Economic and Social Council

2003 Organizational Session

12^th Meeting (AM)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL APPROVES OBSERVER STATUS FOR THREE ORGANIZATIONS

The Economic and Social Council, in a brief meeting this morning, decided to grant observer status to the Islamic Development Bank; the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; and the Common Fund for Commodities.

The requests for observer status by the three intergovernmental organizations are contained in documents E/2003/6, E/2003/7 and E/2003/10.

Also this morning, the Council endorsed the Secretary-General’s decision to approve Senegal’s application for membership in the Subcommittee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.  The application for membership is contained in document E/2003/L.3/Add.11.

In other action, the Council decided to defer consideration of a request for conversion to a United Nations specialized agency, contained in document E/2002/4, of the International Civil Defence Organization, an intergovernmental organization with observer status with the Council, to a later date.

The Council also decided to make some minor amendments to the annotated provisional agenda, proposed programme of work and status of documentation for its substantive session, which begins on 30 June in Geneva.

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