ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL SUSPENDS 1996 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

Press Release
ECOSOC/5687

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL SUSPENDS 1996 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

Texts adopted by the Economic and Social Council on new arrangements for consultations with non-governmental organizations and on strengthening collaboration between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions represented a great step forward, the Council President, Jean-Marie Kacou Gervais (Côte d'Ivoire), said this afternoon as he suspended the 1996 substantive session.

During the five-week session, which began on 24 June, the Council adopted several recommendations to the General Assembly, including that it: consider the participation of non-governmental organizations in all areas of the work of the United Nations; adopt an 11-article United Nations declaration on crime and public security and an international code of conduct for public officials; and convene a special session in 1998 to consider the fight against illicit drugs.

Under the Council's consideration of social, humanitarian and human rights questions, issues relating to the right to development were the subject of two texts adopted on the recommendation of the Commission on Human Rights: one requesting the establishment of a programme unit in the Centre for Human Rights to deal with the debt burden of developing countries; and another endorsing the establishment of an open-ended working group to elaborate policy guidelines on structural adjustment programmes and economic, social and cultural rights.

The Secretary-General was invited to play an active advocacy role in regard to the serious threat posed by the spread of HIV/AIDS, by one of several texts adopted containing specific requests addressed to him. He was also requested to submit a report on new and innovative ideas for generating funds for globally agreed commitments in a text which stressed the role of private investment in financing development.

Acting on regional cooperation, the Council decided to amend the terms of reference of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Economic and Social Council - 1a - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

(ESCAP) so that references to "Hong Kong" would be changed to "Hong Kong, China", effective 1 July 1997. In a related action, the Council recognized that the regional commissions provided a forum for strengthening regional cooperation and were essential for facilitating the Organization's role in international cooperation for development.

Texts adopted this afternoon, all without a vote, included provisions requesting the Secretary-General to report on the possibilities of strengthening the coordination of United Nations activities in the field of energy; and calling upon States and bodies to participate in the activities of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.

Among issues the Council decided to consider at a resumed substantive session in the fall was the question of corruption and bribery in transnational commercial activities.

In concluding statements this afternoon, the representative of Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, expressed disappointment at the "unexplained absence" of the head of the World Trade Organization at the session's policy dialogue on important developments in the world economy with heads of multilateral financial and trade institutions.

Speaking on behalf of the European Union, the representative of Ireland said the session had seen a marked improvement in the format of reports presented to it. Regarding Secretariat reform, he said that a single, senior- level manager should be appointed with authority over all development policy.

Also on the issue of reform, the representative of the Russian Federation said that more could be done to achieve progress in that area, adding that he had been discouraged by the fact that the Council could not properly organize thorough consideration of coordination questions. The United States' representative suggested that the Council incorporate into the agenda of its 1997 organizational session a review of the 1996 substantive session. United Nations reform had become a fashionable concept, and an end in itself, the representative of Algeria said, adding that it was like a toy tossed about by a child. Unfortunately, reform was being subjected to internal political situations in Member States. The objective of proposed reform was not so much to improve the work of the United Nations, but to marginalize most members of the General Assembly. Where reform was truly needed was in the Bretton Woods institutions and in the Security Council, he said, adding that those delegations pushing for reform were rather conservative on that score.

Highlights of the 1996 session follow. A detailed account of this afternoon's meeting appears later in this press release.

Economic and Social Council - 1b - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

High-Level Policy Dialogue

The Council's substantive session began with a high-level policy dialogue on important developments in the world economy, held on 24 June, with the participation of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), as well as of representatives of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The UNCTAD Secretary-General, Rubens Ricupero, stressed that developing countries today were making a disproportionately large contribution to the growth and interdependence of the global economy. The Deputy Managing Director of the IMF said the Fund was working to strengthen its capacity to deal with the challenges of globalization. The Managing Director for Corporate Planning and Resource Management of the World Bank described ways in which the Bank had, over the past year, been engaged in a fundamental effort to improve the way it conducted its work through new approaches based on the needs of its clients.

Concern was expressed by participants about declining resources for development at a time when needs were increasing. The Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Special Coordinator for Economic and Social Development, James Gustave Speth, summed up the feelings of many when he described that trend as ironic, adding that "these are ironies, but more than that they are tragedies of our era".

High-Level Segment: Combating Drug Scourge Globally

The Council's high-level segment, held from 24 to 27 June, focused on the theme "international cooperation against the illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotics and psychotropic substances and related activities". Among its main conclusions, as summarized by the Council President (document E/1996/89), were a confirmation of the high priority assigned by States to international drug control and their determination to undertake concerted action at the multilateral level and ensure universal adherence to the international drug control treaties.

Consideration of appropriate measures to improve the functioning of bodies involved in international drug control was called for, while participants reconfirmed the leadership and coordination role of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme. The need to mobilize all actors of civil society, particularly non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, sports associations and the private sector in the fight against drugs was stressed.

On the national side of the drug control equation, the President's summary concluded that there was a need for the adoption of State mechanisms endowed with the necessary legal and political authority. Bilateral

Economic and Social Council - 1c - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

cooperation and multilateral agreements to combat drug trafficking and abuse were encouraged. The segment also called for the allocation of national resources commensurate with the recognized dimension and gravity of the drug problem, while recognizing also the need for international cooperation and assistance in that regard.

Operational Activities: Dialogue with Field Representatives

The Council's annual segment on operational activities for development began with a high-level policy dialogue on 28 June, which focused on strengthening collaboration between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions. Addressing that meeting, World Bank Vice-President Mark Malloch Brown said that structural adjustment was dead, but policy reform, sound macroeconomics, open trading systems, limited and efficient government, and a supportive environment for foreign investment were alive and well.

One feature of this year's operational activities segment was the holding of an informal dialogue with groups of representatives of agencies and bodies of the United Nations system based in Egypt and Malawi, respectively . Council members were afforded the opportunity to ask them about a variety of issues, such as subregional and country-level cooperation, logistical aspects of their work, and results achieved so far.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt told the Council that coordination among United Nations agencies in that country was sometimes difficult as they had offices in 14 different locations, and the provisions of their host country agreements with the government varied. The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Malawi told the Council that, since the capacity of national non-governmental organizations was limited, a balance in the role of the government and those organizations had to be worked through in that country.

Coordination Segment: International Anti-Poverty Efforts

The Council's coordination segment, held from 1 to 3 July, was devoted to the coordination of policies and activities of the United Nations system in poverty eradication. In its agreed conclusions, the Council stressed that the participation of civil society, including people living in poverty, local empowerment, and a feeling of "ownership" by government and local communities, were essential for poverty eradication strategies. The United Nations system had a complementary role to play, assisting governments and orienting support activities according to their priorities.

The Council noted a decline in concessional resources for multilateral development institutions, and expressed particular concern at the incomplete fulfilment of commitments to the tenth replenishment of the International Development Association. There was an urgent need to fulfil the agreed target

Economic and Social Council - 1d - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

of 0.7 per cent of the gross national product of the developed countries for official development assistance, the agreed conclusions state. It calls for new ways of generating resources, such as by reducing excessive military expenditures, taking into consideration national security requirements.

Emphasis is placed on the need to integrate the gender perspective into all efforts to fight against poverty. A variety of recommendations are put forward on that point, including the exchange of information between United Nations organizations concerned with poverty eradication and those concerned more specifically with women, as well as the provision of training on gender issues to United Nations personnel.

The Council also examined the implementation of the agreed conclusions reached at last year's coordination segment relating to the results of major United Nations conferences in the economic and social fields. Speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, the representative of Costa Rica said the commitment to provide new resources for implementing conference recommendations had not yet been fulfilled, so the burden of providing resources had fallen on national governments. Ireland's representative, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said there was a need for increased complementarity in the work of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) and that of the Council in the follow-up effort.

General Segment: Economic, Social and Related Issues

As part of its consideration of social, humanitarian and human rights questions, the Council adopted a series of texts on the recommendation of the Commission on Human Rights, eight of which were the subject of recorded votes.

Two of the eight texts voted upon concerned the right to development. By one, the Council requested the Secretary-General to establish a programme unit in the Centre for Human Rights for the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights, particularly those related to the debt burden of developing countries and the implementation of the right to development. By the other, the Council endorsed the Human Rights Commission's decision to establish an open-ended working group to elaborate policy guidelines on structural adjustment programmes and economic, social and cultural rights. Acting without a vote, the Council endorsed the establishment of an intergovernmental group of experts to elaborate a strategy for the implementation and promotion of the right to development. The Council voted to adopt a resolution requesting the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly's fifty-first session on measures for improving the situation with respect to the composition of the staff of the Centre for Human Rights. It also voted to authorize the holding of an expert seminar on the practice of forced evictions with a view to developing comprehensive human rights guidelines on development-based displacement.

Economic and Social Council - 1e - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

Also acting by vote, the Council extended the mandates of the special rapporteurs dealing with the respective human rights situations in Cuba, Iraq and Iran; and requested the Secretary-General to bring the Commission's resolution on the human rights situation in southern Lebanon and West Bekaa to the attention of Israel's Government. Acting without a vote, the Council extended the mandates of the Special Rapporteurs on the human rights situations in Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Afghanistan, Rwanda, Zaire, and Myanmar, as well as the independent expert examining the situation of human rights in Guatemala; and approved the Commission's request to the two thematic special rapporteurs who have requested a joint investigative visit to Nigeria to report to its next session on their findings.

In a series of other actions taken without a vote, the Council:

-- Extended the mandates of the expert for the special process dealing with missing persons in the territory of the former Yugoslavia; the Special Rapporteur to examine incidents of contemporary forms of racism; and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression;

-- Authorized meetings of the following bodies: the open-ended working group on the elaboration of a draft optional protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; the open-ended intersessional working group elaborating a draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples; and the open-ended working group which is elaborating a draft declaration on the right and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms;

-- Approved the Commission's request to the Special Rapporteur on human rights and states of emergency to continue updating lists of States which have proclaimed, extended or terminated states of emergency; and requested the Secretary-General to transmit the final report of the Special Rapporteur on the heritage of indigenous people to members of the international community;

-- Endorsed the Commission's recommendation that the Council consider devoting the coordination segment of its 1998 substantive session to the question of the coordinated follow-up to, and implementation of, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights;

-- Approved the Commission's requests to the working groups drafting optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to meet prior to the Commission's fifty-third session; and requested the Secretary-General to provide the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography with all necessary resources to discharge her mandate;

Economic and Social Council - 1f - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

-- Approved the Commission's decision to appoint Linda Chavez as Special Rapporteur with the task of undertaking an in-depth study of the situation of systematic rape, sexual slavery and slavery-like practices during periods of armed conflict; and

-- Requested the Special Rapporteur on the question of the human rights dimensions of population transfer, including the implantation of settlers and settlements, to report to the forty-eighth session of the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.

In addition, the Council approved requests of the Commission to the Secretary-General to:

-- Provide the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance with the necessary resources to carry out his mandate;

-- Report on the progress of efforts to ensure the full rights of persons with disabilities;

-- Maintain and update his list of forensic experts who could be requested to help international human rights mechanisms;

-- Ensure strict and transparent project management rules for the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture;

-- Convene, within existing resources, a fourth international workshop on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights;

-- Report on the possibility of obtaining means to strengthen the capacity of the Centre for Human Rights;

-- Continue to convene at least twice a year in Geneva meetings with interested States to provide information and exchange views on the activities of the Centre for Human Rights; and

-- Establish an open-ended team to prepare the next workshop on regional human rights arrangements in the Asia and Pacific region.

The Council approved requests by the Commission: for the publication and distribution of model legislation on racism and racial discrimination; and for the study of how best to implement a programme of advisory services to Somalia. It also approved the Commission's recommendation to the Centre for Human rights to convene expert seminars on specific economic, social and cultural rights.

Economic and Social Council - 1g - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

By another text, it authorized meetings of the Subcommission's Working Group on Indigenous Populations. Separately, it endorsed a request to the Special Rapporteur on treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between States and indigenous populations to report to the Working Group on Indigenous Populations at its fourteenth session and to the Subcommission at its forty-eighth session.

The Council also approved the Commission's invitation to the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions to report to the Assembly's fifty-first session on ways to combat that phenomenon.

By a resolution introduced during the just-concluded session, the Council noted that the provisions concerning the monitoring of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights were not consistent with other human rights treaties, and requested the Secretary- General to submit a report on the legal procedure necessary to bring the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in line with other similar human rights treaty bodies.

In his address to the Council on 22 July, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, José Ayala Lasso, said that international cooperation was a decisive factor in the world-wide effort to make human rights a global priority. United Nations human rights programmes aspired to assist governments and civil society bodies to make progress towards making human rights a reality. There was no country in which human rights performance was fully satisfactory, he said.

Acting on the recommendation of the Commission for Social Development, the Council adopted a resolution, which was the subject of three separate votes, on follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995). By that text, the Council expanded the Commission's membership to 46 members and decided that it should meet annually for a period of eight working days in New York. The Council voted to establish the following geographical distribution of the Commission's expanded membership: 12 for African States; 10 for Asian States; nine for Latin American and Caribbean States; five for Eastern European States; and 10 for Western European and Other States.

Based on a resolution in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the Council recommended that the Assembly adopt a United Nations declaration on crime and public security. The 11-article draft declaration calls on States to pledge a range of crime control measures aimed at protecting all persons within their jurisdictions, securing their borders against smuggling and money laundering, and strengthening the professionalism of their criminal justice, law enforcement and victim assistance systems.

Economic and Social Council - 1h - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

Also on the Crime Commission's suggestion, the Council recommended that the Assembly adopt an international code of conduct for public officials, which covers such issues as conflicts of interest, disclosure of assets, and the non-acceptance of gifts of favours that might influence official's judgement or the performance of their duties.

Other resolutions adopted by the Council at the Crime Commission's recommendation concern such matters as the feasibility of applying criminal law to the protection of the environment; ensuring that all forms of violence against women were legislatively proscribed; the elaboration of a programme of action on juvenile justice; and safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty.

The Council, acting on the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, recommended that the Assembly convene a special session to consider the fight against illicit drugs for three days in 1998. Among the other resolutions adopted on the Commission's recommendation was one calling for continued development of a draft declaration on guiding principles of demand reduction.

Under its consideration of the advancement of women, the Council adopted texts recommended to it by the Commission on the Status of Women. Among those was a text by which the Council decided that the Commission should have a catalytic role in mainstreaming a gender perspective in United Nations policies and programmes. It further approved a multi-year work programme which would enable the Commission to consider, by the year 2000, all critical areas of concern identified in the Beijing Platform for Action adopted at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women.

By the terms of another text, which was adopted by a recorded vote, the Council demanded that Israel, the occupying Power, comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1949 Geneva Convention on the Protection of the Civilian Persons in Time of War, in order to protect the rights of Palestinian women and their families.

As part of its consideration of economic and environmental questions, the Council endorsed the decisions and recommendations of the Commission on Sustainable Development. Among them, it recommended that the Assembly endorse the Washington Declaration and Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities, adopted by an intergovernmental conference held in Washington, D.C., last year.

On the recommendation of the Commission on Population and Development, the Council stressed the need for an accelerated international response to the challenges of the Programme of Action adopted by the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994) relating to reproductive rights and reproductive health. It emphasized the importance of information, education and communication as a strategy for follow-up to the Cairo

Economic and Social Council - 1i - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

Conference and urged the Population Division to highlight the efforts of governments in that regard.

In other actions during the session, the Council, by a recorded vote, reaffirmed that Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, were illegal and an obstacle to economic and social development. It also reaffirmed the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and the population of the Syrian Golan to their natural and all other economic resources.

Also acting by vote, the Council recommended that the United Nations system review the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. By that text, the Council requested specialized agencies and other international and regional organizations to strengthen assistance to the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories.

Among other texts adopted at the session was one requesting the Secretary-General to submit recommendations for strengthening all aspects of the United Nations system capacity for humanitarian assistance to the Council's 1997 substantive session.

Several proposals were adopted on the recommendation of the regional commissions, including one by which the Council decided to amend the terms of reference of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) so that references to "Hong Kong" would be changed to "Hong Kong, China", effective 1 July 1997.

Revised Arrangements for Non-Governmental Organizations

Culminating a three-year review process, the Council adopted a resolution updating arrangements which had been in place since 1968 for its consultation with non-governmental organizations. In a related action, it recommended that the Assembly give consideration to the participation of those organizations in all areas of the work of the United Nations.

The revised arrangements cover a range of aspects of the participation of non-governmental organizations in the Council's work, including clear definitions of the various levels of status accorded, as follows: general consultative status, special consultative status and roster status, with descriptions of the role to be played by organizations in each category. The process of drafting new arrangements had begun three years ago when the Council requested a general review of existing arrangements in its resolution 1993/80, of 30 July 1993.

The Council will resume its substantive session at a date to be announced.

Council Work Programme

The Economic and Social Council met this afternoon to take action on all remaining drafts before it, including those dealing with operational activities on development; economic and environmental questions; regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields; and non-governmental organizations.

Action

GERHARD WALTER HENZE (Germany), Council Vice-President, said agreement had been reached in principle to consider at the Council's 1997 coordination segment the cross-sectoral theme entitled "mainstreaming of the gender perspective in the activities of the United Nations system". Agreement had not been reached on the sectoral theme, and he recommended that consultations on the matter continue.

KAREL KOVANDA (Czech Republic), also a Council Vice-President, introduced a non-paper draft resolution based on consultations on a previous text (document E/1996/L.21), on follow-up to General Assembly resolution 50/227, on further measures to restructure the Organization in the economic and social fields. He orally revised the non-paper.

Under its terms, the Council would decide to consider, as a matter of priority at its resumed organizational session of 1996, the possible changes and/or adjustments to its agenda with a view to ensuring that all issues included in resolution 50/227 would be examined by the Council. It would also decide to consider a review of the agenda of its general segment.

In addition, the Council would request the Secretary-General to prepare a comprehensive document compiling information on the mandates, composition, functions and expert groups bodies, to be completed by the Assembly's fifty- second session. It would also decide to begin consideration during its substantive session in 1997 of the role, working methods and relationship with other bodies of the Committee for Development Planning, the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, the Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and Energy for Development, and the Committee on Natural Resources. The Council President would be requested to establish arrangements for open-ended consultations during the Council's 1997 substantive session in order to better prepare for future work on that issue.

The text would have the Council decide that it should take a decision at its substantive session of 1997 on further action on how to achieve the objectives set out in resolution 50/227.

Economic and Social Council - 3 - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

MARGARET KELLEY, Council Secretary, said that the text referred to a resumed session. For such a resumed session to take place, it must be formally requested by the Council. Under the current budgetary constraints, it would not be possible to modify the calendar of conferences to accommodate a resumed session, which would cost $74,000 for a five-day session.

The representative of the United States said he was puzzled to learn on the afternoon of the final day of the last session, that a resumed session, which had become something of a tradition in recent years and had been foreseen in a number of discussions over the course of the week, had budgetary implications that were not previously known. The Council had a mandate to decide on the themes for its 1997 session under Assembly resolution 50/227. "We believe that this mandate must be accomplished and must be accomplished within existing resources."

The President, JEAN-MARIE KACOU GERVAIS (Côte d'Ivoire), then asked if the Council wished to hold a resumed substantive session in 1996.

The representative of the United States asked that the President rephrase his statement to specify within existing resources.

The PRESIDENT said he was not in a position to do that.

The representative of the United States then said, for the record, that the Council had a mandate for a resumed session, which should be convened within existing resources.

The PRESIDENT then asked if the Council wished for a resumed session in 1996, and there being no objections, it was so decided.

The PRESIDENT then asked if it was possible to adopt the draft resolution, as orally revised, in the non-paper form presented by the Council Vice-President.

The representative of Canada said his country had often reaffirmed that reform should not pursue the objective of making the Organization smaller; rather, it was to improve their effectiveness and efficiency. Those who were defending the status quo were those who were weakening the economic and social sectors by undermining their credibility. Canada and others had sponsored a purely procedure draft which aimed to implement the mandates of resolution 50/227, but that had not proved possible. Canada's confidence in the ability of the Organization's economic and social sector to adjust had not been strengthened. It was hoped that, at the resumed session, all would be ready to accept the changes that must be made to allow the United Nations to be a central actor in the development process.

Economic and Social Council - 4 - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

The representative of Ireland, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that 50/227 had given the Council a clear mandate to review the work of the regional commissions. It was, therefore, disappointed to see such discouraging results. The United Nations could not lose time in the reform process. The Union would have wished that the resolution had adopted the same sense of urgency as 50/227 had.

The representative of the United States said that meaningful reform of the regional commissions, functional commissions and subsidiary bodies was essential to the reform of the Organization.

The representative of Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said that a great effort had been made, and a major step had been taken. Clear, specific deadlines had been established for the review process. The Secretary-General would be reporting on the reform process.

The draft, as revised in the non-paper presented by the Council Vice- President, was then adopted without a vote.

Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic), then introduced oral revisions to a draft resolution submitted by Canada on progress made on the implementation of Assembly resolution 50/120, on the triennial policy review of operational activities for development (document E/1996/L.45).

Under its terms, the Council would express concern at the lack of progress made towards the use of common administrative services. The Secretary-General would be requested, in his progress report on the implementation of the triennial policy review, to consider, among others, capacity-building, field- and regional-level coordination and resources, including an analytical assessment of the implications of the recent trends in core and non-core resources and to make recommendations on how to increase core resources.

In addition, the Council would request the United Nations funds and programmes to simplify and harmonize administrative and financial procedures; work towards increased delegation of decision-making authority; set measurable targets for the achievement of common administrative services; and develop guidelines on how to operate a common services account.

Also by that text, the Council would urge the funds and programmes to finalize work on the harmonization of their budget presentations in advance of the 1998-1999 biennium. Stressing the importance of monitoring and evaluation, the Council would urge all funds and programmes to identify targets to strengthen their monitoring and evaluation capabilities. The Secretary-General would be requested to ensure that the Council and the governing bodies of the funds and programme and specialized agencies were

Economic and Social Council - 5 - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

provided with information on evaluation activities that is quantifiable and comparable.

The revised draft was then adopted without a vote.

Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) then introduced a draft submitted by him as Council Vice-President (document E/1996/L.48) on the basis of informal consultations on previous texts (documents E/1996/L.20 and E/1996/L.22), on strengthening of collaboration with the Bretton Woods institutions.

Under its terms, the Council would recommend the scheduling of a high- level meeting at a time proximate to the semi-annual meetings of the Bretton Woods institutions with a view to benefiting, to the extent possible, from ministerial participation and from the participation of heads of financial and trade institutions and other relevant organizations as called by Assembly resolution 50/227, on further measures to restructure and revitalize the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields. The Secretary- General would be requested to consult the heads of the financial institutions by early 1997 in order to explore the possibilities and practical modalities of scheduling such a meeting, the format and timing of which the Council should discuss in early 1997.

Also by that text, the Council would decide to explore concrete modalities for strengthening the exchange of information on development issues between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions. It would decide that, prior to the annual high-level policy dialogue between the Council and the international financial and trade institutions, the Secretariat should prepare a report on the relevant issues to be discussed at the session, with a primary focus on the agreed theme. The Council would recommend, in order to better focus the policy dialogue, exploring the possibility of having joint reports prepared by the Secretariat, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization. The Bretton Woods institutions would be invited to strengthen their cooperation with the Secretariat on issues falling within their respective competencies, such as multilateral external debt, challenges and opportunities of global financial integration and financing for development.

Also, the Council would decide to encourage cooperative working relations between the relevant units of the Bretton Woods institutions and the regional commissions, including improved arrangements for data collection and information exchange. It would decide that full implementation of existing agreements, the strengthening of mechanisms and the exploration of new avenues and mechanisms of cooperation between the Bretton Woods institutions and other United Nations bodies should be undertaken within the framework provided by the resolutions of the Assembly and the Council. It would stress that the recipient government should play a leading role in the overall coordination of

Economic and Social Council - 6 - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

the collaboration between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions at the country level. The Council would stress that the fundamental characteristics of the operational activities of the United Nations system should be their universal, voluntary and grant nature, their neutrality and their multilateralism, as well as their ability to respond to the needs of developing countries in a flexible manner. Further, it would stress that operational activities should be carried out for the benefit of developing countries, at the request of those countries, and in accordance with their own policies and priorities for development. The United Nations system should also take into account the specific needs and requirements of the countries in transition.

The representative of the Russian Federation said his country had worked actively on the draft and was ready to support its adoption. That text was then adopted without a vote.

The sponsors of the previous texts then withdrew them. Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) then introduced an oral draft decision, by which the Council would take note of the Secretary-General's note to the Council (document E/1996/66) indicating that the Committee of Experts on the Transfer of Dangerous Goods will examine, at its forthcoming session, the issue of the periodicity of amendments to the recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods. In that context, the Council invites the Committee to take fully into account the views expressed by delegations during the Council's discussion of the item. Interested Member States which have not done so would be invited to submit their views to the Committee.

The representative of France expressed regret that, all too often, drafts before the Council were only available in one working language. His delegation reserved the right to return to those texts after reading their French version.

The representative of Guyana, noting that draft did not mention when the item was discussed, proposed that it should state that the matter had been considered at the Council's 1996 substantive session.

The draft, as orally presented by the Vice-President and revised by the representative of Guyana, was adopted without a vote.

Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) then introduced an oral decision which would have the Council confirm that the non-governmental organizations referred to in Council decision 1993/220, which concerns non-governmental organizations accredited to the Commission on Sustainable Development, are on the roster for the purposes of the Commission's work. It would decide that the organizations accredited to the Commission which wished to expand their participation in other fields of the Council's work should so inform the

Economic and Social Council - 7 - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

Committee on Non-governmental Organizations. The Secretary-General would be requested to inform the above-mentioned organizations of the decision.

That decision was then adopted without a vote.

Speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, the representative of Costa Rica expressed appreciation to the European Union and others who had worked positively on the text. She withdrew a previous text circulated on the matter (document E/1996/L.44).

The representative of Chile said his country had joined the consensus on the text, which should clearly state that decision 1993/220 was a decision of the Council.

The representative of Cuba expressed some concern over the details of the matter addressed in the decision.

The representative of Syria said his country was fully committed to that decision, but the text unfortunately was not quite as had been discussed. It was hoped that that would not be a precedent. Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) then introduced a Vice-President's draft resolution on coordination of activities of the United Nations system in the field of energy (document E/1996/L.40), based on informal consultations on the two draft resolutions contained in the report of the Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development.

Under its terms, the Secretary-General would be requested to prepare a report on the possibilities of strengthening the coordination of the organizations and bodies of the United Nations system in the field of energy within the framework of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) and to submit that report, through the Council, to the Assembly's fifty-second session. That report should address the need to enhance the capability of the system in the field of energy for sustainable development, and to explore all possible options for a high-level discussion in that context.

The draft resolution was adopted without a vote.

Also adopted without a vote was draft decision I contained in the Committee's report on its second session (document E/1996/24), by which the Council invited States and organizations to accelerate research and development of energy and materials efficiency and of renewable energy development. Those activities should aim to assist early commercialization and the development of a sustainable balance in national energy economies. The Council stressed the need to continue subsidies and other support for such energy activities. It stated that the external costs of using fossil fuels should be internalized. It called for an immediate expansion and acceleration of decentralized rural electrification, and for the development of a publicly

Economic and Social Council - 8 - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

accessible database on the activities of the United Nations system in the area of renewable energy. Speaking on behalf of the European Union, the representative of Ireland said the decision just taken must be viewed in light of the outcome of the last session of the Commission on Sustainable Development.

Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) then introduced oral revisions to the second draft decision contained in the Committee's report.

By the revised draft decision II, the Council would take note of the Committee's report and approve the provisional agenda and documentation for its third session, subject to any change that may be required taking into account the review and the role of the working methods of the Committee and its relationship with other bodies in the context of the review of Assembly resolution 50/227, on the restructuring of the Organization's economic and social fields. It would also stress the need for the Committee to study a broad range of environmentally sound energy efficient technologies. The Committee would be asked to review its agenda in view of mandates set by the Council.

That decision was then adopted without a vote, as orally revised.

Next, Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) introduced oral revisions to a draft resolution sponsored by Costa Rica, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, on the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (document E/1996/L.35).

Under its provisions, the Council would reiterate the distinct character of the Decade as a framework for action which facilitates the effective integration of disaster reduction into planning at all levels, particularly the national and community levels. States and intergovernmental bodies would be called upon to participate in the financial and technical activities of the Decade, and the Secretary-General would be called upon to ensure adequate consideration and involvement of the International Framework of Action for the Decade as part of the evaluation and overall review of the implementation of Agenda 21 by the 1997 special session of the Assembly.

The Council adopted that text without a vote.

Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) then introduced an oral decision based on informal consultations on a previously introduced draft resolution (document E/1996/L.26) which would have the Council decide to consider the agenda item on business and development, including the draft resolution under that item concerning illicit payments, at its resumed session. The President would be requested to continue to facilitate open-ended consultations prior to the resumed session with a view to enhancing the prospects for achieving consensus.

Economic and Social Council - 9 - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

The representative of the United States thanked those who had supported negotiations on that draft decision. He noted that the text referred to a resumed session of the Council in the fall of 1996, and clarified that it was the understanding of the United States that that session would be the same as referred to in other texts and should be financed through existing resources.

The representative of India said that the draft resolution mentioned in the draft decision required further discussion in order to meet the concerns of certain States. India would pursue further negotiations on the draft. It would be useful to know the dates of such negotiations in advance in order to bring experts from capitals for that purpose.

The draft decision was then adopted without a vote.

Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) next introduced oral revisions to a draft resolution on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields, sponsored by Costa Rica on behalf of the Group of 77 and China (document E/1996/L.41). It would have the Council recognize that the regional commissions provided a forum for strengthening regional cooperation, were essential for facilitating the Organization's central role of promoting development and international cooperation, and had important contributions to make to the Council. The role played by the regional commissions in the preparation of regional plans and programmes of action for the recent major United Nations conferences and in follow-up activities would be noted with appreciation. That text, as orally revised, was then adopted without a vote.

Continuing, Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) introduced a Vice-President draft (document E/1996/L.46) on the basis of informal consultations on a previous text (document E/1996/L.34) on the Joint and Co-sponsored Programme on HIV/AIDS.

Under its provisions, the Council would invite the Secretary-General to play an active advocacy role in regard to the serious threat posed by the spread of HIV/AIDS in order to raise global awareness and, thus, help to prevent its further spread. The Secretariat would be urged to be fully and effectively involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The Council would decide to review the operations and activities of the Joint Programme by including on its agenda in alternate years, beginning in 1997, an item on that matter.

In addition, the Secretary-General would be requested to transmit to the Council, at its 1997 substantive session, a concise initial report of the Executive Director of the Programme, and thereafter to submit to the Council, on a biennial basis, a comprehensive report on the fight against HIV/AIDS and its impact on affected countries. The Council would recommend that HIV/AIDS and its social, economic and related impacts on development should be considered as a possible future theme for the Council's high-level segment.

Economic and Social Council - 10 - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996

It would further appeal for a substantial increase in contributions to the Programme.

That draft resolution was then adopted without a vote.

Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic) then introduced a Vice-President's draft resolution concerning new and innovative ideas for generating funds (document E/1996/L.47), by which the Council would stress the role of private investment in financing development. The Secretary-General would be requested to submit a report, prepared in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on all aspects of new and innovative ideas for generating funds for globally agreed commitments and priorities, particularly those established at recent conferences and summits. In preparing that report, he should consult and build upon the work of relevant bodies of the United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions, and draw upon relevant external expertise. The Secretary-General would be further requested to organize briefings for the Council's substantive session of 1997 in order to keep Member States informed of progress being made on that subject.

The representative of Malaysia said her country would go along with the consensus on the text, and was not against the establishment of an expert group to help the Assembly in its work. Such groups had been established in the past to deal with other issues, she added.

That text was then adopted without a vote.

The representative of the United States said his country did not accept the concept of targets for official development assistance, and that should be reflected on the record of the meeting.

Officers, Membership

The President of the Council is Jean-Marie Kacou Gervais (Côte d'Ivoire). The Vice-Presidents are Karel Kovanda (Czech Republic), Carlos Dante Riva (Argentina), Gerhard Walter Henze (Germany) and Samir Moubarak (Lebanon).

The 54 members of the Council for 1996 are Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

* *** *

Economic and Social Council - 11 - Press Release ECOSOC/5687 52nd Meeting (PM) 26 July 1996