Committee on NGOs

39^th & 40^th Meetings (AM & PM)

NGO COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS FIVE ORGANIZATIONS FOR SPECIAL CONSULTATIVE STATUS

WITH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) today recommended granting special consultative status with the  Economic and Social Council to the Arias Foundation for Peace and Progress, International Network of Liberal Women, Transparency International, Youth with a Mission and Ukrainian World Congress.

Non-governmental organizations with general and special consultative status have the right to attend meetings of the Council and circulate statements of a certain length; those with general status can, in addition, speak at meetings and propose items for the Council’s agenda.  Organizations placed on the roster have a right to attend the meetings of the Council.

      Awaiting receipt of additional clarifications, the Committee left pending action on the Japanese Cleft Palate Foundation, One World International, Centre for Democracy and Development, International Corrections and Prisons Association for the Advancement of Professional Corrections, World Council of Muslim Communities, Inc., Buddha’s Light International Association, Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development, Indian Social Institute, Indian Federation of United Nations Associations, Priests for Life, World Assembly of Muslim Youth, Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society, and SOS Attentats.

As the Committee endorsed the application by the Arias Foundation for Peace and Progress, representatives of Cuba, Peru and India, while commending the organization's activities, asked the Secretariat to communicate to the NGO that the concept of "human security" that it promoted had not been endorsed by the United Nations, and many countries believed that it contravened the principle of sovereigntyofStates.

During the discussion of Germany-based Transparency International, France's representative said that, while uncomfortable for some governments, the organization's focus on corruption gave a clear vision of that phenomenon.  Responding to concerns expressed by the representative of China, Germany's representative assured the Committee that the NGO was totally independent from his Government.  Nigeria’s representative, however, said he was worried by the NGO’s tendency to single out certain countries, mostly developing ones, which it labelled as corrupt.  To that, Germany’s representative added that the NGO did not target exclusively corruption in developing countries, but took a close look at corruption in developed countries, as well.

Responding to members’ questions, a Ukrainian World Congress representative said the organization was an international NGO comprising some 110 organizations in 20 countries.  The aim of the Ukrainian World Congress was to establish and maintain an international network in support of the rights of Ukrainian minorities in their countries of residence.  Established in 1967, it had been unable to set its headquarters in the territory of the former Soviet Union.  For that reason, the organization was based in Canada and the United States. 

Referring to several newly accredited organizations, China's representative expressed hope that in their future activities they would use correct terminology when referring to Hong Kong, SAR and the province of Taiwan.  They should also strictly adhere to the purposes of the Charter and the criteria set by the Economic and Social Council for the NGOs with consultative status.

Information regarding the organizations before the Committee is contained in documents E/C/2/2002/R.2 Add.1-15, E/C.2/2002/CRP.6, E/C.2/2002/CRP.3 and E/C.2/2002/CRP.5.

And finally today, the Committee elected Pedro Agustin Roa (Colombia) as its Vice-Chairman to replace Guillermo Francisco Reyes (Colombia) for the unexpired term till the end of the 2002 session.

The Committee will resume its work at 10 a.m. Monday, 20 January.

* *** *