ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS 16 TEXTS ON INFORMATICS,

 

GUINEA-BISSAU, HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, REFUGEES, CRIME

 

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 26 July (UN Information Service) -- The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) this morning adopted 16 resolutions and decisions, on, among other, the United Nations informatics systems, the Ad Hoc Advisory Board for Guinea-Bissau, human settlements, technical assistance for implementing the international conventions and protocols related to terrorism, refugees, international cooperation in the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of economic fraud and identity-related crime, and international cooperation for the improvement of access to legal aid in criminal justice systems, particularly in Africa.

The Council also decided to appoint Miguel Ferre Navarrete of Spain as a member of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, decided to grant observer status to the International Emergency Management Organization, and agreed to postpone its consideration of the privileges and immunities of the specialized agencies with respect to the World Tourism Organization to its 2008 substantive session.

The Council adopted a resolution on the need to harmonize and improve United Nations informatics systems for optimal utilization and accessibility by all States, in which it reiterates once again the high priority that it attaches to easy, economical, uncomplicated and unhindered access for States Members and Observers of the United Nations, as well as non-governmental organizations accredited to the United Nations, to the computerized databases and information systems and services of the United Nations.

It also adopted a resolution on the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau, in which it decides to extend the mandate of the Group through the substantive session of 2008.  Subsequently, the Council adopted the provisional calendar of conferences and meetings for 2008 and 2009 in the economic, social and cultural fields.

Under regional cooperation, the Council adopted a resolution on an Europe-Africa fixed link through the Straits of Gibraltar; and on human settlements, it adopted a decision in which it took note of the report of the Secretary-General on the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda and requested 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 2008.

In the context of the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the Council adopted resolutions on follow-up to the Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and preparations for the Twelfth Congress; technical assistance for implementing the international conventions and protocols related to terrorism; strategy for the period 2008-2011 for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; international cooperation in the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of economic fraud and identity-related crime; information-gathering instrument in relation to United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice; strengthening basic principles of judicial conduct; supporting national efforts for child justice reform, in particular through technical assistance and improved United Nations system-wide coordination; and a resolution on international cooperation for the improvement of access to legal aid in criminal justice systems, particularly in Africa.

Still in the context of the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the Council adopted decisions on the report of the Commission on its sixteenth session and provisional agenda and documentation for its seventeenth session; appointment of members of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute; and on the topic for the thematic discussion of the Commission at its seventeenth session in 2008.

Finally, the Council adopted a decision on enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in which it recommends that the General Assembly, at its sixty-second session, decide on the question of enlarging the membership of the Executive Committee from seventy-two to seventy-six States.

Speaking this morning were the representatives of South Africa, Haiti, Guinea-Bissau, Thailand, Jamaica, Brazil and the United States.

This afternoon at 3 p.m. the Council is scheduled to continue to take action on draft resolutions and decisions.  The Council will suspend its substantive session for 2007 on Friday, 27 July.

Action on Resolutions and Decisions

In a resolution (E/2007/L.24) on the need to harmonize and improve United Nations informatics systems for optimal utilization and accessibility by all States, adopted without a vote, the Council reiterates once again the high priority that it attaches to easy, economical, uncomplicated and unhindered access for States Members and Observers of the United Nations, as well as non-governmental organizations accredited to the United Nations, to the computerized databases and information systems and services of the United Nations; and requests the Secretary-General to extend full cooperation to the Working Group and to give priority to implementing its recommendations.

In a resolution (E/2007/L.27) on the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau, adopted without a vote, the Council takes note of the report of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau; welcomes the holding of the donor round-table conference in Geneva on 7 and 8 November 2006, and urges the donor community to disburse funds in line with the pledges made; stresses the importance of implementing the country’s poverty reduction strategy and its security sector reform plan; reaffirms the need to create an enabling environment in Guinea-Bissau to promote sustainable development in the country; invites Guinea-Bissau’s partners to provide both technical and financial support for the next legislative elections; and decides to extend the mandate of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau through the substantive session of 2008.

In a resolution (E/2007/L.10) on the provisional calendar of conferences and meetings for 2008 and 2009 in the economic, social and related fields, adopted without a vote, the Council approves the calendar of conferences and meetings for 2008 and 2009 in the economic, social and related fields.

The Council has before it the letter dated 12 July 2007 from the Chairman of the Committee on Conferences to the President of the Economic and Social Council (E/2007/87), which notes that the Committee on Conferences met on 11 July to review the provisional calendar of conferences and meetings for 2008 and 2009 in the economic, social and related fields (E/2007/L.10).  The Secretary of the Committee drew attention to important guidelines established by the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council in their resolutions and decisions on the calendar of conferences and meetings, including the Council’s decision to further consider the biennialization of the sessions of its subsidiary bodies.  It was noted that the United Nations Forum on Forests had decided to biennialize its sessions starting in 2007.  Attention was drawn also to the Human Rights Council decision to extend for one year the mandates of all the special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights, the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, and the 1503 (Complaints) Procedure, subject to the Council’s review.  The Committee also took note of the transfer of responsibility for servicing the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women from New York to Geneva.

In a resolution (E/2007/L.12) on an Europe-Africa fixed link through the Strait of Gibraltar, adopted without a vote, the Council renews its invitation to the competent organizations of the United Nations system and to specialized governmental and non-governmental organizations to participate in the studies and work on the fixed link through the Strait of Gibraltar; requests the Executive Secretaries of the Economic Commission for Africa and the Economic Commission for Europe to continue to take an active part in the follow-up to the project and to report to the Council at its substantive session of 2009 on the progress made on the project studies; and requests the Secretary-General to provide formal support and, to the extent that priorities permit, the resources necessary, within the regular budget, to the Economic Commission for Europe and the Economic Commission for Africa, to enable them to carry out the activities mentioned above.

In a decision (E/2007/L.25) on 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-second session; and 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 2008.

In a resolution (E/2007/L.17) entitled enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Council recommends that the General Assembly, at its sixty-second session, decide on the question of enlarging the membership of the Executive Committee from seventy-two to seventy-six States.

In a resolution (document E/2007/30) entitled “Report on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice” on the follow-up to the Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and preparations for the Twelfth 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 meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Lessons Learned from United Nations Congresses on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice; reiterates its invitation to Member States; decides that the duration of the Twelfth Congress should not exceed eight days; requests the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to finalize the programme for the Twelfth Congress and to make its final recommendations on the theme; and requests the Secretary-General to ensure proper follow-up to the present resolution and to report thereon to the General Assembly.

In a resolution contained in the same document on the technical assistance for implementing the international conventions and protocols related to terrorism, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, commends the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, including its Terrorism Prevention Branch, for providing, technical assistance to States, upon request, to facilitate the implementation of the international conventions and protocols related to the prevention and suppression of terrorism and relevant United Nations resolutions; urges Member States that have not yet done so to consider becoming parties without delay to the existing international conventions and protocols related to terrorism; and urges Member States to strengthen international cooperation in this field.

In a resolution contained in the same document on the strategy for the period 2008-2011 for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, approves the strategy for the period 2008-2011 for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; requests the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to incorporate the strategy for the period 2008-2011 into the strategic framework and to present the latter to the relevant intergovernmental bodies, for their consideration and approval; stresses that all action aimed at implementing the strategy for the period 2008-2011 for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime shall be undertaken in full consultation with and at the request of the Member States concerned; and requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to continue to improve its evaluation mechanisms and project cycle management.

In a resolution contained in the same document on international cooperation in the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of economic fraud and identity-related crime, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, condemns the perpetration of economic fraud and identity-related crime; welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the results of the second meeting of the Intergovernmental Expert Group to Prepare a Study on Fraud and the Criminal Misuse and Falsification of Identity; requests the Secretary-General to disseminate the report as widely as possible, pursuant to the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report; and encourages the promotion of mutual understanding and cooperation between public and private sector entities through initiatives aimed at bringing together various stakeholders and facilitating the exchange of views and information among them.

In a resolution contained in the same document on the information-gathering instrument in relation to United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, reiterates its continued support to the use and application of the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power and requests the Secretary-General to convene an open-ended intergovernmental meeting of experts.

In a resolution contained in the same document on strengthening basic principles of judicial conduct, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on strengthening basic principles of judicial conduct; and invites Member States to continue 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. 

In a resolution contained in the same document on supporting national efforts for child justice reform, in particular through technical assistance and improved United Nations system-wide coordination, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, encourages Member States and international funding agencies to provide adequate resources to, inter alia, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to enable it to carry out technical cooperation projects in the area of child justice; requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to continue providing assistance to Member States, upon request, in the area of child justice; requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to provide technical assistance to Member States in order to strengthen national capacities and infrastructure in the area of child justice.

In a resolution contained in the same document on international cooperation for the improvement of access to legal aid in criminal justice systems, particularly in Africa, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, encourages Member States implementing criminal justice reform to promote the participation of civil society organizations in that endeavour and to cooperate with them; requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to continue to provide advisory services and technical assistance to Member States; requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, subject to extrabudgetary resources, to convene an open-ended intergovernmental meeting of experts with interpretation to study ways and means of strengthening access to legal aid in the criminal justice system; and requests the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to include the issue of penal reform and the reduction of prison overcrowding.

In a decision contained in the same document on the Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its sixteenth session and provisional agenda and documentation for its seventeenth session, adopted without a vote, the Council (a) takes note of the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its sixteenth session; (b) decides that the prominent theme for the seventeenth session of the Commission will be “aspects of violence against women that pertain directly to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice”; (c) and approves the provisional agenda and documentation for the seventeenth session set out below on the understanding that the provisional agenda, in particular the topic for the thematic discussion, will be elaborated upon during the intersessional period. The Council also adopted the provisional agenda and documentation for the seventeenth session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

In a decision contained in the same document on the appointment of members 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 sixteenth session, of Iskander Ghattas (Egypt) and Željko Horvatiæ (Croatia) to the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute.

And in a decision contained in the same document on the topic for the thematic discussion of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its seventeenth session, in 2008, adopted without a vote, the Council, among other things, (a) takes note of General Assembly resolution 61/143 of 19 December 2006, in particular paragraph 17 of that resolution; (b) and decides that the topic for the thematic discussion of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its seventeenth session, in 2008, shall be the aspects of violence against women that pertain directly to the Commission and that those aspects shall be elaborated upon during the intersessional period, and requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to prepare information to guide member States of the Commission in their deliberations.

Comments on Guinea-Bissau Resolution

SHELDON MOULTON ( South Africa) said that the adoption of the resolution by the Council on Guinea-Bissau was important to encourage the Government of the country to put in place the necessary reforms to fight poverty and underdevelopment and ultimately to secure a better quality of life for all citizens.  South Africa was pleased that the Council would remain seized with the situation in Guinea-Bissau, particularly in view of the upcoming elections, which represented another milestone.  The Ad Hoc Advisory Group would continue to report to this Council.

LEO MERORES ( Haiti) welcomed the adoption by consensus of this resolution, extending the mandate of the Ad Hoc Group on Guinea-Bissau.  Haiti was convinced that with this action, the international community’s support for development efforts undertaken by that country would be maintained thanks to the support of the international community.  Guinea-Bissau would be placed along the right path to political and internal stability. 

ALFREDO LOPES CABRAL ( Guinea-Bissau) said that Guinea-Bissau wanted to express its thanks for the kind words the President addressed to its delegation.  It also wanted to thank the delegate from South Africa for having played an important role as facilitator, for having shown patience and ensuring that a constructive spirit prevailed in the discussion, which resulted in a consensus draft resolution.  Guinea-Bissau appreciated the efforts of all delegations, which contributed to the efforts and made such a success possible. 

Guinea-Bissau also wanted to express thanks to Portugal on behalf of the European Union, Namibia, on behalf of the G77, the United States, Russia and Japan, he said.  It was important that this resolution be adopted by consensus.  The people of Guinea-Bissau deserved help.  Efforts should come from all levels.  The Government of Guinea-Bissau should ensure that the management of public funds would be done transparently, on the basis of participatory democracy.  The Secretariat and the Department for Economic and Social Affairs were also thanked for their efforts.   

Introduction of Draft Resolution on UNAIDS

SIHASAK PHUANGKETKEOW (Thailand), introducing draft resolution L.23 on the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), said AIDS continued to pose one of the most daunting challenges to societies as well as to the development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.  It required a comprehensive and concerted global response.  The resolution expressed serious concern about the continued spread of the epidemic, and urged United Nations entities to intensify their support to Governments, with a view to achieving the goals contained in the 2001 and 2006 Declarations on HIV/AIDS, the 2005 World Summit Outcome, and the United Nations Millennium Declaration.  It also called for increased funding for AIDS-related activities, and acknowledged the need to address the underlying obstacles to the goal of universal access, including the gap in technical and financial resources.

The resolution requested that a report prepared by the UNAIDS Executive Director, in collaboration with other relevant United Nations entities, be submitted to the Council at its substantive session in 2009.  Such a report should include information on the progress made in implementing the coordinated response of the United Nations system to the epidemic, as well as the outcome of the external evaluation of UNAIDS and the independent assessment of the sustainability of HIV/AIDS financing. 

Commenting on the Provisional Calendar of Conferences for 2008 and 2009 ANDREA DUBIDAD-DIXON ( Jamaica) expressed concern over the inclusion of the second paragraph, considering the question of the biennualization.  Jamaica wanted to point out that the matter of biennualization was a programmatic issue.  There was no further need to consider it. 

Commenting on the Follow-Up to the Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, JOSE RICARDO DA COSTA AGUIAR ALVES ( Brazil) said that with regard to resolution E/2007/30, Brazil mentioned that on page 3, paragraph 6, there was no specific venue for the meeting indicated.  Brazil was offering to host the meeting.

General Comment

RICHARD T. MILLER ( United States) said that he wanted to express the concern of the delegation of the United States on the resolutions and decisions that had just been endorsed, and which were very important.  ECOSOC seemed thus to be nothing but a useless layer in the United Nations bureaucracy.  The United States did not see the point in going through the resolutions and decisions in a superficial way when there was no substantial discussion. 

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For information media • not an official record