ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL SUSPENDS 1997 ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION
Press Release
ECOSOC/5694
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL SUSPENDS 1997 ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION
19970207 The Economic and Social Council this afternoon suspended its organizational session by adopting, without a vote, 13 decisions in a brief formal meeting. The Council conducted most of the session's work in informal meetings although it had originally scheduled eight formal meetings.Adopting its provisional agenda for the 1997 substantive session, to be held in Geneva from 30 June to 25 July, the Council decided that the dates for the session's four segments would be as follows: the high-level segment, from 30 June to 2 July; the operational activities, from 3 to 8 July; the coordination segment, from 9 to 11 July; and the general segment, from 14 to 25 July.
Within the provisional agenda, the Council had decided last year that the theme of its high-level segment will be "Fostering an enabling environment for development -- financial flows, including capital flows; investment; trade". The coordination segment will discuss "Mainstreaming of gender perspectives into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system", and "Fresh water, including clean and safe water supply and sanitation".
The theme for the high-level meeting of the operational activities for development segment will be "Funding for operational activities for development: implementation of General Assembly resolution 50/227", on further measures for the restructuring and revitalization of the Organization in the economic and social fields.
This afternoon the Council agreed to include a new item on the provisional agenda of its substantive session entitled "Proclamation of international years". The Council had before it proposals calling for the proclamation of years dedicated to mountains, volunteers and thanksgiving. In other action, the Council authorized the Secretary-General to transmit a number of reports directly to the General Assembly.
Economic and Social Council - 1a - Press Release ECOSOC 5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
Among other decisions this afternoon, the Council granted consultative status to the non-governmental organization National Society for Human Rights of Namibia, and decided that the Thirteenth Meeting of the Group of Experts on the United Nations Programme on Public Administration and Finance would be held at Headquarters from 27 May to 4 June.
In other action, it was decided that the documentation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations should be issued in all six official languages of the Council based on proposals by the Secretariat. It also decided that the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, at its fortieth session, should devote two days of its eight-day session to act as preparatory body for the special session devoted to combat against illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and related activities, to be held in June 1998.
In addition, the Council filled vacancies in a number of its subsidiary bodies, by electing Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines and Romania to the Commission for Social Development. Ecuador was elected to the Commission on Human Settlements.
Also elected were Neculai Pavlovschi of Romania, Denis Davis of Canada and Maria Luisa Reyna de Aguilar of El Salvador to the Committee on Natural Resources; and Felix L. Campos Megivar of El Salvador and Jong Ingimarsson of Iceland to the Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development.
Poland and South Africa were elected by acclamation to the new seats on the expanded Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); and Bruno Simma, expert from Germany, to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
In addition, the Council confirmed government nominations to the Statistical Commission, Commission on Population and Development, Commission for Social Development, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and the Commission on Human Rights.
The Council will meet again on a date to be announced.
Council Work Programme
The Economic and Social Council resumed its organizational session this afternoon. It was scheduled to take up issues related to the work programme for its 1997 substantive session; implementation of General Assembly resolution 50/227, on the restructuring of the United Nations in the economic and social fields; and the review of the Council's subsidiary bodies.
The Council was also expected to take action on matters related to the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, and hold elections and make nominations postponed from previous sessions, as well as make confirmations to a number of subsidiary bodies.
Matters for Action
A series of draft proposals on matters before the organizational session is submitted by the Council President, Karel Kovanda (Czech Republic), on the basis of informal consultations (document E/1997/L.4/Rev.1):
-- By draft decision I, the Council would approve a revised provisional agenda for its 1997 substantive session. The revised agenda contains innovations in its format to permit ease of reference, a re-ordering of the agenda items and the listing of the documents mandated for the substantive session. The documents are now divided into three categories, as follows: for action, for discussion and for information.
-- By draft decision II, the Council would take note of a list of items for inclusion in its 1998 work programme as stated in pages 11 to 16 of document E/1997/L.4/Rev.1.
-- By draft decision III, on regional cooperation, the Council would decide to consider at its 1997 substantive session the question of review and reform of the regional commissions, taking account of the joint recommendations made by the executive secretaries of the regional commissions, pursuant to Council decision 1982/174 of 30 July 1982.
Under its consideration of regional cooperation, the Council has also before it a note by the Secretary-General concerning the impact of the restructuring of the United Nations in the economic and social fields on the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) (document E/1997/5).
The Secretary-General states that the regional commission, pursuant to ECLAC resolution 553 (XXVI), established an ad hoc working group to define priorities for its work programme and to recommend to the Commission strategic directions for its future activities, taking into account the development
Economic and Social Council - 4 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
priorities of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as budgetary considerations. The action was undertaken in the context of reform of the United Nations.
The ad hoc working group met at ECLAC headquarters in Santiago, Chile, from 29 to 31 July 1996, under the chairmanship of Costa Rica, says the note. The meeting was attended by representatives of 32 Member States and 2 associate members. As a result of the exercise a number of adjustments were approved in the priorities for the execution of the programme of work of the ECLAC system, 1998-1999. A follow-up meeting was held in New York to examine the final report of the Santiago meeting. The annex to the note includes the report of the meeting of the ad hoc working group and an appendix -- changes in the order of priorities proposed by the Secretariat for execution of the work programme of the ECLAC system, 1998-1999.
The Council would take note of the Secretary-General's note by the terms of a draft decision also before it (document E/1997/L.5) and transmit it for consideration by the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) at its thirty-seventh session.
-- By draft decision IV, on working arrangements for the 1997 substantive session, the Council would decide that: the high-level segment shall be held from 30 June to 2 July and statements made during that segment shall be limited to seven minutes; the operational activities segment shall be held from 3 to 8 July; the coordination segment shall be held from 9 to 11 July; and the general segment shall be held from 14 to 25 July.
-- By draft decision V, on consideration of reports, the Council would decide to authorize the Secretary-General to transmit directly to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session his reports on: implementation of Assembly resolution 50/165 on the improvement of the situation of women in rural areas; progress made in the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, prepared pursuant to Assembly resolution 50/81; progress made in the follow-up to the International Year of the Family, prepared pursuant to Council resolution 1978/37 and Assembly resolutions 3054 (XXVIII) and 50/114: on cultural development, prepared pursuant to Council decision 1996/206 and Assembly resolution 49/105; and the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
-- By draft decision VI the Council would take note of the Secretariat's note on the venues of sessions of subsidiary organs of the Council (document E/1997/8).
That note by the Secretariat presents a review of exceptions to the headquarters rule of the Council's subsidiary bodies. That rule states that the functional commissions "shall meet at their established headquarters
Economic and Social Council - 5 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
unless the Council designates another place to achieve a more rational pattern of the world programme". It also stipulates that the regular sessions of the regional commissions as well as meetings of their subsidiary bodies, may be held away from their headquarters when the commission concerned so decides.
No waiver of the headquarters rule has been requested for a session of a functional commission in many years, it goes on. Regular sessions of the regional commissions, however, are on occasion held away from their established headquarters. The only exception to the rule is the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which holds its annual session alternatively at Headquarters in New York and the United Nations Office at Geneva. None of the Council's other subsidiary bodies, including its standing committees and group of experts, has requested to meet other than at its established headquarters in recent memory.
-- By draft decision VII, the Council would decide that the Thirteenth Meeting of the Group of Experts on the United Nations Programme on Public Administration and Finance would be held at Headquarters from 27 May to 4 June, instead of 21 April to 2 May.
Under its consideration of matters related to non-governmental organizations, the Council has before it a draft text submitted by the President on the basis of informal consultations.
By the draft decision, the Council would affirm that the documentation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations should be issued in all six official languages of the Council. It states further that in the case of new applications for consultative status of non-governmental organizations, new requests for reclassification of consultative status and quadrennial reports of non-governmental organizations, only the summaries of those documents would be issued in all official languages.
By other provisions of the text, guidance for the preparation of the summaries by the Secretariat would be provided by the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations. The complete submission from non-governmental organizations would be distributed to members of the Committee and to other Member States, at their request, in the language of submission.
Related to the draft decision for action today, the Council has before it a draft decision on documentation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, postponed from the 1996 substantive session; its programme budget implications; and a note by the Secretariat on the Committee's documentation.
By the draft decision (document E/1996/L.57), submitted by Mr. Kovanda (Czech Republic), who was then a Council Vice-President, the Council would
Economic and Social Council - 6 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
affirm that the documentation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations should be issued in all six official languages of the Council. In addition, it would request the Secretariat to prepare for the Council at its 1997 organizational session an assessment of ways to implement the decision within existing resources. The draft decision was initially contained in the report of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (document E/1996/102 and Add.1 and Corr.1).
The programme budget implications of the draft (document E/1996/L.58), which was initially submitted to the Assembly in November, indicated that the draft decision would entail additional conference services in 1997 estimated at full cost in the amount of $860,700. The Council would be informed at its 1997 organizational session of any action by the Assembly regarding the possibility of accommodating the Committee's additional documentation requirements.
The note by the Secretariat on the provision of documentation (document E/1997/9) states that, since its inception, the 19-member Committee has been provided its documentation in English, French and Spanish. The Committee's 1997 in-session documentation could be issued in all official languages without additional budgetary resources. The issuance of all pre-session documentation in all official languages, however, would entail additional resources.
The Secretariat makes a number of proposals to restructure the Committee's documentation, thereby reducing the volume that could be issued in all official languages without additional resources. Those measures should make it possible to keep pre-session documentation within a limit of 600 to 700 pages which would allow translation into all six official languages.
Also before the Council is a letter dated 16 December 1996 from the Chairman of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to the President of the Council (document E/1997/10). It refers to Council resolution 1996/17 requesting the Commission to act as preparatory body for the special session of the General Assembly devoted to the combat of illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and related activities, to be held in June 1998. The convening of the special session was adopted by Assembly resolution 51/64 in December 1996.
The Chairman states that the Commission decided that he should write the letter to clarify any possible misunderstanding on the number of days of the Commission's regular session that would be devoted to preparatory work for the special session and to ensure that there would be no budgetary implications. Annexed to the letter is a draft decision on the matter.
Economic and Social Council - 7 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
By the draft text, the Council would decide that the Commission, at its fortieth session, should devote two days of its eight-day session to act as preparatory body for the special session.
The Council will also consider three letters requesting the inclusion in the agenda of the 1997 substantive session of three additional items regarding proclamation of international years:
-- A letter dated 30 January from the Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic requesting the inclusion of the item: "Proclamation of the year 2000 as the International Year of Mountains" (document E/1997/3);
-- A letter dated 5 February from the Permanent Representative of Japan requesting the inclusion of the item: "Proclamation of the year 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers" (document E/1997/11); and
-- A letter dated 6 February from the Charge d'affaires of the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations requesting the inclusion of the item: "The Year 2000: International Year of Thanksgiving" (document E/1997/12).
Elections, Nominations and Confirmations
Regarding confirmations, the Council has before it a note by the Secretary-General (document E/1997/L.1 and Adds.1 and 2) submitting the names of persons nominated by their governments, since the close of the Council's 1996 session, to serve as representatives on the following functional commissions:
-- On the 24-member Statistical Commission: Vernon Glenmore James (Jamaica); Takanobu Negi (Japan); Saghir Asad Hasan (Pakistan); and Emilio Aguiles de Oliveira (Portugal);
-- On the 47-member Commission on Population and Development: Muhammed Ali (Bangladesh); Philippe Nzaba (Congo); Mekonnen Manyazewal (Ethiopia); Antonio Golini (Italy); Toufic Ismail (Syria); Samira Yener (Turkey); and Alfred Sampule (Zambia);
-- On the 32-member Commission for Social Development: Faith Innerarity (Jamaica); and Leszek Zienkowski (Poland);
-- On the 45-member Commission on the Status of Women: Claire Aubin (France); Heike Schmitt (Germany); Charlotte Abaka (Ghana); Cristina Munoz (Paraguay); Eleonora Zielinska (Poland); Saisuree Chutikul (Thailand); and Makiko Arima-Sakai (Japan).
Economic and Social Council - 8 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
-- On the 40-member Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice: Kalombo Thomson Mwansa (Zambia); and Yuki Furuta (Japan).
-- On the 53-member Commission on Human Rights: Nobutoshi Akao (Japan).
Concerning elections, the Council has before it a note by the Secretary- General (document E/1997/L.2 and Adds. 1 and 2) which transmit the names of government nominees -- Neculai Pavlovschi of Romania and Denis Davis of Canada -- for election to the Committee on Natural Resources, for terms of office beginning on the date of the election. Another nominee -- Maria Luisa Reyna de Aguilar of El Salvador -- is submitted by the Latin American and Caribbean States for election to the Committee, also for a term beginning on the date of election. The Committee on Natural Resources is composed of 24 government- nominated experts serving in their personal capacity.
A note by the Secretary-General (document E/1997/L.3) transmits the name of Eibe Riedel (Germany) to complete the unexpired portion of the term of Bruno Simma, also of Germany, in the 18-member Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for the period 31 December 1996 to 31 December 1998. Mr. Simma resigned his membership in the Committee of experts that monitors the implementation on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
In another note (document E/1997/L.6 and Add.1), the Secretary-General transmits the nomination of Felix L. Campos Megivar, from the Latin American and Caribbean States Group, and Jong Ingimarsson of Iceland, from the Western European and Other States Group, for election to the 24-member expert Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development. The terms of office would begin on the date of the election.
In addition, the Council is scheduled to hold the following elections, postponed from previous sessions, for terms beginning on the date of the election (document E/1997/2):
-- Three members to the 47-member Commission on Population and Development, for terms expiring on 31 December 2000: one from the Asian States and two from the Latin American and Caribbean States;
-- Seven members to the 32-member Commission for Social Development for terms expiring on a date to be determined by lot: three from Asian States; one from Eastern European States; and three from Latin American and Caribbean States;
Economic and Social Council - 9 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
-- Two members from Western European and Other States to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, for a term expiring on 31 December 1997.
-- Four members to the 58-member Commission on Human Settlements: one from African States for a term expiring on 31 December; two from Asian States -- one for a term expiring on 31 December 1999, and the other for a term expiring on 31 December 2000; and two from Latin American and Caribbean States for terms expiring on 31 December 2000.
-- Eight members to the 34-member Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting: two from African States -- one for a term expiring on 31 December 1997, and the other for a term expiring on 31 December 1999; two from Asian States, for terms expiring on 31 December 1999; four from Latin American and Caribbean States -- two for terms expiring on 31 December 1997, and the other two for terms expiring on 31 December 1999; and three from Western European and Other States for terms expiring on 31 December 1999.
-- Eight members to the 24-member Committee on Natural Resources, for terms expiring on a date to be determined by lot: two each from Asian States and from Eastern European States; one from Latin American and Caribbean States; and three from Western European and Other States.
-- Eleven members to the 24-member Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and Energy for Development of government-nominated experts, for terms expiring on a date to be determined by lot: six from African States; one from Asian States; two from Eastern European States; one from Latin American and Caribbean States; and one from Western European and Other States.
-- Two additional members of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in accordance with Assembly resolution 51/72 of 12 December 1996, which increased the membership of the UNHCR's Executive Committee from 51 to 53 States.
On postponed nominations, the Council is expected to nominate two members to the 34-member Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) from the Western European and Other States for election by the Assembly for terms expiring on 31 December 1999.
Action
KAREL KOVANDA (Czech Republic), the Council President, proposed that the Council include an additional item on its 1997 substantive session entitled: "Proclamation of international years".
Economic and Social Council - 10 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
The Council decided to include the sub-item on its 1997 substantive agenda.
The Council then considered the seven draft proposals on matters before the organizational session.
Draft decision I, on the provisional agenda for its 1997 substantive session, was adopted as orally amended, without a vote.
Agenda item 5 of the draft decision was amended to include "and implementation". The title now reads as follows: "Integrated and coordinated follow-up and implementation of the major international United Nations conferences and summits".
Speaking after action on draft decision I, the representative of the Netherlands, on behalf of the European Union, said the Union accepted the inclusion of the sub-item on proclamation of international years for further discussion in the substantive session. He expressed concern, however, at the tendency to increase the number of international years and other anniversaries. Citing a number of resolutions and decisions which provided guidelines for decisions on such items, he said action on international years should be applied in the spirit and the letter of those decisions. Such proposals should be evaluated on the basis of existing guidelines.
The representative of Argentina welcomed the inclusion of the sub-item and the cooperative spirit showed by the European Union on the matter.
The PRESIDENT said the substantive aspect of the sub-item would be discussed in the Council's substantive session.
The representative of the United States agreed with the statement made by the representative of the Netherlands.
The representative of Japan welcomed the reference made by the Netherlands to the existing guidelines for such decisions. Her country's proposal on the international year for United Nations Volunteers was based on those guiding principles.
The representative of the Kyrgyz Republic, also welcoming the inclusion of the sub-item, agreed that a more detailed discussion of the matter should take place in the substantive session.
The representative of Mexico stressed the need for proper allocation of time for every item contained in the provisional agenda.
Economic and Social Council - 11 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
The PRESIDENT then introduced draft decision II, on the list of questions for inclusion in its 1998 work programme.
The representative of the United States asked if the draft decision had been discussed.
The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, also asked for clarification as to whether the draft text had been discussed.
The PRESIDENT said, as far as he understood, it was not customary to have informal discussions on the programme for the following year at this stage. The list of questions for the 1998 programme was put into the document for planning purposes. It would undergo periodic changes and would be discussed during the organizational session for the substantive session of that year.
The representative of the Philippines said he had no problem with the draft decision since the Council was merely taking note of it.
The representative of the United States said if it was an indicative list, she would have no problem adopting it.
The Council then adopted draft decision II, without a vote.
Speaking after action, the representative of Romania made a proposal on the timing for the Council to consider a document on the state of the world economy 1997 (document E/1997/INF/1).
The PRESIDENT then introduced draft decision III on regional cooperation, which was also adopted without a vote.
Draft decision IV, on working arrangements for the 1997 substantive session, was introduced by the Council President.
The representative of the Netherlands asked for reassurance on the procedure for preparations for the working arrangements for the various segments.
The PRESIDENT said the Bureau would provide guidance on the matter at the next organizational session.
Speaking before action, the representative of the United States said she hoped that the bureau would prepare a paper on the matter which would include the proposals discussed in the informal consultations.
Economic and Social Council - 12 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
The representative of Canada said the preparations for the high-level segment would be important to ensure the success of the segment and the substantive session.
The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said that the Group had submitted its views on draft decision IV. He hoped that when the bureau considered the item those views would be taken account of.
The representative of Egypt asked if the time limit for statements in the high-level segment applied to specialized agencies
The PRESIDENT said it did. The draft decision IV was adopted without a vote.
The PRESIDENT then introduced draft decision V, which would decide to authorize the Secretary-General to transmit a number of reports directly to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session. The Council adopted decision V without a vote.
The Council President then introduced draft decision VI on venues of sessions of subsidiary bodies, which was adopted without a vote.
The Council then adopted without a vote the text on the Thirteenth Meeting of the Group of Experts on the United Nations Programme on Public Administration and Finance.
The PRESIDENT then introduced the draft decision on the distribution of work of the fortieth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which was also adopted without a vote.
Turning to the implementation of General Assembly resolution 50/227, the Council President proposed that the Council continue consideration of the item at its 1997 substantive session.
The Council decided to continue consideration of the item at the substantive session.
On the review of the Council's subsidiary bodies, the President said that the representative of Bangladesh, a Vice-President of the Council, had agreed to convene open-ended informal consultations of the item. He then proposed, and the Council accepted, that consideration of the item be postponed until the 1997 substantive session.
On the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, the Council President noted that the item had been the subject of extensive consultations.
Economic and Social Council - 13 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
At the Council's resumed substantive session in 1996, the Council had agreed to take a decision on the recommendation of the Committee to grant consultative status to the National Society for Human Rights of Namibia, pending the provision of information by the Government of Namibia.
The representative of Namibia, said his Government would not stand in the way of the application of the non-governmental organization for special consultative status with the Council.
The Council then decided to grant special consultative status to the National Society for Human Rights.
The PRESIDENT then introduced the draft decision on the documentation of Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations.
Speaking before action, the representative of the Russian Federation, proposed the following amendments to the draft text: in line 1 of the text, the word "affirm" should be changed to "decide"; and the introduction of "the" before members in the penultimate line of the text.
The representatives of Cuba, United States, Philippines and Egypt supported the amendments. The representative of Egypt also said that the changes should be reflected in the Arabic text.
The representative of the United States asked for confirmation that there would be no additional financial implications arising from the decision.
MARGARET KELLEY, Secretary of the Council, said there would be no financial implications.
The draft decision was adopted, as orally amended, without a vote.
The PRESIDENT said the previous draft decision on the matter, contained in document E/1996/L.57, was withdrawn.
Speaking after action, the representative of Cuba said resources should be made available to the unit in the Secretariat that dealt with the non- governmental organizations. As an example, he said that unit's facsimile machine had been removed since late last year and had not been replaced. He hoped that a decision would not have to be adopted on the issue of resources and stressed that the Secretariat should provide the unit with all the means it needed to do its job.
The PRESIDENT then introduced the draft decision on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields, concerning ECLAC, which was also adopted without a vote.
Economic and Social Council - 14 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
Elections, Confirmations and Nominations
The Council confirmed the following persons, nominated by their governments, to serve on its functional commissions:
-- Vernon Glenmore James (Jamaica), Takanobu Negi (Japan), Saghir Asad Hasan (Pakistan) and Emilio Aguiles de Oliveira (Portugal) to the Statistical Commission;
-- Muhammed Ali (Bangladesh), Philippe Nzaba (Congo), Mekonnen Manyazewal (Ethiopia), Antonio Golini (Italy), Toufic Ismail (Syria), Samira Yener (Turkey) and Alfred Sampule (Zambia) to the Commission on Population and Development;
-- Faith Innerarity (Jamaica) and Leszek Zienkowski (Poland) to the Commission for Social Development;
-- Claire Aubin (France), Heike Schmitt (Germany), Charlotte Abaka (Ghana), Cristina Munoz (Paraguay), Eleonora Zielinska (Poland), Saisuree Chutikul (Thailand) and Makiko Arima-Sakai (Japan) to the Commission on the of Status of Women;
-- Kalombo Thomson Mwansa (Zambia) and Yuki Furuta (Japan) to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice; and
-- Nobutoshi Akao (Japan) to the Commission on Human Rights.
Turning to postponed elections for vacancies in subsidiary bodies, the Council elected by acclamation Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines and Romania to the Commission for Social Development.
Following the drawing of lots, the terms of office beginning today of the 14 new members of the Commission were determined to be as follows: of the four African members elected, Cameroon and Uganda will serve terms expiring on 31 December 2000; and the terms for the Gambia and Mauritania will expire on 31 December 1999. Of the four Asian members, the Philippines and Pakistan will serve until 31 December 2000; Nepal will serve until 31 December 1999; and Malaysia will serve until 31 December 1998. Of the Eastern European States, Romania will serve for a term expiring on 31 December 2000. Of the Latin American and Caribbean States, Guatemala will serve a term expiring on 31 December 1998; Ecuador will serve until 31 December 1999; and Cuba will serve until 31 December 2000. Of the Western European and Other States, Spain will serve a term expiring on 31 December 1998; and Malta will serve until 31 December 2000.
Economic and Social Council - 15 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
For the Commission on Human Settlements, Ecuador was elected for a term beginning today and expiring on 31 December 2000.
For the Committee on Natural Resources, Neculai Pavlovschi of Romania, Denis Davis of Canada and Maria Luisa Reyna de Aguilar of El Salvador were elected for terms beginning today. Since the Council lacked a full slate of candidates, the drawing of lots to determine the terms of office of the members was postponed to a future session.
For the Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development, the Council elected Felix L. Campos Megivar (El Salvador) and Jong Ingimarsson (Iceland), to terms of office beginning today. In the absence of a full slate of candidates, the drawing of lots to determine the terms of office of the members was postponed to a future session.
For the Executive Committee of the Programme of the UNHCR, the Council elected Poland and South Africa to two new seats created by the body's expansion from 51 to 53 member States in accordance with Assembly resolution 51/72 of 12 December 1996.
The Council then elected Bruno Simma, expert from Germany, to the unexpired term created by the resignation of Eibe Riedel, also from Germany, for the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
In the absence of proposed candidates, the Council postponed to a future session the following elections:
-- Three members to the Commission on Population and Development, for terms expiring on 31 December 2000: one from the Asian States and two from the Latin American and Caribbean States.
-- Two members from Western European and Other States to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, for a term expiring on 31 December 1997.
-- Four members of the Commission on Human Settlements: one member from the African States for a term expiring on 31 December 1999; one member from the Asian States for a term expiring on 31 December 1999 and another for a term expiring on 31 December 2000; and one member from the Latin American and Caribbean States for a term expiring on 31 December 2000.
-- Eight members to the 34-member Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting: two from African States -- one for a term expiring on 31 December 1997, and the other for a term expiring on 31 December 1999; two from Asian States for terms expiring on 31 December 1999; four from Latin American and Caribbean States --
Economic and Social Council - 16 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
two for terms expiring on 31 December 1997, and the other two for terms expiring on 31 December 1999; and three from Western European and Other States for terms expiring on 31 December 1999.
-- Five members of the Committee on Natural Resources: two members from Asian States, one member from Eastern European States and two members from Western European and Other States for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on a date to be determined by lot.
-- Nine members of the Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy for Development: six from African States; one from Asian States; and two from Eastern European States for a term to expire on a date to be determined by lot.
In the absence of candidates, the Council also postponed the nomination of two members of the CPC from the Western European and Other States for election by the Assembly for terms expiring on 31 December 1999.
Concluding Remarks
Mr. KOVANDA (Czech Republic), the Council President, informed members that about 40 hours of conference resources had been wasted by the Council at its substantive session of 1996, which was the equivalent of $120,000. He stressed that such a waste of resources was unacceptable and every effort would be made in the upcoming session to utilize conference resources more effectively.
The representative of the Russian Federation welcomed the adoption of the agenda for the next substantive session of the Council and the reduction in the number of items to be considered. More progress was still needed in that area. There was an unfortunate trend to see the Council as a kind of mini-General Assembly, when it was intended to be more of a guiding body. There was a basic disagreement on the actual function of the Council.
He said the May organizational session should be used to prepare for the substantive session. Substantive questions should be discussed in addition to the business of elections. Arguments of economy were not applicable in that regard. The bureau should consider his country's proposals in its planning for the May session.
The PRESIDENT said that the suggestions by the Russian Federation would be considered and efforts would continue to restructure and revitalize the Organization in the economic, social and related field as called for in Assembly resolution 50/227.
Economic and Social Council - 17 - Press Release ECOSOC/5694 2nd Meeting (PM) 7 February 1997
The representative of the United States said it was necessary to concentrate on preparations for the high-level segment of the substantive session and on how to best proceed with the revitalization and restructuring process.
Council's Role and Structure
The Council is the central mechanism for coordination of the activities of the United Nations system and its specialized agencies and supervision of subsidiary bodies, in particular its functional commissions, in the economic, social and related fields. The Council provides overall guidance and coordination to the United Nations development system and promotes a coordinated follow-up to the outcomes of major international conferences in the economic and social fields.
The Council convenes an organizational session in February and a four- week substantive session in July. The substantive session is divided into the following segments: a high-level segment open to all Member States, with ministerial participation, and devoted to the consideration of one or more major economic and/or social themes and a policy dialogue on important developments on the world economy in which heads of the international financial and trade institutions of the United Nations system are invited to participate. That segment is followed by a coordination segment, an operational activities for development segment and a general segment.
Officers, Membership
The Officers of the Council for 1997 are: Karel Kovanda (Czech Republic), President; Daniel Abibi (Congo), Anwarul Chowdhury (Bangladesh), Gerhard Walter Henze (Germany) and Juan Somavía (Chile), Vice-Presidents.
The 54 members of the Council for 1997 are Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Czech Republic, Djibouti, El Salvador, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Guyana, Iceland, India, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States and Zambia.
* *** *