Background Release

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL TO HOLD 2007 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

IN GENEVA FROM 2 TO 27 JULY

High-Level Segment to Hold First Annual

Ministerial Review, Launch Development Cooperation Forum

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 28 June (United Nations Information Service) -- The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which serves as the central United Nations forum for discussing international economic and social issues and for formulating policy recommendations, will hold its 2007 substantive session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 2 to 27 July.

The theme of the high-level segment this year, which will be held from 2 to 5 July, is strengthening efforts at all levels to promote pro-poor sustained economic growth, including through equitable macro-economic policies and through the global partnership for development.  During the segment, ECOSOC will hold its first Annual Ministerial Review and launch the Development Cooperation Forum – two new functions mandated by world leaders at the 2005 World Summit to step up implementation of the United Nations development agenda. 

At 10 a.m. on Monday, 2 July, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will present to ECOSOC the Millennium Development Goals Report 2007, which provides an overview of progress at the Millennium Development Goals mid-point of implementation.  The Millennium Declaration set 2015 as the target date for the eight Goals.

In follow-up to the 2006 high-level segment, the coordination segment, which will take place from 6 to 10 July 2007, will focus on the role of the United Nations system in promoting full and productive employment and decent work for all.  The segment will also consider the progress made in promoting the integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the major United Nations conferences and summits.  

The segment on operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation will be held from 10 to 13 July.  This will be followed by the humanitarian affairs segment, from 16 to 18 July.

During the general segment of ECOSOC, which will be held from 19 to 26 July, the body will undertake the follow-up and review of conferences; review the reports of the specialized agencies requested by the Council; and review and evaluate the annual reports of the United Nations Funds and Programmes, its subsidiary bodies, including its functional and regional commissions, expert bodies and ad hoc bodies, including the Advisory Groups for countries emerging from conflict, and take relevant action.  Action on outstanding draft proposals will take place on 27 July, before ECOSOC concludes its substantive session.

The proposed programme of work for the session can be found in document E/2007/L.6 and the annotated provisional agenda, which includes details on available documentation, can be found in document E/2007/100.

High-Level Segment (2-5 July)

In addition to the first Annual Ministerial Review, which will focus on strengthening efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, including through the global partnership for development, and the launching of the Development Cooperation Forum, during its high-level segment, ECOSOC will hold a thematic discussion on strengthening efforts at all levels to promote pro-poor sustained economic growth, including through equitable macro-economic policies during two high-level roundtables and a general debate.  The high-level policy dialogue with the executive heads of the international financial and trade institutions, traditionally held as part of this segment, will focus on current developments in the world economy and international economic cooperation.

Coordination Segment (6-10 July)

Under this segment, ECOSOC will consider, among other documents, the report of the Secretary-General on the role of the United Nations system in promoting full and productive employment and decent work for all (document E/2007/49).  A dialogue will also be held with the Executive Secretaries of the regional commissions on regional aspects of the two main themes of the high-level segment and the theme for the Annual Ministerial Review.  There will also be three panel discussions, on mainstreaming employment and decent work; the role of the United Nations system in promoting employment and the decent work agenda in national strategic frameworks in Latin America; and working together to promote the goals of decent work and full employment for all.  This segment will conclude on the morning of 10 July.

Operational Activities Segment (10-13 July)

This segment, which begins in the afternoon of 10 July, will include a panel discussion on the contribution and effectiveness of the United Nations development system.  ECOSOC will also hear reports of the Executive Boards of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), and it will hold a dialogue with executive heads of the United Nations funds and programmes.   It will also hold a general debate on South-South cooperation for development. 

Humanitarian Affairs Segment (11-18 July)

The theme of this segment is strengthening of the coordination of United Nations humanitarian assistance through enhancing the effectiveness of needs-based humanitarian assistance.  During the segment two panel discussions will be held, on the use of military assets in natural disaster relief and on needs-based humanitarian financing, including the Central Emergency Response Fund. 

Among the documentation before ECOSOC during this segment will be the report of the Joint Inspection Unit entitled “Towards a United Nations humanitarian assistance programme for disaster response and reduction: lessons learned from the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster” (document A/61/699-E/2007/8 and Add.1).

General Segment (19-26 July)

Under the implementation of and follow-up to major UN conferences and summits, ECOSOC will discuss implementation and follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development; the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010; and the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations.  It will also take up the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan. On economic and environmental questions, it will discuss sustainable development, human settlements, the environment, the United Nations Forum on Forests, the advancement of women, crime prevention, narcotics drugs, refugees, human rights and indigenous issues, among others.

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For information media • not an official record