Economic and Social Council

2013 Organizational Session

11^th Meeting (AM)

Economic and Social Council President Announces Appointments to Indigenous Forum;

Members Advance Plans for Annual Substantive Session, Hear Briefing on ‘CEB’

 

Meeting briefly in a resumed organizational session today, the Economic and Social Council this morning adopted its theme for an upcoming event on transition from relief to development, considered outstanding vacancies on two of its subsidiary bodies, and heard a briefing on the work of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination.

Also today, the Council President announced his appointments of eight experts — another eight are elected by Council members — to serve on the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, for a three-year term of office.

In the first order of business, the Council adopted a draft decision (document E/2013/L.5) on a theme for an informal event, to be held on 15 July during its annual substantive session:  “Supporting national priorities in a process of transition from relief to development:  United Nations delivering as one”. By the text, it also decided that the event would consist of one panel discussion, and that there would be no negotiated outcome.

Turning to vacant seats on the Committee for Programme and Coordination, the Council nominated the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States for election by the General Assembly for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2014.

In the absence of any other candidates for election to that Committee, the Council decided to postpone election for five outstanding vacancies, as follows:  two members from Western European and Other States, beginning on the date of election by the Assembly and expiring on 31 December 2014; one from Western European and Other States for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2015; and one member from African States and one member from Asia-Pacific States for three-year terms beginning on 1 January 2014.

Noting that eight members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues are appointed by the Council President and eight are elected by its members, Néstor Osorio (Colombia) announced his selection of the following experts for three-year terms beginning on 1 January 2014:  Mariam Wallet Med Aboubakrine (Burkina Faso); Raja Devashish Roy (Bangladesh); Joan Carling (Philippines); Dalee Sambo Dorough (United States); Maria Eugenia Choque Quispe (Bolivia); Kara-Kys Arakchaa (Russian Federation); Edward John (Canada); and Valmaine Toki (New Zealand).

Next, the Secretary of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), Thomas Stelzer, described that body’s key activities and those of its subsidiary mechanisms, as reported at the Board’s first regular session for 2013, held in Madrid, and outlined the work of the spring 2013 sessions of the High-Level Committee on Programmes and the High-Level Committee on Management, as well as of the United Nations Development Group.  The Board, he noted, was actively engaged in enhancing United Nations system coherence and coordination in support of reaching a common understanding on a post-2015 development agenda.

In the context of accelerating progress towards achieving the internationally agreed development goals, he said that the Committee on Programmes had continued its work on specific issues with system-wide implications and was actively addressing the mainstreaming of the rule of law in the activities of the wider United Nations system, as well as supporting the development of a system-wide plan of action.  Among other efforts, it had assisted in the preparation of a set of system-wide recommendations and outcomes for the upcoming General Assembly high-level dialogue on migration to be held in October.  It would remain engaged in operationalizing the United Nations Plan of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience, on cybersecurity and cybercrime, and on issues of concern to least developed countries.

Briefly describing the Strategic Plan of the High-Level Committee on Management for 2013-2016, he noted that among its priorities was to consider ways to attract and retain civil service talent; redesign and innovate United Nations business models; support the second-generation of “Delivering as One”; strengthen risk management and oversight architecture; and measure and communicate results.  Concerning operational issues, he noted that the Quadrennial Comprehensive Period Review was guiding the Board’s work.  The United Nations Development Group work plan for 2013-2016 was fully aligned with the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review, he said, noting that the Group’s efforts sought to facilitate a “step change” in the quality and impact of United Nations support on the ground.

The representatives of the United States, Russian Federation, Albania, Sri Lanka and Cameroon participated in an exchange with Mr. Stelzer.

The 54-member Council is the principal organ for the socioeconomic and related work of the United Nations.  Its subsidiary bodies include 14 specialized agencies, nine functional commissions, five regional commissions, standing committees, and expert and related bodies.  The Council also receives reports from 11 of the Organization’s funds and programmes, serving as the central forum for economic and social issues and as a policy adviser to States and to the United Nations system.

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For information media • not an official record