Economic and Social Council Fills Vacancies in 8 Subsidiary Bodies, Appoints 1 Member to Committee of Experts on Public Administration

The Economic and Social Council met this morning to fill regular and outstanding vacancies in nine of its subsidiary bodies.

Filling vacancies on the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) with candidates from among its top 10 contributing countries, the Council elected the following countries by acclamation:  Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States.  Each will serve for three years, beginning on 1 January 2017 and ending on 31 December 2019.

Council Vice-President Marie Chatardova (Czech Republic) then proposed postponing until 19 December the election to fill two seats reserved for contributing countries that were not members of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).  She explained that a postponement would give delegates more time to consult on the matter in light of recent developments.

However, Algeria’s representative requested a secret ballot, whereupon the Council elected Chile and Israel to the Executive Board.

For the International Narcotics Control Board, the Council elected by secret ballot Raul Martin del Campo Sanchez of Mexico, effective immediately until 1 March 2017, to fill the remainder of the term of Alejandro Mohar Betancourt, also of Mexico.  Mr. Sanchez was also elected to continue in his new position for a five-year term beginning on 2 March 2017 and ending on 1 March 2022.

For the Committee for Experts on Public Administration, the Council appointed Ma Hezu of China to serve in his personal capacity, in replacement of his countryman, Dai Xiaochu.  Nominated by the Secretary-General, his appointment takes effect immediately and he will serve until 31 December 2017.

For the Commission on Population and Development, the Council elected by acclamation France and Romania, each for a four-year term, beginning at the first meeting of the Commission’s fifty-first session in 2017 and expiring at the close of its fifty-fourth session in 2021.  The elections of two members from the Asia-Pacific States and three from Western European and Other States were postponed.

Filling an outstanding vacancy of a member from the Latin American and Caribbean States in the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, the Council elected Chile for a term beginning on 1 January 2017 and expiring on 31 December 2020.  The election of three outstanding vacancies, including one member each from the African States, Latin American and Caribbean States, and Western European and Other States, were postponed.

The Council also elected Egypt and Spain to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP) for a three-year term, beginning on 11 January 2017 and ending on 31 December 2019.

To fill an outstanding vacancy on the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the Council elected Germany for a term beginning on 1 January 2017 and ending on 31 December 2019.  Also in connection with the Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS, Council Vice-President Chatardova said that Canada would resign its seat on the Board effective 31 December 2016.  To assume the resigned seat, Australia was elected for a term beginning on 1 January 2017 and ending on 31 December 2017.

For the Governing Council of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the Council elected Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Mauritius, Norway, Republic of Korea and Sri Lanka each for a four-year term beginning on 1 January 2017 and ending on 31 December 2020.  Action to fill 10 outstanding vacancies, including one member each from the Asia-Pacific States and Latin American and Caribbean States, and eight from the Western European and Other States, was postponed.

The Council elected Argentina, Estonia, Nigeria, Republic of Korea and South Africa to the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission each for a two-year term beginning on 1 January 2017 and ending on 31 December 2018.

Also today, the representative of Uganda requested that a moment of silence be held for Sana Maboneza, the First Counsellor of Rwanda, who had died in very tragic circumstances.

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