OEWG agrees on modalities of stakeholder participation

OEWG agrees on modalities for stakeholder participation by inviting both stakeholders with and without consultative status to participate as observers, providing opportunities for oral statements and written inputs. States have the ability to object to the participation of stakeholders without consultative status. The agreed modalities will be officially recorded at the third substantive session of the OEWG.

The OEWG reached agreement to apply modalities for the participation of stakeholders as proposed by the Chair on 20 April, through a silent procedure. NGOs both with and without ECOSOC status should inform the OEWG Secretariat of their interest to participate. However, states can object to the participation of NGOs without consultative status with ECOSOC. The approved NGOs will be invited to participate as observers in the formal sessions, make oral statements during a dedicated stakeholder session, and submit written inputs to be posted on the OEWG’s website. The modalities will be read out at the OEWG’s third substantive session for the formal record.