ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS TEXTS SUBMITTED BY ITS SUBSIDIARY ORGANS

ON SOCIAL, HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONS

 

Also Gives Consultative Status to Two NGOS; Elects Countries to Subsidiary Organs;

Adopts a Series of Other Resolutions, Including on Non-Self-Governing Territories

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 27 July (UN Information Service) -- The Economic and Social Council this morning adopted eleven resolutions and two decisions in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice; seven resolutions in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs; three resolutions in the report on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields; as well as resolutions on improving the United Nations informatics system, mainstreaming a gender perspective in the United Nations system, support to Non-Self-Governing territories by the United Nations and human settlements.

All the texts were adopted with consensus or without a vote except for the resolution on support to Non-Self-Governing Territories by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations, which was adopted by a roll-call vote of 29 in favour, none against, and 20 abstentions, in which the Council requested the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and international and regional organizations to examine and review conditions in each territory so as to take appropriate measures to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors of the territories.

The Council also turned its attention to outstanding vacancies in the subsidiary bodies, for which candidatures had been received.  With regard to the remaining vacancies on the Commission for Social Development, Andorra had been endorsed to fill one of the outstanding vacancies from that group.  The Council therefore elected Andorra by acclamation to the Commission for Social Development for a term beginning at the first meeting in 2007, and expiring in 2011.  The Council agreed to further postpone the election of one member from Eastern European States and one member from Western European and other States.

With regards to the Commission on Sustainable Development, Monaco had been endorsed to fill the one remaining vacancy, and the Council elected Monaco by acclamation to the Commission for a term beginning in 2007 and expiring in 2010.  With regard to the remaining vacancies on the Executive Board of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, Grenada and Honduras were elected by acclamation for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2007.  The Council also agreed to further postpone the election of two members from African States, two members from Asian States, 2 members from Eastern European States, and one member from Western European and other states for a three year term beginning in January 2007, as well as one member from Eastern European States for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2006.

With regards to the eight remaining vacancies on the Governing Council of UN-Habitat, the Council elected Finland, Grenada and the Netherlands by acclamation to the Governing Council for a four-year term beginning 1 January 2007.  It also agreed to postpone the election of three members from Latin American and Caribbean States and one member from Western European and other States for a four-year term beginning on 1 January 2007.

On the Committee for Programme and Coordination, the Council nominated Venezuela for election by the General Assembly to the Committee for Programme and Coordination for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2007.  The Council also further postponed the nomination of two members from Western European and other States for election by the General Assembly for a three-year term beginning 1 January 2007.

Resuming consideration of agenda item 1 entitled “adoption of the agenda and other organisational matters”, the Council decided to defer the application for consultative status of the Ramsar Convention Secretariat and the International Emergency Organization to a resumed substantive session of the Council; and granted observer status to the South Centre and the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining Minerals Metals and Sustainable Development.  The Council also deferred consideration of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies: draft annex relating to the World Tourism Organization to a resumed substantive session.

The Council also took note of the report of the Secretary-General on the Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly; the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations system-wide policy and strategy on gender mainstreaming; the report of the Commission on Human Rights at its sixty-second session; regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields; economic trends, as well as risks and opportunities for the economies in the Economic Commission for Europe region; overview of the Economic Report on Africa 2006: recent economic trends in Africa and prospects for 2006; summary of the economic and social survey of Asia and the Pacific, 2006; Latin America and the Caribbean: economic situation and outlook 2005-2006; and the summary of the survey of economic and social development in the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.

Draft decisions in the report on the fifth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues were postponed to the resumed session of ECOSOC.

When the Council meets at 3 p.m., it will resume its programme of voting on resolutions and decisions, including on economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, and on smoke-free United Nations premises.

Action on Resolutions in Report of Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled international cooperation in the prevention, combating and elimination of kidnapping and in providing assistance to victims, adopted without a vote, the Council vigorously condemns and rejects once again the offence of kidnapping, under any circumstances and for any purpose; encourages Member States to continue to foster international cooperation with a view to preventing, combating and eradicating kidnapping; calls upon Member States that have not yet done so, in furtherance of the fight against kidnapping, to strengthen their measures against money-laundering and to engage in international cooperation and mutual legal assistance in, inter alia, the tracing, detection, freezing and confiscation of proceeds of kidnapping; also calls upon Member States to take measures intended to provide adequate assistance and protection to victims of kidnapping and their families; and requests the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to report to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its sixteenth session on the implementation of the present resolution, and thereafter, to share its report with the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention, adopted by consensus, the Council, among other things, notes with appreciation the work of the Intergovernmental Expert Group Meeting on Crime Prevention, held in Vienna from 20 to 22 March 2006; invites Member States and other relevant entities to inform the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime of existing centres and focal points in the area of crime prevention, if applicable, in order to facilitate networking and cooperation, also keeping in mind the invitation to that end contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 2003/30; requests the Secretary-General to convene, within available extrabudgetary resources an intergovernmental expert group meeting to design an information-gathering instrument in relation to United Nations standards and norms related primarily to victim issues and to study ways and means to promote their use and application, and to report on progress made in that connection to the Commission at its sixteenth session; requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, when submitting a proposed questionnaire to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice for approval, to provide a report on whether the information being sought could be obtained from existing mechanisms so as to avoid duplication and overlap; requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its sixteenth session on the use and application of United Nations standards and norms related primarily to crime prevention.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled implementation of the Programme of Action, 2006-2010, on strengthening the rule of law and the criminal justice systems in Africa, adopted by consensus, the Council invites all African States and regional and subregional institutions to mainstream crime and drug control measures in their national and regional development strategies, to mobilize all national stakeholders and to make every effort to allocate national resources for the implementation of the Programme of Action; invites the Chairman of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to notify the Commission of the African Union of the need for its member States to endorse the Programme of Action, 2006-2010, to support its implementation and to review regularly the progress made; invites bilateral and multilateral aid agencies and financial institutions to review as appropriate their funding policies for development assistance and to consider including a crime prevention and criminal justice component in such assistance; invites relevant entities of the United Nations system, including the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank and other international funding agencies, to increase further their interaction with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in supporting the implementation of the Programme of Action, 2006-2010, and to integrate crime prevention and drug control measures into their development programmes; invites Member States to make adequate voluntary contributions for the implementation of the Programme of Action, 2006-2010;  requests the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, within available extrabudgetary resources, not excluding the use of existing resources from the regular budget of the Office, to devote high priority to the implementation of the Programme of Action, 2006-2010, and to present a progress report to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its seventeenth session, in 2008.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled providing technical assistance for prison reform in Africa and the development of viable alternatives to imprisonment, adopted by consensus, the Council notes the progress made by Member States in meeting the commitments mentioned and recent efforts to ease prison overcrowding taken by some Member States; encourages Member States implementing criminal justice and prison reforms to promote the participation of civil society organizations in that endeavour and to cooperate with them; welcomes the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in providing advisory services and technical assistance to Member States in the area of HIV/AIDS in prisons; invites Member States to develop and adopt measures and guidelines, where appropriate and in accordance with national legislation and relevant international instruments;  notes with appreciation the accomplishments of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in developing tools and manuals on penal reform, in particular the handbooks on alternatives to imprisonment and restorative justice;  invites the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, within available extrabudgetary resources to develop further tools and training manuals, based on international standards and best practices, in the area of penal reform and alternatives to imprisonment; invites Member States, international financial institutions and private donors to provide support to the activities above, through voluntary contributions to the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Fund or through voluntary contributions in direct support of such activities; and requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its seventeenth session, in 2008.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled strengthening basic principles of judicial conduct, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, invites Member States, consistent with their domestic legal systems, to encourage their judiciaries to take into consideration the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct when reviewing or developing rules with respect to the professional and ethical conduct of members of the judiciary; emphasizes that the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct represent a further development and are complementary to the Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolutions 40/32 and 40/146; invites Member States to submit to the Secretary-General their views regarding the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct and to suggest revisions, as appropriate; requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, within available extrabudgetary resources to convene an open-ended intergovernmental expert group, in cooperation with the Judicial Group on Strengthening Judicial Integrity and other international and regional judicial forums, to develop a technical guide to be used in providing technical assistance aimed at strengthening judicial integrity and capacity, as well as a commentary on the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct, taking into account the views expressed and the revisions suggested by Member States; and requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its sixteenth session on the implementation of the present resolution.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled international cooperation in the fight against corruption, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Convention against Corruption; welcomes the entry into force on 14 December 2005 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and urges Member States from all regions of the world and relevant economic integration organizations that have not yet done so to consider ratifying or acceding to the Convention as soon as possible in order to facilitate its effective implementation; commends the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for its work in promoting the ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption; urges all Member States, consistent with the United Nations Convention against Corruption, to abide by the principles of proper management of public affairs and public property, fairness, responsibility and equality before the law and the need to safeguard integrity and to foster a culture of transparency, accountability and the rejection of corruption; notes with appreciation the financial support provided by several donors to facilitate capacity-building in the fight against corruption, and encourages Member States to continue to make voluntary contributions to promote the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, through the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Fund or in direct support of such activities and initiatives; invites relevant entities of the United Nations system and international financial institutions and regional and national funding agencies to increase their support to and their interaction with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in order to benefit from synergies and avoid duplication of effort and to ensure that, as appropriate, activities aimed at preventing and combating corruption are considered in their sustainable development agenda and that the expertise of the Office is fully utilized; and calls for international cooperation to prevent and combat corrupt practices and the transfer of assets of illicit origin, as well as for asset recovery consistent with the principles of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, in particular its chapter V.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled strengthening the rule of law and the reform of criminal justice institutions, including in post-conflict reconstruction, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the rule of law and development: strengthening the rule of law and the reform of criminal justice institutions, including in post-conflict reconstruction; notes the progress made by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in the development of a comprehensive set of assessment tools for criminal justice, in cooperation with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the Secretariat and other relevant entities; and invites the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to provide its expertise, where appropriate and upon request, to the Peacebuilding Commission, the rule of law assistance unit, in the ongoing work of the Rule of Law Focal Point Network and other relevant entities; invites Member States to provide resources to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in order for it to continue to provide assistance, upon request, to Member States in long-term sustainable criminal justice reform and also to make use of technical assistance offered in that area by the Office and other United Nations entities.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled follow-up to the Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up to the Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice; reiterates its invitation to Governments to implement the Bangkok Declaration on Synergies and Responses: Strategic Alliances in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the recommendations adopted by the Eleventh Congress in formulating legislation and policy directives and taking all other relevant measures, taking into account the economic, social, legal and cultural specificities of their respective States; and invites Member States, in a spirit of common and shared responsibility, as acknowledged in the Bangkok Declaration, to improve international cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism, at the multilateral, regional and bilateral levels, in areas including extradition and mutual legal assistance within the framework of existing relevant legal instruments.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled strengthening international cooperation in preventing and combating trafficking in persons and protecting victims of such trafficking, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, urges Member States that have not done so to consider taking measures to ratify or accede to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing that Convention, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; urges all Member States, among other things, to criminalize trafficking in persons; and promote cooperation among law enforcement authorities in combating trafficking in persons; invites Member States to adopt measures, in accordance with their domestic law, among other things, to fight sexual exploitation with a view to abolishing it, by prosecuting and punishing those who engage in that activity, not including the victims of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation; urges Member States to employ a comprehensive approach to combating trafficking in persons, incorporating law enforcement efforts and the protection of victims and preventive measures; urges Member States to take measures against trafficking in persons, especially women and children, that are consistent with internationally recognized principles of non-discrimination and that respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of victims; and invites Member States to set up mechanisms for coordination and collaboration between governmental and non-governmental organizations and other members of civil society, with a view to responding to the immediate needs of victims of trafficking.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled International Permanent Observatory on Security Measures during Major Events, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, encourages Member States, in particular those planning major events in the coming years, to strengthen their cooperation, including in the framework of the International Permanent Observatory on Security Measures during Major Events, by sharing knowledge of possible threats to major events and relevant practices related to security during such events; invites Member States to make voluntary and in kind contributions to the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute for the continuation and expansion of the activities of the Observatory, and invites the Institute to mobilize funds from the private sector for such activities; and requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of Member States.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled crime prevention and criminal justice responses to violence against women and girls, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, urges Member States to consider, to the utmost extent possible, using the Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in developing and undertaking strategies and practical measures to eliminate violence against women and in promoting women’s equality within the criminal justice system;  strongly encourages Member States to promote an active and visible policy for integrating a gender perspective into the development and implementation of policies and programmes in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice in order to assist with the elimination of violence against women and girls; invites Member States to provide resources to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to enable it to provide effective assistance to Member States in the area of crime prevention and criminal justice responses to violence against women and girls; and requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its seventeenth session, in 2008, on the implementation of the present resolution.

In a decision contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and provisional agenda and documentation for its sixteenth session, adopted without a vote, the Council takes note of the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session; and approves the provisional agenda and documentation for the sixteenth session, on the understanding that at its intersessional meetings the Commission will examine and finalize the provisional agenda and documentation.

In a decision contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its fifteenth session and entitled appointment of a member of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to endorse the appointment, by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its fifteenth session, of Michèle Ramis-Plum (France) to the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute.

Action on Resolutions in Report of Commission on Narcotic Drugs

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, on the forty-ninth session (2 December 2005 and 13-17 March 2006) and entitled Baku Accord on Regional Cooperation against Illicit Drugs and Related Matters: a Vision for the Twenty-first Century, adopted without a vote, the Council urges Member States to take appropriate measures to combat the traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in accordance with the Baku Accord on Regional Cooperation against Illicit Drugs and Related Matters and the relevant resolutions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly and consistent with their national legislation and the provisions of the international drug control treaties; requests the Secretary-General to inform all Member States, relevant specialized agencies and other entities of the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations of the Baku Accord on Regional Cooperation against Illicit Drugs and Related Matters.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, on the forty-ninth session (2 December 2005 and 13-17 March 2006) and entitled using alternative development programmes to reduce the cultivation of cannabis plants, adopted without a vote, the Council calls upon all Member States to continue to adhere to the international drug control treaties and to adopt policies that promote international cooperation; urges Member States, in accordance with the principle of shared responsibility and as part of their commitment to the fight against illicit drugs, to extend cooperation to affected States, especially in Africa, in the area of alternative development, including research into crops offering viable alternatives to cannabis, and technical assistance, with due regard to the environmental degradation caused by the cultivation of cannabis plants; and requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, when requested by States reporting the large-scale cultivation of cannabis plants, to conduct a study with development partners, subject to the availability of extrabudgetary resources, on the feasibility of implementing alternative development programmes in those countries.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, on the forty-ninth session (2 December 2005 and 13-17 March 2006)  and entitled support for the National Drug Control Strategy of the Government of Afghanistan, adopted without a vote, the Council welcomes the bilateral and multilateral support being provided to Afghanistan by the international community, including through contributions to the Government of Afghanistan’s Counter-Narcotics Trust Fund, through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and through other entities; notes with appreciation the strong commitment of the international community to the development and reconstruction of Afghanistan, as reflected in its endorsement of the Afghanistan Compact during the Conference on Afghanistan held in London on 31 January and 1 February 2006; commends the National Drug Control Strategy of 2006 of the Government of Afghanistan; and calls upon the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to strengthen its efforts, subject to the availability of extrabudgetary resources, to ensure that multilateral assistance is provided to Afghanistan in full support of its National Drug Control Strategy.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, on the forty-ninth session (2 December 2005 and 13-17 March 2006)  and entitled strengthening international cooperation for alternative development, including preventive alternative development, with due regard for environmental protection, adopted without a vote, the Council emphasizes the importance of mainstreaming alternative development, including, where appropriate, preventive alternative development, into national and international development strategies as well as into development efforts; requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, subject to the availability of extrabudgetary resources, and all Member States to continue to cooperate effectively on programmes and projects to promote alternative development, including, where appropriate, preventive alternative development; and requests donor Governments, in conformity with the principle of shared responsibility and as a sign of their commitment to fight against illicit drugs in a comprehensive and balanced manner, to increase their cooperation on alternative development matters, including, where appropriate, preventive alternative development, by taking into account environmental protection, sustainable forest management, including agroforestry and reforestation, technical assistance, production infrastructure and the promotion of private investment and the agricultural industry.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, on the forty-ninth session (2 December 2005 and 13-17March 2006) and entitled need for a balance between demand for and supply of opiates used to meet medical and scientific needs, adopted without a vote, the Council urges all Governments to continue to contribute to maintaining a balance between the licit supply of and demand for opiate raw materials used for medical and scientific purposes, supporting traditional and established supplier countries, and to cooperate in preventing the proliferation of sources of production of opiate raw materials; urges Governments of all producer countries to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 and that Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and to take effective measures to prevent the illicit production or diversion of opiate raw materials to illicit channels, and encourages improvements in practices in the cultivation of opium poppy and production of opiate raw materials; urges Governments of consumer countries to assess their licit needs for opiate raw materials realistically on the basis of actual consumption and utilization of opiate raw materials and the opiates derived from them and to communicate those needs to the International Narcotics Control Board in order to ensure effective supply; and requests the Secretary-General to transmit the text of the present resolution to all Governments for consideration and implementation.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, on the forty-ninth session (2 December 2005 and 13-17 March 2006) and entitled report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its forty-ninth session and provisional agenda and documentation for the fiftieth session of the Commission, adopted without a vote, the Council takes note of the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its forty-ninth session and approves the provisional agenda for the fiftieth session of the Commission set out below, on the understanding that intersessional meetings would be held in Vienna, at no additional cost, to finalize the items to be included in the provisional agenda and the documentation requirements for the fiftieth session.

In a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, on the forty-ninth session (2 December 2005 and 13-17 March 2006) and entitled report of the International Narcotics Control Board, adopted without a vote, the Council takes note of the report of International Narcotics Control Board for 2005.

Action on Various Other Resolutions

In a resolution (E/2006/L.22), entitled the need to harmonize and improve United Nations informatics systems for optimal utilization and accessibility by all States, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the President of the Economic and Social Council to convene the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Informatics for one more year to enable it to carry out, from within existing resources, the due fulfilment of the provisions of the Council resolutions on this item, to facilitate the successful implementation of the initiatives being taken by the Secretary-General with regard to the use of information technology and to continue the implementation of measures required to achieve its objectives and, in this regard, requests the Working Group to continue its efforts to act as a bridge between the evolving needs of Member States and the actions of the Secretariat; requests the Secretary-General to extend full cooperation to the Working Group and to give priority to implementing its recommendations; and also requests the Secretary-General to report to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 2007 on action taken to follow up the present resolution, including the findings of the Working Group and an assessment of its work and mandate.

In a resolution (E/2006/L.30) entitled mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system, adopted without a vote as orally amended, the Council expresses concern at the large gap remaining between policy and practice, with the result that a gender equality perspective is not yet fully integrated into the work of the United Nations; recognizes that training is critical for increasing the awareness, knowledge, commitment and capacity of staff in respect of mainstreaming a gender perspective in United Nations policies and programmes, and in this regard, calls upon all entities of the United Nations system, including United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, within the United Nations Staff Development Programme budget and other existing training budgets, to: among other things, make specific commitments annually to gender mainstreaming training, including in core competence development, and ensure that all gender equality policies, strategies and action plans include such commitments; and make gender training mandatory for all staff and personnel and develop specific training for different categories and levels of staff; recognizes the important role that senior management plays in creating an environment that actively supports gender mainstreaming and strongly encourages it to do so; and requests that the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality continue to provide practical support to its members in gender mainstreaming, and explore possibilities for developing an accessible and consolidated database of trained facilitators at the country and regional levels, in consultation with Member States.

In a resolution (E/2006/L.27**) entitled support to Non-Self-Governing Territories by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations, adopted after a roll-call vote of 29 in favour, none against, and 20 abstentions, the Council recommends that all States intensify their efforts in the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system of which they are members to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations; requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and international and regional organizations to examine and review conditions in each Territory so as to take appropriate measures to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors of the Territories; recommends that the executive heads of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system formulate, with the active cooperation of the regional organizations concerned, concrete proposals for the full implementation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and submit the proposals to their governing and legislative organs; encourages Non-Self-Governing Territories to establish and/or strengthen disaster preparedness and management institutions and policies; and recommends that all Governments intensify their efforts in the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system of which they were members to accord priority to the question of providing assistance to the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories.

The result of the vote was as follows:

In favour (29): Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mexico, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania.

Against (None)

Abstentions (20): Albania, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mauritius, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.

In a resolution contained within an addendum to the report entitled regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields entitled workplan on reform of the Economic Commission for Europe and revised terms of reference of the Commission, adopted without a vote, the Council endorses the workplan on reform of the Economic Commission for Europe annex I of the resolution; and also endorses the revised terms of reference of the Economic Commission for Europe, as set out in annex II of the resolution.

In a resolution contained within an addendum to the report on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields entitled admission of Japan as a member of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, adopted without a vote, the Council welcomes with satisfaction the request from the Government of Japan that it be admitted to membership of the Commission; and approves the admission of Japan as a member of the Commission and authorizes the amendment of paragraph 3 (a) of the terms of reference of the Commission to include the name of Japan after that of Italy.

In a resolution contained within an addendum to the report on regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields entitled venue of the thirty-second session of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, adopted without a vote, the Council expresses its gratitude to the Government of the Dominican Republic for its generous invitation; notes the acceptance by the Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean of this invitation with pleasure; and endorses the decision of the Commission to hold its thirty-second session in Santo Domingo in 2008.

In a decision (E/2006/L.16) entitled human settlements, adopted without a vote the Council takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda; decides to transmit the report to the General Assembly for consideration at its sixty-first session; requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda for consideration by the Council at its substantive session of 2007.

Statements

TERRY MILLER (United States) said that the United States was deeply disappointed when it received a statement of budgetary implications yesterday at the last minute on the resolution in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention, and whilst it supported the role of the Commission on Crime Prevention, the resolution could and should be implemented within the existing budgetary resources.  The United States was also surprised that the statement of budgetary implications came in an oral form.  Action on this item and draft resolution 1 contained within the report should be suspended until an explanation of the need for further resources was provided.

JARL-HAKAN ROSENGREN ( Finland) asked if the Assembly General would be able respect the timetable fixed in the draft resolution in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention.

TERRY MILLER ( United States) said that the United States had problems with the first three draft decisions in the report of the fifth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.  For decisions one and three, this was due to the financial implications.  The speaker would like either a vote on the first three, or a postponement on them until the resumed session.

V.A. NEBENZIA ( Russian Federation), referring to the draft resolutions on smoke-free United Nations premises and on the report of the Secretary-General on the Ad Hoc Inter-agency Task Force on Tobacco Control, said the Russian Federation was pleased with the work of the Secretary-General, and was pleased with the work of the Ad Hoc Task Force on Tobacco Control.  Further decisions on this matter should be drawn by the Task Force on the impact of tobacco on poverty and development.  It was important to integrate anti-tobacco efforts into national development programmes as well as into the IMF and World Bank programmes.  Economically-justifiable alternatives to the production of tobacco should be examined.  A campaign for the producers of tobacco to work together on social initiatives should be implemented in the context of the United Nations.  India had produced a draft resolution on the matter, and the resolution only examined the vision of the prohibition in the premises of the United Nations, and passed aside several other equally important recommendations of the Task Force, the implementation of which would allow the international community to move closer to achieving a solution to tobacco problems.  Russia was convinced that the recommendations of the Task Force, contained in the draft resolution, were not within the Council’s mandate, but should be examined by the General Assembly of the United Nations.  Russia therefore had produced a series of amendments to the draft resolution, and was prepared to work together with India and all other interested countries, and was very disappointed by the character of the informal consultations.  Many constructive proposals had been ignored.  Russia would not stand in the way of a consensus, but would reserve the right to come back to the issue in the General Assembly.

V.A. NEBENZIA ( Russian Federation), speaking on draft resolution L.32 on the report of the Secretary-General on the Ad Hoc Inter-agency Task Force on Tobacco Control, said that it would not have been able to adopt draft resolution L.32.  The topic required further discussion before it could be adopted.

V.M. ZIMYANIN (Russian Federation), in an explanation of the vote before the vote on the resolution on support to Non-Self-Governing Territories by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations, said that Russia was in favour of the non-autonomous people’s territories and rights being protected regarding autonomy and independence.  The examination of this matter, which was highly political, was not within the purview of the Council, and in this way the Council was not able to fulfil its essential functions of coordinating the activities of the various United Nations bodies within the economic and social realm.  Russia requested that the item be removed from the Council’s agenda, and Russia would therefore abstain during the vote on this draft resolution.

TERRY MILLER (United States), in an explanation of the vote before the vote on the resolution on support to Non-Self-Governing Territories by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations, said the United States would abstain rather than vote against the resolution, as it agreed in principle that United Nations funds, programmes and specialized agencies could provide support to States that were not United Nations members.  However, it was the responsibility of the administering power, not the Council or the General Assembly to decide the nature of its territories participation.

The representative of Finland, speaking on behalf of the European Union, in an explanation of the vote before the vote on the resolution on support to -Governing Territories by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations, said while acknowledging the flexibility shown during the discussions, the European Union would abstain during the vote, as the issues dealt with in the resolution were not under the competence of the Council.

TADAYUKI MIYASHITA (Japan), in an explanation of the vote before the vote on the resolution on support to Non-Self-Governing Territories by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations, said that Japan would abstain from the vote, as the Council was not an appropriate forum for a political resolution such as this one.

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For information media • not an official record