Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden. The Nordic membership is rotating among these five countries and Sweden is at present the only Nordic State in the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law

As Sweden is taking the floor for the first time in the sixth Committee during this fifty-eighth General Assembly, let me first congratulate you on having been elected to chair the deliberations of the Committee and to assure you of the full cooperation of my delegation. I also wish to congratulate the other members of the bureau on their election.

Furthermore, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow-compatriot, Mr Tore Wiwen-Nilsson, elected to chair the thirty-sixth session of the Commission, for his expeditious and valuable contribution to the work of the Commission and for presenting its report.

Mr. Chairman,

The Nordic countries welcome the report of the UNCITRAL on the work of its thirty-sixth session. We highly appreciate the valuable contributions from many other participants during the session. The reported achievements verify that extended cooperation and awareness in the field of International Trade Law today is widely accepted as a key to success in global trade and economic development.

The Commission has adopted Model Legislative Provisions on Privately Financed Infrastructure Projects, in due course to be consolidated with the text of the Legislative Guide on the same subject into one single publication. This supplement improves the instrument and will facilitate domestic establishment of a legislative framework favourable to projects of this kind. The product must be seen as a considerable success for UNCITRAL.

Important progress has also been made in other parts of the work programme. We are very satisfied with the preliminary approval of the draft UNCITRAL legislative guide on insolvence law. The understanding of the need for cooperation, coordination and convergence around this instrument is important.

We, the Nordic countries, extend our thanks to the Commission and its secretariat for this year’s excellent result.

Mr. Chairman,

The Nordic countries welcome new members of the Commission. The importance of the work of the Commission will benefit from the enlargement. We are convinced that the addition of members will bring new possibilities for the work of the Commission and promote a wider knowledge of its outcome.

Hopefully, the distribution of seats will reflect the increasing concern with UNCITRAL matters and provide for a fair and realistic balance in the future work. It may further ensure the acceptance of the adopted texts among all States.

The Nordic countries would like to emphasize the importance of a continued discussion on how the participation of delegates from developing countries can be financed.

Mr. Chairman,

We have noted with appreciation the strong support for the proposal to strengthen the UNCITRAL secretariat within the existing resources in the Office of Legal Affairs. The proposed changes would improve the functions of the secretariat and meet the demands from the reformed and expanded organization. It is essential for the further development of the work of the Commission that these functions are secured. We do hope that the recommendation from the Committee will be favourable.

Mr. Chairman,

Let me conclude by stressing that the Nordic countries attach the highest importance to the work of the UNCITRAL. As a member, Sweden looks forward to continuing to contribute to its future work and to working with a greater number of States as members.

Thank you.