ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL STARTS DISCUSSIONS ON TOBACCO OR HEALTH, HIV/AIDS, ENERGY AND PROCLAMATION OF INTERNATIONAL YEARS
Press Release
ECOSOC/5721
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL STARTS DISCUSSIONS ON TOBACCO OR HEALTH, HIV/AIDS, ENERGY AND PROCLAMATION OF INTERNATIONAL YEARS
19970714 (Reissued as received.)GENEVA, 14 July (UN Information Service) -- The Economic and Social Council this morning started discussion on coordination, programme and other questions, focusing on multisectoral collaboration on tobacco and health; coordination of the activities of the organizations of the United Nations system in the field of energy; the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, and the proclamation of international years.
The morning session opened with addresses by Francesco Mezzalama and Sumihiro Kuyama of the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU), Raul Uranga of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Joke Waller-Hunter, Director of the Division for Sustainable Development, Sarbuland Khan of the Division for Policy and Coordination and Economic and Social Council Affairs, and Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS.
Mr. Mezzalama introduced a note by the Secretary-General on the report of the JIU on "review of financial resources allocated by the United Nations to activities by non-governmental organizations (NGOs)". He said there was a general consensus on the need for better accounting and reporting procedures for United Nations bodies dealing with non-governmental organizations.
Mr. Kuyama introduced a report on coordination of policy and programming frameworks for more effective development cooperation, noting that one way of achieving optimal efficiency, reducing overhead costs and increasing net flow of resources to recipient countries was to integrate as much as possible the numerous frameworks used by international development partners.
The Council also heard the introduction of reports by the Secretary- General on progress made in the implementation of multisectoral collaboration on tobacco or health; coordination of the activities of the organizations of the United Nations system in the field of energy; and the activities of the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS.
The morning session was also addressed by representatives of Japan; Luxembourg, on behalf of the European Union; the Russian Federation; the United Nations Volunteers; the World Bank; Argentina; Republic of Korea; the World Health Organization; the Food and Agriculture Organization; Côte
d'Ivoire; United States; Philippines; Iceland; Lebanon; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; Canada; and the United Nations Development Programme.
The Council resumes its discussions of the same items at 3 p.m. today.
Coordination, Programme and Other Questions
The Council is considering a note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Joint and Co-sponsored Programme on Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (document E/1997/63). The report which focuses on the approach adopted by the United Nations system to respond to HIV/AIDS, an epidemic which continued to expand in 1996, with an estimated 3.1 million new infections. In the same year, HIV/AIDS-associated illnesses caused the death of an estimated 1.5 million people. The global epidemic has been fuelled by a number of explosive regional epidemics in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, and as a result of better medical management, including the increasing use of anti-retroviral combination therapy, mortality from HIV infection has decreased over the past year in several industrialized countries. This therapy was a major breakthrough in terms of treatment, but the cost made it unaffordable to 90 percent of the people living with the virus.
The report lists responses of the United Nations system to the epidemic, with the establishment, governance and purpose of UNAIDS which will lead, strengthen and support an expanded response aimed at preventing the transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing vulnerability of communities to the virus and alleviating the impact of the epidemic. In listing challenges and opportunities, it notes that one old challenge is the continuing denial of the epidemic which exists even in heavily affected countries. The new complacency that is eroding the urgency of the response needs to be dealt with, says the report. Another challenge is the failure to accept that HIV prevention works and tools required are available and cost-effective. The report stresses that the development of a vaccine against HIV infection must remain a global priority.
The Council is considering a report of the Secretary-General on progress made in the implementation of multisectoral collaboration on tobacco or health (document E/1997/62), in which it is noted that growing public awareness to health risks associated with tobacco consumption, and stronger legislation on tobacco, had led to significant change in the international tobacco control situation. Newly industrialized countries and countries with economies in transition have also become more sensitized to the dangers of tobacco. On the inter-governmental level, an increasing number of organizations has begun to address tobacco-related questions. Internet, which provides generally reliable global information on tobacco, is another major change. The United
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Nations has consolidated contacts with governments, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations. However, a commitment providing a minimal level of resources for tobacco and health programmes is essential for the United Nations system to respond effectively to all the new requests for action on the subject.
In another note by the Secretary-General, on coordination of policy and programming frameworks for more effective development cooperation (document E/1997/47), the Administrative Committee on Coordination agrees that in an environment of scarce financial resources, duplication of activities cannot be afforded and better coordination is of great importance.
There is also a note by the Secretary-General on the review of financial resources allocated by the United Nations system to activities by non-governmental organizations (document E/1997/46).
Statements
FRANCESCO MEZZALAMA, Inspector and member of the JIU, said donors and recipient organizations were interested to see resources given to the United Nations utilized in the most effective way, with proper records kept. United Nations organizations engaged in economic and social development and other fields were faced with a decrease of resources, while they were expected to do the same or even more. The JIU tried to bring light to the situation and in its report suggested ways for agencies to make optimum use of the available resources. The partnership between the system and non-governmental organizations important -- the report noted that NGOs were an essential component of United Nations work. They did not receive all their funds from the system, but there was a general consensus on the need for better accounting and reporting procedures for United Nations bodies dealing with NGOs. The report recommended an efficient controlling and reporting system. These bodies needed to establish transparent financial management systems to provide clear and transparent accounts; there was also a need for better administrative structures. The JIU also underlined the importance of use of indigenous NGOs, which would increase national capacity.
SUMAHIRO KUYAMA, Inspector and member of the JIU, introducing the Unit's report, said the document's findings left no doubt that one way of achieving optimal efficiency, reduce overhead costs and increased net flow of resources to recipient countries was to integrate as much as possible the numerous frameworks used by international development partners; examples of such frameworks included those of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), along with country-programming mechanisms of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the World Food Programme (WFP), and of specialized agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Because all the frameworks of the donor community converged at the country
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level, they placed enormous pressures on the limited technical capacities of the recipient countries, especially the least-developed ones; the serious concerns arising from this situation underlined the vital and urgent need for the recipient countries and the United Nations family to strive for a single programming mechanism which could be shared with the wider donor community in each country, Mr. Kuyama said. The recommendations of the report also sought to define practical modalities or suggest further steps for implementing recent General Assembly resolutions aimed at strengthening programme ownership by host Governments and at achieving maximum integration of development cooperation at the country level.
RAUL URANGA, of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said at present one thousand million people were victims of "this highly addictive drug", tobacco, which caused more than three million deaths a year. It was frightening that increasing numbers of people in developing countries or in States in transition would be affected by tobacco. There was a need to combat that drug, which was perfectly legal and profitable for all those involved. Institutions that fought the scourge came up against significant obstacles. One was the ignorance of the public, many of whom thought the drug was fairly harmless. The second was the enormous economic and financial influence the transnational tobacco companies wielded. The United Nations system was laying foundations aimed at combatting this drug, and it hoped that by the end of the year, United Nations buildings would be free of smoke.
JOKE WALLER-HUNTER, Director of the Division for Sustainable Development, introducing the Division's report on coordination of United Nations activities related to energy, said the wide range of activities involved preparation of studies and reports; technical assistance, including advisory services and experts in specific fields; organization of training workshops, seminars, meetings and conferences, institution and capacity-building; and provision of financial assistance. The magnitude of the financial resources allocated varied from project to project, from a few hundred dollars to multi-million-dollar financial-assistance projects; agencies extensively involved included the World Bank, UNDP, Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Increasing attention was being given to energy efficiency, conservation, demand-side management, and pricing policies; and the General Assembly also had stressed the need for encouraging better coordination on energy issues in the United Nations system.
SARBULAND KHAN, Officer-in-Charge of the Division for Policy Coordination and ECOSOC Affairs, outlined the Secretary-General's and the Secretariat's efforts in the past year to fight HIV/AIDS following the Council's request that they become more actively involved. The United Nations was not a co-sponsor of the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), but was increasing coordination and cooperation with it. It had to
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be recognized that all efforts were being carried out without any additional resources, but through innovative ways.
PETER PIOT, Executive Director of UNAIDS, introducing the programme's report, said the epidemic was far from over. There was a continuing expansion of the number of persons infected -- last year some 3.1 million become infected, and some 1 million had died of the disease; worldwide, there had been an acceleration of mortality from the illness; sub-Saharan Africa carried the heaviest burden, and in some countries there as many as 20 per cent of adults were infected; there also had been startling increases in infection rates in some Asian countries. The financial costs of HIV/AIDS also were growing rapidly: in some African countries, the epidemic had a serious effect on GNP, and overall life expectancies in those countries had dropped by some 10 years because of the disease. Breakthroughs in "combination therapy" meant little for most persons infected, although the UNAIDS was making efforts to allow such treatments to be more widely available. Meanwhile, prevention efforts were showing progress in some areas -- among other things, there had been some encouraging drops in infection rates among young people in some countries as a result of information programmes.
The Joint Programme focused, among other things, on collecting and disseminating information on "best practices", Dr. Piot said; and it helped countries organize to cope with the challenges posed by the disease. Mechanisms for joint planning and cooperation had been established at the global level among a number of actors in the field as a result of the Programme's activities, he said; a coordinated appeal had been launched for supplementary, funded activities; and more than 100 HIV/AIDS "theme groups" had been established; a quarter of these theme groups were already functional. The support and operation of other theme groups, unfortunately, had been "spotty". Lessons had been learned from the experience, however. Work was also being expanded with civil society.
Major challenges included both the old problem of getting some sectors to take the threat of the disease seriously and a new one of complacency in some sectors that the battle almost was over, Dr. PIOT said. In addition, he said, the concept of a "co-sponsored approach" still didn't exist in many countries, and had to be established.
NOBUTOSHI AKAO (Japan) said volunteer services covered enormous areas, including issues related to welfare, environment, education, human rights and disaster relief, all which complemented governments' efforts in development issues at grass-root level. Japan believed that the proclamation of an International Year of Volunteers would extend recognition and increased legitimacy to volunteering and would expand significantly the number of people willing to offer their services. Volunteer movements would receive a valuable impetus in industrialized and developing countries, as well as those in economic transition. The specific objectives of the year would be increased
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recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteer service. Japan had proposed the draft resolution E/1997/L.24, which was being revised to reflect the ideas of co-sponsors.
HENRI SCHUMACHER (Luxembourg), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the Union was a major contributor to UNAIDS; it was necessary for more resources to provided, and it was hoped that all actors and all co-sponsoring organizations would meet their commitments and furthermore would enhance their cooperation with each other. Field staff needed to be better informed on the role and function of various UNAIDS "theme groups". More than 20 million people had now been infected by the disease, and in 1996 almost half of the 3.1 million infected over the year were women; the epidemic continued to run rampant in Africa and Asia; that had not only severe human consequences but, increasingly, severe economic consequences; among other things, AIDS was hindering the already difficult process of improving the economic and development performances of African countries. More emphasis needed to be placed on the effects of AIDS on women and on children; among children over the coming years, AIDS could cause a more than 75 per cent increase in rates of child mortality in the countries most profoundly affected; countries must be assisted in intensifying their work to combat the threat posed by the diseases; the United Nations was the only organization truly well placed to coordinate global efforts against AIDS. AIDS should be considered as a possible theme for discussion of a future Economic and Social Council session.
V.A. NESYENZIA (Russian Federation) said the United Nations and its specialized agencies should join efforts in coordinating the fight against tobacco, including working out active strategies to prevent the growing pressure exerted by transnational tobacco corporations, early adoption of an international framework convention to fight tobacco consumption and putting tobacco and health issues high on governments' political agenda. On the energy issue, there was a need to adopt relevant measures to foster international efforts, including raising the efficiency of energy production and consumption, use of non-traditional sources of energy and exchange of environmentally sound technologies. The role of the United Nations in this field should be strengthened. On UNAIDS, the Inter-agency Task Force should strengthen coordination and delineate the responsibilities of UNAIDS participating organizations. Russia also urged that proclamation of international years be dropped from future agendas of Economic and Social Council and be considered directly by the relevant Committees of the General Assembly.
BRENDA G. McSWEENEY, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), said the UNV had been most encouraged to see how many key players were convinced that an International Year of Volunteers in 2001 would significantly enhance the invaluable contribution of volunteers; it was thrilled, moreover, by the widespread welcome from civil society; strong support from national and international NGOs would help ensure that the
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activities of such an international year would stem from the base, and such a commemoration would need to be highly decentralized in its preparation, design, and execution so that its activities would reflect what volunteerism best meant in the cultural context of each country. Such an international year would catalyze further the recognition, facilitation, networking, and promotion of volunteer efforts. It had been proposed without prejudice that UNV be designated focal point for such an international year, and the agency would be honoured to take on this task.
ALFREDO STEIR-YOUNIS, of the World Bank, said that by the end of fiscal year 1997, the Bank had committed nearly 700 million dollars to more than 60 projects around the world aimed at preventing and controlling HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. The World Bank was committed to working with and contributing to UNAIDS. Several examples of in-country collaboration between the World Bank and UNAIDS or its cosponsors existed in Asia, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. It planned to continue this close cooperation to initiate and coordinate comprehensive studies on the economic impact of the epidemic and the cost-effectiveness of different interventions in the future.
GARCIA MORITAN (Argentina) said the effects of tobacco use on health did indeed require a multi-sectoral response; an international framework convention on tobacco control was indeed a worthwhile objective; currently some 6 per cent of deaths in the world were due to tobacco. Also of concern was that while smoking rates had stabilized or fallen in developed countries, they were climbing in developing countries; prevention and information campaigns on the risks of smoking should be aimed at young people; greater publicity overall was in fact needed. International years proposed for mountains, for "culture for peace", and for volunteers were well-founded ideas and were supported by Argentina. Argentina also proposed that the year 2000 be declared the International Year of Thanksgiving -- the point being to focus on the fundamental importance of the world's diversity of cultures and to harmonize United Nations efforts to achieve full tolerance and universal peace.
CHUNG REA KWON (Republic of Korea) expressed support for the adoption of resolution "International Year of Volunteers: 2001". UNV played a unique role in the development frontier, igniting aspirations and encouraging the self confidence of marginalized peopled through diversified human resources development. The Republic of Korea played a key role in UNV's field operations through the dispatch of professional volunteers to under-developed countries.
ALAN LOPEZ, of the World Health Organization (WHO), said WHO had frequently called on countries and United Nations agencies to implement tobacco-control strategies; the reasons were that tobacco products caused around 3 million deaths per year, or about 6 per cent of all deaths annually.
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Unless current smoking trends were reversed, that figure could rise to 10 million per year during the next 20 to 30 years, thus making tobacco a bigger killer than any single disease. It was necessary to do the utmost now, both at national and international levels, to prevent and reduce the devastating consequences of the tobacco epidemic three to four decades into the future. In May 1996, the World Health Assembly had called for development of an international framework convention for tobacco control; and the WHO secretariat had formulated a proposal for the preparation of such a convention, which would be a legal instrument in the form of an international treaty to which signatory states would agree to pursue broadly stated goals; the convention could for example address tobacco smuggling, advertising, duty-free sales, reporting of production, sale, import and export, and testing and reporting of toxic constituents. WHO was keen to establish close cooperation with other United Nations system organizations in development of those aspects of a framework convention that went beyond the international health mandate of WHO.
ARTURO PURCELL, of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said the shared the international concern over the harmful effects of tobacco smoking and the rising incidence of smoking related diseases. Demand for tobacco was expected to continue to expand to the year 2000, and the pattern of shrinking demand in the developed countries and of expanding demand in developing countries would be maintained. With regard to environmental issues, the impact of the tobacco industry was of serious concern because of deforestation since the industry used considerable quantities of wood for a variety of purposes. FAO would continue to take into account the harmful effects of tobacco smoking and would, subject to the availability of funds, assist any government which requested investigations of the possibility of diversification from tobacco production. FAO had also taken steps to become a smoke-free environment.
CLAUDE BOUAH-CAMON (Côte d'Ivoire) said he wished to confirm the Government's official letter proposing to the Council that the year 2000 be proclaimed the "International Year of the Culture of Peace"; it was possible to proclaim two items for celebration in the same year; that had in fact happened in the past. The year 2000 was obviously an auspicious choice, and it was important at such a time to focus on something as important as peace and the establishment and encouragement of a culture that led to it; the United Nations, moreover, was based on the idea of peace, and on establishing a culture of peace. Building such a culture was a long-term action and required a dedication on a global scale.
SETH WINNICK (United States) said the interplay between tobacco and health had resulted in major developments in the United States after receiving the full focus of the Government. This had translated into the implementation of new legislation to restrict children's access to tobacco and to put controls on advertising. The United States supported a ban on smoking in all
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United Nations buildings by the end of 1997; that would help increase public awareness on the harms of tobacco on health on the global scale. Regarding HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS should be one of the immediate beneficiaries of strengthened resident coordinator system. On energy, there should be discussions on its environmental aspects. and the Secretary-General's report should mention the relationship between fossil fuel and the green house effect which caused weather changes.
MONINA FISTRELLA CALLANGAN (Philippines) said the country supported the proposed declaration of the year 2001 one as the International Year of Volunteers. There were Filipino workers deployed in different parts of the world, mainly in Africa, serving under the United Nations Volunteer programme; the need for volunteer effort today was greater than ever, given the enormous problems confronting the world; just as important were the contributions volunteers could make in their own countries; in this context they could be seen as partners of their Governments in promoting economic and social well-being. While the contribution of volunteers was vast, much of their work was unrecognized, and so such an international year would be a way of giving recognition.
BENEDIKT JONSSON (Iceland) said the country had great potential to increase the use of renewable hydroelectric and geothermal energy sources. There were vast opportunities for investments, both in power and industrial plants for energy intensive production. Iceland would like to see those opportunities exploited, but that would unavoidably lead to growth in the emission of greenhouse gases in Iceland. This was a matter of grave concern because these emissions had to be viewed from a global perspective. Iceland believed it was important to analyse and assess how future protocols or other legal instruments for limiting mission could be formed without obstructing further exploitation of clean and renewable energy sources. Iceland also aligned itself with Japan's idea to proclaim 2001 the year for volunteers, as they played an important role in society.
SAMIR MOUBORAK (Lebanon) said the country supported declaration of the year 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers; volunteers provided great support for development, including through the activities of the United Nations Volunteers. Lebanon had benefited enormously from the programme over the years, and continued to benefit today; Lebanon would contribute as far as its limited resources would allow and would participate enthusiastically in such a year.
ANNAR CASSUM, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said much had been done by the organization to enhance and encourage use of solar energy and other forms of renewable energy, and to launch the World Solar Programme at the World Solar Summit held last year in Harare, Zimbabwe; about 1,000 people had taken part in the Summit, which had been an unqualified success. At the meeting renewable energy
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sources were deemed worthy of use and development on a wide scale, and as a major component of energy use worldwide; a fully fledged document was expected by late this month on the World Solar Programme, and UNESCO would continue to play a leading role in the area. UNESCO also had made a major contribution to the UNAIDS programme through its projects for education and public information on HIV/AIDS. In addition, the organization supported declaration of the year 2000 as the International Year of Volunteers and would play an active role in the preparation and execution of such an international year; UNESCO also supported the proposed themes for 2000 as an international year of "thanksgiving" and a "culture of peace".
ROSS HYNES (Canada) said non-governmental organizations had much to contribute to the work of the United Nations. Canada encouraged United Nations agencies to seek NGO partners whenever appropriate. On development cooperation, Canada agreed with many ideas taken up in the Secretary-General's ideas on United Nations reform on Track One and hoped that next week, Economic and Social Council could create more effective coordination in field level in funds and programmes on Track Two reforms. Canada referred to the idea of creating a trust fund for tobacco and its health effects which was an important area of activity of the United Nations, even though a proliferation of trust funds was not a good idea. Canada anticipated to hear proposals from delegations on renewable sources of energy mentioned in the Secretary-General's report. On AIDS, it was interested in principles for effective coordination system made by the report, which could be applied to other parts of the system. On international years, the proposals were all for worthy causes, but the system was under increased scrutiny and had to had concrete results-oriented programmes and this should be born in mind while discussing them.
ANDERS WIJKMAN, of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said the agency was deeply involved in the joint efforts of UNAIDS; the epidemic continued to spread rapidly in many parts of the world, and could no longer be seen solely as a health issue, as the economic and social implications were becoming more and more prominent for countries seriously affected; UNDP had done a number of studies indicating immense implications on both public and private sectors for many countries. Because of the epidemic, several African countries, for example, would experience negative population growth in a few years; clearly an expanded response from the United Nations system was required, and more dedication was needed from the programme's co-sponsors. The role of the resident coordinator was crucial in fashioning effective approaches at the national level, and more support and funding for the resident-coordinator system was thus needed. UNDP supported the proposal for declaration of an International Year of Volunteers; and it considered matters of energy -- especially as they related to sustainable development -- as critical.
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