ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL TO DISCUSS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, COORDINATED RESPONSES TO HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES AT JULY SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

5 February 1999

Press Release
ECOSOC/5813

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL TO DISCUSS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, COORDINATED RESPONSES TO HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES AT JULY SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

19990205 Council Suspends Organizational Session

The theme of the Economic and Social Council's humanitarian affairs segment for 1999 will be "International cooperation and coordinated responses to humanitarian emergencies: in particular, in the transition from relief to rehabilitation, reconstruction and development", according to one of several actions taken, without a vote, this morning before the Council suspended its organizational session until 6 May.

By another text, the Committee for Development Policy was charged with focusing on "The role of employment and work in poverty eradication in the context of globalization: the empowerment and advancement of women" for its 1999 session. It was also asked to complete its work on a vulnerability index -- examining how such an index would work in determining which States were considered least developed.

The Council deferred a decision on distribution of seats in the Executive Board of the World Food Programme.

Also this morning, the Council elected, nominated and confirmed members to several of its subsidiary bodies, including the election by secret ballot of Sergio Uribe Ramirez of Colombia to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

Before holding the secret ballot for the INCB, the Council moved from the Trusteeship Council Chamber to the Economic and Social Council Chamber.

The Council's President, Francesco Paolo Fulci (Italy), explained the move as a symbolic gesture to illustrate the importance of regularly holding the Council's meetings in its own chamber -- a practice impeded by technical problems.

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Regarding the Council's high-level segment to be held this year in Geneva, the President stressed the importance of achieving concrete results to contribute to poverty eradication. Poverty was multidimensional, he said. Its causes and effects could be found in many aspects of economic and social life. An Economic and Social Council "manifesto" on eradicating poverty was being prepared, and preparations had begun for panels of experts and policy makers over the next few months.

Action

The Council first took up a draft decision, submitted by Vice-President Makarim Wibisono (Indonesia), on the theme of the humanitarian segment of its 1999 substantive session (document E/1999/L.7).

Under its provisions, the Council would decide that the theme for the segment would be "International cooperation and coordinated responses to humanitarian emergencies, in particular, in the transition from relief to rehabilitation, reconstruction and development".

MOCHAMAD SLAMET HIDAYAT (Indonesia), introducing the draft, said that the choice of the theme was in part determined by the need to have greater focus this year during the segment's deliberations.

The Council adopted the decision without a vote.

FRANCESCO PAOLO FULCI (Italy), the Council President, said that he understood more time was needed for consultations on the review of the distribution of seats of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP). The Council was so close to an understanding on that matter after one year, but small matters still were holding it up. He appealed for agreement as soon as possible, and proposed that the item be referred to the Council's resumed organizational session.

Next, the Council took up a draft resolution submitted by Vice-President Mr. Wibisono (Indonesia) on the work programme for the Committee for Development Policy (document E/1999/L.8).

Under its provisions, the Council stressed the importance of the Committee's work on the vulnerability index. It requested the Committee to continue and make all efforts to complete its work on the matter during its forthcoming session and to report to the Council's 1999 substantive session.

It also requested the Committee the consider the following theme: "The role of employment and work in poverty eradication in the context of globalization: the empowerment and advancement of women". It also requested the Secretariat to make its work in preparing for the Council's 1999 substantive session available to the Committee.

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Mr. HIDAYAT (Indonesia) introduced the draft. He said that the Committee had unfinished work on the vulnerability index from last year, and that should be completed. However it was felt that the Council should also give guidance on new directions for the forthcoming session.

The Council adopted the text without a vote.

The PRESIDENT then spoke about the high-level segment to be held this year in Geneva. He said that, as he had previously indicated, he intended to launch intensive preparations for the segment. His main goal was to achieve concrete results, so the Council could contribute to the overarching objective of eradicating poverty. Poverty was multidimensional and was caused and affected by many aspects of economic and social life. Some ideas for an "ECOSOC Manifesto" on working together to eradicate poverty had been put together.

In order to develop concrete ideas and proposals for addressing those priorities in an action-oriented manner, preparations had also started for the organization of five panels of eminent experts and policy makers during the course of the next few months. Those would help the Council come to grips with the issue.

Two notes -- one on the proposed manifesto and one on the panels -- were being distributed for the Council's consideration, he said. The bureau would welcome comments, so that the common goal of a successful high-level segment would be achieved.

Elections, Nominations, Confirmations

The Council then took up elections, nominations and confirmations to its subsidiary bodies, which had been postponed from previous sessions. In each case, the terms were to begin on the date of election.

-- Commission on Population and Development: El Salvador was elected for a term expiring on 31 December 2001 (document E.1999/L.1/Add.1). The election of two additional members from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States for terms to expire on 1 December 2000 was postponed.

-- Commission for Social Development: Guinea, Morocco and Swaziland were elected for terms expiring on 31 December 2002 (document E/1999/L.1/Add.1).

-- Commission on Science and Technology for Development: The Council was to elect seven members from the African States Group for terms expiring on a date to be determined by lot (document E/1999/L.1/Add.1). It was also to elect two members from the Asian States Group for terms expiring on 31 December 2000. Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Uganda and the

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United Republic of Tanzania were elected. For the Asian States, Sri Lanka was elected and election of the second member was postponed. The final results were as follows: Uganda, Angola, Ethiopia will serve four-year terms; and Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea and United Republic of Tanzania will serve two-year terms.

-- Commission on Human Settlements: The Gambia was elected to fill one of two African States vacancies for terms expiring on 31 December 2002 (document E/1999/L.1/Add.1). The election of the second member was postponed.

-- Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations: Senegal was elected for a term expiring on 31 December 2002 (document E/1999/L.1/Add.1).

-- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development: For terms expiring on 31 December 2002 (documents E/1999/L.1/Add.3 and E/1999/L.1/Add.4), three experts from the African States Group were elected: Messaoud Boumaour of Algeria, Wafik Meshref of Egypt and Adam Edow Adawa of Kenya. The election of one member from Asian States was postponed.

-- Committee for the United Nations Population Award: Burundi was elected for a term to expire on 31 December 2000 (document E/1999/L.1/Add.1).

-- Programme Coordination Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS: Philippines was elected for a term expiring on 31 December 2001 (document E/1999/L.1/Add.1).

-- Committee for Programme and Coordination: The Council was to nominate for election by the General Assembly one member from the Western European and Other States Group for a term expiring 31 December 1999, and one from the African States Group, for a term expiring on 31 December 2001 (document E/1999/L.1/Add.1). Comoros was nominated for the African Group and the nomination for the member of the Western European Group was postponed.

-- Commission for Sustainable Development: Finland was elected to replace Denmark for a term beginning 1 May 1999 and expiring at the close of the Commission's session in 2002.

The PRESIDENT then read out the remaining vacancies and urged members to make all efforts to fill them:

-- Commission on Population and Development: two members from Latin American and Caribbean States;

-- Commission on Science and Technology for Development: one from African States;

-- Commission on Human Settlements: one from African States;

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-- Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting: one from Latin American and Caribbean States;

-- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development: one from the Asian States; and

-- Committee for Programme and Coordination: one from the Western European and Other States.

The Council then confirmed the name of a representative of the Statistical Commission -- Masahiro Horie (Japan) -- received following the close of the Council's last session (document E/1999/L.5).

The Council then moved to the Economic and Social Council Chamber to hold a secret ballot for one member of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). The President explained that the move was a symbolic gesture to indicate the importance of the Council utilizing its own chamber in future work.

As a consequence of the resignation of Alfonso Gomez Mendez (Colombia), the Council had to elect someone to fill a vacancy in the International Narcotics Control Board, for a term expiring 1 March 2002 (documents E/1999/L.1 and E/1999/L.1/Add.5). Two candidates had been proposed for election; Thomas Barankitse (Burundi) and Sergio Uribe Ramirez (Colombia).

The results of the secret ballot were as follows:

Ballots cast: 52 Invalid ballots: 0 Valid ballots: 52 Abstentions: 0 Members voting: 52 Majority required: 27

Sergio Uribe Ramirez (Colombia): 47 Thomas Barankitse (Burundi): 5

The PRESIDENT announced that the Council had thus elected Mr. Uribe Ramirez (Colombia) to the INCB.

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