| United Nations | A/RES/45/264 |
General Assembly
Distr. GENERAL
13 May 1991
ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH
A/RES/45/264
75th plenary meeting
13 May 1991
Restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the
economic, social and related fields
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming its resolution 45/177 of 19 December 1990, on restructuring
and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic and social fields,
and other relevant resolutions,
1. Adopts the text contained in the annex to the present resolution,
including the basic principles and guidelines, goals and measures, as well as
issues to be addressed in the future, for the restructuring and revitalization
of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to implement the recommendations
addressed to him in the annex to the present resolution and to report thereon
as proposed;
3. Invites the specialized agencies, organs, organizations and bodies of
the United Nations system to implement, as appropriate, those recommendations
within their respective spheres of competence;
4. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-sixth
session an item entitled "Restructuring and revitalization of the United
Nations in the economic, social and related fields".
ANNEX
Restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations
in the economic, social and related fields
1. Bearing in mind the role of the United Nations in the economic,
social and related sectors as set out in the relevant provisions of the
Charter of the United Nations, including Article 55, the overall objective of
the restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic,
social and related fields is defined in resolution 45/177 adopted by the
General Assembly on 19 December 1990. In paragraph 3 of the resolution the
Assembly "stresses the need for more effective and efficient functioning of
the intergovernmental machinery of the United Nations system in the economic,
social and related fields in order to be more responsive to the needs of
enhancing international economic cooperation and promoting the development of
the developing countries". The restructuring and revitalization process
should also take account of General Assembly resolutions 32/197 of 20 December
1977, 41/213 of 19 December 1986, and other relevant resolutions.
2. The above objective needs to be addressed through a concerted,
deliberate and continuing process of restructuring and revitalization of the
United Nations, encompassing all organs and bodies concerned in the economic,
social and related fields. Such an approach should ensure orderly
restructuring and revitalization of the economic, social and related fields
and enhance the flexibility and adaptability of the Organization in the
performance of its functions, and its ability to address the most urgent tasks
and new demands, also bearing in mind the need for an efficient and effective
United Nations system to deal with a number of global challenges in the
economic, social and related fields in a world of growing interdependence, as
well as enhance the interest taken by the international community in the work
of the Organization. Thus it would also enhance the effectiveness and
efficiency of the Organization.
I. Basic principles and guidelines for the restructuring and revitalization
of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields
3. The deliberations and decisions of the restructuring and
revitalization process should be predicated on the following principles and
guidelines in order to ensure a successful outcome:
(a) Restructuring is primarily an intergovernmental responsibility and
needs to be pursued in this context. The Secretary-General, in fulfilment of
his responsibility as the Chief Administrative Officer of the United Nations,
in accordance with the provisions of the Charter, is requested to assist and
cooperate in this regard;
(b) The process of restructuring and revitalization of the United
Nations in the economic, social and related fields should be in accordance
with the mandate set forth in General Assembly resolution 45/177, the
provisions agreed upon at the resumed forty-fifth session of the General
Assembly, and other relevant resolutions;
(c) Political will is an essential prerequisite for enhancing
international cooperation. The socio-economic goals of the United Nations will
remain unachievable in the absence of the requisite political will of all
States;
(d) The current restructuring and revitalization process should promote
the achievement of the objectives and priorities of the United Nations in the
economic, social and related fields as set forth in the relevant resolutions
of the General Assembly;
(e) The restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the
economic, social and related fields should aim at achieving greater
complementarity between the bodies and organs of the United Nations with the
General Assembly, while ensuring the latter's position as a principal organ of
the United Nations;
(f) Restructuring and revitalization in the economic, social and
related fields should preserve the democratic principles which underpin the
decision-making process of the United Nations;
(g) Transparency and openness need to be preserved and strengthened in
the functioning of the United Nations system in the economic, social and
related fields;
(h) Restructuring and revitalization should be examined and pursued
while ensuring the most efficient and effective use of the financial and human
resources of the United Nations system in the economic, social and related
fields;
(i) The ongoing process of revitalization of the Economic and Social
Council, on the basis of all its relevant resolutions, as appropriate, remains
valid.
II. Goals of the resumed forty-fifth session of the General Assembly
4. The reconvened session is a step in the process of restructuring and
revitalization of the United Nations system in the economic, social and
related fields, on the basis of the basic principles and guidelines set out in
paragraph 3. The session is aimed at reaching agreement, inter alia, on the
role and functioning of the Economic and Social Council in order to:
(a) Enable the Economic and Social Council to discharge the
responsibilities entrusted to it by the Charter of the United Nations by
enhancing its role as a central forum for major economic, social and related
issues and policies and its coordinating functions relating to the United
Nations system in the economic, social and related fields;
(b) Improve its effectiveness and efficiency in the consideration of and
action on the reports of its subsidiary bodies and other relevant reports;
(c) Ensure greater complementarity with the work of the General Assembly,
in accordance with Article 60 of the Charter;
(d) Avoid duplication with other organs of the United Nations;
(e) Follow an integrated approach to policy and programme aspects of the
economic and social issues.
In addition, the session agreed on the agenda and the timetable for the
continuation of the process of restructuring and revitalization of the United
Nations in the economic, social and related fields, as specified in section IV
of the present annex.
III. Measures for the restructuring and revitalization
of the Economic and Social Council
5. The following measures are adopted:
(a) The continued implementation of the relevant resolutions of the
General Assembly and Economic and Social Council resolutions 1988/77, of
29 July 1988, 1989/114 of 28 July 1989 and 1990/69 of 27 July 1990 and
decision 1990/205 of 9 February 1990, as appropriate;
(b) An organizational session not to exceed four days' duration to
be held in early February to determine the annual agenda of the Council
and related organizational issues, taking into account the relevant
provisions of the above resolutions, particularly on the themes to be
discussed in the high-level segment. This session will also select
themes for the coordination segment, taking into account, inter alia, the
recommendations of the Joint Meetings of the Committee for Programme and
Coordination and the Administrative Committee on Coordination.
Elections, appointments and nominations to take place during a resumed
organizational session at the end of April for a duration of one to two days;
(c) One substantive session of four to five weeks to take place in
alternate years in New York and Geneva between May and July;
(d) The session to be broadly organized, sequentially, along the
following lines:
High-level segment
(i) A high-level segment of four days open to all Member States in
accordance with Article 69 of the Charter, with ministerial participation,
devoted to the consideration of one or more major economic and/or social
policy themes to be determined at the organizational session, taking into
account the Economic and Social Council multi-year work programme; adequate
secretariat preparation, including, in particular, one comprehensive
background document for each theme; debate to follow an integrated and
interdisciplinary approach, heads of the relevant organizations, agencies and
other organs to participate actively;
One-day-policy dialogue and discussion on important developments in the
world economy and international economic cooperation. In this context, heads
of multilateral financial and trade institutions of the United Nations system
are invited to participate actively in this dialogue and discussion on matters
of mutual interest with a view to building areas of understanding;
The main features of the deliberations of the high-level segment would be
presented to the Economic and Social Council in the form of a summary by the
President of the Council, which would be incorporated in its final report; The
deliberations of the high-level segment would provide political impetus for
building areas of convergence and facilitate the consideration of the issues
in question, including the emergence of new recommendations on the issues, in
the relevant forums.
Coordination segment
(ii) Coordination of the activities of the specialized agencies, organs,
organizations and bodies of the United Nations system in the economic, social
and related fields, in accordance with Articles 63 and 64 of the Charter.
This segment will consist of the following:
a. A segment of four to five days devoted to the coordination of the
policies and activities of the specialized agencies, organs, organizations and
bodies of the United Nations system relating to the achievement of the
economic and social objectives of the United Nations. Discussion will be
organized around one or more themes selected at the organizational session,
and designed to focus attention on the activities of the United Nations system
in the selected economic and social areas;
b. Discussion will take into account the report of the Secretary-General
as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, together with
appropriate recommendations by the Committee for Programme and Coordination
and the Joint Meetings of the Committee for Programme and Coordination and the
Administrative Committee on Coordination. This report should contain a
system-wide assessment of the status of coordination with regard to the themes
and include recommendations, as appropriate;
c. The heads of concerned specialized agencies, organs, organizations and
bodies of the United Nations system, including multilateral financial and
trade institutions, are invited to participate actively, making contributions
to the policy dialogue reflecting a global perspective on the agreed upon
theme or themes, as well as their activities in the chosen themes;
d. Recommendations which result from these discussions shall be
submitted to the General Assembly and forwarded, as appropriate, to the
governing bodies of the agencies, organs, organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system as well as to the Committee on Programme and
Coordination and the Administrative Committee on Coordination. In this
context, the Secretary-General should arrange to apprise the next session of
the Economic and Social Council on steps taken by the United Nations system to
give effect to these recommendations.
Operational activities segment
(iii) A segment of two to three days devoted to operational activities of the
United Nations system focusing, in particular, on follow-up of policy
recommendations and decisions of the General Assembly and coordination of
operational activities on a system-wide basis, taking account of Economic and
Social Council resolution 1988/77. The triennial review would continue to be
undertaken by the General Assembly.
Committee segment
(iv) Consideration of specific economic, social and related issues, including
their programme implications, in two separate committees meeting
simultaneously to consider and take decisions on the reports of the subsidiary
bodies of the Economic and Social Council and other relevant reports; these
reports should be arranged in clusters, as appropriate, for consideration;
discussions to be decision-oriented focusing on specific recommendations and
issues and not to involve a general debate; review and monitoring of the
implementation of the decisions of the General Assembly in the economic,
social and related fields; reports of the committees to be submitted to the
plenary for approval.
(v) Adoption of the report.
e. The above measures will come into effect in February 1992.
IV. Issues to be addressed in the future
6. The following non-exclusive list contains issues to be addressed in
the future. The agenda and timetable for some further steps will be as
follows:
(1) Complementarity between the work of the Economic and Social
Council and the General Assembly
Review at the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly of ways of
enhancing the complementarity between the work of the Economic and Social
Council and that of the General Assembly in accordance with Article 60 of the
Charter.
(2) Composition of the Economic and Social Council
The process of restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations
in the economic, social and related fields, undertaken with a view to
enhancing its impact and effectiveness, shall include a review of the
composition of the Economic and Social Council with due regard to equitable
geographical representation and other relevant factors, in order to ensure the
most effective participation of Member States, to be undertaken at a resumed
forty-seventh session of the General Assembly.
(3) Subsidiary machinery in the economic, social and related fields
A review at the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly of the
subsidiary bodies of the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly
with the objective of possible restructuring and revitalization; and of their
reporting responsibilities and procedures with a view to avoiding duplication,
where possible. The review should be on the basis of, inter alia, the
following criteria:
(a) Ensuring that programme delivery of a subsidiary body meets the needs
of Member States and that it is consistent with the goals and priorities of
the United Nations in the economic and social fields;
(b) Application of the same basic principles and guidelines for enhancing
the effectiveness and efficiency of the subsidiary machinery, as those set out
in paragraph 3 above; The meetings of the Economic Committee will begin
immediately after the operational activities segment. The work of the
Social Committee will begin immediately after the completion of the
coordination segment.
(c) Avoidance of subsuming highly technical functions of subsidiary
bodies and expert groups into the Economic and Social Council;
(d) Ensuring that subsidiary machinery in the economic, social
and related fields is able to offer sound recommendations and advice as input
into and not a substitute for the consideration and decisions by the Economic
and Social Council and the General Assembly;
(e) The Secretary-General is requested to provide to the
General Assembly at its forty-sixth session relevant information, including
information on the status of subsidiary bodies and their reporting procedures,
in order to facilitate the review of the subsidiary bodies of the Economic and
Social Council and of the General Assembly.
(4) Secretariat
A review of the Secretariat structure will be necessary on the basis of
the agreements to be reached in the restructuring and revitalization process.
In this context the Secretary-General is requested to review the structure of
the Secretariat in the economic, social and related fields, taking into
account the outcome of the resumed forty-fifth session of the General
Assembly, future work, and other relevant resolutions, as appropriate, and to
report thereon with such recommendations as might be appropriate to the
General Assembly at its forty-seventh session.
Noting that management of the Secretariat is the responsibility of
the Secretary-General, he is requested to expeditiously implement those
measures within his purview, in accordance with the Charter and the relevant
resolutions of the General Assembly, to streamline Secretariat operations in
the economic, social and related fields in order to reinforce the
restructuring and revitalization process directed by the General Assembly, and
to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-sixth and forty-seventh
sessions.
(5) Progress report
The Secretary-General is requested to submit an annual progress report to
the General Assembly, starting from its forty-seventh session, on the
implementation of the result of the restructuring and revitalization process
in the economic, social and related fields, in which he is requested further
to provide information on any recommendation agreed upon which has not been
implemented as scheduled.
(6) Review
As part of the restructuring and revitalization process the implementation
of the measures in paragraph 5 above, including all organizational aspects of
both the organizational and substantive sessions of the Economic and Social
Council, will be reviewed at the forty-eighth session of the General Assembly
in the light of the experience of the reforms agreed upon, with the view to
enhancing the impact and effectiveness of the restructuring and revitalization
of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields.