| United Nations | A/53/137 |
General Assembly
Distr. GENERAL
10 June 1998
ORIGINAL:
A/53/137 - E/1998/66
Original: English
General Assembly
Fifty-third session
Item 61 of the preliminary list*
Restructuring and revitalization of the
United Nations in the economic, social
and related fields
* A/53/50.
Economic and Social Council
Substantive session of 1998
Item 8 of the provisional agenda**
Implementation of General Assembly
resolutions 50/227 and 52/12 B
** E/1998/100.
Restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the
economic, social and related fields
Report of the Secretary-General
Contents
Paragraphs Page
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 2
II. Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2
III. Progress in the implementation of General
Assembly resolution 50/227 . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4
IV. Executive Boards of the United Nations
Development Programme/United Nations Population
Fund, the United Nations Children's Fund and
the World Food Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 16
I. Introduction
1. The present report responds to Economic and Social Council
decision 1997/322, in which the Council decided to continue its consideration
of the agenda item on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 50/227
and requested the Secretary-General to submit a report on the question to the
Council for consideration at its substantive session of 1998. The mandate,
given by the Assembly in its resolution 45/264, for an annual report of the
Secretary-General on restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations
in the economic, social and related fields is also covered in this report.
2. In section I of the report a number of recommendations are made
for consideration by the Council with respect to the further implementation of
the various provisions of Assembly resolution 50/227. Section II provides
information on efforts made by the Assembly and the Council in implementing
relevant provisions of the resolution and, where appropriate, also with
respect to the provisions contained in General Assembly resolution
52/12 B. The status of implementation of resolution 50/227 is provided in two
columns; the left-hand column contains paragraphs of resolution 50/227 that
call for action; the right-hand column presents the status of follow-up
corresponding to each action-oriented paragraph. The paragraphs of resolution
50/227 that specifically address the Executive Boards of the United Nations
Development Programme/United Nations Population Fund (UNDP/UNFPA), the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) (paras.
76-78) are treated in section IV in order to provide the Council with a clear
comparison between the executive boards in their implementation of those
paragraphs, which primarily concern their working methods.
3. Some of the provisions of Assembly resolution 50/227 were
addressed to the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on an Agenda for Development
and the Open-ended High-level Working Group on the Strengthening of the United
Nations System. Both working groups completed their work, which culminated in
the adoption by the Assembly of resolutions 51/240 and 51/241, respectively.
The report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Assembly
resolution 51/241 (A/52/855) was submitted to the Assembly in May 1998.
II. Recommendations
4. The recommendations set out below are intended to promote further
implementation of Assembly resolution 50/227. They concern (a) the General
Assembly; (b) documentation; (c) the Economic and Social Council; (d)
inter-agency coordination; and (e) the relationship between the United Nations
and the international finance and trade institutions. Following each
recommendation, the corresponding paragraph number from resolution 50/227,
annex I, on which the proposed recommendation is based, is provided in
parentheses where applicable.
[BOLD] Recommendations:
(a) General Assembly
(i) Informal sessions should continue in the form of an open
interactive dialogue, including with civil society (para. 19).
(ii) Ways of strengthening cooperation between the Second and
Third Committees should continue to be explored, including the
possibility of joint consideration of common issues such as
poverty, women and development, and the right to development. The
bureaux of the Second and Third Committees could draw lessons from
the experiences of the two bureaux of the fifty-second
session (para. 21).
(iii) Texts of resolutions could be further streamlined and made
more focused, concrete and operational. Submission of omnibus
draft resolutions could be encouraged. Another way of making
decisions more concrete and operational would be to relate the
type of outcome to the kind of mandate it generates, e.g.,
work programme for the secretariat, policy guidance to the United
Nations system, recommendations to Governments, and so forth
(para. 24).
(iv) To ensure that the formal debates have value added and do
not overlap and repeat debates elsewhere in the system, a few
areas of focus could be identified under various agenda items or a
few items could be identified for strategic focus in the debates
instead of having a formal debate on each item on the agenda,
without excluding the possibility of submitting resolutions under
the other agenda items (para. 27).
(b) Documentation and related matters
(v) The possibility of consolidating some of the reports that
are requested every year should continue to be examined. The
Second Committee has initiated the practice of reviewing, at the
end of its session, all requests for reports. Such a practice
could be more systematically applied to consolidating all
decisions taken by an intergovernmental body with a view to
providing integrated guidance for the work programme of the
Secretariat and leading to consolidated documentation for
intergovernmental consideration (para. 34).
(vi) Decisions could be made on the recommendations on
the simplification of existing reporting requirements made by the
Secretary-General in his reports (A/50/697 and Corr.1, sect. F,
and A/51/501, sect. C), taking into account the reports that will
be required for the follow-up to United Nations conferences
(para. 35).
(c) Economic and Social Council
(vii) The Economic and Social Council may wish to build
on the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations
in paragraph 39 of annex I to Assembly resolution 50/227 regarding
periodic meetings with the bureaux and the secretariats of the
functional commissions, other subsidiary and related bodies and
the relevant executive boards. The Council may also wish to
consider how further progress can be made, taking into account
the Secretary-General's reform proposals (A/51/950, para. 134),
concerning the Council's organization and methods of work,
including the idea of holding its various segments at
different pre-established periods during the year,
without affecting the total duration of the meetings held by the
Council in any given year, and the idea of extending the duration
of the operational activities segment.
(viii) As proposed in the report of the Secretary-General on the
follow-up to conferences (E/1998/19), the Council may wish to
encourage all functional commissions to consider including in
their agenda a standing item on follow-up to the agreed
conclusions of the Council to ensure that the agreed conclusions
of the high-level and coordination segments are followed up
systematically by the United Nations system (para. 44).
(ix) It may be possible to further streamline and regroup the
agenda items in the general segment with the aim of making the
council's review of the work of its functional commissions more in
line with its managerial and oversight functions and with the
objectives of Assembly resolution 50/227. Such an effort
would need to take into account the outcome of the Council's
review of its subsidiary bodies. Consideration could also be given
to the possibility of having a standing item on the council's
agenda on the review of the work of the functional commissions,
under which the Council could carry out its responsibility of
harmonizing and coordinating their work programmes (paras. 66-67).
(d) Inter-agency coordination
(x) The Council could give consideration to further steps that
could be taken to implement the provisions of Assembly resolution
51/240 (the Agenda for Development) regarding inter-agency
coordination with a view to (a) engaging the specialized agencies
and United Nations funds and programmes in a focused dialogue with
the Council to identify ways and means of reflecting the policies
and priorities agreed to by the General Assembly in their
activities and enhancing coherence and complementarity of efforts
of all bodies, taking into account the role of the funds and
programmes; ways could also be identified to include the
intergovernmental bodies of the agencies in such a
dialogue; and (b) improving the effectiveness and efficiency of
the Council's activities by enhancing the availability of all
relevant information and analyses on system-wide issues from the
specialized agencies, including the provision of reports and
studies to the Assembly through the Council, in accordance with
the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
(e) Relationship between the United Nations and international
finance and trade institutions
(xi) The General Assembly and the respective governing bodies of
the Bretton Woods institutions, based on the conclusions of the
joint exploratory review, 1/ could consider further concrete areas
and forms of collaboration in the field of development-related
activities. The Council may wish to consider appropriate
steps to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and the
Bretton Woods institutions in the light of the review (paras.
86-87).
(xii) The Council may wish to review the format and modalities of
future meetings of the high-level special meeting proximate to the
semi-annual meetings of the Bretton Woods institutions, based on
the experience of the first meeting (para. 88). [unbold]
III. Progress in the implementation of General Assembly
resolution 50/227
5. The present section contains information on the status of the
implementation of General Assembly resolution 50/227. The dual column layout
has been provided for ease of reference. It should be noted that the left-hand
column does not necessarily follow the relevant paragraphs of annex I to
resolution 50/227 sequentially. Where deemed appropriate, paragraphs that were
seen as addressing similar issues have been grouped together in order to
provide the Council with a clearer picture of the status of implementation on
related matters. Furthermore, the paragraphs on primarily working
methods, addressed to the executive boards of the funds and programmes, are
treated separately in section IV.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Provisions of General Assembly Implementation
resolution 50/227, annex I
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Funding of operational activities for development of the United
Nations system
... all aspects of funding of United Pursuant to General Assembly
Nations operational activities ... resolutions 50/227, 52/12 B and 52/203,
should be examined by the General the executive boards of United
Assembly and the Economic and Nations funds and programmes have
Social Council in accordance with been reviewing their current funding
their respective mandates (para. 9). arrangements and have developed
proposals to halt the decline of their
... the Economic and Social Council core and non-core resources. The
should consider, on an annual basis report of the Secretary-General on the
in the operational activities 1998 triennial comprehensive policy
segment, the overall financial review of the operational activities
picture of the funds and programmes for development of the United Nations
... and make recommendations system (E/1998/48) covers the recent
thereon to the General consideration of the subject of core
Assembly and the funds and and non-core funding by the executive
programmes (para. 11). boards of the funds and programmes.
It will be recalled that the
The governing bodies of each programme Secretary-General, in his report to
and fund ... shall adopt ... a the Council at its substantive session
specific and realistic target for of 1997 (E/1997/65/Add.1) and his
core resources ... in accordance with report to the General Assembly
relevant decisions taken by the (A/52/431), updating the report to the
Assembly and the Council, the Council, provided detailed information
governing bodies of each programme on this issue. Furthermore, in response
and fund shall take decisions on to Assembly resolution 52/12 B, the
their own funding arrangements issue was discussed more extensively
(para. 12). in a note by the Secretary-General
(A/52/847), addressing current funding
arrangements and the action taken by
the executive boards of funds
and programmes.
II. General Assembly
The Open-ended High-level Working The use of innovative mechanisms
Group on the Strengthening of the continued to be promoted, which gave
United Nations System should be additional impetus to a more focused
encouraged to consider ... debate in the Committees. In the
promoting the use of innovative Second Committee, 13 executive
mechanisms, in accordance with the briefings were held by heads of
rules of procedure of departments, agencies, funds and
the General Assembly ... (para. 19). programmes. The Secretary-General
gave a special address on the
The Secretariat and representatives implementation of the Agenda for
of the specialized agencies are Development. Panel discussions
requested to provide executive with experts from outside the United
briefings, as appropriate, on the Nations were held on international
matters to be covered under the migration and population issues
items on the agenda, at least a and on finance and development
week prior to the opening of issues in emerging markets. A video-
the General Assembly (para. 31). conference on the fiftieth anniversary
of the Havana conference enabled
the Second Committee to interact with a
panel organized by the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) in Geneva. Keynote
addresses were given on the
international conference
on development finance and on the role
of public policy in a globalizing
economy. The Third Committee
also had numerous informal briefings by
high-level Secretariat officials and
special representatives and
rapporteurs, which were considered to
be highly useful.
There is a need to promote greater At the fifty-second session of the
coherence and complementarity Assembly, the Bureaux of the Second
between the work of the Second and and Third Committees met to review
Third Committees (para. 21). their respective programmes of work in
order to exchange information on the
issues discussed in each and to
identify potential areas of overlap or
duplication. The two Committees held
joint briefings on common themes such
as poverty, and children and
development.
There is a need to consider possible The report of the Economic and
measures to allow for the coordinated Social Council is considered in four
consideration of the report of the of the Main Committees and in plenary
Economic and Social Council during meetings. In this regard, consultations
the General Assembly session (para. between the Bureau of the Council and
22). the Bureaux of the Second and Third
Committees took place to discuss the
coordinated consideration of the
report. Significant improvements have
been made in the structure and
presentation of the report of the
Council to better assist the Assembly
in its deliberations. Efforts to make
the report more user-friendly and
accessible will continue.
To the extent feasible, the The discussions in the Second and
discussions in the Second and Third Third Committees commenced after the
Committees should not commence until end of the general debate in the
after the end of the general plenary meetings of the fifty-second
debate in the plenary meetings of session of the General Assembly.
the General Assembly (para. 23).
For issues of a procedural nature, The number of resolutions in the
decisions, instead of resolutions, Second Committee was dramatically
should be used to the maximum extent reduced from 46 in 1994 to 28 in
possible. Resolutions should 1996 but slightly increased to 31 in
be shorter, in particular as regards 1997. The Third Committee also achieved
preambular parts. The bureaux, in a significant reduction in its number
reviewing the respective agendas, of resolutions, from 71 in 1994 to
could identify and recommend those 63 in 1996, but reversed the trend
individual items or clusters of with an increase to 69 in 1997.
related items that could be In most cases their length, in
effectively considered in omnibus particular of preambular parts, was
resolutions (para. 24). shortened, in conformity with Assembly
resolution 50/227.
... for issues dealing with special General Assembly resolution 52/169 on
economic assistance to individual special economic assistance consists
countries, each resolution could of 13 parts (A-M); each part, however,
contain ... a common preambular has its own preambular section.
section, while specificity
(individual needs) would be
maintained within a number of
operative paragraphs (para. 26).
To facilitate discussions based on an By its resolution 51/241, the
integrated approach to development Assembly provided for further steps to
issues, the possibility of choosing be taken to rationalize and streamline
a principal theme or themes should be the agenda, based on the Guidelines on
explored to focus substantive debate the Rationalization of the Agenda of
under each "cluster" in the agenda the General Assembly agreed to by the
without prejudice to the right of Assembly in annex I to its resolution
delegations to raise any other 48/264 and, in particular, to make
specific issue in the debates greater use of clustering,
(para. 27). biennialization or triennialization
of agenda items. The Second Committee
Consultations should be held at an began clustering items on its agenda
early stage, in an organizational at the fortieth session. In recent
session of the Committee, before years its agenda has undergone a series
the start of its general debate, of modifications pursuant to the
based on proposals from the bureau provisions of Assembly resolution
for decision, on clustering of the 50/227. The Second Committee in 1997
agenda, and, where possible, themes made a further attempt to identify
and focus for these clusters, taking subthemes to focus the debate under
into account the content of reports clusters and subclusters of the agenda
presented, as well as on items to at informal consultations organized
be included for discussion or items before the start of the general debate.
for decisions and resolutions The Third Committee at the end of
without formal debate (para. 28). each session devotes one or two
meetings to a full discussion of its
agenda and measures to improve its
modus operandi. The work of the Third
Committee, organized in two clusters
(social and related issues; and human
rights and related issues), has been
streamlined progressively without
diminishing the political relevance of
the sensitive issues on the agenda.
Informal consultations were held before
the start of the general debate in
accordance with Assembly resolution
50/227.
III. Documentation and related matters
The Second Committee should, in Before the opening of the general
accordance with Assembly resolution debate in 1997, the Chairman of the
48/162, look early in the session Second Committee convened informal
into all aspects related to the consultations to discuss ways to
improvement of the working methods improve the working methods of the
of the Committee (para. 31). Committee. Matters discussed
included time limits for interventions,
deadlines for the submission of
resolutions under the various items,
the timely start of each meeting, and
proposed themes to focus interventions
under clusters or subclusters of
items, as well as informal briefings
and panels parallel to the Committee.
There should be greater use of The World Economic and Social Survey,
relevant background documents in the will be available for the high-level
Second Committee, such as the World segment of the Council and an update
Economic and Social Survey, the Trade is submitted to the Second Committee.In
and Development Report, the World addition, the Trade and Development
Development Report and the World Report and the World Development Report
Economic Outlook; in the preparation will be made available to the Second
of the first two reports, cooperation Committee. The World Economic Outlook
and coordination between the is issued twice a year, in May and
Department for Economic and Social October. The consolidation of the
Information and Policy Analysis and three departments in the economic
the secretariat of the United and social areas into a single
Nations Conference on Trade and Department of Economic and Social
Development should be enhanced to Affairs and the establishment of the
ensure more complementarity Executive Committee on Economic and
between the reports (para. 32). Social Affairs have facilitated more
effective cooperation and coordination
in the preparation of these reports and
have resulted in enhanced
complementarity between them. In
particular, the Department of Economic
and Social Affairs and UNCTAD have
reached a common understanding,
including on the preparation of a joint
year-end assessment and forecast on the
world economy, the World Economic and
Social Survey and the Trade and
Development Report, which has been
approved by the Secretary-General as
part of the United Nations programme of
reform.
There should be continued improvement It will be recalled that the Assembly
of other reports to make them more in its resolution 52/214 requested the
concise and action-oriented, by Secretary-General to direct all
highlighting the critical areas departments to include, where
requiring action by the General appropriate (a) a summary of the
Assembly and, as appropriate, by report; (b) consolidated
making specific recommendations. All conclusions, recommendations and
documentation should be provided other proposed actions; and
within the specified timetables and relevant background information.
page limits and in all official In its resolution 51/241, the
United Nations languages. Efforts Assembly also requested the
should also continue to be made to Secretary-General to pursue an
have all documentation available in information technology plan with
electronic form, in particular for a range of options to provide all
distribution on the Internet, in a permanent missions to the United
timely manner and within existing Nations and the wider public with
resources (para. 33). on-line access to documents and
relevant United Nations information.
Documents and reports have increasingly
been made available in the Optical Disk
System and on the Internet in an
advance unedited form. The
Secretary-General, in his reform
proposal (A/51/950, para. 247),
indicated that he would take actions to
enhance the production and
dissemination of documents through
electronic means. The Technical
Subgroup of the Ad Hoc Open-ended
Working Group on Informatics, chaired
by Mr. Ahmad Kamal (Pakistan), has also
continued its work on related issues.
In order to rationalize and simplify Progress thus far in implementing
reporting procedures, the Second and this provision has been limited. The
Third Committees shall, at the end Second Committee, at its previous
of their sessions, while reviewing session, initiated the practice of
their draft programmes of work for reviewing all requests for reports. It
the next sessions, consider will be recalled that the Assembly,
procedural decisions regarding in its resolution 51/241, requested
requests for reports, including that all bodies exercise restraint
where possible integrated reports on in making proposals containing
closely related items, as well as requests for new reports and consider
items to be inscribed on the integrating, biennializing or
agendas for the next sessions triennializing the presentation of
... (para. 34). reports, bearing in mind paragraphs 6
and 7 of General Assembly resolution
50/206 C.
It is noted that the Economic and The Secretary-General elaborated
Social Council requested the on this matter in detail in his
Secretary-General to prepare progress report to the Assembly
proposals, for consideration by the at its fiftieth session (A/50/697
Council in 1996 and by the General and Corr.1, sect. F) and
Assembly at its fifty-first session, reaffirmed the recommendations in
on the simplification of existing his reports to the Assembly at its
reporting requirements, taking into fifty-first session (A/51/501, sect. C)
account the reports that will be and its fifty-second session
required for the follow-up to (A/52/155). It will be recalled that
United Nations conferences (para. 35). the Assembly in its resolution 51/241
decided that the number of reports
requested shall be rationalized where
possible so as to permit more focused
consideration of issues.
IV. Economic and Social Council
In the follow-up to United Nations The Bureau of the Council held
conferences, the Council shall ensure consultations with the bureaux and
the harmonization and coordination of the secretariats of the functional
the agendas and work programmes of the commissions on strengthening links
functional commissions by promoting a among functional commissions in the
clearer division of labour among them integrated follow-up to global
and providing clear policy guidance conferences, streamlining efforts for
to them ... The Council could the overall review of the World Summit
periodically organize meetings on for Social Development and the Fourth
specific issues to allow for more World Conference on Women in the year
dialogue with the chairpersons and the 2000, follow-up to the recommendations
secretariats ... of the functional of the Council and ensuring continuity
commissions, other subsidiary and of the bureaux of the functional
related bodies and the relevant commissions. The Council, at its
executive boards ... (para. 39). session in May 1998, held a panel
meeting with chairpersons of the
functional commissions to discuss
coordination issues in the integrated
follow-up to conferences as well as
with the Chairpersons of the Executive
Boards of UNDP/UNFPA and UNICEF (see
also E/1998/19).
The Council shall hold a shorter, This provision came into effect as of
focused substantive session for four the substantive session of 1997. The
weeks in July (para. 40). Council will need to further improve
its efficiency in order to accommodate
the newly established humanitarian
affairs segment.
The Secretary-General is requested An addendum to the report of the
to prepare a study with a Secretary-General on the implementation
comprehensive assessment of the of Assembly resolution 50/227,
present arrangements for the submitted to the Council at its
Council's sessions (para. 43). substantive session of 1997, examined
the difference in cost between holding
meetings of the Council in New York and
Geneva
(A/52/155/Add.1-E/1997/68/Add.1).
The Council has planned to hold
informal consultations under the
chairmanship of its Vice-President
Mr. Roble Olhaye (Djibouti) on the
Council's working methods, including
the proposals for reform made by the
Secretary-General (A/51/950,
para. 134).
The outcome of each segment of the The high-level segment resulted
Council should be strengthened and in agreed conclusions for the
made more action-oriented. first time at the Council's 1997
Resolutions, decisions and agreed substantive session, which were
conclusions should be implemented brought to the attention of relevant
and followed up fully by all parts of the United Nations system.
relevant parts of the United Nations The agreed conclusions adopted at the
system. This process should be coordination segment were also brought
monitored by the Council and the to the attention of the United Nations
General Assembly on a regular basis, system; a follow-up report is submitted
as appropriate (para. 44). to the Council. The outcomes of the
1998 high-level and coordination
segments are expected to take the
form of agreed conclusions and would
need to be followed up by all relevant
bodies and organizations of
the United Nations system.
The theme for the general debate of Proposals for a theme for 1999 will
the high-level segment shall be be submitted to the Council at its
determined ... (para. 53). substantive session of 1998.
The Secretary-General is requested to The report of the Secretary-General
include in his report for the on the theme of the 1998 high-level
high-level segment all relevant segment "Market access: developments
issues that could be discussed during since the Uruguay Round, implications,
the session ... making use of inputs opportunities and challenges, in
from the various pertinent bodies of particular for the developing countries
the United Nations system ... and the least developed among them, in
(para. 54). the context of globalization and
liberalization" was jointly prepared
In order to better focus the policy by the secretariats of UNCTAD and the
dialogue, the possibility of having World Trade Organization. The report
joint reports, prepared by the entitled "Fostering an enabling
secretariats of the United Nations, environment for development: financial
UNCTAD, the Bretton Woods flows, including capital flows;
institutions and the World Trade investment; trade" (E/1997/67),
Organization, should be explored submitted to the Council at its
(para. 55). high-level segment of 1997, was
prepared in close consultation with the
Bretton Woods institutions.
The outcome of the high-level segment (See also implementation concerning
should normally be in the form of para. 44, above.)
agreed conclusions and should be The agreed conclusions have been
followed up by all relevant bodies brought to the attention of all
and organizations of the United relevant bodies and organizations of
Nations system (para. 56). the system and to the General Assembly
as part of the annual report of the
Council to the Assembly. In its
resolution 52/182, the Assembly
requested the Secretary-General, in
collaboration with the secretariat
of UNCTAD, to report to the General
Assembly at its fifty-third session on
recommendations for effective
follow-up to the relevant sections of
agreed conclusions 1997/1 of the
Economic and Social Council on
fostering an enabling environment for
development. The Assembly furthermore
requested the Secretary-General, in
collaboration with the secretariat
of UNCTAD, to report orally on the
implementation of Assembly resolution
52/182, including developments
in the multilateral trading system.
These reports will be presented to the
Assembly as requested.
The agreed conclusions of the Council The Council, by its decision 1997/319,
concerning the selection of decided on the theme for the
cross-cutting themes common to major coordination segment of its 1998
international conferences and/or the substantive session: "Coordinated
contribution to an overall review of follow-up to and implementation of
the implementation of the programme the Vienna Declaration and Programme
of action of a United Nations of Action". No second theme was chosen.
conference should be implemented. At
the organizational session of the
Council, consideration should be
given to choosing a second theme
dealing with concrete sectoral
issues ... (para. 57).
The implementation of the agreed The provision that the implementation
conclusions of the coordination of the agreed conclusions of the
segment should be followed up in the coordination segment should be
general segment of the following year followed up in the general segment
(para. 59). of the following year has been
implemented since the substantive
session of 1997.
The primary function of the general The Secretary-General, in his reform
segment as that of an action-oriented proposal (A/51/950), noted that the
review of the activities, reports general segment should be more focused
and recommendations of the Council's and policy-oriented, giving sufficient
subsidiary bodies should be attention to the linkages between the
consolidated, avoiding a repetition reports of the subsidiary bodies.
of the debates held in those bodies A consolidated report on the reports
and focusing attention on major of subsidiary bodies will be submitted
policy issues that require a to the Council to assist its
prioritized and coordinated response coordination role by highlighting
from the United Nations system as a the linkages between the activities
whole (para. 66). of subsidiary bodies and major policy
issues arising from them.
The Council should regularly review The Council reviewed its agenda
the agenda of its general segment and related documentation requirements
with a view to discontinuing at its organizational session in
consideration of items that are February 1998.
not relevant to the work of its
subsidiary machinery or are
duplicative of items on the
agenda of the General Assembly,
and distinguish more clearly
between items on the agenda requiring
decisions and those for information
only (para. 67).
The subsidiary bodies should be All reports of the subsidiary bodies
requested to include in their reports include an executive summary.
an executive summary ... and the A consolidated report on the outcomes
issues that may require attention of the functional commissions is
and/or action by the Council. The submitted to the Council.
Secretariat should consolidate
these issues in a single
document ... (para. 68).
The arrangements in the General The Assembly by its resolution
Assembly and in the Economic and 52/12 B decided to establish a
Social Council for considering the humanitarian affairs segment of the
coordination of humanitarian Council, with effect from 1998, and,
assistance and special economic in this connection, requested the
assistance to individual countries Council to consider expeditiously the
and regions should be reviewed related practical arrangements and
during the fifty-first session of the make an early recommendation to the
General Assembly (para. 25). Assembly, without prejudice to the work
of the other segments of the Council.
Provision should be made for the The Council will hold a humanitarian
integration and coordination of affairs segment for two days during its
humanitarian and emergency assistance substantive session of 1998, on the
activities ... (para. 69). understanding that this year's practice
will not set any precedent for future
sessions.
V. Functional and regional commissions and expert groups
The Council shall undertake ... a The Assembly in its resolution 52/12 B
review of the mandates, composition, invited the Council to consider, at
functions and working methods of its its organizational and substantive
functional commissions and expert sessions in 1998, as part of the review
groups and bodies, ensuring more as mandated by the General Assembly
effective and coordinated in its resolution 50/227, the
discussions and outcomes of their recommendations of the
work ... Such a review should be Secretary-General relating to the
completed by the fifty-second reform of its subsidiary bodies and to
session of the General Assembly report thereon to the Assembly as early
... (paras. 70 and 71). as possible during its fifty-second
session.
Informal consultations have been under
way since March 1998 under the
chairmanship of the Vice-President of
the Council, Mr. Anwarul Karim
Chowdhury (Bangladesh), to continue the
review of the four priority bodies, 2/
the functional commissions with
responsibilities for follow-up to major
conferences, other subsidiary bodies
and the regional commissions. The
outcome of the informal consultations
is to be reported to the Council at its
substantive session of 1998.
The Council shall provide for the The Assembly in its resolution
review of the regional commissions, 52/12 B also invited the Council,
with a view to strengthening and in consultation with Member States and
enhancing their effectiveness as appropriate intergovernmental regional
action- and policy-oriented bodies, to conduct a general review of
bodies in the economic and the regional commissions at its
development fields with better substantive session of 1998,
response to the conditions bearing in mind the relevant provisions
and environments unique to the of Assembly resolution 50/227 and
specific regions; improving the individual reviews each commission
their coordination with the has already carried out, in order to
entire United Nations system, consider the competencies of the
including the specialized agencies, regional commissions, taking into
the Bretton Woods institutions and account the competencies of global
the regional development banks; bodies and other regional and
strengthening their active subregional intergovernmental bodies,
participation relating to the and to submit a report thereon to the
implementation at the regional General Assembly before the end of its
level of the results of major fifty-second session.
United Nations conferences; and
encouraging them also to The Executive Secretaries of the
undertake their own management and regional commissions briefed the
functional assessments towards delegations regarding the reform
these ends ... (paras. 74-75). exercise undertaken in their respective
commissions. The report of the
Secretary-General on regional
cooperation addresses the review of the
regional commissions (see E/1998/65).
Informal consultations under the
chairmanship of the Vice-President of
the Council, Mr. Anwarul Karim
Chowdhury (Bangladesh) will be held to
examine the issue.
VI. Governing bodies of the United Nations development programmes and funds 3/
VII. Inter-agency coordination
In the context of the discussions on The Assembly by its resolution
an agenda for development, a close 51/240 adopted the Agenda for
review shall be made of the Development. 4/ The Council's
relationship of the Economic and interaction with the specialized
Social Council with the specialized agencies and the funds and
agencies (para. 79). programmes takes place in many forms.
At the session of the Council held from
13 to 15 May 1998 on the coordinated
follow-up to conferences, the Council
had an intensive dialogue with panels
composed of agencies that had chaired
the inter-agency task forces (the World
Bank, the International Labour
Organization and the United Nations
Population Fund). The specialized
agencies participate regularly
in the Council's discussions on issues
of common concern. The agencies also
propose specific items for the
Council's agenda. The Council could
invite, from time to time, executive
heads and the chairpersons of
the governing bodies of specialized
agencies to interact with it on
system-wide coordination and
cooperation issues.
The Administrative Committee on In response to the Council's request
Coordination should present the for regular briefings on the outcomes
thematic aspects of its report to of sessions of the Administrative
the Council at its coordination Committee on Coordination (ACC), the
segment and the remaining parts Secretary-General addressed the Council
at the general segment; the members at its organizational session for 1998
of the Administrative Committee and a further briefing was given at the
on Coordination should engage in resumed organizational session of the
an active dialogue with the Council in May. The annual overview
Council on ways to improve report of ACC for 1997 (E/1998/21)
inter-agency coordination is to be considered during the
(para. 81). general segment of the Council under
the item on coordination, programme and
other questions. This could be an
important occasion for forging stronger
links between the Council and ACC by
engaging in more substantive
interaction with ACC members,
using the report before the Council as
the main basis for the discussion.
The periodic meetings of all concerned The Executive Committee on Economic
senior secretariat officials in the and Social Affairs and the Executive
economic and social sectors, under Committee of the United Nations
the authority of the Development Group meet regularly to
Secretary-General, should continue promote effective coordination
to be used to improve coordination among the substantive departments of
and performance; the outcomes of the Secretariat and operational bodies.
these meetings should be presented The Senior Management Group, comprising
on a regular basis to the Economic the convenors of the four executive
and Social Council (para. 82). committees (peace and security,
humanitarian affairs, economic and
social affairs and development) and
additional senior managers, continues
to meet on a regular basis as the
Secretary-General's cabinet and the
central policy planning body.
VIII. Relationship between the United Nations and
international finance and trade institutions
The issues relating to the The Agenda for Development addressed
strengthening of the relationship the need for increased interaction
between the United Nations and and cooperation between the United
the Bretton Woods institutions, Nations and multilateral development
and possibly also the World Trade institutions, including the Bretton
Organization, shall be particularly Woods institutions and the World Trade
considered in the context of the Organization, and the need to develop
deliberations on an agenda for further effective and innovative
development ... (para. 84). approaches to their interaction and
cooperation (General Assembly
resolution 51/240, paras. 276-282).
There is a need for an early The review was led by the UNDP
exploratory review to be prepared Administrator in collaboration with
jointly by the United Nations United Nations departments, funds
and the Bretton Woods institutions and programmes and in cooperation
... with a view to identifying areas with the International Monetary Fund
in which communication, cooperation and the World Bank. The report of the
and coordination could be improved. Secretary-General on the review is
... The General Assembly and the before the Council at its present
respective governing bodies of the session (E/1998/61) and information
Bretton Woods institutions, based on the review will be provided to the
on the conclusions of the above General Assembly at its fifty-third
review, should consider concrete session.
areas and forms of collaboration
in the field of development-related
activities (paras. 86-87).
In order to improve communication and The special high-level meeting held
cooperation at the intergovernmental on 18 April 1998 following the meeting
level between the Council and the of the Development Committee of the
international financial and trade World Bank and the International
institutions ... the Council should Monetary Fund was the first of its
schedule periodically a high-level kind to be convened as envisaged by
special meeting at a time proximate the Assembly in its resolution
to the semi-annual meetings of the 50/227 and the Agenda for Development
Bretton Woods institutions ... (Assembly resolution 51/240,
(para. 88). paras. 277 and 279). The Bureau of the
Economic and Social Council informed
the Council of the suggestions,
including the format and the theme,
related to the special high-level
meeting. A brief background note
(E/1998/9) identifying issues and
questions on the theme "Global
financial integration and development
and recent issues" was prepared by
the United Nations in collaboration
with the Bank and the Fund. The meeting
was generally considered to be
a success; it was well attended by
ministers and senior officials dealing
with finance, economic and development
cooperation matters and generated a
lively and substantive dialogue in an
informal atmosphere and received good
press coverage.
IX. Secretariat
The present structure and functioning The Assembly, by its resolution
of the Secretariat, including the 52/12 B, decided to establish the post
economic and social departments and of Deputy Secretary-General and the
the question of establishing a appointment was made by the
post of Deputy Secretary-General for Secretary-General following
International Cooperation and consultations with Member States and
Development, shall be considered in accordance with Article 101 of
in the Open-ended High-level the Charter of the United Nations.
Working Group on the Strengthening of The three departments concerned with
the United Nations System and in the economic and social development
Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on issues (Department for Policy
an Agenda for Development (para. 89). Coordination and Sustainable
Development, Department for Economic
and Social Information and Policy
Analysis and Department for Development
Support and Management Services) have
been consolidated into a single
Department of Economic and Social
Affairs.
In the context of the Open-ended It will be recalled that in resolution
High-level Working Group on the 51/241, the Assembly, having affirmed
Strengthening of the United Nations its role in approving appointments and
System, uniform and maximum terms of extension of terms, stated that uniform
service for heads of programmes and terms of office of four years,
funds and other Economic and Social renewable once, should be introduced
Council and General Assembly bodies for the executive heads of programmes,
should be considered ... (para. 90). funds and other bodies of the Assembly
and the Council. The Assembly also
encouraged the specialized agencies to
consider uniform terms and term limits
for their executive heads. The
Secretary-General, in his report on the
implementation of General Assembly
resolution 51/241, concurred with
the above-mentioned decision; the
position of the Assembly will be
brought to the attention of the
agencies concerned (see A/52/855,
paras. 64-65).
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IV. Executive Boards of the United Nations Development
Programme/United Nations Population Fund, the United
Nations Children's Fund and the World Food Programme
6. Paragraphs 76 to 78 of annex I to General Assembly resolution
50/227 contain provisions for the governing bodies of the United Nations
programmes and funds. In paragraph 76, the Assembly requested that the
executive boards consider adjustments to their agendas, reporting procedures
and format, and that they review the number and scheduling of meetings and
sessions, with a view to continuing the rationalization of the working methods
of the boards. In paragraph 77, the Assembly asked the governing bodies
to describe in their reports how the overall policy guidance and
coordination provided by the Assembly and the Council had been implemented,
and to give specific recommendations for further action. In paragraph 78, the
Assembly requested that the effective participation of observer member States
and observer States in the sessions of the executive boards be facilitated and
that the arrangements, working methods and rules of procedure be reviewed.
The efforts made by the executive boards to respond to these recommendations
are summarized below.
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Implementation of guidance from the General Assembly and the Economic and
Social Council
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNDP/UNFPA
The Executive Board, in its decision 97/15 entitled "Change management",
adopted at the annual session of 1997, recalled the legal framework of
UNDP, 5/ as well as General Assembly resolutions 47/199 and 50/120 on
operational activities for development, and stressed the importance of their
full implementation; the Board also welcomed measures taken by UNDP to
improve its capacity to support the resident coordinator system, within the
context of General Assembly resolutions 32/197, 44/211, 47/199 and
50/120.
The Executive Board reviewed and took note of the report on follow-up to
Economic and Social Council resolution 1995/56 on Strengthening of
the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United
Nations.
In follow-up to General Assembly resolution 50/120 and Economic and
Social Council resolution 1996/42, the format for harmonization of
presentation of the biennial support budgets of UNDP and UNFPA was
approved by the Executive Board at its first regular session of 1997.
The Executive Board, by its decision 97/14 on the five-year review of the
implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference
on Population and Development (ICPD), invited the President of the
Executive Board to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-second
session, through the Economic and Social Council, a proposal for an
overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the ICPD
Programme of Action.
UNICEF
At its first regular session, the Executive Board discussed the follow-up to
the Council's resolutions related to operational activities of the United
Nations for development, as input to the Council's substantive session of
1998. 6/
The Executive Board also approved the biennial support budget for 1998-1999,
the first prepared according to the harmonized presentation format agreed
to by the Executive Boards of UNDP/UNFPA and UNICEF, and the 1998 work plan.
The Executive Board requested the secretariat to work with the UNDP and UNFPA
secretariats to further assess and develop the harmonized budget presentation.
At the annual session in June, the Executive Board is to have the opportunity
to review the follow-up of major United Nations conferences and summits, with
particular emphasis on the World Summit for Children and ICPD; it will also
review the status of implementation of the Management Excellence Programme of
UNICEF, as well as the status of implementation of some of the major
organizational policies and strategies. 9/ The Board will also consider a
draft policy on information, publications and communication.
WFP
The revised General Regulations of WFP 7/ were endorsed by the Economic and
Social Council in its decision 1997/217 and by the FAO Council at its 112th
session, and were approved by the FAO Conference (resolution 11/97) and
by the General Assembly in its decision 52/449. The new General Regulations of
WFP entered into effect on 1 January 1998. 8/
The revised Financial Regulations were approved provisionally, effective 1
January 1998. The Board decided that the Financial Regulations would be
reconfirmed once the General Regulations were adopted by the General Assembly
and the FAO Conference.
Reaching an agreement on the adjustments needed for its long-term resource and
financing policies remains a challenge on the WFP's reform agenda; the set
of policies approved by the governing body in 1995, which came into effect in
1996, is being reviewed through informal consultations with the Board.
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Number and scheduling of meetings and sessions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNDP/UNFPA
The Executive Board continued to rationalize its working methods in 1997
and early 1998. Three regular sessions and one annual session were held in
1997, with the same planned for 1998. In 1997, 39 informal meetings were
held, often with the purpose of providing a forum for consultations
which would allow for more efficient formal sessions of the Board. In 1998,
it was decided that, to the extent possible, the first regular session would
be devoted to UNDP matters while the second regular session would be
devoted to UNFPA matters, an example of further rationalization of
the Board's working methods.
An unprecedented joint session of the Executive Boards of UNDP/UNFPA
and UNICEF was held on 26 January 1998 to review the progress in
implementing United Nations reform at the country level. The secretariats of
the two bodies continue to work closely in scheduling the meetings of the
Boards, and in identifying possible areas of common interest for future
joint sessions of the Boards. Consecutive meetings of the Executive
Boards of UNDP/UNFPA and UNICEF have been scheduled whenever possible.
UNICEF
The Executive Board discussed and agreed to the programme of work at its
third regular session of September 1997. The number of Board sessions
was reduced from four in 1997 to three in 1998, with the clustering of related
issues into sessions. It was decided that the burden of work of the Board for
the year would guide the number of sessions. The 1999 work plan issue will
be decided at the second regular session, in September 1998.
The UNICEF secretariat continues to schedule pre-Board information
meetings some weeks before each Board session, to allow more time for
follow-up consultation between New York delegations and their capitals, and
between delegations and the secretariat.
WFP
Consistent with General Assembly resolution 48/162, the former WFP governing
body, the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes, was replaced by
an Executive Board, effective 1 January 1996. The Board has 36 members and
holds one annual session and three regular sessions a year. Each year at its
first regular session, the Executive Board elects a Bureau of five
members, one from each WFP electoral list.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agendas and organization of work
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNDP/UNFPA
An annual work plan for the Executive Board was initiated with the approval
of the work plan for 1997 at the first regular session of 1997. When
possible, items of concern to both UNDP and UNFPA were considered jointly
(e.g., work plan for 1997, harmonization of presentation of budgets, reports
to the Economic and Social Council and internal oversight and accountability).
UNICEF
In 1998, the UNICEF Executive Board has 23 items on its work programme
for the year, down from 33 in 1997. These items are organized into one
annual (1-5 June) and two regular sessions (26-28 and 30 January and 8-11
September).
WFP
The WFP Executive Board now routinely establishes an annual work programme for
the forthcoming year at its previous regular session. The annual work
programme includes a tentative schedule of sessions and pre-session briefings;
the Bureau of the board is consulted on the need for working groups.
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Participation of observers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNDP/UNFPA
The UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board rules of procedure, adopted at the annual
session of 1997, provide for the following in rule 16, paragraph 1: "Any
State member of UNDP or UNFPA who is not a member of the Executive
Board may attend Board meetings and, based on General Assembly resolutions
48/162 and 50/227, which, inter alia, call for the facilitation of the
effective participation of observer Member States and observer States, may
participate in its deliberations without the right to vote."
UNICEF
As required by Assembly resolution 48/162 and the rules of procedure of
the UNICEF Executive Board, observer delegations have the right to participate
in all formal and informal meetings and to receive all Board documentation
contained in the daily list of documents, issued at Headquarters. Starting in
the summer of 1997, advance copies of Board documents are now posted in the
UNICEF Intranet for member and observer countries, UNICEF national committees
and country offices.
WFP
The WFP Executive Board has stipulated that member States who manifest a
special interest in the item or items being discussed may be invited to
participate in the deliberations without the right to vote. In addition,
representatives of appropriate United Nations bodies are invited to all
sessions of the board. Other organizations with a special interest may also be
invited, at their request, to attend sessions. 10/
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Reporting and documentation
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNDP/UNFPA
At its third regular session of 1996, the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board
adopted decision 96/45 on documentation, in which, inter alia, the Board
established strict page limits for documents to be submitted to the
Executive Board and decided, in accordance with General Assembly resolution
50/206, that documents must be submitted to the Office of Conference and
Support Services 10 weeks before the start of the session.
UNICEF
The UNICEF secretariat continues to improve the use of time during each
session, and to rationalize the documents presented at each session.
The page limits set for documents pursuant to General Assembly resolutions
50/11 and 50/206 are followed by the UNICEF secretariat.
WFP
Documentation is made available to all observers at their request. Since
October 1996, all Executive Board documentation in all four official languages
is posted on the WFP Web site. Documentation has been shortened and focuses on
key decisions and action-oriented recommendations. 11/ All verbatim records
have been abolished.
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Rules of procedure
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNDP/UNFPA
The rules of procedure of the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board were adopted by the
Board at its annual session of 1997.
UNICEF
The revised rules of procedure adopted by the UNICEF Executive Board in
1994 continue to set the overall framework for the conduct of Board
business.
WFP
The working group established in February 1998 to revise the rules
of procedure to ensure consistency with all major General Assembly
and Economic and Social Council resolutions, including compliance
with all reporting requirements, is expected to report to the Executive
Board at its third regular session of 1998.
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Notes
1/ See the report of the Secretary-General on the joint
exploratory review of cooperation between the United
Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions (E/1998/61).
2/ The four priority bodies are the Commission on Science and
Technology for Development, the Committee
for Development Planning, the Committee on New and
Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for
Development and the Committee on Natural Resources.
3/ See section IV of the present report.
4/ The Assembly stated in paragraphs 251 and 252 of the Agenda
for Development that the Council should
continue to strengthen its role as the central mechanism
for coordination of the United Nations system and
its specialized agencies and to ensure a coordinated
follow-up to the implementation of major United
Nations conferences through its subsidiary machinery and
provide overall guidance and coordination to
the United Nations system as a whole. The
Secretary-General, in paragraph 266, was invited to make
recommendations on the coordination of the policies and
activities of the specialized agencies. In
paragraph 267, the Assembly stated that mechanisms should
be elaborated to enable the Council, within
its mandate, to provide guidance to specialized agencies
and to transmit institutional priorities as
formulated by the Assembly and that the specialized
agencies and the United Nations funds and
programmes should engage in a focused dialogue with the
Council with a view to identifying how their
activities could be adjusted in response to such
priorities; the Assembly also stated that the Council
should provide appropriate recommendations in order to
ensure coherence and complementarity of efforts of all
bodies, taking into account the role of the funds and
programmes. In paragraph 268, the Assembly pointed
out that the effectiveness and efficiency of the Council's
activities could be improved by increasing
interaction with specialized agencies, including the
provision of regular reports to the Assembly, through
the Council, in accordance with the relevant provisions of
the Charter.
5/ Including General Assembly resolution 2688 (XXV) of 10
December 1970.
6/ Issues addressed include country level coordination of the
funds and programmes, the United Nations
Development Assistance Framework, strengthening of the
resident coordinator system, common premises
and services, monitoring and evaluation activities, country
notes, HIV/AIDS, and the follow-up to major
United Nations conferences and summits.
7/ During 1996 and 1997, an open-ended working group was
established by the Bureau of the Executive
Board of the World Food Programme to bring the General and
Financial Regulations of WFP in line with
the most recent decisions of the United Nations and the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) and to remove outdated or superseded
provisions. The working group, which consisted of
members from each of the five regions represented on the
Board, conducted its business in close
collaboration with the secretariat and relied on the advice
of the WFP/FAO Legal Counsel, as well as the
FAO Finance Committee and the Advisory Committee on
Administrative and Budgetary Questions.
8/ The basic constitution of WFP and its role in the United
Nations system will continue to be amended
through the Economic and Social Council, the FAO Council,
the FAO Conference and the General
Assembly. Operational issues and points of detail, however,
will henceforth not be covered in the General
Regulations but in Rules, which may be amended by the
Executive Board as circumstances require.
9/ Such as the health strategy adopted in 1995, the policy
regarding national committees and the policies and
strategies on children in need of special protection
measures.
10/ Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 50/8 of 1 November
1995, the Executive Board has established a
working group charged with reviewing the distribution of
seats, the results of which will enter into force
on 1 January 2000.
11/ At the end of each session, a brief paper containing the
key decision and/or recommendations is prepared
by the rapporteur and provided to Board members for
endorsement. A brief summary of the work is also
sent to Board members.
-----