredited non-governmental organizations, African Technology Development Link and African Technical Association, with 13 members voting in favour of the withdrawal of the latter to 5 against (India, Israel, United States, Greece and Uruguay) and one member absent (Burundi).
As for African Technology Development Link, the Committee voted 12 in favour to 5 against (India, Israel, United States, Greece and Uruguay), with two members absent (Burundi, Sudan), to withdraw roster status.
Pakistan had called for consensus, not a vote but since US opposed the move, it went to a vote.
The decision will be confirmed when ECOSOC holds its session next month.
Diplomats noted that all African countries voted against these so-called African NGOs, whose credentials were dubious. In fact, Guinea's delegate announced from the floor that the NGO "African Technology Development Link" was not registered in his country.
Taking the floor prior to the first vote, the Pakistani delegate said that the organizations in question were “maligning the good name of Africa”, as they had made false statements against other member states. China and Sudan also supported withdrawing the consultative status of the organizations. The Chinese delegate said that, while he was in favour of increasing the voice of civil society from developing countries at the United Nations, the organizations in question had conducted activities that smacked of political intentions and had launched “wanton political attacks” against other member states.
But the Indian representative said that a more detailed consideration was required. “We still don’t know much about these organizations,” he said. Every organization should follow the principles of the United Nations Charter, and India was against any organization that engaged in “naming and shaming”. However, every group should be given a fair chance to respond to the queries of the Committee, and no decisions should be taken in a hasty manner.
The US delegate agreed that much was not known about the two organizations in question, but said withdrawing the status of two organizations from Africa — which was underrepresented — was a “drastic step”, and she wished to see the process undertaken in a more transparent manner. The representatives from Greece, Israel and Uruguay said they shared those concerns.