Economic and Social Council

2009 Organizational Session

4^th Meeting (PM)

Economic and Social Council decides on theme for 2010 high-level segment,

Appoints peru to ad hoc advisory group in haiti

The Economic and Social Council, acting today on two key procedural matters, decided that the theme of the high-level segment at its 2010 substantive session would be:  “current global and national trends and challenges and their impact on gender equality and empowerment of women”.

Acting on a proposal submitted by its Vice-President (document E/2009/L.5), the Council adopted a decision formally approving the topic of the high-level segment which will be held at the opening of its 2010 session at United Nations Headquarters in New York in July of that year.

In other business, the Council adopted a decision (document E/2009/L.6) by which it appointed Jorge Voto-Bernales, Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations, as an additional member of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti.  Ahead of that action, Council President Sylvie Lucas ( Luxembourg) informed members that, given the timing of the Advisory Group’s mission to Haiti next month, the decision would be taken “on an exceptional basis, without creating a precedent”.

Created by the Council in 1999, the Ad Hoc Advisory Group was mandated to make recommendations on how to ensure that international assistance to Haiti was adequate, coherent, well coordinated and effective.  The Group, which was initially composed of the Permanent Representatives of five countries that were members of the Council, was active during a short period of three months in 1999.

The Council reactivated the Group in 2004 and it has since been composed of the Permanent Representatives of Canada (Chairman), Benin, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Spain and Trinidad and Tobago.  The Council also decided that the Group would invite the participation in its work of the President of the Economic and Social Council, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Haiti.

Before the Council concluded its work today, President Lucas announced that the final briefing within the framework of the preparations for the Council’s annual high-level meeting with the Bretton Woods Institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), would be held Wednesday, 22 April, in the Economic and Social Council Chamber, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  The briefing would focus on the global financial crisis and bring together representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), World Food Programme (WFP), and International Labour Organization (ILO).

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

* *** *

For information media • not an official record