ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL APPROVES AGENDA FOR SUBSTANTIVE SESSION TO BE HELD FROM 28 JUNE TO 23 JULY

Economic and Social Council                                

2004 Organizational Session                                

2^nd Meeting (AM)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL APPROVES AGENDA FOR SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

TO BE HELD FROM 28 JUNE TO 23 JULY

Also Takes Action concerning Status of NGOs;

Elections, Nominations, Appointments to Subsidiary Bodies

Continuing its 2004 organizational session, the Economic and Social Council this morning took a number of decisions related to its work in 2004 and 2005, which included its two-year basic programme of work and the agenda for this year’s substantive session next summer, the dates of which were changed from 6-30 July to 28 June-23 July 2004.

Agreeing on its basic programme of work for 2004-2005 and working arrangements for 2004, the Council decided that this year’s high-level segment on “Resources mobilization and enabling environment for poverty eradication in the context of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010” would be held from 28 to 30 June. 

Addressing the Organization’s activities for international development cooperation, the operational activities segment (7-9 July) would be devoted to the triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system and the implementation of General Assembly resolution 56/201 and Council resolution 2003/3.

It was also decided that the general segment of the substantive session would take place from 15 to 22 July and the coordination segment from 1 to 7 July.  The Council postponed action on the themes of the humanitarian affairs segment, which is scheduled to take place from 12 to 14 July, and the regional cooperation theme of the substantive session.

Also this morning, the Council decided that its special high-level meeting with the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade Organization would be held at Headquarters on 26 April.  Briefing the Council on the preparations to this event, Council President Marjatta Rasi (Finland) said that a series of preliminary meetings with intergovernmental organizations had taken place.  The Executive Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)and the World Bank would play an active role in the meeting.  The structure of the event would be largely similar to the one held last year. 

The President also advised the Council of the preparations for the high-level segment, saying that a draft programme for the 17 February preparatory meeting had been distributed.

On the recommendation of its Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, the Council granted consultative status to 69 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), reclassified three NGOs, and took note of 52 quadrennial reports submitted by NGOs to the Committee.  The Council, taking note of the Committee’s report on its resumed 2003 session of 15-19 December 2003 (document E/2003/32 (Part III)) decided that the 2004 session of the Committee should be held from 10 to 28 May and approved the Committee’s provisional agenda and documentation for the 2004 session.  [A list of the NGOs concerned is contained in the Committee’s report.]

Turning to elections, nominations, confirmations and appointments, the Council elected, by acclamation, Malaysia, Mexico and Pakistan to serve on the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting for a term expiring on 31 December 2006.  Elections to fill nine remaining vacancies were postponed to a later date.

Italy was elected by acclamation to the Executive Board of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) for a term expiring on 31 December 2006.  The Council postponed elections to fill remaining five vacancies there.

The Council also approved the nomination by the Secretary-General of Wang Xiaochu to the Committee of Experts on Public Administration for a term of office expiring on 31 December 2005, as well as his nomination of 24 experts listed in document E/2004/L.1 to the Committee for Development Policy for a term of office expiring on 31 December 2006.  All those members would serve in the two bodies in their personal capacity.

Also endorsed this morning was the Secretary-General’s decision to approve the application of Serbia and Montenegro 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.

In other action, the Council included in its agenda for the organizational session the application of the World Deserts Foundation for participation in the work of the Council and indefinitely deferred its consideration of a request for conversion to a specialized agency of the United Nations system of the International Civil Defence Organization.

Participating in the discussion were representatives of Canada, Cuba, Ireland and the United States, who made brief remarks on the organization of the session and documentation before the Council.

The Council will continue its organizational session at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 5 February.

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