ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL COMPLETES MOST ELECTIONS TO 12 UN BODIES, CONCLUDES TWO-DAY RESUMED ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION
Press Release
ECOSOC/5640
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL COMPLETES MOST ELECTIONS TO 12 UN BODIES, CONCLUDES TWO-DAY RESUMED ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION
19960503 The Economic and Social Council this afternoon completed most elections to 12 United Nations bodies as it concluded a two-day resumed organizational session.The Council was informed that there had been an error in the vote count this morning for the election to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Following a recount of the vote, it was found that Ariranda Govindasamy Pillay of Mauritius -- originally reported to have gained the required votes -- was found to be lacking a majority. A secret ballot was then held this afternoon at which he received the required majority and was elected to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Completing elections to the International Narcotics Control Board begun at the Council's morning meeting, the Council elected C. Chakrabarty of India to serve a five-year term beginning on 2 March 1997 on that body.
Elected by secret ballot to the Commission on Human Rights were Cape Verde, Mozambique, South Africa and Zaire.
For the Committee on Programme and Coordination, the Council nominated, by acclamation, the following countries: Cameroon, Congo, Nigeria, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Thailand, Argentina, Nicaragua, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. Nominated by secret ballot were Bulgaria, Poland, Romania and Ukraine. Elections will be held by the General Assembly at its fifty-first session.
Also this afternoon, the Council filled, by acclamation, vacancies allocated to African States on various bodies, as follows:
-- Commission for Social Development: Malawi and South Africa;
-- Commission on Human Settlements: Liberia, Ethiopia, Namibia, Malawi and Zambia;
-- Commission on the Status of Women: Ghana, Ethiopia and Morocco;
Economic and Social Council - 2 - Press Release ECOSOC/5640 Resumed Organizational Session (PM) 3 May 1996
-- Commission on Sustainable Development: Niger, Djibouti, Sudan and Egypt;
-- Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): Cape Verde and Nigeria;
-- Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): Libya and Guinea;
-- Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting: Namibia, Gabon, Malawi and Kenya; and
-- Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice: Zambia, Swaziland, Lesotho, Tunisia and Sudan.
On another matter, Margaret Kelly, the Council Secretary, said that delegations had called to the Bureau's attention the fact that the newly enlarged Commission on Population and Development was also now mandated to meet annually and that terms of office were normally three years in such cases. However, this morning, elections had been held for four-year terms to that body. She proposed that to deal with the matter, the Council could add one year to the terms of those elected this morning, for staggered terms. The representative of India suggested that the issue be given further thought before action was taken on it.
The Economic and Social Council will reconvene at a time to be announced.
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