CONCERN IS EXPRESSED OVER FURTHER BUDGET CUTS PROPOSED FOR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

17 May 1996

Press Release
PI/951

CONCERN IS EXPRESSED OVER FURTHER BUDGET CUTS PROPOSED FOR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

19960517 Committee Cites Possible Negative Effects, Seeks Continued Support for DPI, Stresses Importance of Information Centres

The General Assembly would express concern about proposals to further reduce the budget of the Department of Public Information (DPI), which might negatively affect its mandated activities, and ask for continued support for DPI, under a draft resolution approved this afternoon, as the Committee on Information concluded its 1996 session.

The text on United Nations public information policies and activities, one of two draft resolutions in the Committee's annual report, was approved without a vote as orally amended. By its terms, the Assembly would ask that when draft resolutions arising outside of the Committee have information mandates, DPI be provided with an identification of all related costs, including estimated man-hours, printing, publishing and material costs.

By the draft resolution on information in the service of humanity, also approved without a vote, the Assembly would urge cooperation to reduce disparities in information flows, by increasing assistance to develop the communication infrastructure and capabilities of developing countries. Such efforts should aim at enabling those countries and their public, private or other media to develop their own information and communication policies freely and independently, while ensuring journalistic freedom, promoting training and enhancing regional cooperation.

By other terms of the wide-ranging text on United Nations information activities, the Assembly would ask the Secretariat to continue DPI's involvement at the planning stage of United Nations peace-keeping and other field operations. It would also pronounce itself on United Nations publications, information centres, the Dag Hammarskjold Library, press releases, traditional and advanced information technologies and guided tours, as well as a number of events and seminars.

Committee on Information - 1a - Press Release PI/951 9th Meeting (PM) 17 May 1996

The DPI would be asked to ensure that all publications fulfil an identifiable need, avoid duplication and are produced cost-effectively. The Assembly would reaffirm the importance of the United Nations information centres and ask the Secretary-General to have an independent consultant evaluate the functioning of the Dag Hammarskjold Library.

The Assembly would stress the importance of the continued speedy issue and high quality of United Nations press releases, expressing full support for their wide and prompt coverage of United Nations activities in both English and French. It would encourage the Secretary-General to explore ways to improve United Nations Radio access to airwaves worldwide. While underlining the continued importance of traditional media, it would encourage DPI to take full advantage of recent developments in information technology.

Addressing the closing meeting, Assistant Secretary-General for Public Information Samir Sanbar expressed appreciation for the Committee's continued support for DPI. "We can only succeed when we are working together", he said. It was therefore important to keep in touch throughout the year, through the Committee's extended Bureau. He expressed satisfaction that the Committee was working together as a unified group, in the midst of varying opinions, and assured delegations that he would follow up on the points they had raised during the current session.

In a closing statement, Committee Chairman Ivan Maximov (Bulgaria) said the Committee's recommendations were action-orientated, well-targeted and would give DPI the direction necessary to respond vigorously to new realities. The Committee had confirmed the importance all countries attach to information and communications, as well as to its mandate to elaborate United Nations information policies. For the seventh consecutive year, it had approved its final recommendations without a vote.

Round-Up of Session

During the two-week session, which began 9 May, many of the 45 delegations from Member States and observers who took part in the general debate stressed the importance of providing DPI with the necessary resources to carry out its mandates. They praised the Department's efforts to streamline staff, diversify its media outreach, consolidate its broadcasting and publishing activities and its leap into the World Wide Web.

In an age when new information technologies offered exciting opportunities, financial constraints should not prevent DPI from meeting the challenges of the twenty-first century. Delegates praised DPI's innovative efforts to reach new audiences. However, some cautioned that forays into the information superhighway should be balanced with continued support for more traditional media, particularly in developing countries, which still relied heavily on print, radio and television.

Committee on Information - 1b - Press Release PI/951 9th Meeting (PM) 17 May 1996

There was general agreement on the importance of the press releases as the only immediately available source of information on many United Nations activities, especially for smaller countries who lacked the resources to cover all meetings. There was also general agreement on the important role played by the United Nations information centres, particularly in the developing countries and those in transition. The need for a transfer of information technology to developing countries was also highlighted.

Committee Work Programme

The Committee on Information met this afternoon to conclude the work of its current session and approve its final report to the General Assembly. In that process, it was also expected to approve draft resolutions on information in the service of humanity, and on United Nations public information policies and activities.

By the draft resolution on information in the service of humanity (document A/AC.198/1996/L.2), the Assembly would urge all countries, United Nations bodies and all concerned to cooperate to reduce existing disparities in information flows, at all levels, by increasing assistance to develop communication infrastructure and capabilities in developing countries. Such efforts should aim at enabling those countries and their public, private or other media to develop their own information and communication policies freely and independently, increase participation by the media and individuals in the communication process and ensure the free flow of information at all levels.

Further, they would be urged to ensure that journalists could perform their professional tasks freely and effectively and to condemn resolutely all attacks against them; support the continuation and strengthening of practical training programmes for broadcasters and journalists from public, private and other media in developing countries; enhance regional efforts and cooperation among developing countries, as well as with developed countries, to strengthen communication capacities and improve media infrastructure and technology in developing countries, especially for training and the dissemination of information.

All concerned would be urged to provide full support for the International Programme for the Development of Communication of the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). They would also be urged to aim, in addition to bilateral cooperation, to provide support and assistance to meet the information interests and needs of developing countries and their public, private and other media.

Such support would aim to develop human and technical resources to improve their information and communication systems and to strengthen and continue training programmes; to create conditions to enable them to use their national and regional resources for communications technology suited to their national needs, as well as programme material, especially for radio and television; to assist the establishment and promotion of subregional, regional and interregional telecommunications links, and to facilitate, where appropriate, access to advanced communication technology available on the open market.

Committee on Information - 3 - Press Release PI/951 9th Meeting (PM) 17 May 1996

By the draft resolution on United Nations public information policies and activities (document A/AC.198/1996/L.3), the Assembly would express concern about proposals of the Secretary-General to further reduce the budget of the Department of Public Information (DPI), which might negatively affect its mandated activities, and request that he support the Department. With respect to resolutions arising outside of the Committee, and having information mandates, it would request that DPI be provided with an identification of all related costs, including estimated manhours and printing, publishing and material costs.

The Assembly would ask the Secretariat to continue ensuring DPI's involvement at the planning stage of United Nations peace-keeping and other field operations, through interdepartmental consultations and coordination. It would also pronounce itself on matters relating to United Nations publications, information centres, the Dag Hammarskjold Library, press releases, the use of traditional and advanced information technologies and guided tours. It would also address DPI activities relating to the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and its regional seminars on an independent and pluralistic media.

The DPI would be asked to ensure that all publications fulfil an identifiable need, did not duplicate other publications and were produced cost-effectively. The Assembly would urge the timely production and dissemination of DPI's major publications, particularly the UN Chronicle, the Yearbook of the United Nations, the World Media Handbook and Africa Recovery. The Secretary-General would be asked to conduct a similar review of DPI's development-related publications, renewing his efforts to improve them and ensure that they respond to people's relevant information needs.

The Assembly would reaffirm the importance attached by Member States to the United Nations information centres, particularly in developing countries and those in transition, and especially where there was a need for greater understanding of United Nations activities. It would ask that their integration with other United Nations system field offices be continued wherever feasible, on a cost-effective, case-by-case basis, taking into account the host country's views and ensuring the autonomy and functionality of the office.

The financial and material support to the information centres in their capitals by some Member States would be welcomed by the Assembly. It would invite the Secretary-General, through DPI, to consult with States on the possibility, where appropriate, of providing the centres with additional voluntary support on a national basis. It would call on him to continue studying ways to rationalize and equitably disburse available resources among all the information centres.

Committee on Information - 4 - Press Release PI/951 9th Meeting (PM) 17 May 1996

The Assembly would take note of the important impact of such new technologies as the Internet and CD-ROMs on fulfilment of some of the United Nations information objectives. It would note their effect on information dissemination, the increase in United Nations depository libraries in some States and the increased importance of international cooperation with the Organization. It would therefore ask the Secretary-General to report to the Committee's next session on such matters as efficiency, cost-effectiveness and avoidance of duplication, especially in the area of new technologies, with a view to offering specific recommendations.

While affirming the Assembly's role in the opening of new centres, it would invite the Secretary-General to make recommendations, as appropriate, on their establishment and location. It would recognize the continued enhanced cooperation between DPI and the University for Peace in Costa Rica, and take note of requests from Bulgaria, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Kyrgyzstan and Slovakia for information centres or components. It would also welcome the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as a new member of the Committee on Information.

Within existing resources, the Secretary-General would be asked to use the services of an independent consultant to evaluate the functioning of the Dag Hammarskjold Library. Such a review would cover its infrastructure, operations, staffing and budget, with a view to improving its services, taking advantage of new, cost-effective technologies.

The Assembly would express full support for the wide and prompt coverage of United Nations activities through a continuation of United Nations press releases in both English and French. It would stress the importance of the continued speedy issue and high quality of those press releases in both working languages. Calling radio "one of the most cost-effective and far- reaching media available to the Department", it would encourage the Secretary- General to explore ways of improving United Nations radio access to airwaves worldwide.

The Assembly would both underline the continued importance of the use of traditional and mass media channels, while encouraging DPI to take full advantage of recent developments in information technology. It would ask DPI to continue ensuring the greatest possible access for its guided tours, and ensure that public displays remain informative, up-to-date and relevant.

The DPI would be commended for its role in observance of the United Nations fiftieth anniversary, in commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and in the organization of regional seminars on promoting an independent and pluralistic media. It would recognize the positive role of the seminars held in Windhoek, Santiago, Almaty and Sana'a, and take note of the invitation to hold a similar seminar in 1997 in Central and Eastern Europe, depending on the availability of funding. It would take note of

Committee on Information - 5 - Press Release PI/951 9th Meeting (PM) 17 May 1996

Bulgaria's offer to host such a seminar, and invite DPI to help mobilize sources of voluntary funding.

The Assembly would invite Member States and relevant international organizations to submit, by 15 March 1997, their views on way of furthering the development of the communication infrastructures and capabilities in developing countries. It would recommend that the Committee's extended Bureau continue meeting on a regular basis, and that it consult at periodic intervals with representatives of DPI.

Statements, Committee Action

SAMIR SANBAR, Assistant Secretary-General for Public Information, expressed his appreciation and that of the staff of DPI for the Committee's continued support. All were committed to common objectives. The Department depended on its staff, which was its main resource. It also required the support of the Committee.

"We can only succeed when we are working together", he said. It was therefore important to keep in touch throughout the year. Through the new mechanism of the extended Bureau, which met regularly, the Department could brief members on its work and also receive their views.

He expressed satisfaction that the Committee was working together as a unified group, in the midst of varying opinions. Members shared common objectives for the information activities of the United Nations, and had arrived at a joint conclusion. He would follow up on all the points raised by delegations during the current session.

NACERDINE SAI (Algeria) introduced the Committee's draft report (document A/AC.198/1996/L.1-3), containing its two draft resolutions.

Following a series of oral amendments, the draft report was approved without a vote.

IVAN MAXIMOV (Bulgaria), the Committee Chairman, said the current session had taken place at a critical time for the Organization. The session had confirmed, once again, the importance all countries attached to the role of information and communications in a new technological age, as well as to the Committee's mandate to elaborate United Nations information policies. For the third time, the Committee had commemorated World Press Freedom Day and had paid tribute to media professionals who continued to suffer harassment, imprisonment and even death in defence of their professional duties and because of their devotion to human rights and freedoms.

Committee on Information - 6 - Press Release PI/951 9th Meeting (PM) 17 May 1996

For the seventh consecutive year, the Committee had shown a spirit of consensus by adopting its report and recommendations to the General Assembly without a vote, the Chairman continued. He thanked the Assistant Secretary- General for Public Information, Samir Sanbar, for his report to the Committee and his valuable cooperation. The informal briefings he arranged for delegations had been particularly appreciated. The Committee's substantive recommendations, which were action-oriented and well targeted, would give DPI the direction necessary to respond vigorously and appropriately to the new realities and requirements facing the United Nations.

Officers, Membership

The officers of the Committee are: Ivan Maximov (Bulgaria), Chairman; Holger Martinsen (Argentina), Salman Abbasy (Pakistan) and Jose Alberto de Sousa (Portugal), Vice-Chairman; and Nacerdine Sai (Algeria), Rapporteur.

The Committee's 89 members are: Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire and Zimbabwe.

* *** *