SECRETARY-GENERAL ANNOUNCES MEMBERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS TASK FORCE
Press Release
SG/A/677
UNEP/25
SECRETARY-GENERAL ANNOUNCES MEMBERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS TASK FORCE
19980326 On 9 February, the Secretary-General designated Klaus Töpfer to be Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi, in addition to his duties as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). He was also asked to serve, for the time being, as the head of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat).The Secretary-General asked Mr. Töpfer to chair a task force to prepare proposals for his consideration, and subsequent submission to the General Assembly, on reforming and strengthening United Nations activities in the environmental and human settlements areas, in line with relevant indications in his reform programme (document A/51/950, paras. 170-179).
The Secretary-General is pleased to announce that the following persons have agreed to serve on this important task force:
-- Maria Julia Alsogaray, Secretary for Natural Resources and Sustainable Development of Argentina;
-- John Ashe, Deputy Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations;
-- Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs;
-- Lars-Göran Engfeldt, Permanent Representative of Sweden to UNEP and Habitat in Nairobi;
-- Jean-Pierre Halbwachs, United Nations Controller and Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts;
-- Sir Martin Holdgate, former Head of the World Conservation Union (IUCN);
-- Martin Khor, Director, Third World Network, Malaysia;
-- Ashok Khosla, Head of Development Alternatives, India;
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-- Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore; -- Julia Marton LeFevre, President of LEAD International, Inc.; -- James Gustave Speth, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); -- Mostafa K. Tolba, President, International Centre for Environment and Development, Cairo, and former UNEP Executive Director; -- Joseph Tomusange, High Commissioner of Uganda to India; -- Makirim Wibisono, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the United Nations and Current Chair of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China; -- Timothy E. Wirth, President, United Nations Foundation; and -- Michael Zammit Cutajar, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Maurice Strong, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General, and Peter Thacher, former Deputy Executive Director of UNEP, will serve as advisers to the Task Force;
The Task Force is scheduled to submit its recommendations to the Secretary-General in June 1998.
Terms of Reference of Task Force
1. To review existing structures and arrangements through which environment and environment-related activities are carried out within the United Nations, with particular reference to those departments, funds and programmes which report to the Secretary-General, but taking into account also the relevant programmes and activities of the specialized agencies;
2. In this respect, to focus particularly on the distinctive functions of policy, development of norms and standards, programme development and implementation and financing, as well as relationships amongst these functions;
3. To evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of existing structures and arrangements and make recommendations for such changes and improvements as will optimize the work and effectiveness of the United Nations environmental work at the global level and of UNEP as the leading environmental organization or "authority", as well as the role of UNEP as the principal source of environmental input into the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development; and
4. To prepare proposals, for consideration by the Secretary-General and subsequent submission to the General Assembly, on reforming and strengthening United Nations activities in the environmental and human settlement areas.
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