Committee on NGOs

1^st & 2^nd Meetings (AM & PM)

Opening 2011 Session of Committee on NGOs, Officials Hail ‘Unprecedented’ Surge

in Civil Society’s Desire to Participate More Actively with United Nations

 

Increased Interest Must Be Matched by Efforts to Improve Committee’s Work Flow;

Members Recommend 24 Non-Governmental Organizations for Special Consultative Status

Recalling that civil society involvement in the 2010 Millennium Development Goals summit this past September had influenced the outcome of that gathering of world leaders, Nikhil Seth, Director, Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, stressed time management in the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as the key to coping with the increasing enthusiasm of such groups wishing to work more closely with the United Nations.

Speaking at the opening of the Committee’s 2011 session, Mr. Seth noted the crucial importance of the aspirations of all NGOs awaiting accreditation by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).  Even though the consideration of certain applications for “consultative status” — which would, among other things, allow for access and participation in the work of the Council’s subsidiary bodies — would be influenced by political issues, it was unlikely that those issues would be resolved by devoting more time to discussion.

Another key issue involved more proactive outreach to NGOs in the developing world on ways such groups could engage with the United Nations, he explained.  Currently, people sought out memberships, but there was a large number of NGOs that were doing tremendous work in the field and which should be encouraged to apply.

Outlining some of the major issues before the United Nations, he recalled that the General Assembly’s high-level meeting on the Millennium Development Goals had seen the involvement of unprecedented numbers of civil society representatives.  Likewise, the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, to be held in Istanbul in May, and the “Rio+20” Summit on Sustainable Development, slated for the summer of 2012, should also garner significant civil society involvement.

Civil society’s mounting interest in issues on the United Nations agenda was unprecedented, he continued.  Over the last five years, the Economic and Social Council itself had changed; addressing many issues of development cooperation in which civil society’s input was extremely valuable.  As such, collective thinking by all stakeholders was needed.  The NGO Committee’s work was valued within the Organization and speeding the applications process had a great impact on the work of the United Nations.

Taking the floor next, Chairperson Aydan Karamanoğly (Turkey) said the Committee was confronted with several key issues.  Given that the Economic and Social Council had created more space for civil society to engage in the development agenda, “we have to spur our efforts in equal measure”, to ensure that the rising number of applications was properly handled.

Indeed, with 171 new applications and 181 deferred from previous sessions, the total number of applications being considered this year had reached 352, he said.  There also were 208 quadrennial reports before the Committee and 23 that had been deferred, for a total of 231 — numbers that clearly showed the enormity of the challenges and responsibilities ahead.  Moreover, it was necessary to confront the issue of the pace at which the work programme was handled.  Rough estimates showed there would only be time to dedicate a few minutes to consider each application.

Of particular concern was the number of deferred applications, Mr. Karamanoğly continued, which had increased by 350 per cent over a three-year period.  That number was not doing justice to the NGOs that had been anxiously awaiting a decision — often for years.  There was also a need to remain faithful to resolution 1996/31 (1996).  While each application had to be evaluated carefully, it was also important that questions that were non-essential to the resolution not delay the Committee’s work.  Another key issue was transparency; additional and reformulated questions after the end of meetings could therefore not be accepted.  A more disciplined approach was needed, he stressed.

Updating the Committee on the evolving efforts to enhance the Organization’s NGO-related activities, Andrei Abramov, Chief of the Non-Governmental Organizations Branch, Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, said that in 2010, the Branch had eliminated the applications backlog for the past several years and established control in tracking each application received.  Determined efforts had been made to process applications for the Committee’s review, while other measures were under way to ensure NGO compliance with reporting requirements.

Moreover, communications with NGOs had improved with the creation of a one-stop registration and accreditation system called “NGO Net”, used by all Economic and Social Council functional commissions, the Department of Public Information and the Disarmament Office.  “These are the gains we are proud of,” he said.

Looking ahead, Mr. Abramov said 2011 would be very important and civil society had a key role to play in shaping a new model of development and green growth.  Without involving entire societies — including NGOs, local governments and the private sector — in development work, success in reaching the Millennium Development Goals and climate targets would be elusive.  NGOs often worked in areas that central Governments could not reach, such as poor or socially excluded communities, among others.

The United Nations recognized NGOs as major partners in development, not only at the country level but also by promoting their participation in decision-making.  “NGOs are our partners, advisers, watchdogs and also critics,” he said, stressing that their outspokenness was intended to be constructive.

The Branch would take a more proactive approach to communicate with, inform and engage NGOs in the work of Council.  To that end, Mr. Abramov highlighted some areas in which the Branch had been working in recent months, including through reaching out to grass-root NGOs in developing countries and engaging NGOs in major United Nations events in 2011.

As for the NGO-Irene Network, he said the Network had been established in 2001 and the Economic and Social Council, in 2002, had reaffirmed its important role, recognizing the need for human and financial resources and technical assistance to ensure more NGO participation from developing and transition countries in the Council’s work.

A General Voluntary Trust Fund had been created to support the Network; however, since 2003, only $20,000 had been received.  Due to the lack of financial resources, the Network had been inactive.  The human and financial needs of NGOs in consultative status from developing and transition countries had only increased in the past years, as a result of the financial and economic crisis, and Mr. Abramov believed that decision 2002/225 should be strengthened through effective partnerships of NGOs with Governments and the private sector.

He went on to say that the Branch had also launched the CSO Net (Civil Society Organization Network) to facilitate access to and information-sharing among NGOs, Member States and the United Nations.  Presently, the NGO Branch had no dedicated professional post to further develop the network.  The Branch had finalized a project document and financial strategy on strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations in selected countries to promote the implementation of a General Assembly and Economic and Social Council resolution on internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, which would aim to proactively build the capacity of civil society groups.

In conclusion, he noted that with a more than 200 per cent increase in the workload in the past year, the Branch faced key constraints, including in human and financial resources.  That trend of increased workload and diminished resources was not viable in the long term.

The representative of China said the Committee had to deal with an enormous number of applications.  Improving efficiency and quality was therefore a challenge.  Since 2009, the Committee had been implementing related Economic and Social Council resolutions and dealing with NGOs that had refused to answer questions.  It had standardized NGOs participation in the work of the United Nations.  Among the new applications, there had been a marked increase in those from NGOs from developing countries.  Because NGOs from such States faced practical difficulties, the NGO Branch should provide them with more assistance.

The observer of the European Union said civil society played an essential role in and provided important input to the work of the United Nations.  Council resolution 1996/31 had determined that conformity with the spirit and principles of the Charter was the main criteria for accreditation.  Whether one agreed or disagreed with a specific NGO was not a guideline for accreditation.  He regretted a tendency of questioning applications beyond the perimeters of the resolution.  He made several proposals to improve the Committee’s work, including a suggestion for clear benchmarking of its deliberations and setting a deadline of two years for deferring applications, after which a vote should be taken.

The representatives of Sudan, Chile and Switzerland also addressed the Committee.

The 19-member Committee, created by the Economic and Social Council in 1946, recommends to the Council general, special or roster status, in accordance with such criteria as the applicant’s mandate, governance and financial regime.  Organizations enjoying general and special status can attend meetings of the Economic and Social Council and circulate statements, while those with general status can, in addition, address meetings and propose agenda items.  Roster-status NGOs can only attend meetings.

The Committee elected by acclamation Aydan Karamanoğly of Turkey as its Chairperson and Mansour Ciss (Senegal), Margoob Saleem Butt (Pakistan), Maria Pavlova Tzotzorkova (Bulgaria) and Edgard Perez (Peru) as Vice-Chairs.  It also adopted its agenda contained in document E/C.2/2011/1 and approved its provisional schedule of work.

The 19 members of the Committee are Belgium, Bulgaria, Burundi, China, Cuba, India, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Peru, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sudan, Turkey, United States and Venezuela.

During its opening-day meetings, the Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to 24 non-governmental organizations, and roster status to one such group.  It postponed consideration of the applications of 37 non-governmental organizations.

The Committee recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to:

Amigos do Protocolo de Kyoto, a national NGO from Brazil, which wants, among other things, to mitigate the effects of climate change and international migration;

Asociación Civil ONGD Educación, Ambiente y Territorio, a national organization in Argentina, which aims, among other things, to promote human resources training in the educational system in rural areas, in particular in the north-east region of Argentina;

Association Burkinabé pour la Survie de l'Enfance, a national NGO in Burkina Faso, which wants to contribute to the development of women and children in the country;

Azerbaijan Turkey Business Association, a national NGO in Azerbaijan, dedicated to furthering investment, commerce and other economic activity, social and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as among Azerbaijan and other countries for continual regional development in the Eurasian and global market;

Azrbaycan Grinin Avro-Atlantika Tkilat, a national NGO in Azerbaijan which aims to promote civil society, raise public awareness on Euro-Atlantic values and contribute to development of democracy in Azerbaijan;

Beijing Children's Legal Aid and Research Center, a national organization based in China, which specializes in child legal aid for and research on children throughout the country and aims to promote the legal profession's engagement in child welfare;

Beijing Zhicheng Migrant Workers’ Legal Aid and Research Center, a national organization in China which wants to ensure access to justice for migrant workers by establishing a strong civil society and promoting the protection of migrant workers’ rights within the legal profession in China;

China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, a national organization in China which aims among other things to mitigate social suffering related to poverty and disasters, and to build capacity amongst citizens in poor communities;

Concern for Environmental Development and Research, a national organization in Cameroon which promotes good governance, accountability and transparency through research, strategic communication and policy advocacy;

International Administrative Science Association, an international organization in China which aims to protect humanity and human rights by effective management and scientific administration;

Leaders Organization, a national youth-led organization in Palestine which focuses on the development of the Occupied Palestinian Territory;

Livelihood NGO, a national organization in Cameroon which aims to reverse poverty through health care, agriculture, environment, education, water and sanitation with particular focus on children, women and the elderly;

Organisation Nationale des Donneurs de Sang Bénévole, a national NGO in Cameroon, focusing on the provision of safe blood transfusions;

Organização das Famílias da Ásia e do Pacífico, an international organization in China which aims to assist families in the Asia-Pacific region;

Protection de l’environnement et de l’écosystème (PEECO), a national organization in Mauritania which focuses on environmental protection, sustainable development, poverty reduction, women’s rights and micro-credit;

Rural Development Centre, a national organization in India which aims to initiate multiple developmental interventions as a tool to ensure the rights of the Dalit community;

Sucardif Association, a national organization in Ghana working to eradicate poverty by championing community participation in developmental programmes, such as community library projects and small-scale income generation programmes;

Sudanese Organization for Education Development, a national organization in Sudan which aims to raise awareness of the importance of education, especially in rural areas;

National Women’s Studies and Information Center: “Partnership for Development”, a national organization in Romania, which wants to promote gender equality through providing to the society (including NGOs, mass media, political parties, governmental institutions) tools and technologies that are necessary to build a society where gender equality is a generally accepted value;

Think Youth Independent Association, a national organization based in Cameroon which aims to contribute to the implementation of the development of local communities by promoting the unity of African cultural heritage, fighting HIV/AIDS, combating child labour and unemployment among young people, promoting gender equality and educating youth on the virtue of preserving and conserving of biodiversity;

“Umid-98” Humanitarian and Social Support Centre, a national organization based in Azerbaijan which aims, among other things, to provide professional technical assistance to formal and informal institutions to develop and upgrade their organizational and institutional capacities;

Women for Human Rights, Single Women Group, a national organization in Nepal which aims to elevate the status of the widows in terms of socio-cultural, legal and political aspects;

Istanbul Research Centre on Women, a national organization in Turkey which works to improve the status and living conditions of Turkish women according to international standards; and

Kadin Adaylari Destekleme ve Egitme Dernegi, a national organization in Turkey which aims to reach gender equal representation in both elected and appointed decision-making bodies, and to raise public awareness in this respect.

Roster status was recommended for Hellenic Research and Educational Institute “Panos Mylonas” for the Road Safety and the Prevention/Reduction of Traffic Accidents, a national organization based in Greece which aims to prevent and reduce traffic accidents by undertaking, supporting and promoting activities on issues dealing with the study, research and dissemination of information and training related to road safety.

Pending receipt of answers to delegates’ questions, the Committee postponed consideration of the applications of the following non-governmental organizations:

Abibimman Foundation — a national organization based in Ghana, aiming to enhance livelihoods in a peaceful and developed environment through cultural, formal and non-formal education, civic and health education and promotion of human rights and environmental protection.

On that application, the representative of Burundi asked for proof of registration, while the representatives of Belgium and Morocco wanted more information about the organization’s projects and its association with United Nations bodies and specialized agencies.

Action Sensibilisation sur les Nouvelles Technologies de L'Information et de la Communication — a national organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which aims to educate the population about information technology, as the representative of Burundi asked for a copy of the group’s certificate of registration and for more information on its projects.

Action des Chrétiens activistes des droits de l’homme à Shabunda — a national NGO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which focuses on the promotion of human rights, because the representative of Venezuela asked about a bank account in Rwanda and about finances provided to the organization by other NGOs.

Agence de Développement Durable de Côte d’Ivoire — an international organization based in Côte d’Ivoire which focuses on development issues, because the representative of Burundi asked in what countries the organization was active.

Agewell Foundation — a national organization based in India which works for the welfare of older persons across India.  The representative of Pakistan, noting that most of the NGOs officers were retired civil servants, asked how the organization maintained its independence for the Government.  He also asked questions regarding the NGO’s finances.

Aid the Children Network — a national Gambian organization consisting of individuals and organizations concerned with child protection who want to ensure to ensure a democratic society free from child abuse, neglect and exploitation.  Senegal’s representative wanted clarification about the correct legal name and the representatives of Morocco and Venezuela asked questions about the NGO’s finances.  Further, the representative of Burundi asked about its association with other NGOs.

Association pour le Développement Durable — a national organization based in Mauritius, which aims to address environmental issues that influence the socio-economic development of the Mauritius and its exclusive economic zone, as the representative of Burundi asked about the NGO’s affiliates.

Autonomous Women’s Center — a national organization based in Serbia which wants to empower women in overcoming trauma caused by domestic violence, partnership violence and/or sexual violence (male violence against women), as Pakistan’s representative asked why lesbians figured in the category of women that were discriminated against.  After all, the United Nations did not recognize lesbians as a discriminated group.  The representatives of Morocco and the Russian Federation wondered if the NGO had existed for more than two years, which was one of the requirements under resolution 1996/31.  The Committee was informed that the NGO was registered in 1997.

During the ensuing discussion, the representative of Serbia, an observer to the Committee, expressed support for the application Autonomous Women’s Center, highlighting the organization’s activities and its cooperation with national and international NGOs, as well as with Government agencies, in combating sexual violence against women.

Belgium’s delegate said Committee members did not share the same views on sexual orientation.  But Pakistan must recognize that NGOs did work that was “ahead” of that being done by States.  It was not important to get into the “nitty gritty” of a definition of certain terms; rather, it was important to know whether the organization met the criteria outlined in the resolution.

Israel’s representative, expressing support for the application, recalled the Secretary-General’s remarks at the Human Rights Council, in which he had stressed that persecution because of sexual orientation or identity should be rejected.  Bulgaria’s representative also expressed support for recommending consultative status.

The observer of the European Union said that Pakistan’s assumption that if an NGO was working against a category of discrimination not recognized by the United Nations, its work contradicted the principles of resolution 1996/31 was an inadmissible one.  Forwarding a question in that regard to the NGO might suggest that the Committee shared that assumption.

In a short statement, the representative of the United States expressed support for consultative status.  The representative of Sudan also made a brief statement, and Burundi’s delegate said that the question should be sent to the Autonomous Women’s Center for answers, as it was not up to Committee members and other delegations to respond to those questions.

Following that discussion, the Committee continued its work, postponing the applications of the following non-governmental organizations:

Batool Welfare Trust — a national NGO in Pakistan which promotes self-determination, especially of economically poor women and children.  The representative of Pakistan posed questions about the group’s sources of income, specifically whether income was generated by business activity.

Cercle d'initiative commune pour la recherche, l'environnement et la qualité — a national organization in Cameroon which wants to promote the development of indigenous people, as the representative of Burundi asked whether the organization wanted to represent just indigenous people or the people of Cameroon as a whole.

The Children's Human Rights Centre of Albania — a national organization in Albania which works to promote the respect of children and youth rights, to protect children and young people from violence, abuse and exploitation, to develop children rights and to increase child participation at national and local level, as Venezuela’s delegate asked for information regarding the NGO’s finances.

Ensemble luttons contre le Sida — a national organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which focuses on HIV/AIDS and sexual violence against women in post-conflict areas, as Burundi’s representative asked about the organization’s affiliations with other NGOs that already had consultative status.

Environment Support Group — a national NGO in India which focuses on the promotion of environmental and social justice.  Pakistan’s representative asked about income generated through contracts and about the organization’s membership.

Gibh Varta Manch — a national organization in India which wants to enable society to uplift itself in a positive manner, as Pakistan’s representative posed questions about the organization’s aims and finances.

Global Conscience Initiative — a national organization in Cameroon which promotes a culture of peace, human rights, democracy, social justice and the rule of law, as Venezuela’s representatives asked about the organization’s programmes regarding freedom of expression and elections in Cameroon and about its media watch project.

Global Economist Forum — an international organization in Bangladesh which aims to formulate policies for economic development, as the representative of Venezuela asked about the nature of the organization — was it non-profit or private company? — and Burundi’s representative wanted to know in which countries the organization was active.

FOCO Foro Ciudadano de Participación por la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos — a national NGO in Argentina which wants to function as an umbrella organization for NGOs that promote citizen participation in the development of public policies so that they serve the interests and well-being of local populations.  Burundi’s representative asked how, given its Government funding, the group maintained its independence, while Senegal’s representative asked about a name change in the certificate of registration.

Life Academy of Vocational Studies — a national organization in India which aims to promote the welfare and advancement of the weaker sections of society, including women, children and the tribal people in Orissa, as Pakistan’s representative asked about the NGO’s independence, given its funding by the Government and its work on governmental anti-poverty programmes.

National Council of Child Rights Advocates, Nigeria: South-West Zone — a national organization with as primary aim to protect the rights of child in Nigeria, as Burundi’s representative had questions about the organization’s budget deficit.

National Rural Development Society — a national organization in India which focuses on development of rural villages, among other things through transfer of technology, as Pakistan’s representative posed questions about the organization’s finances.

Niger Delta Women’s Movement for Peace and Development — a national organization in Nigeria, which wants to promote enduring peace in the Niger delta focusing on women’s empowerment, conflict mediation, peacebuilding, gender and climate change issues, girl-child education, ecological imperatives and HIV/AIDS prevention, among other things.  The representative of Burundi asked about the NGO’s achievements and membership, while Venezuela’s representative requested more information about its affiliation with other groups and networks, specifically regarding small arms.

Rural Community Development Program — a national organization in Pakistan, which works for the development of the Kalash area while harnessing the Kalash distinct cultural heritage, as Pakistan’s representative asked about funding by the private sector.

SOS Education — a national organization in Côte d’Ivoire which aims to promote education as a tool for integration, peace, stability and economic and social development, as Venezuela’s delegate asked about the organization’s future activities.

STEER Foundation — a national organization in India which aims to help eradicate poverty through social and sustainable development, education, environmental development, research, women’s empowerment, human rights and globalization, as Pakistan’s delegate asked how plans to include a university of foreign languages would contribute to work done at the national level.

Self-Help Development Facilitators — an international NGO headquartered in Nigeria which focuses on skills enhancement and civic empowerment in two broad areas, good governance and poverty reduction, as Burundi’s delegates asked about activities in countries outside Nigeria, and Morocco’s representative had questions about earned profits.

Trust for Sustainable Livelihoods — a national organization in Trinidad and Tobago which aims to promote sustainable management of natural resources in the context of improved livelihoods for Caribbean communities, as Venezuela’s representative asked why the NGO was registered as a private company.

Udyama — a national organization in India, which aims to strengthen and build capacities of local communities with a view to enhancing adaptation to vulnerability and changing the culture of dependency to a culture of self-reliance, as Pakistan’s delegate asked for more clarifications on the ideas of the organization.

Univers de Solidarité et de Développement — a national organization in Togo which wants to combat poverty, among other things through agro-pastoral development, education, combating HIV/AIDS and providing assistance to vulnerable populations, as Burundi’s delegate asked about the Government’s role in the organization.

Western Cape Therapeutic Community Centre — a national organization in South Africa which provides quality care to communities in the area of substance abuse, as Venezuela’s delegate asked about the organization’s finances and in which countries it was active.

Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center — a national organization in Nigeria which promotes education and gender equality and wants to contribute positively to the advancement of the legal system in Nigeria, as Venezuela’s delegate asked about projects undertaken with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Christian Aid Net, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other organizations, and how it allocated money to projects.

Young People We Care — an international organization headquartered in Ghana working on youth- and development-related issues worldwide, as Burundi’s representative asked for more details on the organization’s national recognition.

Youth Empowerment Synergy — a national organization in Ghana which brings together innovative and energetic groups with relevant stakeholders to lay the foundation for promoting a sustainable and productive future for young people in Ghana, as Morocco’s delegate asked for verification of certificates of registration and India’s representative asked about the organization’s structure and finances.

A Better Life Foundation — an international organization based in Switzerland, which wants to relieve the suffering of some of the world’s most vulnerable people, particularly persons with a disability, by improving their quality of life, safeguarding their rights and helping them to become self-sufficient, because Venezuela’s delegate asked about clarification of the organization’s aims.  Cuba’s delegate asked how cooperation took place among its different offices, while Burundi’s representative asked of more information on its certification, its projects and its independence.  Switzerland’s delegate said the NGO’s aim was to improve the lives of the poorest.  Its income came from the private sector as well as from Governments.

British Columbia Civil Liberties Association — a national NGO in Canada which aims to preserve, defend, maintain and extend civil liberties and human rights in British Columbia and across Canada.  Burundi’s delegate asked how the NGO preserved its independence given the resources coming from the Government while the representatives of Venezuela and India asked additional questions.

Crowley Children's Fund — a national organization based in the United States which aims to enhance the education, nutrition and overall health of the global community.  China’s delegate asked for details about the group’s projects in China, while Burundi’s delegate asked about the organization’s national or international status.

Human Rights Law Resource Centre — a national organization based in Australia which promotes and protects human rights in that country, as Pakistan’s and India’s delegate asked whether it was a non-profit or a for-profit organization and Burundi’s delegate asked about the organization’s budget deficit.  Venezuela’s delegate asked for details on its international activities.

Mental Health Initiative for Africans in Crisis — an international organization with headquarters in the United States which provides emergency and long-term mental and psychosocial health care to individuals in developing nations facing natural or manmade crises such as war, conflicts, torture and neglects of the vulnerable, especially children and women, as Burundi’s delegate asked whether the NGO only focused on Africans.  Belgium’s delegate remarked that that question was answered by the very name of the organization.

The Committee also held an interactive question and answer period, in which two organizations replied to queries and discussed the overall objectives of their respective groups.

The first to take the floor was a representative of the Agewell Foundation, discussed earlier in the day, who said his organization worked for the welfare of older persons in India.  Its administrative expenses represented the costs of communications with its huge 75,000 member volunteer network.  It had no other costs.  Moreover, the organization did not receive any Government funding.  Retired Government employees on its board “are purely retired people”.  They had nothing to do with Government.

Next, a representative of the Asociación Nacional de Empresarios de Colombia responded to a question about the contribution it could make to the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies, saying his organization promoted human rights through addressing guidelines of the Special Representative on Business and Human Rights.  It also had carried out informal work with the United Nations and the goal was to receive formal status to contribute even more.

He said the group had been established 67 years ago because of a need to establish general wealth and to combat poverty.  Among other things, it addressed labour and child labour, which might not have been previously addressed by entrepreneurial NGOs.  It sought to give back to the community on the part of the private sector.  It also sought to promote International Labour Organization (ILO) best practices, especially related to dignified work, and was part of the Global Compact.  Its budget came from the companies affiliated with the organization.

The Committee will meet again tomorrow, 1 February, at 10 a.m. to continue consideration of new and deferred applications.

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For information media • not an official record