ECOSOC Reform
At the
2005 World Summit, heads of State and government resolved to further strengthen the Economic and Social Council both by enhancing its existing mandates and by entrusting it with important new functions. In particular, in paragraph 155 and 156 of the
World Summit outcome document World Leaders mandated ECOSOC,
inter alia :
- To serve as a quality platform of engagement on global policies and trends in the economic, social, environmental and humanitarian field and to hold a biennial Development Cooperation Forum to review trends in international development co-operation.
In follow-up to the summit, the General Assembly adopted resolution 61/16 on the “Strengthening of the Economic and Social Council” on 20 November 2006, as a result of informal consultations of the Plenary under the chairmanship of H.E. Ambassador Johan C. Verbeke of Belgium and H.E. Ambassador Cheick Sidi Diarra of Mali. Five key elements of the resolution are:
- It sets the stage for the AMRs which will review the progress made in the implementation of the UN Development Agenda, including the Millennium Development Goals.
- It also mandates ECOSOC to hold a biennial DCF to review trends and progress in international development cooperation, i.e., issues of aid quality and quantity, and give policy guidance on practical measures and policy options on how to enhance its coherence and effectiveness.
- Both the AMR and the DCF will be held during the 2007 ECOSOC substantive session in Geneva in July. Subsequently, starting in 2008, the DCF will be held biennially in New York .
- The Council has also been given the mandate to convene ad-hoc meetings on humanitarian emergencies as and when they are requested.
- The resolution also gave a clear message for the Peacebuilding Commission to benefit from the Council's experiences in the area of post-conflict peace building and the success of its ad-hoc advisory groups.
Immediately following the adoption of the General Assembly resolution, ECOSOC started its consultations, on the recommendations of the General Assembly, to take up issues where immediate action is needed so as to get ready for the 2007 ECOSOC Substantive Session to be held in July in Geneva .
Against this backdrop the Council adopted decision E/2006/274 which provides further details on the modalities of involvement of ECOSOC's subsidiary machinery in the preparation of the first 2007 Annual Ministerial substantive Review (AMR) and Development Cooperation Forum (DCF). It also decided to have “The role of the UN system in promoting full and productive employment and decent work for all “ as a theme for the coordination segment.
In addition, in the near future, the Council is expected to conduct consultations on a comprehensive ECOSOC reform resolution which is expected to elaborate further on resolutions 61/16 and ECOSOC decision E/ 2006/206 regarding the adaptation of its working methods.