| United Nations | E/1996/2 |
Economic and Social Council
Distr. GENERAL
17 January 1996
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
Organizational session for 1996
25 January and 6-9 February 1996
Item 2 of the provisional agenda
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
Provisional agenda
1. Election of the Bureau.
2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.
3. Basic programme of work of the Council.
4.Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on Human Immunodeficiency
Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).
5.Increase in the membership of the Executive Committee of the Programme of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
6.Transformation of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes into
the Executive Board of the World Food Programme.
7. Regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields.
8. Elections, nominations and confirmations.
Annotations
Item 1. Election of the Bureau
1. Rule 18 of the rules of procedure of the Council provides that each
year at the commencement of its first meeting, the Council shall elect a
President and four Vice-Presidents from among the representatives of its
members. The membership of the Council in 1996 is given in the annex
below. According to the
rotation of the office of President among the regional groups, the
President for 1996 should be the representative of a member of the African
States group. The four Vice-Presidents of the Council shall be elected on
the basis of equitable geographical distribution from the other four
regional groups.
2. The President and the Vice-Presidents shall constitute the Bureau. The
Council, upon the recommendation of the President, shall decide on the
special responsibilities of each Vice-President.
3. Pursuant to Council resolution 1988/77, a meeting of the Council will
be held on 25 January 1996 for the election of the Bureau.
Item 2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters
4. Rule 13 of the rules of procedure of the Council provides that, at the
beginning of each session, after the selection of the Bureau when required
under rule 18, the Council shall adopt the agenda for the session.
5. The attention of the Council is drawn to annex II of General Assembly
resolution 48/162, in particular section D, which sets out the agenda for
the substantive session of the Council. The present provisional agenda has
been prepared in conformity with the indications therein and with other
relevant legislative decisions.
World Decade for Cultural Development
6. In a letter dated 9 August 1995 addressed to the Secretary-General of
the United Nations (E/1996/6), the Director-General of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proposed that
the next biennial progress report of the Secretary-General of the United
Nations and the Director-General of UNESCO on the implementation of the
goals and objectives of the World Decade for Cultural Development be
prepared for consideration by the General Assembly at its fifty-second
session through the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session
of 1997, instead of at the fifty-first session of the Assembly, as
recommended by the Assembly in its resolution 49/105. The Council may wish
to consider this proposal at its organizational session for 1996.
Documentation
Letter dated 9 August 1995 from the Director-General of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to the Secretary-General
(E/1996/6)
Item 3. Basic programme of work of the Council
7. In accordance with rule 8 of the rules of procedure of the Council, the
Council shall draw up, at its organizational session, with the assistance
of the Secretary-General, its basic programme of work.
8. The Council will have before it the proposed basic programme of work
of the Council for 1996 and 1997 prepared by the Secretariat in accordance
with the relevant decisions of the Council and of the General Assembly.
9. Pursuant to Council resolution 1988/77 on the revitalization of the
Council, the President, prior to the organizational session, and with the
cooperation of the other members of the Bureau, will arrange for
consultations with members of the Council on the draft programme of work
and provisional agenda prepared by the Secretary-General and make proposals
thereon for consideration by the Council.
Themes for the working-level meetings of the operational activities of the
United Nations for international development cooperation segment of the
substantive session of 1996 of the Council
10. In its resolution 1995/50 of 28 July 1995, the Council decided that in
1996 the high-level meeting of the operational activities segment should
focus on strengthening collaboration between the United Nations development
system and the Bretton Woods institutions in the areas of social and
economic development, at all levels, including the field level. It also
decided on the themes for the working-level meetings of that segment and
further decided to review those themes at its organizational session for
1996, in the light of the discussion on the triennial policy review at the
fiftieth session of the General Assembly. In its resolution 50/120 of 20
December 1995, entitled "Triennial policy review of operational activities
for development of the United Nations system", the Assembly took note of
Council resolution 1995/50.
Coordination segment of the substantive session of 1996 of the Council
11. In its decision 1995/321 of 12 December 1995, the Council decided that
the coordination segment of its substantive session of 1996 should be
devoted to consideration of the following theme: Coordination of the
activities of the United Nations system for the eradication of poverty, and
that consideration of the theme should focus on the following three areas:
(a) coordination of United Nations support for and availability of
resources to the United Nations system for facilitating national poverty
eradication plans and programmes as well as the provision of basic social
services, particularly at the field level; (b) coordination of United
Nations efforts to ensure that all its activities for poverty eradication
take fully into account the gender perspective; and (c) ways of monitoring
the performance of the United Nations in the field of poverty eradication,
in the context of the harmonization of the multi-year programmes of work of
the functional commissions of the Council, in accordance with the
thirteenth paragraph of agreed conclusions 1995/1 (see A/50/3, chap. III,
para. 22). It also decided to decide at its organizational session for
1996 on the allocation of a number of meetings, within the general segment
of its substantive session of 1996 to determine how, to ensure
harmonization and coordination of the agendas and multi-year programmes of
work of its functional commissions.
12. Furthermore, in a note by the Secretary-General (E/1995/129),
submitted to the Council at its resumed substantive session of 1995, it was
suggested that "gender equality, equity and empowerment of women" could be
selected as the common theme for the 1996 coordination segment of the
Council. It is therefore suggested that this theme could be selected by
the Council as the second theme of its 1996 coordination segment.
Documentation
Proposed basic programme of work of the Council for 1996 and 1997 (E/1996/1
and Add.1)
Proposals by the Bureau of the Council on the proposed basic programme of
work of the Council for 1996 and 1997
Item 4.Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on Human
Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS)
13. In its resolution 1995/2 of 3 July 1995, the Council endorsed the
arrangements outlined in section VI (Governance and management) of the
report of the Committee of Co-sponsoring Organizations of the Joint and Co-
sponsored United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (see document E/1995/71) and
requested the Executive Director of the Programme to report on the status
of implementation of the programme, through the Programme Coordination
Board, to the Council early in 1996. In paragraph 3 of the annex to that
resolution, it had also been recommended that the Council should review the
Programme at its organizational session for 1996.
Documentation
Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Executive
Director of the Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
Item 5.Increase in the membership of the Executive Committee of the
Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
14. The Council will have before it a letter dated 23 November 1995 from
the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland to the Secretary-General
(E/1996/5) tendering the formal application of the Government of Ireland
for admission to the membership of the Executive Committee of the Programme
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The Council will be
called upon to recommend to the General Assembly that it increase the
membership of the Executive Committee from 50 to 51 members.
Documentation
Letter dated 23 November 1995 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Ireland to the Secretary-General (E/1996/5)
Item 6.Transformation of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes
into the Executive Board of the World Food Programme
15. In its resolution 50/8 of 1 November 1995, the General Assembly
decided that the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes of the World
Food Programme (WFP) should be reconstituted as the Executive Board of WFP,
and also decided to approve the revised General Regulations of WFP. The
Council will have for its consideration a note by the Secretary-General
(E/1995/131) to which is annexed a letter dated 18 December 1995 addressed
to him from the Executive Director of WFP. The Council will also have
before it a note by the SecretaryGeneral on the transformation of the
Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes into the Executive Board of
WFP (E/1995/131/Add.1), containing in its annex I the report of the Formal
Working Group of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes on
resource options and long-term financing of WFP, and in its annex II the
section of the report of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes
at its fortieth session in which the report of the Formal Working Group was
discussed.
Documentation
Note by the Secretary-General on the transformation of the Committee on
Food Aid Policies and Programmes into the Executive Board of the World Food
Programme (E/1995/131 and Add.1)
Item 7. Regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields
16. At its second regular session of 1982, the Council decided to
identify, at its annual organizational session, a subject related to
interregional cooperation, of common interest to all regions, for detailed
consideration under the agenda item on regional cooperation. The Council
will have to decide on the subject to be selected so that a section on
interregional cooperation dealing with the topic selected can be included
in the report of the Secretary-General on regional cooperation.
Item 8. Elections, nominations and confirmations
Postponed elections
17. The Council is called upon to hold elections and nominations,
postponed from previous sessions, to the following bodies:
Commission on Human Settlements
From African States: one member for a term beginning on the date of
election and expiring on 31 December 1999;
From Asian States: two members for a term beginning on the date of
election and expiring on 31 December 1999.
Statistical Commission
From Latin American and Caribbean States: one member for a term
beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 1999.
Commission on Science and Technology for Development
From Western European and other States: two members for a term beginning
on the date of election.
Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for
Development
From African States: three members for a term beginning on the date of
election.
Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of
Accounting and Reporting
From African States: one member for a term beginning on the date of
election and expiring on 31 December 1997;
From Latin American and Caribbean States: two members for a term
beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 1997 and one
member for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31
December 1996.
Executive Board of the World Food Programme (E/1996/8)
From list A 1/ (African States): two members for a term beginning on the
date of election;
From list C 1/ (Latin American and Caribbean States): one member for a
term beginning on the date of election.
Commission on Population and Development (E/1996/9)
From African States: five members;
From African States: six members;
From Eastern European States: two members;
From Latin American and Caribbean States: four members;
From Western European and other States: three members.
Postponed nominations
World Food Council
18. The nomination of nine members was postponed. The Council will
therefore be called upon to nominate nine members for election by the
General Assembly at its fiftieth session, as follows:
From Latin American and Caribbean States: two members for a term
beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 1998;
1/ Lists A and C are reproduced in document E/1995/L.11, annex II.
From Western European and other States: three members for a term
beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 1998, two
members for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31
December 1997 and one member for a term beginning on the date of election
and expiring on 31 December 1996;
From Eastern European States: one member for a term beginning on the
date of election and expiring on 31 December 1996.
Confirmations
19. The Secretary-General will submit for confirmation by the Council the
names of persons nominated to serve as representatives on the functional
commissions of the Council since the close of the organizational session
for 1995.
Annex
MEMBERS OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL FOR 1996
Term expires on
31 December
Argentina ......................................................1998
Australia ......................................................1997
Bangladesh .....................................................1998
Belarus ........................................................1997
Brazil .........................................................1997
Bulgaria .......................................................1996
Canada .........................................................1998
Central African Republic .......................................1998
Chile ..........................................................1996
China ..........................................................1998
Colombia .......................................................1997
Congo ..........................................................1997
Costa Rica .....................................................1996
Cote d'Ivoire ..................................................1997
Czech Republic .................................................1998
Egypt ..........................................................1996
Finland ........................................................1998
France .........................................................1996
Gabon ..........................................................1998
Germany ........................................................1996
Ghana ..........................................................1996
Greece .........................................................1996
Guyana .........................................................1998
India ..........................................................1997
Indonesia ......................................................1996
Ireland ........................................................1996
Jamaica ........................................................1997
Japan ..........................................................1996
Jordan .........................................................1998
Lebanon ........................................................1998
Luxembourg .....................................................1997
Malaysia .......................................................1997
Netherlands ....................................................1997
Nicaragua ......................................................1998
Pakistan .......................................................1996
Paraguay .......................................................1996
Philippines ....................................................1997
Poland .........................................................1997
Portugal .......................................................1996
Romania ........................................................1998
Russian Federation .............................................1998
Senegal ........................................................1996
South Africa ...................................................1997
Sudan ..........................................................1997
Term expires on
31 December
Sweden .........................................................1998
Thailand .......................................................1997
Togo ...........................................................1998
Tunisia ........................................................1998
Uganda .........................................................1997
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ...........1998
United Republic of Tanzania ....................................1996
United States of America .......................................1997
Venezuela ......................................................1996
Zimbabwe .......................................................1996
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