COSP elects Sri Lanka as president, adopts agenda and accredits 10 NGOs by consensus

Delegates at the 18th session of the Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities elected Sri Lanka as president of the conference by acclamation, approved four vice presidents, adopted the provisional agenda and granted accreditation to 10 nongovernmental organizations to participate as observers.

The meeting opened with the presiding officer declaring the session and asking the conference to consider the election of the president and other officers. After consultations among regional groups, the bureau elect comprised Sri Lanka as president-elect and Canada, Peru, Poland and Tanzania as vice presidents-elect. "May I then take it that the conference wishes to elect Sri Lanka as the president of the conference by acclamation? I hear no objection and it is so decided," the presiding officer said. The conference took the same course for the vice presidents. Ambassador Jayantha Jayasuriya, Ambassador of Sri Lanka, was then invited to assume the presidency of the conference.

The presiding officer also read the quorum rule: pursuant to Article 34, paragraph 5 of the Convention and Rule 12 of the Rules of Procedure, the quorum for the meeting is 128 states parties (two-thirds of 192 states parties). The Secretariat reported the required quorum had been met, and the conference adopted the provisional agenda "as contained in document CRPD/CSP/2025/1" "I see no objection. It is so decided," the presiding officer said.

In a separate procedural decision under Rule 25, paragraph 3(c) of the Rules of Procedure, the Secretariat circulated a list of 10 nongovernmental organizations seeking accreditation. No objections were raised, and the presiding officer stated: "May I take it that the Conference of States Parties wishes to grant accreditation to the 10 NGOs ... I hear no objection. It is so decided." The Secretariat noted that accredited NGOs may participate as observers in the conference and in future sessions in line with the Rules of Procedure.

The decisions were announced from the rostrum and recorded in the official meeting report. Delegations and accredited observers were reminded of practical arrangements and accessibility services for the session.

The bureau elections, adoption of the agenda and NGO accreditations set the formal framework for the conference's substantive discussions to follow this week.