ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL HOLDS ELECTIONS TO SUBSIDIARY BODIES, ACTS ON CONSULTATIVE STATUS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
Press Release
ECOSOC/5637
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL HOLDS ELECTIONS TO SUBSIDIARY BODIES, ACTS ON CONSULTATIVE STATUS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
19960502 At is resumed organizational session this morning, the Economic and Social Council completed elections for six of its subsidiary bodies. Secret ballots were held for elections to the Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights and the Commission on the Status of Women.A secret ballot was held for all vacancies on the Commission on the Status of Women. The following were elected on the first ballot: France, Japan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Thailand and United Kingdom. A second ballot produced a tie between Canada and Germany. In line with the applicable Rules of Procedure governing inconclusive votes, the President then drew lots for the winner, which was Germany.
The Council elected the following States by acclamation to the Commission on Human Rights: Austria, Germany, Ireland and Italy. By secret ballot, Argentina, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Indonesia, Japan and Uruguay were elected.
Elected to the Commission for Social Development by acclamation were Chile, China, India, Jamaica and Poland. Canada, Finland and Netherlands were elected by secret ballot to that body.
Also this morning, the Council held elections to three other bodies, as follows:
-- Commission on Human Settlements: Bangladesh, Belgium, China, France, Italy, Jamaica, Philippines, Poland, Netherlands, Republic of Korea and Sweden;
-- Statistical Commission: Czech Republic, Colombia, India, Japan, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal and United Kingdom; and
-- Commission on Population and Development: Hungary and Panama.
Acting on the recommendation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, the Council adopted four decisions by which it granted
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consultative status to two organizations; withdrew the consultative status of 12 organizations that failed to adequately report on their past activities; approved the participation of 12 organizations of indigenous people not in consultative status in the open-ended inter-sessional working group of the Commission on Human Rights; and approved the provisional agenda for the Committee's next session.
On another matter, the Council decided to transmit the report of the World Commission on Culture, entitled Our Creative Diversity to the General Assembly for consideration at its next session. In another action, the Council recommended that the Assembly take a decision at its next session on the question of increasing the membership of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The representative of the United States made a statement in connection with that decision.
The resumed organizational session of the Economic and Social Council will meet again at 3 p.m. this afternoon to continue its elections as well as nominations to subsidiary bodies.
Council Work Programme
The Economic and Social Council met this morning to continue its resumed organizational session. The Council is expected to address the question of accreditation to the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II); transmission of the report of the World Commission on Culture and Development to the General Assembly; the report of the resumed 1995 session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations; and the enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It is also scheduled to hold elections for several of its subsidiary bodies, propose nominees and appoint individuals to serve on them. The provisional agenda for the resumed session is contained in document E/1996/2/Add.2.
Concerning accreditation to the Habitat II, the Council has before it a note by the Secretary-General (document A/50/900) recalling that the Preparatory Committee for the Conference recommended that the Assembly authorize the Council to decide on the accreditation of non-governmental organizations at its resumed organizational session in May. The Secretary- General notes that for the Assembly to take the required action, it would be necessary to reopen consideration of the agenda item on Habitat II.
A note by the Secretariat (document E/1996/13) transmits to the Council a letter dated 13 December 1995 from the Chairman of the World Commission on Culture and Development pledging to the Secretary-General his organization's commitment to mobilizing civil society towards promoting greater understanding of the human dimension of development. He also states that the Commission is counting on the continued support of the Department of Public Information (DPI) in helping promote its activities as well as the image of the United Nations in the international media.
A related letter, dated 16 April, from the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to the Secretary-General (document E/1996/41) requests that the Council consider the question of transmitting the report of the World Commission on Culture, entitled Our Creative Diversity, to the Assembly for consideration at its next session.
The report of the 1995 resumed session of the Committee on Non- Governmental Organizations (document E/1996/17) contains four draft decisions on matters calling for action by the Economic and Social Council. By the first, the Council would grant consultative status to the following two organizations: ISIS International (Chile) and ISIS International Women's Information and Communication Service.
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By the second draft decision, the Council would decide to withdraw the consultative status of 12 organizations that failed to submit detailed reports of their activities for the period 1988-1991. They are the Africa Institute of Private International Law; Africa Union of Architects, Association de coopération internationale au dévelopment-Organisation pour la recherche appliquée; Balkan-ji-Bari International; Geneva Information Meeting of International Youth NGOs; International Federation of Landscape Architects; International New Towns Association; International Study Center for Children and Families; Latin American Association of Development Organizations; Latin American Council of Catholic Women; Pan-American Federation of Engineering Societies; and the World Federation of Development Financing Institutions.
Draft decision III would have the Council approve the participation of 12 organizations of indigenous people not in consultative status in the open- ended inter-sessional working group of the Commission on Human Rights. They are the Asociación Socio-Económico de Productores Indígenas del Tawantinsuyu "ASEPIITA" (Bolivia); Centro Cultural de Jóvenes Aymaras de Larecaja (Bolivia); Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Campaign (India); Confederación Indígena del Oriente, Chaco y Amazonía de Bolivia (Bolivia); Confederación Sindical Unica de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia (Bolivia); Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (India); Innu Nation Mamit Innuat (Canada); Lumad Midanaw Peoples Federation (Philippines); Movimiento Indio "Tupaj Katari" (Bolivia); Movimiento Revolucionario Tupac-Katary de Liberación (Bolivia); New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (Australia); and Tribal Communities Association of the Philippines.
Draft decision VI contains the provisional agenda for the next session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations. The Committee is scheduled to consider, among others, the applications of non-governmental organizations seeking reclassification or consultative status as well as a review of arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations.
Concerning the enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the UNHCR, the Council has before it a note by the Secretary-General (document A/50/901) stating that in order for the Assembly to consider such enlargement, it will be necessary to reopen consideration of the agenda item on the report of the UNHCR.
Also before the Council is a draft decision submitted by the President on the basis of informal consultations (document E/1996/L.14) by which the Council would recommend that the Assembly take a decision at its next session on the question of increasing the membership of the UNHCR Executive Committee.
In this connection the Council has a note verbale from South Africa (document E/1996/21) and one from Poland (document E/1996/20) in which they
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present their candidature for membership in the Executive Committee of the UNHCR Programme.
With respect to elections, nominations and appointments, the Council has before it an addendum to the agenda (document E/1996/2/Add.1). According to that document, elections will be held as follows:
-- Nineteen members to the 56-member Commission on Human Settlements for four-year terms, beginning on 1 January 1997: five from African States; four from Asian States; two from Eastern European States; three from Latin American and Caribbean States; and five from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Canada, China, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.) (document E/1996/L.9);
-- Nine members to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for four-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997. The members serve in their personal capacity, with due regard to equitable geographical distribution. The following are proposed candidates: Madoe Viginia Ahodikpe, of Togo; Ivan Antanovich, of Belarus; Dumitru Ceausu, of Romania; Krzystof Drezewicki, of Poland, Tarik Ezzaki, of Morocco; Abdessatar Grissa, of Tunisia; Luvsandanzangiin Ider, of Mongolia; María de los Angeles Jiminez Butragueño, of Spain; Félix Lompo, of Niger; José Roberto Mejía Trabanino, of El Salvador; Ariranda Govindasamy Pillay, of Mauritius; Kenneth Osborne Rattray, of Jamaica; Nicos Symeonides, of Cyprus; Philippe Texier, of France; and Vojtech Tkác, of Slovakia. (Terms of office are being completed by Madoe Virginie Ahodikpe, of Togo; Juan Alvarez Vita, of Peru; Dumitru Ceausu, of Romania; Abdessatar Grissa, of Tunisia; María de los Angeles Jiminez Butragueño, of Spain; Kenneth Osborne Rattray, of Jamaica; Chikako Taya, of Japan; Philippe Texier, of France; and Margarita Vysokajová, of the Czech Republic.) (document E/1996/19);
-- Twenty-four members to the Committee on Natural Resources: six from African States; five from Asian States; three from Eastern European States; Four from Latin American and Caribbean States; and six from Western European and Other States;
-- Twenty-four members to the 18-member Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and Energy for Development: six from African States; five from Asian States; three from Eastern European States; four from Latin American and Caribbean States; and six from Western European and Other States;
-- Eight members to the 24-member Statistical Commission for four-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: two from Asian States; one from Eastern European States; two from Latin American and Caribbean States; and three from
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Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by India, Japan, Ukraine, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and United Kingdom.) (document E/1996/L.6);
-- Fourteen members to the 47-member Commission on Population and Development for four-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: three from African States; three from Asian States; one from Eastern European States; three from Latin American and Caribbean States; and four from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Bangladesh, Hungary, Colombia, Belgium, Canada and Germany.);
-- Ten members to the 32-member Commission for Social Development for four-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: two from African States; two from Asian States; one from Eastern European States; two from Latin American and Caribbean States; and three from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Cameroon, China, Yugoslavia, Bolivia, Denmark and Malta.);
-- Fifteen members to the Commission on Human Rights to serve three-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: four from African States; three from Asian States; one from Eastern European States; three from Latin American and Caribbean States; and four from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Malawi, Mauritania, China, Indonesia, Japan, Hungary, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Australia, Austria, Germany and Italy.);
-- Eleven members to the 45-member Commission on the Status of Women to serve four-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: three from African States; two from Asian States; one from Eastern European States; two from Latin American and Caribbean States; and three from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Algeria, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan, Japan, Belarus, Colombia, Cuba, Australia, Austria and France.);
-- Twenty members to the 40-member Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to serve three-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: eight from African States; four from Asian States; two from Eastern European States; three from Latin American and Caribbean States; and three from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Congo, Malawi, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zaire, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Hungary, Russian Federation, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Austria, Finland and Germany.);
-- Sixteen members to the 53-member Commission on Sustainable Development to serve three-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: four from African States; three from Asian States; two from Eastern European States; three from Latin American and Caribbean States; and four from Western European
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and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Guinea, Morocco, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, India, Japan, Malaysia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Barbados, Mexico, Venezuela, Canada, Italy, Ireland and United States.);
-- Eleven members to the 36-member Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to serve three-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: two from African States; two from Asian States; one from Eastern European States; two from Latin American and Caribbean States; and four from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Burkina Faso, Ghana, Indonesia, Lebanon, Romania, Brazil, Jamaica, France, Italy, United Kingdom and United States.) (document E/1996/L.5);
-- Six members to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme to serve three-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: two from African States; one from Asian States; one from Latin American and Caribbean States; and two from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Angola, Dominican Republic, Japan, Philippines, Uganda and United Kingdom.) (document E/1996/L.12);
-- Eleven members to the 36-member Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to serve three-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: two from African States; two from Asian States; one from Eastern European States; two from Latin American and Caribbean States; and four from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Morocco, Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Poland, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Belgium, Denmark, Japan and Portugal.) (document E/1996/L.11);
-- Seventeen members to the 34-member Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting to serve three- year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: five from African States; three from Asian States; one from Eastern European States; two from Latin American and Caribbean States; and six from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Brazil, China, France, Gabon, Germany, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Russian Federation, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia and Turkey.) (document E/1996/L.10);
-- Seven members to the International Narcotics Control Board for five- year terms beginning on 2 March 1997 from a list including at least three candidates having medical, pharmacological and pharmaceutical experience, nominated by the World Health Organization (WHO). An additional five members are to be elected from a list of qualified persons in such other areas as law, law enforcement, administration, diplomacy, economics and other social sciences, nominated by Member States.
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For election by the Assembly, the Council will also nominate the following:
-- Twenty members to the 34-member Committee for Programme and Coordination to serve three-year terms beginning on 1 January 1997: four from African States; four from Asian States; three from Eastern European States; four from Latin American and Caribbean States; and five from Western European and Other States. (Seats are being vacated by Cameroon, Comoros, Congo, Senegal, India, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Romania, Ukraine, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Norway and United Kingdom.) (document E/1996/L.8)
The Council will also appoint, for a three-year term beginning on 1 July 1996, three members nominated by their governments to serve on the 11-member Board of Trustees of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, as follows: one from African States, one from Asian States; and one from Western European and Other States.
In addition, elections which have been postponed from previous sessions will be held, as follows:
-- One member from African States and two members from Asian States to the Commission on Human Settlements for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 1999;
-- One member from Latin American and Caribbean States to the Statistical Commission for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 1999;
-- Five members from African States to the Commission on Population and Development for a term beginning on the date of the election for a term to be determined by lot;
-- Two members from Western European and Other States to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development for a term beginning on the date of the election;
-- Three members from African States to the Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and Energy for Development for a term beginning on the date of the election; and
-- One member from African States and two from Latin American and Caribbean States to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December.
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Action on Drafts
The Council adopted the four decisions recommended to it by the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations. It also decided to transmit the report of the World Commission on Culture to the General Assembly's next session. In another action, the Council recommended that the Assembly take a decision at its next session on the question of increasing the membership of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the UNHCR.
The representative of the United States said the UNHCR governing structure was unique. Interested States should have the opportunity to become members, but certain criteria should apply. For example, they should have ratified the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and should also support the activities of the UNHCR.
Elections
For the Commission on Human Settlements, the Council elected by acclamation the following States: Bangladesh, Belgium, China, France, Italy, Jamaica, Poland, Netherlands, Republic of Korea and Sweden. The Council decided to postpone the election of five members from the African States, one member from the Asian States, one member from the Eastern European States and two from the Latin American and Caribbean States.
Following a previous postponement of action, the Council elected the Philippines by acclamation to fill a post on the Commission for a term beginning on today's date and expiring on 31 December 1999. The Council again postponed the election of one member from the African States Group and one member from the Asian States Group.
For the Statistical Commission, Czech Republic, India, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom were elected by acclamation. Columbia was elected by acclamation to fill a vacancy in an action postponed from a previous session, for a term beginning on today's date and expiring on 31 December 1999.
For the Commission on Population and Development, Hungary and Panama were elected by acclamation. Since no other candidates were endorsed, the Council postponed to this afternoon the elections for the remaining vacant seats.
For the Commission for Social Development, Chile, China, India, Jamaica and Poland were elected by acclamation. Canada, Finland and the Netherlands were elected by secret ballot. The Council decided to postpone the election of candidates from the African States Group since no candidates were endorsed.
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The Council elected the following States by acclamation to the Commission on Human Rights: Austria, Germany, Ireland and Italy. By secret ballot, Argentina, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Indonesia, Japan and Uruguay were elected.
A secret ballot was held for all vacancies on the Commission on the Status of Women. The following were elected on the first ballot: France, Japan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Thailand and United Kingdom. A second ballot produced a tie between Canada and Germany. In line with the applicable Rules of Procedure governing inconclusive votes, the President then drew lots for the winner, which was Germany.
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