DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES SHOULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY, BY TEXT OF ECONOMIC COMMITTEE PROPOSAL FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Press Release
GA/EF/2851
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES SHOULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY, BY TEXT OF ECONOMIC COMMITTEE PROPOSAL FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY
19981112 Intensified Efforts Sought; Other Drafts Deal With International Years, High-Level Dialogue to Strengthen CooperationThe General Assembly would call upon Member States to intensify their efforts to integrate cultural factors into their development programmes in order to ensure sustainable development that fully respects cultural diversity, according to one of four draft resolutions introduced this morning in the Second Committee (Economic and Financial).
By the draft on cultural development, the Assembly would also encourage the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to pursue its ongoing task of promoting throughout the United Nations system a greater awareness of the crucial relationship between culture and development, taking into account the diversity of cultures and the need to apply the recommendations of the International Conference on Cultural Policies for Development, held in Stockholm from 30 March to 2 April 1998.
By a draft resolution on the proclamation of international years, the Assembly would decide that, starting from the year 1999, proposals for the proclamation of international years should be submitted directly to the Assembly for consideration and action, unless the Assembly decides to bring them to the attention of the Economic and Social Council for evaluation.
The General Assembly would decide to hold biennially a high-level renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development to provide impetus for the promotion of international economic cooperation for development, according to another draft resolution introduced this morning. And, by a fourth draft, the General Assembly would also proclaim the year 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism.
Also this morning, Belarus, Poland, Iran, Turkmenistan, and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia were added to the list of co-sponsors for the draft resolution on transit environment in the landlocked States in Central Asia and their transit developing neighbours (A/C.2/53/L.34). Norway was
added to the list of co-sponsors for the draft resolution on implementation of the Programme of Action for the least developed countries for the 1990s (A/C.2/53/L.23).
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 16 November, to consider the topic programme planning. It will also discuss the report of the Secretary-General on the utilization of the development dividend.
Introduction of Draft Resolutions
VASSILY NEBENZYA (Russian Federation) introduced the draft resolution on the proclamation of international years (A/C.2/53/L.37). The draft is sponsored by the Russian Federation.
By the text, the General Assembly would reaffirm the importance of the guidelines for international years and anniversaries, adopted by it in its resolution 35/424 for the consideration of proposals for the proclamation of international years. It would also decide that, starting from the year 1999, proposals for the proclamation of international years should be submitted directly to the Assembly for consideration and action, unless the Assembly decides to bring them to the attention of the Economic and Social Council for evaluation.
SUGENG WAHONO (Indonesia), on behalf of the Group of 77 Developing States and China, introduced the draft resolution on the proclamation of the year 2002 as the International year of Ecotourism (A/C.2/53/L.37). The draft is sponsored by Indonesia, on behalf of the Group of 77 Developing States and China. By that text the General Assembly would proclaim the year 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism.
MOCHAMAD HIDAYAT (Indonesia), on behalf of the Group of 77 Developing States and China, introduced the draft resolution on renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership (A/C.2/53/L.36). The draft is sponsored by Indonesia, on behalf of the Group of 77 Developing States and China.
By the text the General Assembly would decide to hold biennially a high-level renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development, to provide impetus for the promotion of international economic cooperation for development. It would also decide that the theme, timing, duration, outcome and modalities of the second high-level dialogue will be decided through the intergovernmental process at the Assembly's fifty-fourth session.
The Assembly would request the Secretary-General, in close consultations with governments, all relevant parts of the United Nations system and relevant
Second Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/EF/2851 38th Meeting (AM) 12 November 1998
intergovernmental organizations, to propose themes for the promotion of international economic cooperation for development for the second high-level dialogue for consideration by the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session.
BORIS SVETOGORSKY MARINO (Uruguay), on behalf of the Group of 77 Developing States and China, introduced the draft resolution on cultural development (A/C.2/53/L.35), which is sponsored by Indonesia and those States.
By the text the General Assembly would invite all Member States, intergovernmental bodies and organizations of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations to implement the recommendations of the Action Plan on Cultural Policies for Development adopted by the Stockholm Conference and to cooperate with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the purpose of ensuring effective follow-up to the Action Plan.
The Assembly would further call upon Member States to intensify their efforts to integrate cultural factors into their development programmes and projects, so as to ensure sustainable development that fully respects cultural diversity, taking into account their cultural values and identity.
The Assembly would also encourage UNESCO to pursue its ongoing task of promoting throughout the United Nations system a greater awareness of the crucial relationship between culture and development, taking into account the diversity of cultures and the need to apply the recommendations of the Stockholm conference and would request the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session.
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