ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS RECOMMENDATIONS OF FOUR SUBSIDIARY BODIES

Press Release
ECOSOC/5926

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS RECOMMENDATIONS OF FOUR SUBSIDIARY BODIES

Continuing the general segment of its 2000 substantive session this afternoon, the Economic and Social Council, acting without a vote, adopted recommendations in the reports of four subsidiary bodies. Those recommendations were contained in the reports of the Commission on Sustainable Development, the Statistical Commission, the Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific and the Group of Experts on Geographical Names.

By adopting the decision contained in the report of the eighth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (30 April 1999 and 24 April – 5 May 2000), the Council decided to take note of the report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its eighth session and approved the provisional agenda for the ninth session of the Commission set out in the report.

The Council took note of the Report of the Statistical Commission on its thirty-first session and provisional agenda for the thirty-second session of the Commission, and decided to request clarification from the Commission on a procedural matter.

By adopting the recommendations in the report of the fifteenth United Nations Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific, the Council endorsed the recommendation that the sixteenth United Nations Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific be convened for five working days in mid-2003, with a primary focus on the continued and strengthened contribution of cartography and geographic information in support of the implementation of Agenda 21.

By the same decision, the Council requested the Secretary-General to take measures, where appropriate and within available resources, to implement the other recommendations made by the United Nations Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific. In particular, that the United Nations should continue to support surveying, mapping and spatial-data infrastructure activities in the Asia and Pacific region and, inter alia, continue, within available resources, to facilitate the participation of the least developed countries and the small island developing States of the region.

The Council adopted the recommendations contained in the report of the twentieth session of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, thereby deciding: to endorse the recommendation that the twenty-first session of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names be convened for two working days (26 August and 6 September 2002) in Berlin, in conjunction with the

Economic and Social Council - 1a - Press Release ECOSOC/5926 41st Meeting ((PM) 26 July 2000

eighth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names, to facilitate and to follow up the work of that Conference; and to request the Secretary-General to take measures, as appropriate, to implement that recommendation.

A number of delegates endorsed holding the Ten-Year Review Conference of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development ("Rio-plus-10") in Indonesia.

Delegates also supported the concerns expressed during this morning's session by the representative of Maldives about that country’s "graduation" from the list of least developed countries.

The Chairman of the Committee for Development Policy (CDP), Just Faaland, said that compared to other countries, Maldives well exceeded the quality of life index for least developed countries. If vulnerability was of higher value in terms of the index than other criteria to the Council, the CDP would respect and reflect that in its decisions.

Guido Bertucci, Director, Division for Public Economics and Public Administration, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and Marcia Brewster, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, Water Management and Small Island Developing States Branch, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, made introductory statements.

Alfatih Hamad, Representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Adnan Z. Amin, Director, New York Office, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), also addressed the Council.

Statements were made by representatives of the Philippines, Bangladesh, Belarus, Japan, Syria, United States, Ecuador, Norway, Thailand, Singapore, Viet Nam, Marshall Islands, Nigeria (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Saint Lucia, Kenya, Mauritius, Australia, Egypt, Canada and Honduras.

The Council will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 27 July, to consider implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations. It will also consider economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan.

Economic and Social Council - 3 - Press Release ECOSOC/5926 41st Meeting (PM) 26 July 2000

Council Work Programme

The Economic and Social Council met this afternoon to continue the general segment of its 2000 substantive session by resuming its debate on economic and environmental questions. It was first expected to go on with its consideration of sustainable development, functioning of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, statistics and cartography. (For background, see Press Release ECOSOC/5925 of 26 July).

The Council was then expected to begin its debate of issues related to public administration and finance, water supply and sanitation, population and development, as well as international cooperation on tax matters. For its consideration of these matters, the Council had before it a number of documents.

A note by the Secretariat on assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions (document E/2000/45) draws attention to the Secretary- General’s report on that subject (document A/54/383 and Add.1). Particular attention is drawn to sections IV and V, which summarize views concerning the report of the ad hoc expert group on sanctions.

The report on the thirty-third session of the Commission on Population and Development (27-30 March 2000) (document E/2000/25-E/CN.9/2000/7, Supplement 5) states that the central theme for the session was population, gender and development. The report contains a draft decision recommending adoption of the report and of the provisional agenda for the thirty-fourth session.

Draft decisions approved by the Commission are also listed on the issues of population, gender and development, special themes in the years 2001-2003, and a listing of documents considered by the thirty-third session. Follow-up actions to the recommendations of the International Conference on Population and Development are included, as are indications of future Commission activities.

Also before the Council was the Secretary-General’s report on the fifteenth meeting of the Group of Experts on the United Nations Programme in Public Administration and Finance (8-12 May)(document E/2000/66). The report outlines the Group’s deliberations on the theme of globalization and the State. Covered were such aspects as the effect of the State’s functioning on attaining maximum benefits and minimal negative consequences of globalization. The effect of globalization on governance was also considered. Recommendations were made, including on the draft medium-term plan for 2002-2005. The Group also reviewed the current programme budget for 2000-2001 and made recommendations for the next biennium.

A note by the Secretary-General on progress made in providing safe water supply and sanitation for all during the 1990s (A/55/65-E/2000/19) conveys a report assessing the water supply and sanitation situation in developing countries (document E/CN.17/2000/13). The note states that the report includes proposals for action at the national and international levels during the next decade.

A report of the Secretary-General on the ninth meeting of the ad hoc Group of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters (3-7 May) (document E/1999/84) was also before the Council. The report describes the meeting and exchange of information, including on the issue of transfer pricing. A revised and updated Model Double Taxation Convention between Developed and Developing Countries is included. A review of technical training is also included, as are recommendations for next steps.

In addition, the report of the Statistical Commission on its thirty-first session (29 February-3 March)(E/2000/24, Suppl.4) was before the Council. It states that the Commission adopted the draft methodological references to the tourism satellite account subject to amendment, in particular by listing tourism- specific products from the recommendations of the draft update by the United Nations/World Tourism Organization on tourism statistics. A draft decision would recommend the Council adopt the report. Other issues covered by the Commission include economic, environmental and demographic statistics, as well as coordination of development indicators, classifications and coordination of international statistical programmes.

Statements

MARY JO B. ARAGON (Philippines) said particular attention must be paid to efforts to bring about greater prosperity to the majority of mankind. It must be assured that people in the future enjoyed a healthy world, full of hope, promise, and opportunity. It was therefore appropriate that key decisions would be made on the International Conference on the 10-Year Review of Progress Achieved in the Implementation of Agenda 21.

The 10-year review should not be limited to the implementation of Agenda 21, she said. It should confront challenges that had emerged in the last few years, including the information technology revolution, globalization, as well as the growing magnitude not only of natural disasters, but also of man-made calamities. In the implementation of Agenda 21 and the goals of sustainable development, she welcomed Indonesia’s generous offer to host the 10-year review conference in the year 2002.

ANWARUL KARIM CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh) said in the newly emerging global economy, information was as critical a resource as capital and labour. Lack of it had given the developing countries a further challenge in their pursuit of development. Developing countries needed basic communication infrastructure, the skill to run and administer the technical set-up and quality education to interpret and utilize the information. Without it, the digital divide would further widen.

Regarding the international development strategy, he said that the developing countries were at a varying stage of development and faced different constraints and opportunities. The development strategy should therefore be balanced and flexible to take into account the wide-ranging differences. It should have a clear thrust on the generation of political will. The target- setting of the new development decade should be fully backed up by policy commitments.

ANDREI POPOV (Belarus) said that all parties concerned should start to prepare the review of Agenda 21. The outline of the forthcoming “Rio-plus-10” meeting would be discussed in the course of the forthcoming Millennium General Assembly. It was clear that only effective implementation of prompt steps at the national, regional and global level would be sufficient to guarantee the success of the event.

Consideration of the draft International Strategy for Development had been deferred, he said. It was clear that the universal nature of the document should be in full accord with its contents. The strategy should be comprehensive, balanced and flexible enough to reflect problems of countries that were at different levels of development.

The variance of future work of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs should be carefully considered in the course of consultations with all interested States. Belarus would take an active part in preparing the document.

KOICHIRO SEKI (Japan) said the Rio-plus-10 review would be a good time to reassess the efficacy of programmes related to the environment. Given the large- scale environmental conferences having taken place in Europe, the Americas and Africa, he supported the conference being held in Indonesia.

YOSHITAKA KITAZAWA (Japan) said that with regard to the report of the experts on geographical names (document E/2000/49), the reestablishment of the working group on evaluation had been improperly undertaken.

FAYSSAL MEKDAD (Syria) said the Rio-plus-10 review would enable a reassessment of what had been achieved by countries despite their challenges. The Asian Group should be given a chance to host a conference on the environment. Indonesia should be given a chance to hold it. Also, the request of Maldives to postpone their graduation out of the least developed countries (LDCs) should be granted. The evidence they had presented had been convincing.

ELLEN SHAW (United States) said, regarding the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) report, the development of the Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI) remained a concern to her country, as the report had not addressed questions raised. She was also concerned about separate and subjective country vulnerability profiles. She asked what the rationale was for changing the three- year average to one benchmark year.

She was satisfied that the report on science and technology called on governments to support private investment and intellectual property protection, among other things. She would have liked to see attention being paid to the lead role the private sector could play in those areas and in creating jobs. She opposed the Committee’s call for a new world financial organization. Reforms of the current framework would be more productive.

ALFATIH HAMAD, Representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said that in the process of interagency interaction, his organization's guiding principle remained that of comparative advantage and the specificity of approaches within the broader mandates in science.

Last year’s World Conference on Science in Budapest had been a joint venture of UNESCO and the International Council for Science (ICSU), he said. The Conference had adopted two important policy papers: "Declaration on Science and the Use of Scientific Knowledge; and the "Science Agenda -- Framework for Action". The Conference invited the United Nations system to make use of the Science Agenda when planning and implementing concrete measures and activities that embraced science or its implications.

The UNESCO was in the process of reorienting its own programmes in that direction as its Governing Bodies determined the next Medium-Term Strategy 2002-2007, with particular emphasis on science education at all levels, scientific capacity-building, science and technology policy and science and technology personnel and management.

MARIA ALEMAN (Ecuador) said the strategy to reduce the effects of the El Niño phenomenon should take into consideration the provisions for disaster reductions and related programmes. Studies should be undertaken to learn more about the manifestations. The working group was well placed to provide coordination between the bodies involved. Ecuador would be submitting a draft on the issue. The multilateral approach should be part of the overall sustainable development strategy.

OLE PETER KOLBY (Norway) drew the Council’s attention to the contribution of the CDP to the ongoing debate on the role of information technology and development, the potential benefits and risks of information technology and the legal and ethical questions at national, regional and international levels that resulted from the misuse of that technology.

He said the CDP had recommended the graduation of Maldives from the list of LDCs, at the same time recognizing Maldives concern over the consequences of a possible sea-rise level. He believed the question of graduating Maldives merited further consideration.

In light of the important ongoing work in a number of international forums on the development of an EVI, and taking into account the unique environmental and socio-economic circumstances faced by Maldives, it would be appropriate to obtain more information before a final decision on the graduation could be made.

ADNAN Z. AMIN, Director, New York Office, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), reaffirmed his organization's full commitment to catalysing and coordinating the United Nations system's response to the environmental dimension of Agenda 21, particularly with a view to contributing to the 2002 review of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), Rio-plus-ten. Agenda 21 had reaffirmed the policy guidance and coordination role of UNEP's Governing Council as the principal body of the United Nations system in the field of environment.

The reform and revitalization of UNEP had been both complemented and further enhanced by the recommendation of the Task Force on Environment and Human Settlements. That Task Force had evaluated the efficacy of existing structures and arrangements and had made recommendations for changes and improvements, he said.

The inaugural Global Ministerial Environmental Forum had been held in Malmoe, Sweden in May 2000 and had initiated the development of a comprehensive environmental contribution to the 10-year review of UNCED. He encouraged the Council members to take into consideration the Malmoe declaration.

Representatives of UNEP’s regional offices participated in the first regional consultation with representatives from all regional commissions and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The UNEP would engage the high-level environmental regional forum and cooperate with the regional commission to support governments and other stakeholders in their preparatory activities for 2002, in particular at the national and regional levels, he said.

In light of the emergence of new evidence of the serious nature of global environmental threats and of their driving forces, it had become increasingly clear to the international community that to meet the expectations raised at Rio would require the mobilization of political will, and financial and technical resources, supported by strong and focused institutions that went beyond what was currently available. In response to that need, UNEP was committed to continuing to provide scientific, technical and policy information and advice on the environment.

The representatives of Thailand, Singapore and Viet Nam expressed their support for the offer by Indonesia to hold the next environmental conference.

JACKEO RELANG (Marshall Islands), speaking on behalf of the countries of the Pacific Islands Forum represented in New York, said he was pleased that the Committee had confirmed that economic vulnerability needed to be an explicit part of the LDC criteria. Being economically or environmentally vulnerable did not automatically make a country an LDC. Vulnerability must be assessed alongside other indicators of development.

More work needed to be done to adequately reflect environmental and ecological vulnerability in the LDC criteria, he said. That was an issue of vital importance to the countries of his region, many of which were vulnerable to extreme climatic conditions and natural disasters, and were particularly vulnerable to the threat of rising sea levels. He urged that the Committee work closely with other agencies and organizations working on vulnerability issues. He commended to the Committee the work of the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, who were developing an environmental vulnerability index.

The case of Maldives illustrated the importance of integrating future or prospective environmental vulnerability into the LDC criteria. He supported the graduation of Maldives from the LDC list taking place in a phased manner, giving the country time in which it would continue to receive the necessary support of the international community while it would attempt to address the exceptional challenges it faced, he said.

TAO YANG (China) said, in regard to the environmental and economic question and the Rio-plus-10 review, that the international community had undertaken efforts in the implementation of Agenda 21, but that achievements had been less than satisfactory. For a successful conference, international cooperation should adhere to the expressed principles of that Agenda. Political will was necessary to reach consensus on implementation.

He said that the preparatory process for the event should have the full participation of developing countries. He therefore supported the idea that the Conference should be held in a developing country.

Economic globalization had brought opportunities and challenges, especially for developing countries, in the field of science and technology, he said. The United Nations should emphasize the role that science and technology could play in helping countries to extricate themselves from poverty. Barriers to transfer of technology should be reduced in order to promote international cooperation in the field of science and technology.

O. Anaedu (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said Agenda 21 was important to developing countries. Constraints such as limited resources, inadequate infrastructure and inconsistent decisions by the United Nations made it difficult to implement the provisions. A developing country should host the Rio-plus-ten review. Preparation should be adequate, especially on the part of the UNEP.

L. ONOH (Nigeria) raised an objection about the statistical commission report (document E/2000/24), which had not been made available in time and which had been subject to a procedural irregularity. She asked for clarification on other procedural matters and said the report should not be accepted because under the circumstances, it would damage the Council’s credibility to accept it.

SONIA LEONCE (Saint Lucia) supported Maldive’s concerns about graduation from the LDC list. She stressed that the review should be comprehensive, transparent and in full consultation with the governments concerned. She looked forward to more comprehensive work in that direction by the CDP.

The report had not taken into account the high development costs of small countries and environmental vulnerabilities such as natural disasters and sea- level rise. The EVI should take those factors into account. Those issues could not be overlooked in discussions about criteria. Particular attention should be given to them in the triennial review. Her country could not support Maldive’s graduation.

The dialogue on development of an international strategy for development for the next decade was ongoing. Sections on small island developing States and trade should be included. She also supported the idea that a developing country should host the Rio-plus-ten Conference. She asked for clarification on the report of the Statistical Commission and urged that established rules be followed. She called for postponement of consideration of that report.

VIJAY THAKIN SINGH (India) said, regarding the statistical commission’s report, that she would like clarification on the rules of procedure. Specifically, she wanted to know under what rule financial arrangements had been made for setting up an Expert Group.

ADAM ADAWA (Kenya) supported the views expressed by the Group of 77 and China. He said the report was new and had not been considered by his delegation. He would therefore not take a position on it.

Ms. Onoh (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77, expressed support for the sentiments expressed by other delegations regarding Maldives’ graduation question.

ANUND PRIYAY NEEWOOR (Mauritius) associated himself with delegations expressing support for Maldives’ application that its graduation from the LDC list be postponed. Maldives environmental vulnerability was well known. The country was faced with a difficult situation and it was not the time to upset them further by allowing the graduation, which would deny them a number of benefits which were vital to it.

He said that last year there had been lengthy discussions in the General Assembly on small island States during which the question of vulnerability had been deliberated. The vulnerability factor for such States must be taken into account.

JUST FAALAND, Chairman of the CDP, said he agreed that Maldives was vulnerable. Nevertheless, compared to other countries, it well exceeded the quality of life index for LDCs, which measured such criteria as health services. If vulnerability was of higher value to the Council in terms of the index than other criteria, the CDP would respect and reflect that in its decisions. It would not be the first time the Council had taken an opinion different from that of a subsidiary body. In any case, the CDP was pleased to know its projected work programme was welcome.

Action on Drafts before Council

The Council took up the report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its eighth session (document E/2000/29) containing a text recommending that the Council take note of the report and approve the Commission’s agenda for the ninth session. The Council adopted the draft without a vote.

The Council then took up the report of the Statistical Commission on its thirty-first session containing the provisional agenda for the Commission’s thirty-second session (document E/2000/24).

In response to a procedural concern expressed by the representative of Nigeria, it was noted that the Commission had already adopted its report, inclusive of the text on follow-up actions to be taken regarding verification of the data in an Ian Castles paper on the Human Development Report. There were no financial implications and there had been no physical meetings.

Regarding Nigeria’s procedural concern about a subsidiary body approving the work of an expert who was not a member of the Council, the representative of Australia said her delegation had presented the paper prepared by Mr. Castles.

The representative of Nigeria reiterated her concern over the procedural issue. A number of delegations expressed various views on whether the Council should adopt the Commission’s report or defer consideration.

FELIX MBAYU (Cameroon), who is presiding over the general segment, clarified that the paper by Ian Castles had been presented by an intergovernmental body. He raised the issue of whether the Council would open an issue with which an expert subsidiary body had already dispensed. Taking note of the report meant approving the time and provisional agenda of the Commission’s next meeting.

The Council then decided to take note of the report and ask the Commission for clarification on the procedural matter concerning the Ian Castles report. It adopted that draft without a vote.

Turning to the report on the fifteenth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific (document E/2000/48), the Council without a vote endorsed the recommendations in the report. By those recommendations, the sixteenth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific will be convened in mid-2003 with a primary focus on strengthening the contribution of geographic information in support of implementing Agenda 21 on the environment.

Finally, the Council took up the recommendations in the report on the twentieth session of the Group of Experts on Geographic Names (document E/2000/49). The Council endorsed the recommendation that the twenty-first session be convened for two days in Berlin in conjunction with the eighth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names.

GUIDO BERTUCCI, Director, Division for Public Economics and Public Administration, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), in introducing the report on assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions, drew attention to section IV of the report, which summarized the views communicated by governments regarding the report of the ad hoc expert group meeting on that issue. Section V summarized the comments provided by the relevant international organizations on the same report. The Secretary-General would summarize and analyze the comments received from all concerned and present his views on the issue in a new report for the 55th session of the Assembly.

Introducing the report on the work of the Fifteenth Meeting of Experts on the United Nations Programme in Public Administration and Finance, he said the main substantive discussion carried out by the Meeting had dealt with the effects of globalization on the role and functioning of the State and the public sector, and the types of responses.

In analyzing the institutional responses to globalization, the discussion had focused on the nature of institutions within which people worked and contributed to human development. In discussing the managerial response to globalization, the Meeting had noted that governments in developing countries faced the challenge to continue efforts to stabilize the State and at the same time adapt to globalization. The Meeting had also addressed processes that affected national and global economic governance systems.

The Meeting made a number of recommendations to Member States on specific measures to be taken in relation to the public sector, which would enable them to harness the positive forces of globalization and to mitigate the negative consequences for the society as a whole. The Meeting of Experts had also reviewed the proposed mid-term plan for the period 2002-2005 under the subprogramme on “Public Administration, Finance and Development”, he said.

Introducing the report on the Ninth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, he said the Group had been created to formulate guidelines and techniques for facilitating the conclusion of bilateral tax treaties between developed and developing countries. All Members had approved the draft of the United Nations Model Convention, which would be published.

The advent of globalization had contributed to the dynamism of the world economy, he said, but it had also introduced new complexities in the international economic relations, which had affected the basic concepts of international taxation and allocation of income. The United Nations Model Convention had to reflect the changing trends and practices in the international economic relationships and would need constant review and revision by the Group of Experts.

MARCIA BREWSTER, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, Water Management and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Branch, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, introduced the report on progress made in providing safe water supply and sanitation for all during the 1990s.

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