SECOND COMMITTEE APPROVES SIX DRAFT RESOLUTIONS, ONE DRAFT DECISION

Press Release
GA/EF/2947

SECOND COMMITTEE APPROVES SIX DRAFT RESOLUTIONS, ONE DRAFT DECISION

The General Assembly would call on the United Nations system to continue studying possible ways of promoting more cooperative arrangements between landlocked States in Central Asia and their transit developing neighbours, by a draft resolution approved by the Second Committee (Economic and Financial). The draft was one of six draft resolutions and one draft decision approved this morning without a vote.

The text on transit environment in the landlocked States in Central Asia and their transit developing neighbours, approved as orally revised, would also have the Assembly invite donor countries and multilateral financial and development institutions to continue to provide those States with appropriate financial and technical assistance for the improvement of the transit environment.

The draft resolution entitled “strengthening the coordination of the mechanisms on the Commission for Science and Technology for Development: promoting complimentarity of activities in the area of new and innovative technologies within the United Nations system” would have the Assembly call on the Secretary-General to strengthen the Commission and its secretariat within the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), by providing it with the necessary resources to enable it to carry out better its mandate of assisting the developing countries with their national development efforts in the field of science and technology.

The Committee also approved a draft decision, orally introduced by its Chairman, Alexandru Niculescu (Romania), by which the Assembly would take note of document A/55/413 -– Progress made in the implementation of General Assembly resolution 54/201.

The Assembly, by a draft resolution on industrial development cooperation, would call on the international community and the relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations system, particularly the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), to support the efforts of the developing countries to intensify and expand industrial cooperation among themselves with respect to, among other things, trade in manufactured products, industrial investments and business partnerships, and industrial technology and scientific exchanges.

Second Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/EF/2947 40th Meeting (AM) 1 December 2000

It would also request UNIDO to continue undertaking in-depth assessment, analysis and dissemination of best practices in the area of industrial policies and strategies and of lessons learned in industrial development.

Approved as orally revised, the draft resolution on implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade would have the Assembly decide to postpone the further development of a new international development strategy until after the development-oriented meetings being convened under the auspices of the United Nations over the next two years have taken place.

The Assembly, by a draft resolution on the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on its sixth special session, would request the Secretary-General to provide the necessary resources from the regular budget of the United Nations to UNEP for the biennium 2002-2003, in accordance with current budgetary practices, and to consider other ways to support its strengthening in view of the 10-year review of progress achieved in the implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

Also, the Assembly would underscore the need for sufficient financial resources, on a stable and predictable basis, to ensure the full implementation of the UNEP’s mandate, particularly with a view to ensuring its strong involvement in the preparatory process for the 10-year review, and in the implementation of the outcome of the review.

By a draft resolution on the United Nations University, the Assembly would request the University to broaden the reach of its dissemination activities, using innovative methods, including new information and communication technologies, to ensure that the knowledge developed by the University is made available to all those to whom it may be of benefit.

It would also request the University's Council and Rector, taking into account the previous resolutions and the report of the Joint Inspection Unit, to continue to make further efforts to ensure the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the University's activities, as well as its financial transparency and accountability.

The Committee will meet again on Wednesday, 6 December, to take action on its remaining draft resolutions.

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Second Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/EF/2947 40th Meeting (AM) 1 December 2000

Committee Work Programme

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this morning to take action on six draft resolutions.

It had before it a draft resolution on transit environment in the landlocked States in Central Asia and their transit developing neighbours (document A/C.2/55/L.19). That text would have the Assembly call on the United Nations system to continue studying, within the scope of the present resolution, possible ways of promoting more cooperative arrangements between landlocked States in Central Asia and their transit developing neighbours, and to encourage a more active supportive role on the part of the donor community.

The Assembly would invite the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the governments concerned, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Economic Commission for Europe and relevant regional and international organizations in accordance with approved programme priorities and within existing financial resources, to continue elaborating a programme for improving the efficiency of the current transit environment in the newly independent and developing landlocked States in Central Asia and their transit developing neighbours.

The Assembly would also invite UNCTAD, in close cooperation with the regional economic commissions, within their respective mandates and current resources, as well as with other relevant international organizations, to provide technical assistance and advisory services to the newly independent and developing landlocked States in Central Asia and their transit developing neighbours, taking into account the relevant transit transport agreements.

Also, the Assembly would invite donor countries and multilateral financial and development institutions, within their mandates, to continue to provide those States with appropriate financial and technical assistance for the improvement of the transit environment, including construction, maintenance and improvement of their transport, storage and other transit-related facilities and improved communications.

The text is sponsored by Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

Also before the Committee was a draft resolution, submitted by Vice- Chairman Anne Barrington (Ireland), on the basis of informals on draft resolution A/C.2/55/L.3, on strengthening the coordination of the mechanisms on the Commission for Science and Technology for Development: promoting complimentarity of activities in the area of new and innovative technologies within the United Nations system (document A/C.2/55/L.47). It would have the Assembly call on the Secretary-General to strengthen the Commission and its secretariat within UNCTAD, by providing it with the necessary resources, in order to enable it to carry out better its mandate of assisting the developing countries with their national development efforts in the field of science and technology.

Also, the Assembly would request the Commission to report on its biennial session, through the Economic and Social Council, to the Assembly at its fifty- sixth session, in particular regarding proposals aimed at promoting complimentarity of activities in the area of new and innovative technologies within the United Nations system.

Further, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly at its fifty-sixth session, through the Council, an analytical report on the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution, containing in particular, concrete proposals for strengthening the critical role of the Commission in coordinating the activities of the United Nations system in support of the efforts of developing countries to obtain, effectively utilize and benefit from science and technology for their development.

The draft resolution submitted by Chairman Alexandru Niculescu (Romania), based on informals on draft resolution A/C.2/55/L.22, on industrial development cooperation (document A/C.2/55/L.42), would have the Assembly call on the international community and the relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations system, particularly the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), to support the efforts of the developing countries to intensify and expand industrial cooperation among themselves with respect to, among other things, trade in manufactured products, industrial investments and business partnerships, and industrial technology and scientific exchanges.

The Assembly would also request UNIDO, in cooperation with the relevant organizations of the United Nations system, as appropriate, to continue undertaking in-depth assessment, analysis and dissemination of best practices in the area of industrial policies and strategies and of lessons learned in industrial development, taking into account the effects of financial crises and the impact of globalization on the industrial structure of the developing countries, so as to support and boost South-South cooperation by providing practical insights and ideas for international industrial development cooperation and for economic and technical cooperation among developing countries.

Further, the Assembly would underscore the importance of industrial development cooperation and a positive investment and business climate at the international, regional, subregional and national levels in promoting the expansion, diversification and modernization of productive capacities in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

Also before the Committee is a draft resolution, sponsored by Nigeria, on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, on implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade (document A/C.2/55/L.39). By its terms, the Assembly would decide to postpone the further development of a new international development strategy until after the aforementioned meetings have taken place.

[Those meetings are development-oriented meetings being convened under the auspices of the United Nations over the next two years, including the final event of the international intergovernmental conference on financing for development, the special session on the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, the General Assembly special session in 2001 for Follow-up to the World Summit for Children and the 10-year review of the implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and the Assembly's special session for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II).]

Also, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to provide it at its fifty-seventh session with an overview of the challenges and constraints as well as progress made towards achieving the major development goals and objectives adopted by the United Nations during the decade of the 1990s.

The Committee also had before it a draft resolution submitted by Vice- Chairman Navid Hanif (Pakistan), on the basis of informals held on document A/C.2/55/L.17, on the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its sixth special session (document A/C.2/55/L.46). The text would have the Assembly request the Secretary-General to provide the necessary resources from the regular budget of the United Nations to UNEP for the biennium 2002-2003, in accordance with current budgetary practices and to consider other ways to support the strengthening of the Programme in view of the 10-year review of progress achieved in the implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).

Also, the Assembly would underscore the need for sufficient financial resources, on a stable and predictable basis, to ensure the full implementation of UNEP’s mandate, particularly with a view to ensuring its strong involvement in the preparatory process for the ten-year review, and in the implementation of the outcome of the review.

Lastly, the Committee had before it a draft resolution on the United Nations University (document A/C.2/55/L.24/Rev.1), which would have the Assembly request the University to broaden the reach of its dissemination activities, using innovative methods, including new information and communication technologies, to ensure that the knowledge developed by the University is made available to all those to whom it may be of benefit.

It would also request the University's Council and Rector, taking into account the previous resolutions and the report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the University, to continue to make further efforts to ensure the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the University's activities, as well as its financial transparency and accountability, to intensify efforts to augment its Endowment Fund and to find innovative ways to mobilize operating contributions and other programme and project support.

Further, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to continue his consideration of innovative measures to improve interaction and communication between the University and other relevant bodies of the United Nations system and to ensure that the work of the University is taken into account in all relevant activities of the system, so that the system may draw more extensively on the work of the University.

Also, the Assembly would invite the international community to make voluntary contributions to the University, including its research and training centres and programmes, particularly to its Endowment Fund.

The text is sponsored by Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Haiti, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Mongolia, Morocco, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, United Kingdom and Zambia.

Action on Draft Resolutions

Committee Chairman ALEXANDRU NICULESCU (Romania) introduced the text on transit environment in the landlocked States in Central Asia and their transit developing neighbors. He informed the Committee that operative paragraph 6 had been deleted in its entirety and operative paragraph 7 would become the new operative paragraph 6. He also informed the Committee that Bulgaria, Iran, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kyrgyzstan and Burkina Faso had joined as co-sponsors of the draft.

The Committee then approved the draft, as orally amended, without a vote.

Committee Vice-Chairman ANNE BARRINGTON (Ireland) introduced the draft on strengthening the cooperation of the mechanisms on the Commission for Science and Technology for Development: promoting complimentarity of activities in the area of new and innovative technologies within the United Nations system.

Regarding programme budget implications, the Secretary of the Committee, Margaret Kelly, read a letter from the Director of the Programme Planning and Budget Division drawing the Committee’s attention to the provisions of resolution 45/248, part B VI. That resolution reaffirmed that the Fifth Committee was the appropriate Main Committee of the General Assembly entrusted with responsibilities for administrative and budgetary matters. It also expressed the General Assembly’s concern at the tendency of its substantive Committees and other intergovernmental bodies to involve themselves in administrative and budgetary matters.

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

The Chairman then proposed the following draft decision: “The General Assembly takes note of document A/55/413 -- Progress made in the implementation of the General Assembly resolution 54/201”.

The Committee approved that draft without a vote.

The Chairman then introduced the text on industrial development cooperation. The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

Committee Vice-Chairman NAVID HANIF (Pakistan) introduced the draft on implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of the Economic Growth and Development of Developing Countries and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade.

The Chairman informed the Committee that Kyrgyzstan had joined as a co-sponsor of the draft. The Committee then approved the draft without a vote as orally revised.

Mr. Hanif (Pakistan) introduced the draft on the report of the sixth special session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme.

Regarding the programme budget implications of the text, the Secretary of the Committee again read the letter from the Director of the Programme Planning and Budget Division drawing the Committee’s attention to the provisions of resolution 45/248, part B VI.

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

Ms. Barrington (Ireland) introduced the revised draft resolution on the United Nations University. The following countries, she said, had joined as co- sponsors to the text: Tonga, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Gabon.

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

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