ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ELECTS MEMBERS TO NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME’S EXECUTIVE BOARD, OTHER BODIES

Economic and Social Council

51^st Meeting (PM)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ELECTS MEMBERS TO NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD,

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME’S EXECUTIVE BOARD, OTHER BODIES

The Economic and Social Council this afternoon, in a resumed substantive session, concluded several matters, including the election of members to the International Narcotics Control Board and the Executive Board of the World Food Programme, among others, and approval of observer status for the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) to the Council.

The HELCOM is the governing body of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area.  It works to protect the marine environment through intergovernmental cooperation between Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russian Federation, Sweden and the European Community.

Resuming consideration of the agenda item on regional cooperation, the Council took note of an addendum to the report of the Secretary-General on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields, which contains the text of resolution 59/1 adopted by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, entitled “Regional action and follow-up to the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS”.

Also today, the Council agreed to change the date of the eleventh session of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters in Geneva from 10 to 14 November, to 15 to 19 December.

Turning to elections to subsidiary bodies for which there were outstanding vacancies, the Council elected Melvyn Levitsky (United States) to the International Narcotics Control Board until 1 March 2007, following the resignation of Rosa Maria del Castillo (Peru).

The results of that vote were as follows:  Melvyn Levitsky (United States), 35 votes; Dann Michols (Canada), 13; Abdel Karim Ibrahim (Lebanon) 3; Javier-Alberto Zaragoza Aguado (Spain), 2; Vladimir Levitanov (Belarus), 1.  A total of 54 ballots were cast.

Regarding the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, the Council elected Greece, from the Western European and Other States Group, by acclamation to cover one of three vacancies, with a term beginning immediately and expiring on 31 December 2006.  The Council was informed that there were still two outstanding vacancies from the same group on the Commission for a term beginning on the date of election and ending on 31 December 2004.

Turning to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting, the Council elected by acclamation Ethiopia (African Group) and Italy, Malta and Portugal (Western European and Other States Group) to terms beginning immediately and ending on 31 December 2005.  It also elected by acclamation Benin (African Group), Cyprus and Thailand (Asian Group), Poland (Eastern European Group), and Brazil (Latin American and Caribbean group) to fill vacancies for three-year terms beginning on 1 January 2004.

By an oral decision, the President declared that elections for the 12 remaining vacancies in the Working Group on Accounting and Reporting would be postponed.

Elected to fill vacancies on the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), for terms beginning immediately and expiring on 31 December 2006, were El Salvador, Mexico, Philippines and Spain.  Elections were postponed for the remaining six vacancies, which will be filled by two members of the African States Group, one from the Asian Group, two from the Eastern European Group, and one from the Western European and Other States Group.

Concerning the Committee for the United Populations Award, the Council decided to accept the nominations of Cameroon (African Group), Iran (Asian Group), Guyana (Latin American and Caribbean Group), and Belarus (Eastern European Group), for three-year terms beginning on 1 January 2004.  It decided to postpone the election of one further member from the Latin American and Caribbean States Group.

Turning to the remaining vacancy on the Governing Council of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the Council elected Israel by acclamation.  That country had been endorsed by the Western European and Other States Group for the four-year term beginning on 1 January 2004.

For a seat on the Programme Coordination Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), France was elected to replace Germany for a one-year term, beginning on 1 January 2004.

Greece and Norway, endorsed by the Western European and Other States Group, were elected by acclamation to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme, for three-year terms beginning on 1 January 2004.

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