Economic and Social Council

2006 Substantive Session

45^th Meeting (PM)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL DECIDES ON CHOICES FOR COMMITTEE VACANCIES

As it resumed its substantive session this afternoon, the Economic and Social Council elected a new member to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and approved the nomination of France to the Committee on Programme Coordination, for election by the General Assembly.  It also appointed 24 members to its Committee for Development Policy.

Zhan Daode of China was elected to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by acclamation, to fill the vacancy left by Yongxiang Shen, also of China, who resigned on 28 July, and whose term was to have expired on 31 December 2008.

Regarding three vacancies on the Committee for Programme and Coordination, the Council nominated France as a member for three years, beginning 1 January 2007, for eventual election by the General Assembly.  As for two other remaining vacancies reserved for the Western European and other States group, the Council decided to postpone nominations, as had already been agreed earlier in the year.

[A total of 34 members, elected by the General Assembly, serve on that Committee, upon the Council’s nomination, on the basis of equitable geographical distribution: 9 members were to have come from African States; 7 members from Asian States; 4 members from Eastern European States; 7 members from Latin America and the Caribbean States; and 7 members from Western European and other States.]

In other elections, 24 experts, nominated by the Secretary-General, were elected to the Committee for Development Policy for three-year terms, beginning 1 January 2007.  The appointments were decided by the Council on the basis of nominations by the Secretary-General, who takes into account the need to have a diversity of development experience -- including ecologists, economists and social scientists -- as well as geographical balance, gender balance and a balance between continuity and change in the membership of the Committee.

The Economic and Social Council is expected to resume its substantive session during the week of 11 December.

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For information media • not an official record