ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS PRIORITIES FOR 2000, AS ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION CONTINUES

Press Release
ECOSOC/5882

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS PRIORITIES FOR 2000, AS ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION CONTINUES

The Economic and Social Council needed the ability to respond in a timely manner to any new issues and problems emerging in its fields of expertise, the Council was told this afternoon, as it continued its organizational session.

Citing such examples as recent financial crises and unpredictable natural disasters, the newly elected President of the Council, Makarim Wibisono (Indonesia), said that it was time for the Council to explore ways to authorize its Bureau to call a meeting on special session at any time during the year to deal with such emergencies.

Further, he said, in order to increase the effectiveness of this year's high-level segment of the Council and to raise awareness of the central and top priority issue of information technology, a series of panel discussions would be conducted in New York and through regional dialogue co-sponsored by the Council and the regional economic commissions. Other activities would involve establishing a permanent focal point on information technology under the aegis of the Council and the General Assembly, and exploring the possibility of establishing information technology centres in the developing countries.

Mr. Wibisono also stressed that the Council should strive for continuity when pursuing its ongoing programme of activities. In that respect, the Council's core function of coordination was imperative. He intended to increase interactions and exchanges of information between the Council, its subsidiary bodies and functional commissions. The Council also intended to build on its improved relationship with the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC).

The central issue of the current year's session -- information technology -- could represent an effective instrument for fostering increased equality in the field of economic growth and development, he said. It could also help to narrow the gap between the developed and the developing countries. Another top priority of his presidency would be to seek to reassert the central coordinating role of the Council and help it work more effectively to maintain its status vis-à-vis its subsidiary bodies and functional commissions.

The Council was committed to intensifying contacts and cooperation with the Bretton Woods institutions, particularly in the form of a high-level dialogue. It could prove effective to strengthen the annual meeting between the two

Economic and Social Council - 2 - Press Release ECOSOC/5882 2nd Meeting (PM) 1 February 2000

institutions by focusing on specific issues within the social and economic fields. It was also important to follow up on the proposal on the establishment of a joint task force of the Council and the institutions on financing for development.

In the area of international trade, it was important to seek to intensify contacts between the Council and the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which would facilitate greater coherence and understanding between the economic and trade sectors.

Also this afternoon, the delegates were informed that the Bureau, which consists of the President and four vice-presidents, had distributed the responsibilities among its members. The President would be responsible for the operational activities segment; Vladimir Sotirov (Bulgaria) for the human affairs segment; Gerhard Pfanzelter (Austria) for the coordination segment; and Martin Belinga-Eboutou (Cameroon) for the general segment. The Bureau also agreed on the list of issues before the organizational session and made it available for discussion.

The next meeting of the Council will be held at a date to be announced.

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