Economic and Social Council

2008 Substantive Session

46^th Meeting (AM)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL RESUMES 2008 SESSION TO FILL VACANCIES IN BUREAU,

SUBSIDIARY BODIES, WHILE WRAPPING UP OTHER OUTSTANDING ISSUES ON AGENDA

The Economic and Social Council resumed its 2008 substantive session this morning to wrap up a number of outstanding items remaining on its agenda, including the postponed filling of vacancies in its Bureau and subsidiary bodies.

By adopting a decision on the organization of the twenty-fifth session of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names on the African Continent (document E/2008/L.39), the Council decided that the session would be held at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, from 5 to 12 May 2009, to facilitate and prepare the work of the Tenth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names.

To its Bureau, the Council elected, by acclamation, Sylvie Lucas, the new Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the United Nations.  She will continue with the unexpired term of Jean-Marc Hoscheit, who returned to his country shortly after the Council concluded the bulk of its substantive session in July.

Also by acclamation, the Council elected Switzerland to fill a vacancy on the Commission on Sustainable Development for a term beginning today and running through the conclusion of the Commission’s ninetieth session in 2011.  Council President Leo Merores ( Haiti) reminded the membership that there were still two outstanding vacancies on the Commission for the Western European and other States Group.  Those seats are for terms of office beginning at the opening of the Commission’s eighteenth session and expiring at the close of its twentieth session in 2012.

The Council then elected, again by acclamation, Finland and Jamaica to fill outstanding vacancies on the Commission on Science and Technology.  Both those four-year terms begin on 1 January 2009.  One member, from the Western European and other States Group, remained to be elected to that Commission.

Acting on the nomination proposed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Council appointed Vladimir Popov ( Russian Federation) to fill a vacancy on the Committee for Development Policy arising from the resignation of Anatoly Vishnevsky ( Russian Federation).  Mr. Popov will serve on the Committee in his personal capacity for a term beginning today and running through 31 December 2009.

Before closing the meeting, President Merores drew the Council’s attention to several other important issues that would require its consideration before the end of the year, including the report of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations on its resumed 2008 session.  That report was set to be issued shortly and the Council should prepare to take it up at its next meeting.

Mr. Merores went on to say that members must also take up the outstanding application of the International Emergency Management Organization for observer status with the Council as an intergovernmental organization.  That matter had been deferred pending receipt of additional information from the organization, which had since been received.

He also noted that, prior to the end of the main part of the General Assembly’s sixty-third session, the Council would need to take up matters relating to the seven Council members serving on the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission.  In July, the Council decided to extend their terms through 31 December 2008.  It would therefore need to take action on the draft resolution submitted by the President (document E/2008/L.7) and thereafter hold elections to fill those seven seats.

Finally, the President announced that he planned to organize a briefing to the Council on the key messages highlighted in the final report of the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health, released at the end of July.  The findings of that important survey would be of great relevance to the Council’s deliberations next year on the theme of “Global public health”.

The Economic and Social Council will meet again at a date and time to be announced.

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For information media • not an official record