SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL'S `RENAISSANCE' AS COUNCIL MEETS TO EXCHANGE VIEWS
Press Release
ECOSOC/5816
SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL'S `RENAISSANCE' AS COUNCIL MEETS TO EXCHANGE VIEWS
19990325 Cites Strengthened Coordinating Role, Partnerships with Other Bodies; Council President Highlights Possible Cooperation with Security CouncilSecretary-General Kofi Annan this morning welcomed the "renaissance" of the Economic and Social Council, as the Council met for an exchange of views on issues raised when he addressed it on 3 February.
The renaissance included the strengthening of the Council's coordinating role and of its partnerships with the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), the Security Council and international financial institutions, he said. While interaction between the Council and the ACC should be intensified, the private sector and civil society must also become more involved in the Council's work.
Cooperation between the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council, as envisaged in Article 65 of the United Nations Charter, could help the United Nations respond to challenges of peace-building and long-term development, the Secretary-General added. But to be productive, the approach must be built around specific needs and clearly identified objectives.
The President of the Economic and Social Council, Francesco Paolo Fulci (Italy), said that Article 65 was no longer dormant, although there was a need to proceed with caution. The Council would furnish information to the Security Council, for the first time, based on the outcome of the part of this year's session that would be devoted to the development of Africa.
Step by step, the Council was becoming oriented towards action and results, he said. He set out a number of initiatives aimed at improving coordination, strengthening partnership with other entities, and restoring the Council to the role envisioned for it in the Charter. To match this revitalization, the Council's Chamber was being revamped to meet its requirements.
"We're back" said the representative of the United States, speaking of the Council. In the past, the Council had abdicated much of its
responsibility. The Secretariat, and the ACC in particular, had stepped in to fill the void. "To be fully back", however, the Council would have to reclaim some responsibility from the Coordination Committee.
During the exchange of views, questions and comments were also voiced by the representatives of Germany (for the European Union and associated States), Guyana, Russian Federation, Austria, Cuba, Norway, Japan and Bolivia.
Also this morning, the Council adopted a series of texts on organizational matters.
By the terms of one resolution, introduced by the Council President, who described it as the result of long and difficult negotiations, the Council recommended that, with the agreement of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Assembly decide that members of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP) be elected according to a new distribution of seats. That new distribution would be reviewed two years before the end of one full rotation and the revised General Regulations would enter into force on 1 January 2000.
The representative of Ukraine, speaking for the States of the Eastern Europe Group, spoke after the action.
The Council's Vice-President introduced three drafts, all of which were adopted without a vote.
One text outlined the following 1999 schedule for the Economic and Social Council: a high-level segment from 5 to 7 July; operational activities segment from 8 to 13 July; humanitarian affairs segment, 13 to 15 July; coordination segment, 16 to 29 July; general segment, 21 to 28 July; and conclusion on 30 July. The tenth anniversary celebration of the Convention on the Rights of the Child will be held on 8 July.
The representative of the United Stats spoke after adoption.
By the terms of a text on follow-up to the World Food Summit, the Council decided to stop considering progress reports on outcomes of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. It invited the Director- General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to report every four years on implementation of the World Food Summit Plan of Action.
By the third, the Council decided that the Commission on the Status of Women will resume its forty-third session for one day to complete its work, subject to the availability of services.
Also this morning, the Council held elections to fill all remaining vacancies in its subsidiary bodies. For the first time ever, according to the Council President, no vacancies remained on the Council's subsidiary bodies.
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The following elections were by acclamation: Costa Rica and Paraguay to the Commission on Population and Development; the Philippines to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development; Senegal to the Commission on Human Settlements; Colombia to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting; Badr Kasme of Syria and Christian M. Katsande of Zimbabwe to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; and Portugal to the Committee for Programme and Coordination.
The Council will meet again on 29 April, when it will hold a high-level meeting with the Bretton Woods institutions on functioning of international financial markets and stability in financing for development.
Council Work Programme
The Economic and Social Council met this morning to exchange views with the Secretary-General on minimizing the uncertainties of globalization, following a presentation he made to the Council on that issue on 3 February (for background see press release SG/SM/6885 of 3 February).
The Council will also consider its agenda and other organizational matters, as well as several draft resolutions.
By the terms of a draft resolution submitted by its Vice-President, Alyaksandr Sychov (Belarus), on its working arrangements for its 1999 substantive session (document E/1999/L.10), the Council would decide that its high-level segment would be held from 5 to 7 July, that the tenth anniversary celebration of the Convention of the Rights of the Child would be held on the morning of 8 July, and that the Council's operational activities segment would be held from 8 to 13 July. By other terms, it would decide that its humanitarian affairs segment for 1999 would be held from 13 to 15 July, that its coordination segment would be from 16 to 29 July, its general segment would be from 21 to 28 July, and 30 July would be devoted to the adoption of proposals and the conclusion of the session.
By the terms of a second draft, also submitted by Mr. Sychov (Belarus) on the FAO reporting to the Council on follow-up to the World Food Summit (document E/1999/L.11), the Council would decide to discontinue its four-yearly consideration of progress reports on implementation of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, and to invite the Director-General of the FAO to submit every four years a report prepared by the Committee on World Food Security on implementation of the World Food Summit Plan of Action.
By the terms of a draft resolution submitted by the Council President, Francisco Paolo Fulci (Italy), the Council would recommend the General Assembly decide, subject to the concurrence of the Conference of the FAO, that members of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP) should be
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elected on an interim basis for three-year terms according to a new distribution of seats based on the Basic Texts of the WFP. The Assembly would also request the Council to elect one member to the WFP Executive Board from one list for three years beginning 1 January 2000, and decide to review the new distribution of seats two years before the end of one full four-year rotation. It would decide the revised General Regulations would enter into force on 1 January 2000.
By the terms of a draft decision, also submitted by Mr. Sychov (Belarus), on an additional meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women (document E/1999/L.13), the Council would decide that the Commission would resume its forty-third session for one day to complete its work, subject to the availability of services.
The Council also had before it an addendum to a note by the Secretary- General on the election of a member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (document E/1999/L.1/Add.7). According to that note, the Secretary- General has been informed of the resignation from that Committee of Paul M. Kodzwa (Zimbabwe), whose term was due to end on 31 December 2002. The Secretary-General informs the Council that Zimbabwe has nominated Christian M. Katsande to replace Mr. Kodzwa. Mr. Katsande's term would begin on the date of election.
Statement by Chairman
FRANCESCO PAOLO FULCI (Italy), President of the Council, said he had some good news. The Council would have its Chamber back by next September, which would help it regain its full identity as a Council. Four rows of tables would be added to accommodate 90 additional observer delegations, due to a substantial contribution from the Italian Government, and the decision of the Secretariat to anticipate work scheduled for the coming years. The chairs must be exact replicas of the existing ones, and a donation was expected for that from a United States foundation.
Today, the Council was going to adopt a resolution on the distribution of seats in the Executive Board of the WFP, which was a task that had been assigned to him more than one year ago when he was Vice-President, he said. Negotiations had been difficult, but in the end the spirit of compromise had prevailed.
Another piece of good news was that for the first time, all vacancies in the membership of the Council's subordinate bodies had been filled for the current year, he continued. Also, as of yesterday, the Council had its own Web page. And next July, at the Geneva substantive session, all statements made by heads of delegations in the high-level segment would appear "live" on the Internet.
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Turning then to the remaining points on the agenda, he said that the first of five preparatory panels for the preparation of the high-level segment had taken place on 16 March. It had been well attended and generated new momentum towards the goal of a manifesto to fight poverty. Reporting on a number of contacts between the Council and the international financial institutions and the World Trade Organization, he said partnership was flourishing at an unprecedented speed and level.
Article 65 of the Charter said that the Council "may furnish information to the Security Council", he said. For the first time, that would be done on the basis of the outcome of the coordination segment of the July session, which would be devoted to the key theme of the development of Africa. The second part of Article 65 stressed that the Economic and Social Council should "assist the Security Council upon request". The Bureau was currently looking for guidance on whether a reference in Council resolution 1212 on Haiti should be interpreted as a request. The area was new and there was need for caution, but Article 65 was no longer dormant.
On coordination of the functional commissions, he said Vice-President Alfonso Valdivieso of Colombia had been methodically chairing meetings with the bureaus of the subordinate bodies. That ensured continuity and consistency in approaching the need for more coordination and harmonization. A comprehensive assessment of the meetings being held would be prepared for the July session in Geneva. Work was also proceeding regarding the division of labour within the Bureau, he said.
On assuming the presidency, he had promised an action- and results- oriented Economic and Social Council, he recalled. Step by step, that was becoming the reality. While more work needed to be done, real productive change was possible and feasible.
Statement by Secretary-General
Secretary-General KOFI ANNAN said good progress was being made in the "renaissance" of the Economic and Social Council. April would see a further deepening of the strategic partnership being built between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions. Along with his own regular consultations with the President of the World Bank and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), those heightened contacts were providing a solid foundation for stronger cooperation at the policy level and on the ground.
Momentum was building towards the July session and the discussions on poverty, gender, employment and development in Africa, he said. In particular, he welcomed the preparations related to the series of panels on poverty eradication. All those deliberations could provide valuable input for next year's Millennium Assembly. The Council could play a pivotal role in
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promoting the kind of cooperation needed, both within and beyond the United Nations system.
The private sector and civil society must be even more involved in the Council's work, he said. Interactions between the Council and the ACC should be intensified. If the system was to really function as such, both entities would have to work more closely towards common goals. He was committed to making that partnership work.
Another partnership with considerable potential was the one envisaged in Article 65 of the Charter, he said. Cooperation between the two bodies could help the United Nations respond to the challenges of peace-building and long- term development. But, to be productive, such an approach would need to be built around specific needs and clearly identified objectives.
He expressed gratitude for the Council's important contribution to the United Nations reform process. The Council had improved with working methods and was bringing greater coherence to its system of subsidiary bodies. A clear identity must be restored to this key organ of the United Nations, to give the world's peoples the services they were entitled to expect.
Statements
GERHARD HENZE (Germany), speaking on behalf of the European Union, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Iceland, said he hoped that, given the Secretary-General's chairmanship of the ACC, today would not be his last briefing to the Council. The Committee and the Council should cooperate closely to make the United Nations reform process mutually supportive, and for cross-fertilization of ideas. The Union would welcome a timely briefing after the next ACC meeting in April.
He underlined the importance of the work programme and priorities of the Council and said it must be able to fulfil the role. In the context of globalization, the Council must function as a guide. The Union sought closer complementarity between the Bretton Woods institutions and the United Nations. The visit of the World Bank President had helped in common efforts towards building a partnership, and the Union was looking forward to the forthcoming high-level meeting.
The Union had always wanted better follow-up and consideration of United Nations conferences and looked forward to the discussions scheduled for May, he said. The Union also welcomed the topic for the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council. One of the most important outstanding issues was poverty eradication. The Union believed that poverty eradication must be globally acknowledged as a priority and should be a key element of all development strategies. Improvements in the rights and status of women were essential to poverty eradication.
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Another important area were the special problems confronting Africa, he said. Both the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council should be engaged. The Union shared the Secretary-General's view that any strategy for sustainable growth in Africa must include commitment and action by African States to create an environment conducive to investment and growth. The current year's humanitarian segment should strengthen the coordination function of the Economic and Social Council.
SAMUEL INSANALLY (Guyana) said he did not speak on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, as he had not consulted with the Group, but he hoped what he said would reflect the views of the Group. It would be good if the Council's President and the Secretary-General could increase the importance at the United Nations of addressing the eradication of poverty. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) had said it aimed to halve poverty by the year 2015. The Council could make that a cardinal target, perhaps defined in the Millennium Assembly, with special emphasis on women and Africa.
He shared the optimism on relations with the Bretton Woods institutions, he said. He believed that, within Article 64 of the United Nations Charter that outlined the role of the Council, there was no reason why the Council could not invite those institutions to submit regular reports to it on how they were implementing General Assembly resolutions. Recent World Bank statements seemed to suggest it was prepared to take an additional step forward.
He suggested that the meetings between the Economic and Social Council President and the Security Council could be enlarged into an annual forum, which could also include United Nations agencies and perhaps even the World Bank. The Council should not just be a coordinator, but also an initiator. The use of the World Wide Web was also an important way to open the discussion on development to the public and to garner public support to help make development a priority issue.
VASSILI A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation) said he welcomed deeper dialogue between the Secretary-General, the Council and the Bretton Woods institutions. He also hoped for regular joint activities of the Council and the ACC. Those had already started and their most successful manifestation was the May 1998 meeting on the follow-up for the World Conference. He wished to see improved relations not just with the ACC, but also the Council, insisting on more synergy and activity from the Committee and from itself. He would also like the political support the Secretary-General had demonstrated for the Economic and Social Council to remain constant.
He asked the Secretary-General to make the dialogue with the Council more regular and intensive, which he said would set an important example to the Committee's members. That was necessary for the Secretariat and for the Council.
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Article 65 of the Charter established the possibility of a role for the Council in determining a comprehensive sectoral approach, combining the work of all United Nations bodies for peace and development, he said. He welcomed the exploration of that possibility by the President of the Council. The need to revive that dormant Article had been stressed for a number of years, and the need to re-establish the missing link between the Security Council's political decisions and policy guidance from other organs was more evident than ever. Serious consideration from the Economic and Social Council on ways to approach that issue was required.
He said several items on the programme of the 1999 substantive Council session would be devoted to the link between the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. He thought consideration should be given to how to adopt decisions in the Economic and Social Council that would contribute to the work of the Security Council. One possibility was to present agreed Economic and Social Council conclusions to the Security Council.
ERNST SUCHARIPA (Austria) said it was meetings like the current one that restored the Economic and Social Council as a principal organ, and also restored the role of the United Nations in economic and social affairs. He wished to ask a follow-up question on the Secretary-General's report on the causes of conflict and peace-building in Africa, which had been widely applauded. The report would be an item for the Council's consideration during its summer coordination segment. He asked the Secretary-General what follow-up and what added value he would expect to arise from the Council, and what was the current topic of discussion in the ACC on follow-up to the report.
BRUNO RODRIGUEZ PARRILLA (Cuba) said the relationship of the Council with the Bretton Woods institutions, and particularly the World Bank, were important. Improvements in it were beneficial for the international community dialogue. They were also decisive for the current global situation, filled, as it was, with opportunities, challenges and risks. Only the United Nations could and would contribute the interest of countries in the South to the approaches of the Bretton Woods institutions.
Cuba shared the priority given to addressing the problems of Africa and to the eradication of poverty, he said. The Economic and Social Council should focus on the problem of generating the financial resources necessary to address those issues. He said basic contributions for development were decreasing and asked the Secretary-General if he had any specific expectations in that respect.
Cuba also shared the Council President's caution in considering how to revive Article 65 of the United Nations Charter, he said. Consideration of the topic required a great deal of thought and maturity, and an effective solution would take time. The "Group of 77" developing countries and China
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would have to establish what it expected from that process, and consider the long-term and serious consequences of any action.
The Economic and Social Council had an infinite capacity for achieving efficiency in the United Nations system and coordinating in the economic and social fields, he said. It did not, however, have such a capacity for forming policies that were not within its basic mandate. It was important to revitalize the role of the Council in the areas of its capacities and its competence.
The Secretary-General, Mr. ANNAN, thanked delegates for their contributions, which would be borne in mind and taken seriously. Regarding the follow-up action he expected from the Council once it had taken up his report on conflict and peace-building in Africa, he stressed the importance of integrating Africa and the least developed countries into the globalization process. His recommendations in the report pertained to that.
The Council could play a key role in mobilizing the international community's support for implementing those recommendations, he continued. Specifically, he hoped the Council's discussion would help provide guidance in navigating through the multiplicity of initiatives on Africa. The Council could help coordinate and harmonize initiatives as it discussed the report. Also, it could be helpful in mobilizing political support for international action in Africa. The governing bodies of all the United Nations agencies were considering the report to see how they could use it to address some of the issues and help implement the report in their respective areas.
SETH WINNICK (United States) welcomed the statement that the Economic and Social Council and the ACC needed to be full partners. Over several generations of diplomats, the Council had in large part abdicated its responsibilities. Parts of the Secretariat, the ACC in particular, had stepped up to fill the void and assumed some of the job.
"We're back", he said. In order to be fully back, the Council had to recover from the ACC some of what it had done over the generations. What was being done to make the ACC more transparent and responsible to intergovernmental bodies? he asked. Delegates were not just interested in briefings, they wanted a better and more transparent relationship. What reforms were envisioned?
OLE PETER KOLBY (Norway) said addressing globalization and the changing economic environment required further coordination of the United Nations system, for which the Council had an important role to play. Also, the Council had a vital role in following up on gender mainstreaming in the United Nations. For the third year in a row, gender equality and the status of women was on the Council's agenda, currently on the agenda of the high-level segment. Aid oriented towards eradicating poverty must be multifaceted;
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investing in and empowering women were essential components of poverty eradication.
Regarding the report on the causes of conflict in Africa, he said it was of critical importance that the international community -- including the countries of that continent -- together discuss the situation. Norway had long advocated addressing humanitarian issues in a more comprehensive manner. By looking more closely at the matter during the humanitarian segment, the Council could formulate more useful recommendations.
RYUICHIRO YAMAZAKI (Japan) said the Secretary-General had emphasized the need for a strategic partnership between the Bretton Woods institutions and the United Nations. He sensed growing support for that stronger partnership. He supported closer cooperation between the Council and the ACC, and wanted to know how it would be implemented. On development in Africa, he said it should be linked with the follow-up of major United Nations conferences.
ROBERTO JORDAN-PANDO (Bolivia) said the United Nations had for four decades sought to decrease the gap between developed and developing countries. Yet, the gap had actually grown larger and there were myriad consequences. Discussion now was on the Millennium Assembly and the United Nations of the next century. Was that matter to be discussed? he asked.
The Secretary-General, Mr. ANNAN, said he was happy to hear that the Council was back. On cooperation between it and the ACC, several measures could be taken to improve coordination. The ACC, at the end of their meetings, had been making public pronouncements. There would be more of those. Briefings should be intensified and a greater variety of agencies should appear before the Council in its substantive work. The agencies should be present when panels were organized. A key area was strengthening the Council's coordination segment, to enable it to focus on the activities of the United Nations as a whole.
As to whether the issues of poverty and globalization would be discussed by the Council, he said that was in the hands of its members. Nothing prevented it.
Action on Texts
Mr. SYCHOV (Belarus), Vice-President, introduced the draft decision on working arrangements for the Council's 1999 substantive session.
The draft was adopted without a vote.
Mr. WINNICK (United States) said doing the work of the general segment would require that documentation be issued in a timely fashion. He asked that a status report on documentation be distributed at the resumed organizational session.
The President, Mr. FULCI (Italy), said it would be.
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The Council then turned to the draft on reporting on follow-up to the World Food Summit.
Mr. SYCHOV (Belarus) introduced the text and the Council adopted it without a vote.
Next, Mr. SYCHOV (Belarus) introduced the draft on the additional meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women. The Council adopted that text without a vote.
The President, Mr. FULCI (Italy), then introduced the draft on its review of the distribution of seats in the Executive Board of the WFP. The resolution was adopted without a vote.
Mr. FULCI (Italy), recalling that the resolution had been preceded by long and difficult discussions, said he was delighted that compromise had prevailed over confrontation. He thanked all the members of the informal working group he had chaired. They had been so stubborn about the need for consensus.
VOLODYMYR RESHETNYAK (Ukraine), speaking for the States of the Eastern European Group, said that more than a year had passed since the Council had begun its negotiations on the issue. The negotiating process had been held in parallel with colleagues in Rome, making the process more difficult, but also meaning that the commitment to consensus was stronger.
Now that the Council had adopted the resolution, he expected its adoption by the Council of the FAO and by the General Assembly. The Eastern European Group looked forward to electing another of its members to the Executive Board of the WFP starting from 1 January 2000. He stressed the importance the Group attached to full implementation of resolutions 48/162 and 50/8. It considered the decision just adopted an interim measure that demonstrated its willingness to compromise and accommodate the concerns of other regional groups.
Elections
The Council then turned to elections to fill the remaining vacancies in its subsidiary organs.
Costa Rica and Paraguay had been nominated by the Latin American and Caribbean States to fill two vacancies for terms ending on 31 December 2000 on the Commission on Population and Development. The Council elected both by acclamation.
The Council then moved to fill a vacancy on the Commission on Science and Technology for Development. The Philippines had been nominated by the
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Asian Group for a term expiring on 31 December 2000. It was elected by acclamation.
For a vacancy on the Commission on Human Settlements, Senegal had been nominated by the African States, and it was elected by acclamation to a term expiring on 31 December 2002.
Turning its attention to a vacancy in the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting, the Council elected Colombia -- the nominee of the Latin American and Caribbean States -- by acclamation for a term expiring on 31 December 1999.
It then moved to fill a vacancy on the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for a term ending 31 December 2002. Badr Kasme of Syria had been nominated by his Government. He was elected by acclamation.
The Council was also required to fill the vacancy on that body arising from the resignation of Paul Kodzwa of Zimbabwe. Christian M. Katsande of Zimbabwe was elected by acclamation to the term to finish on 31 December 2002.
Portugal had been nominated by the Western European and other States Group to fill a vacancy in the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) for a term ending on 31 December 1999. The Council elected Portugal by acclamation.
The PRESIDENT then advised the Council that, for the first time ever, it had filled all vacancies in its subsidiary bodies.
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