Sixty-first General Assembly

Second Committee

1^st Meeting (AM)

SECOND COMMITTEE APPROVES WORK PROGRAMME CONSIDERING DEVELOPMENT FINANCING,

STRENGTHENING DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS, IMPACT OF COMMODITY PRICES

Financing for development, strengthening disaster relief efforts and the impact of commodity prices on developing economies are among the topics the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) will consider during the sixty-first session of the General Assembly.

The Committee approved its work programme in a meeting led by Committee Chairperson Tiina Intelmann ( Estonia) this morning.  She welcomed the other members of the new Bureau, including Vice-Chairpersons Benedicto Fonseca Filho (Brazil), Prayono Atiyanto (Indonesia) and Aboubacar Sadikh Barry (Senegal), as well as Rapporteur Vanessa Gomes (Portugal), elected on 8 June.

According to the Committee’s organization of work (document A/C.2/61/L.1), issues slated for review are macroeconomic policy questions, including those directed at the international financial system, debt and commodities; follow-up to and implementation of the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development; humanitarian and disaster relief assistance; information and communication technology; and globalization and interdependence.

The Committee would also consider permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources; sustainable development; implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT); implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification; operational activities for development; groups of countries in special situations, such as least developed and landlocked developing countries; eradication of poverty and other development issues; and training and research.

As directed by last year’s General Assembly, the Committee would also consider the section on economic and social affairs that is part of the Committee for Programme and Coordination’s proposed strategic framework for the period 2008-2009.

During the meeting, the Committee heard statements by Iran, Indonesia and Finland.

The Second Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 2 October, to begin its general debate.

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For information media • not an official record