Economic and Social Council

2010 Substantive Session

49^th Meeting (PM)

Economic and Social Council Adopts Text on Procedures for Electing Members

 

To Executive Board of New United Nations Gender Entity

 

Election Set for 10 November as Members Fill Vacancies on Subsidiary Bodies

The Economic and Social Council met this afternoon to adopt the procedures for electing members to the Executive Board of the new United Nations gender entity, and to fill vacancies in three of its subsidiary bodies.

Adopting draft resolution E/2010/L.40 by consensus, the Council decided that the 35 members of the Executive Board of United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women would be elected from among the five regional groups and serve terms of two and three years.  Serving three years each would be five members each from the African and Asian States; three from the Latin America and Caribbean States; and two each from the Eastern European States and the Western European and Other States.  Five members each from the African and Asian States, three each from the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and Other States, and two from the Eastern European States would serve for three years.

By further terms of the text, members from the Entity’s six contributing countries would be elected for three-year terms.  The 41 members elected during the first election would assume their posts immediately, holding them through year’s end.  Subsequently elected members would serve for three years, beginning on 1 January on the year following their election and serving until the end of that year.

Following adoption of the text, Council President Hamidon Ali ( Malaysia) said he intended to hold the elections on 10 November to allow the new Board to come together prior to the new entity’s official establishment, on 1 January.

The Council then endorsed the Secretary-General’s decision to approve the Republic of Korea’s application for full membership on the Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.

It then elected Jun Cong ( China) to its Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights until 31 December 2012, replacing Zhan Daode ( China), who resigned.

In its final action today, the Council took note of the appointment by the Secretary-General of Julia Martinez Rico ( Spain) to the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters until 30 June 2013, replacing Miguel Ferre Navarrete ( Spain), who resigned.

The next meeting of the Economic and Social Council will be held at a date and time to be announced.

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For information media • not an official record