ECOSOC resolutions/decisions adopted at its 1999 organizational session

Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its organizational session for 1999

(20 January and 2–5 February 1999)

Note: The provisional texts of the resolutions and decisions adopted by the Council at its organizational session for 1999 are circulated herein for information. The final texts will be issued in Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1999, Supplement No. 1 (E/1999/99).

Contents 

Resolutions 

1999/1 

Restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields 

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolutions 1996/43 of 26 July 1996, 1998/46 and 1998/47 of 31 July 1998 and 1998/49 of 16 December 1998, and General Assembly resolutions 50/227 of 24 May 1996 and 52/12 B of 19 December 1997,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the reports of the Secretary-General on restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fieldsA/53/137–E/1998/66. and on the joint exploratory review of cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions,E/1998/61. and of the consolidated report by the Secretariat on the outcomes of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council in 1998;E/1999/3.

I 

Restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields 

2. Welcomes the progress made in implementing the provisions of General Assembly resolutions 50/227 and 52/12 B;

3. Decides to inform the General Assembly of progress made by the Economic and Social Council in implementing Assembly resolutions 50/227 and 52/12 B and, to that end, requests the President of the Council to write to the President of the Assembly, as a follow-up to the letter of the President of the Council dated 21 August 1998A/52/1022 and Corr.1. pursuant to Council resolution 1998/46;

4. Takes note of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields1 related to the work of the Economic and Social Council which include elements for continued deliberations of the Council on the further implementation of General Assembly resolutions 50/227 and 52/12 B;

5. Looks forward to the annual progress report of the Secretary-General on the further implementation of General Assembly resolutions 50/227 and 52/12 B and Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/46, to be submitted to the Council at its substantive session of 1999;

II 

Joint exploratory review of cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions 

6. Welcomes the joint exploratory review of cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions as the first such joint review, and reaffirms that cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions should cover cooperation at all levels, including intergovernmental, Secretariat and country levels, as mandated by General Assembly resolution 50/227;

7. Also welcomes the progress made in strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions at the intergovernmental, country and Secretariat levels, and encourages further cooperation in that regard;

8. Encourages the organizations that participated in the joint exploratory review of cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions collectively to undertake a renewed effort to concert policy approaches and give new impetus to collaborative actions by the organizations and agencies of the United Nations system, in particular in the area of poverty eradication;

9. Welcomes the increased dialogue and cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions at the intergovernmental level, and decides to make further efforts to promote an open dialogue with a view to building a strategic partnership and integrated development approaches;

10. Takes note of the recommendations of the Secretary-General on cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions contained in his report2 and encourages the organizations to continue to pursue cooperation at the country and Secretariat levels, bearing in mind those recommendations;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a progress report on cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions at all levels;

III 

Outcomes of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council in 1998 

12. Recognizes that a consolidated report on the outcomes of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council is a useful tool with respect to supporting its coordination function;

13. Requests the functional commissions that have not yet done so to implement General Assembly resolution 50/227 with regard to the provision of summaries of their resolutions or decisions for action by and/or for the attention of the Economic and Social Council;

14. Welcomes recommendations 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of section 1, recommendation 1 of section 2 and the recommendations contained in sections 3 to 9 of the consolidated report on the outcomes of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council in 1998,3 decides to transmit to the appropriate functional commissions those recommendations for their implementation, and requests

15. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a further consolidated report on the work of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council in 1999 for consideration at its substantive session.

2nd plenary meeting

2 February 1999

1999/2 

Work programme for the Committee for Development Policy 

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolutions 1998/39 of 30 July 1998 and 1998/46 of 31 July 1998,

1. Stresses the crucial importance of the completion of the work of the Committee for Development Policy on the vulnerability index;

2. Requests the Committee for Development Policy to continue, and to make all possible efforts to complete, its work in this regard during its forthcoming session and to report thereon to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1999;

3. Also requests the Committee for Development Policy to consider the theme of the role of employment and work in poverty eradication in the context of globalization: the empowerment and advancement of women, and, in this regard, requests the Secretariat to make available to the Committee its work in preparing for the substantive session of 1999 of the Economic and Social Council.

4th plenary meeting

5 February 1999

Decisions 

1999/201 

Provisional agenda for the substantive session of 1999 of the Economic and Social Council 

At its 2nd plenary meeting, on 2 February 1999, the Economic and Social Council, having considered the proposed programme of work for 1999 and 2000,E/1999/1. approved the following provisional agenda for its substantive session of 1999:

1. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters 

Documentation 

Note by the Secretary-General on proposed themes for the high-level and coordination segments of the 2000 substantive session of the Council (General Assembly resolution 50/227, annex I)

High-level segment 

2. The role of employment and work in poverty eradication: the empowerment and advancement of women 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General (Council decision 1998/298)

World Economic and Social Survey, 1999

Operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation segment 

3. Operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation: 

(a) Poverty eradication and capacity-building 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General (General Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 62, and Council decision 1998/299)

(b) Follow-up to policy recommendations of the General Assembly 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General (Council resolutions 1994/33 and 1998/27 and Assembly resolution 53/192)

Addendum to the above report on an appropriate management process of operational activities (Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 60)

Addendum to the above report on the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 63)

Addendum to the above report, taking into account the annual reports of the executive heads of the United Nations funds and programmes, on themes for future discussion (Council resolution 1998/27, para. 3)

Addendum to the above report including a concise consolidated list of issues that are central to the improved coordination of operational activities (Council resolution 1998/27, para. 4)

Addendum containing statistical information for 1997

(c) Reports of the Executive Boards of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Food Programme

 

Documentation 

Report of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Population Fund (General Assembly resolution 48/162, annex, and Council resolutions 1995/51 and 1998/27)

Report of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund (General Assembly resolution 48/162, annex, and Council resolutions 1995/51 and 1998/27)

Report of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (General Assembly resolution 50/8 and Council resolutions 1995/51 and 1998/27)

Annual report of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (Council resolutions 1994/33 and 1998/27 and General Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 59)

Annual report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (Council resolutions 1994/33 and 1998/27 and General Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 59)

Annual report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Council resolutions 1994/33 and 1998/27 and General Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 59)

Annual report of the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (Council resolutions 1994/33 and 1998/27 and General Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 59)

(d) Economic and technical cooperation among developing countries 

Documentation 

Report of the High-level Committee on the Review of Technical Cooperation among Developing CountriesSubmitted to the General Assembly through the Council.

Coordination segment 

4. Coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies and other bodies of the United Nations system related to the following theme: Development of Africa: implementation and coordinated follow-up by the United Nations system of initiatives on African development 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General (Council decision 1998/298)

Humanitarian affairs segment 

5. Special economic, humanitarian and disaster relief assistance 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General on the strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations, including progress made with regard to economic assistance to Djibouti and the implementation of General Assembly resolution 53/1 J (Assembly resolutions 46/182, annex, and 53/88)6

Report of the Secretary-General on follow-up to Council agreed conclusions 1998/1

Report of the Secretary-General on the progress made with the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts of Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Saint Kitts and Nevis (General Assembly resolution 53/1 B)6

Report of the Secretary-General on the collaborative effort to assist Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama and on the progress made with the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the affected countries (General Assembly resolution 53/1 C)6

Oral report on assistance to the drought-stricken areas of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda (Council resolution 1983/46)

General segment 

6. Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits

 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Council agreed conclusions 1998/2 on the coordinated follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (General Assembly resolution 45/264, annex)

Report of the Secretary-General on ways to enhance the integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits (Council resolutions 1997/61 and 1998/44)

Report of the Secretary-General on possible modalities of a review by the Council in 2000 of progress made within the United Nations system on coordinated conference follow-up (Council resolution 1998/44, para. 17)

Note by the Secretariat transmitting the report of the Commission on the Status of Women acting as the preparatory committee for the special session of the General Assembly to review and appraise progress in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (General Assembly resolutions 52/100 and 53/120)

7. Coordination, programme and other questions: 

(a) Reports of coordination bodies 

Documentation 

Report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on its thirty-ninth session6

Annual overview report of the Administrative Committee on Coordination for 1998

(b) Proposed programme budget for the biennium 2000–2001 

Documentation 

Relevant sections of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2000–2001

Report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on its thirty-ninth session6

(c) Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS)

 

Documentation 

Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Executive Director of the Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Council resolution 1997/52)

(d) International cooperation in the field of informatics 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up action taken on Council resolution 1998/29, including the findings of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Informatics

(e) Calendar of conferences and meetings in the economic, social and related fields 

Documentation 

Draft calendar of conferences and meetings in the economic, social and related fields for the biennium 2000–2001

8. Implementation of General Assembly resolutions 50/227 and 52/12 B 

Question to be addressed

Monitoring of steps taken by the functional commissions in response to Council recommendations on the harmonization of their work programmes (Council resolution 1998/46, annex II)

9. Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General on assistance to the Palestinian people (Council resolution 2100 (LXIII) and General Assembly resolution 53/89)6

Report of the President of the Council on consultations held with the Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (Council resolution 1998/38)

Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Declaration by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations (Council resolution 1998/38)

10. Regional cooperation 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General on regional cooperation (Council decision 1979/1), including the report of the Secretary-General on a subject relating to interregional cooperation of common interest to all regions (Council resolution 1982/50 and decision 1982/174)

Note by the Secretary-General on a Europe-Africa permanent link through the Strait of Gibraltar (Council resolution 1997/48)

Summary of the economic survey of Europe, 1998

Summary of the survey of economic and social conditions in Africa, 1998

Summary of the survey of economic and social conditions in Asia and the Pacific, 1999

Summary of the economic survey of Latin America and the Caribbean, 1998

Summary of economic and social developments in the region of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, 1998

11. Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan

 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Council resolution 1998/32 and General Assembly resolution 53/1966

12. Non-governmental organizations 

Documentation 

Report of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (Council resolutions 3 (II) and 1996/31 and decision 1995/304)

13. Economic and environmental questions 

Documentation 

Relevant sections of the document prepared by the Secretariat containing a consolidation of conclusions and recommendations of subsidiary bodies and examining linkages between the functional commissions (General Assembly resolution 50/227, annex I, para. 68, and Council resolution 1998/46, annex II, para. 32)

Question to be addressed

Implementation of the relevant recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (A/52/871–S/1998/318; see also E/1998/88) (Council decision 1998/283)

(a) Sustainable development 

Documentation 

Report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its seventh session, including guidelines for consumer protection and recommendations on supportive measures and activities that will contribute to a successful International Year of Ecotourism (Council decisions 1993/207 and 1998/215, Council resolution 1998/40 and General Assembly resolution 53/200)

Report of the Committee for Development Policy on its thirty-third session, including the Committee’s assessment of the usefulness of a vulnerability index as a criterion for designation of the least developed countries (Council resolutions 1079 (XXXIX), 1625 (LI), 1998/39 and 1998/46)

(b) Science and technology for development 

Documentation 

Report of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development on its fourth session (Council decisions 1992/218, 1997/305 and 1997/306)

(c) Statistics 

Documentation 

Report of the Statistical Commission on its thirtieth session (Council resolutions 8 (I), 8 (II) and 1566 (L) and decision 1997/219)

(d) Human settlements 

Documentation 

Report of the Commission on Human Settlements on its seventeenth session (General Assembly resolutions 32/162, 43/181 and 52/190) 6

(e) Environment 

Documentation 

Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its twentieth session (General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII))6

Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 53/185 entitled “International cooperation to reduce the impact of the El Niño phenomenon”6

Report of the Secretary-General on the measures taken within the United Nations system to accelerate the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 (General Assembly resolution 53/188)6

(f) Women in development 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General on the effective mobilization and integration of women in development (General Assembly resolutions 42/178 and 52/195)6

World Survey on the Role of Women in Development (General Assembly resolutions 40/204 and 49/161)6

(g) Transport of dangerous goods 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the implementation of Council resolution 1997/3 (Council resolutions 724 C (XXVIII), 1488 (XLVIII) and 1983/7)

(h) International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General (General Assembly resolution 44/236, annex)6

Report of the Secretary-General on recommendations on how the United Nations can deal with natural disaster reduction after the conclusion of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (General Assembly resolution 53/185)6

(i) Population and development 

Documentation 

Report of the Commission on Population and Development on its thirty-second session (General Assembly resolution 49/128, para. 25, and Council decisions 1995/209 and 1998/222)

(j) International cooperation in tax matters 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General on the progress of the work of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters at its ninth meeting (Council resolutions 1273 (XLIII) and 1765 (LIV) and decision 1998/218)

(k) Energy and natural resources for development 

Documentation 

Report of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development on its first session (Council resolution 1998/46, annex I)

14. Social and human rights questions 

Documentation 

Relevant sections of the document prepared by the Secretariat containing a consolidation of conclusions and recommendations of subsidiary bodies and examining linkages between the functional commissions (General Assembly resolution 50/227, annex I, para. 68, and Council resolution 1998/46, annex II, para. 32)

(a) Advancement of women 

Documentation 

Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women)6

Report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its forty-third session (Council resolutions 11 (II) and 1147 (XLI) and decision 1998/224)

Report of the Board of Trustees of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (Council resolution 1998 (LX))

Report of the Director of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (Council resolution 1998/48)

Report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up to and implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (General Assembly resolutions 50/203 and 53/120 and Council resolution 1998/43)6

Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 52/93 on the improvement of the situation of women in rural areas6

(b) Social development 

Documentation 

Report of the Commission for Social Development on its thirty-seventh session (Council resolutions 10 (II) and 1996/7 and decision 1998/226)

Report of the Secretary-General on effective ways and means for achieving the goal of education for all (General Assembly resolution 52/84)6

(c) Crime prevention and criminal justice 

Documentation 

Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its eighth session (Council resolution 1992/1 and decision 1998/227)

Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 52/86 on crime prevention and criminal justice measures to eliminate violence against women6

(d) Narcotic drugs 

Documentation 

Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its forty-second session (Council resolution 9 (I) and decision 1998/229)

Report of the International Narcotics Control Board (article 15 of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961; article 18 of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971; and article 23 of the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances)

(e) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 

Documentation 

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees6

Oral report on the situation of refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa (General Assembly resolution 53/126)

(f) Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

 

Documentation 

Report of the Secretary-General (General Assembly resolutions 48/91 and 53/132)

Relevant chapter of the report of the Commission on Human Rights on its fifty-fifth session on a concrete proposal on the date and venue of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (General Assembly resolution 53/132 (II))

(g) Programme of activities for the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People

 

Question to be addressed

Mid-point review by the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly of the results of the activities for the Decade (Assembly resolution 50/157)

(h) Human rights  

Documentation 

Report of the Commission on Human Rights on its fifty-fifth session (Council resolutions 5 (I) and 9 (II))

Report of the Human Rights Committee (article 45 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights)6

Report of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Council resolutions 1988 (LX) and 1985/17 and Council decision 1998/293)

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (General Assembly resolution 48/141)6

1999/202 

Basic programme of work of the Economic and Social Council for 2000 

At its 2nd plenary meeting, on 2 February 1999, the Economic and Social Council took note of the following list of questions for inclusion in the programme of work for 2000:

Substantive session of 2000

A. High-level segment 

[Item/items to be selected]*

* In its resolution 52/190, the General Assembly invited the Council to consider devoting one high-level segment before the year 2001 to human settlements and the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

In its resolution 52/86, the Assembly invited the Council to consider including the question of violence against women at the high-level segment of one of its forthcoming sessions, in the context of its discussion on the human rights of women.

World Economic and Social Survey, 2000

B. Operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation segment**

**In its resolution 53/192, the Assembly invited the Council to consider, inter alia, harmonization and simplification, including of programming, and resources, on the basis of progress reports by the Secretary-General, including appropriate recommendations.

 

Operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation

[Theme/themes to be selected for consideration at the high-level meeting of the segment]

Follow-up to policy recommendations of the General Assembly

Report of the Secretary-General (Council resolution 1994/33 and General Assembly resolution 53/192)

Reports of the Executive Boards of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Food Programme

Report of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Population Fund (General Assembly resolution 48/162, annex, and Council resolutions 1995/51 and 1998/27)

Report of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund (General Assembly resolution 48/162, annex, and Council resolutions 1995/51 and 1998/27)

Report of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (General Assembly resolution 50/8 and Council resolutions 1995/51 and 1998/27)

Annual report of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (Council resolutions 1994/33 and 1998/27 and General Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 59)

Annual report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (Council resolutions 1994/33 and 1998/27 and General Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 59)

Annual report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Council resolutions 1994/33 and 1998/27 and General Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 59)

Annual report of the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (Council resolutions 1994/33 and 1998/27 and General Assembly resolution 53/192, para. 59)

C. Coordination segment 

Coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies and other bodies of the United Nations system related to the following themes:

[Theme/themes to be selected]**In its resolution 53/180, the General Assembly invited the Council to devote its coordination segment in the year 2000 to human settlements issues and the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

D. Humanitarian affairs segment 

Special economic, humanitarian and disaster relief assistance

Report of the Secretary-General on the coordination of humanitarian emergency assistance of the United Nations (General Assembly resolution 46/182, annex)6

Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 53/1 D on international assistance for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Nicaragua: aftermath of the war and natural disasters6

Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 53/1 I on assistance for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Liberia6

Oral report on assistance to the drought-stricken areas of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda (Council resolution 1983/46)

E. General segment 

Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits

Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the 1999 agreed conclusions of the Council (General Assembly resolution 45/264, annex)

Report of the Secretary-General on ways to enhance the integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits (Council resolution 1997/61)

Coordination, programme and other questions

Reports of coordination bodies

Report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on its fortieth session6

Annual overview report of the Administrative Committee on Coordination for 1999

Proposed revisions to the medium-term plan for the period 1998–2001

Relevant chapters of the proposed revisions to the medium-term plan for the period 1998–2001

Report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on its fortieth session

Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations

Report of the Secretary-General on assistance to the Palestinian people (Council resolution 2100 (LXIII))6

Regional cooperation

Report of the Secretary-General on regional cooperation (Council decision 1979/1), including the report of the Secretary-General on a subject relating to interregional cooperation of common interest to all regions (Council resolution 1982/50 and decision 1982/174)

Summaries of the surveys of economic conditions in the five regions prepared by the regional commissions (Council resolution 1724 (LIII))

Non-governmental organizations

Report of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (Council resolutions 3 (II) and 1996/31 and decision 1995/304)

Question to be addressed

Enlargement of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (Council decision 1998/231)

Economic and environmental questions

Relevant sections of the document prepared by the Secretariat containing a consolidation of conclusions and recommendations of subsidiary bodies (General Assembly resolution 50/227, annex I, para. 68)

Report of the Secretary-General on the measures taken within the United Nations system to accelerate the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 (General Assembly resolution 53/188)6

Sustainable development

Report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its eighth session (Council decision 1993/207)

Report of the Committee for Development Policy on its thirty-fourth session (Council resolutions 1079 (XXXIX), 1625 (LI) and 1998/46)

Food and agricultural development

Report on the review and analysis of agrarian reform and rural development (Council decision 1981/185)

Public administration and finance

Report of the Secretary-General on the Fifteenth Meeting of Experts on the United Nations Programme in Public Administration and Finance (Council resolution 1199 (XLII) and decision 1998/219)

Water supply and sanitation

Report of the Secretary-General containing an assessment of the water supply and sanitation situation in developing countries (General Assembly resolution 50/126)6

Cartography

Report of the Secretary-General on the Fifteenth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific (Council decision 1997/221)

Report of the Secretary-General on the twentieth session of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (Council decision 1998/221)

Population and development

Report of the Commission on Population and Development on its thirty-third session (General Assembly resolution 49/128, para. 25, and Council decision 1995/209)

Social and human rights questions

Relevant sections of the document prepared by the Secretariat containing a consolidation of conclusions and recommendations of subsidiary bodies (General Assembly resolution 50/227, annex I, para. 68)

Advancement of women

Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (article 21 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women)6

Report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its forty-fourth session (Council resolutions 11 (II) and 1147 (XLI))

Report of the Board of Trustees of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (Council resolution 1998 (LX))

Report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up to and implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (General Assembly resolutions 50/203 and 52/100)6

Report of the Secretary-General on a new draft system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, 2002–2005 (Council resolution 1996/34)

Social development

Report of the Commission for Social Development on its thirty-eighth session (Council resolutions 10 (II) and 1996/7)

Report of the Secretary-General on the world social situation (General Assembly resolution 44/56)6

Crime prevention and criminal justice

Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its ninth session (Council resolution 1992/1)

Report of the Secretary-General on capital punishment (Council resolution 1745 (LIV))

Report of the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (General Assembly resolution 53/110)6

Narcotic drugs

Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its forty-third session (Council resolution 9 (I))

Report of the Secretary-General on the biennial update of the United Nations System-wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control (General Assembly resolution 48/112, sect. IV, para. 10)6

Report of the International Narcotics Control Board (article 15 of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961; article 18 of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971; and article 23 of the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances)

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees6

Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

Report of the Secretary-General (General Assembly resolution 48/91)

Human rights

Report of the Commission on Human Rights on its fifty-sixth session (Council resolutions 5 (I) and 9 (II))

Report of the Human Rights Committee (article 45 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights)6

Report of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Council resolutions 1988 (LX) and 1985/17)

Review of the composition, organization and administrative arrangements of the Committee (Council resolution 1985/17)

Report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex)6

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (General Assembly resolution 48/141)6

1999/203 

Regional cooperation 

At its 2nd plenary meeting, on 2 Feburary 1999, the Economic and Social Council decided to consider at its substantive session of 1999, under the item entitled “Regional cooperation”, in pursuance of Council resolution 1982/50 of 28 July 1982 and taking into account the joint recommendations made by the executive secretaries of the regional commissions pursuant to Council decision 1982/174 of 30 July 1982, the question of “Economic and social issues arising out of the Asian economic crisis: a regional perspective”.

1999/204 

Dates of sessions of subsidiary bodies of the Economic and Social Council and of other meetings of the Council in 1999 

At its 2nd plenary meeting, on 2 February 1999, the Economic and Social Council decided that:

(a) The informal meeting of the Council to consider work being carried out by the United Nations system on basic indicators to measure progress towards implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, pursuant to Council decision 1998/290 of 31 July 1998, should be held at Headquarters on 10 and 11 May;

(b) The high-level meeting of the Council with representatives of the Bretton Woods institutions should be held at Headquarters on 29 April;

(c) The first session of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development should be held at Headquarters from 5 to 16 April;

(d) The first session of the Committee for Development Policy should be held at Headquarters from 26 to 30 April;

(e) The 1999 session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations should be held at Headquarters from 1 to 18 June.

1999/205 

Provisional agenda and documentation for the 1999 session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations 

At its 2nd plenary meeting, on 2 February 1999, the Economic and Social Council approved the following provisional agenda and documentation for the 1999 session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations:

1. Election of officers.

2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.

3. Applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification received from non-governmental organizations:

(a) Applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification deferred from the 1998 session of the Committee;

(b) New applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification.

Documentation

Deferred applications for consultative status: memorandum by the Secretary-General

Deferred requests for reclassification: memorandum by the Secretary-General

New applications for consultative status: memorandum by the Secretary-General

New requests for reclassification: memorandum by the Secretary-General

4. Review of quadrennial reports submitted by non-governmental organizations in general and special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.

Documentation

Quadrennial reports for the period 1994–1997 submitted by non-governmental organizations in general and special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council: reports submitted through the Secretary-General pursuant to Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996

5. Review of the methods of work of the Committee: implementation of Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31, including the process of accreditation of representatives of non-governmental organizations, and decision 1995/304 of 26 July 1995.

6. Provisional agenda and documentation for the session of the Committee to be held in the year 2000.

7. Adoption of the report of the Committee.

1999/206 

Participation of non-governmental organizations accredited to the World Summit for Social Development in the work of the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-seventh session 

At its 2nd plenary meeting, on 2 February 1999, the Economic and Social Council decided, as an interim measure, and in conformity with the provisions of paragraph 53 of its resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996, to invite those non-governmental organizations that had been accredited to the World Summit for Social Development to attend the thirty-seventh session of the Commission for Social Development, provided that they had started the process of applying for consultative status in accordance with Council decision 1996/315 of 14 November 1996.

1999/207 

Enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 

At its 2nd plenary meeting, on 2 February 1999, the Economic and Social Council, recalling General Assembly resolution 1166 (XII) of 26 November 1957, in which the Assembly requested the Council to establish an Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as Assembly resolutions 1958 (XVIII) of 12 December 1963, 2294 (XXII) of 11 December 1967, 36/121 D of 10 December 1981, 42/130 of 7 December 1987, 45/138 of 14 December 1990, 48/115 of 20 December 1993, 49/171 of 23 December 1994, 50/228 of 7 June 1996 and 51/72 of 12 December 1996, in which it provided for subsequent increases in the membership of the Executive Committee, took note of the request to enlarge the membership of the Executive Committee contained in the note verbale dated 13 August 1998 from the Permanent Mission of Côte d'Ivoire to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-GeneralE/1998/97. and recommended that the Assembly take a decision at its fifty-third session on the question of enlarging the membership of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from fifty-four to fifty-five.

1999/208 

Theme of the humanitarian affairs segment of the substantive session of 1999 of the Economic and Social Council 

At its 4th plenary meeting, on 5 February 1999, the Economic and Social Council decided that the theme of the humanitarian affairs segment of its substantive session of 1999 should be “International cooperation and coordinated responses to the humanitarian emergencies, in particular in the transition from relief to rehabilitation, reconstruction and development”.

1999/209 

Issue of the review of the distribution of seats in the Executive Board of the World Food Programme 

At its 4th plenary meeting, on 5 Feburary 1999, the Economic and Social Council, recalling General Assembly resolution 50/8 of 1 November 1995 and Council decision 1998/285 of 31 July 1998, decided:

(a) To continue consideration, at its resumed organizational session for 1999, of the issue of the review of the distribution of seats in the Executive Board of the World Food Programme with a view to arriving at a recommendation to be submitted to the General Assembly;

(b) To postpone action on the draft resolution entitled “Revision of the General Regulations of the World Food Programme”E/1998/L.51. to its resumed organizational session for 1999.

1999/210 

Elections to subsidiary and related bodies of the Economic and Social Council, nominations and confirmation of a representative on a functional commission 

At its 4th plenary meeting, on 5 February 1999, the Economic and Social Council took the following action with regard to vacancies in its subsidiary and related bodies:

Elections postponed from previous sessions 

Commission on Population and Development 

The Council elected El Salvador for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2001.

The Council postponed to a future session the election of two members from Latin American and Caribbean States for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2000.

Commission for Social Development 

The following three Member States were elected for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2002: Guinea, Morocco and Swaziland.

Commission on Science and Technology for Development 

The following seven Members States were elected: Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Uganda and United Republic of Tanzania.

The Council elected Sri Lanka for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2000.

In accordance with Council resolution 1998/47 of 31 July 1998, lots were drawn to determine the terms of office of the elected members from African States. It was thus decided that Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea and the United Republic of Tanzania would serve for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2000 and that Angola, Ethiopia and Uganda would serve for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2002.

The Council postponed to a future session the election of one member from Asian States for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2000.

Commission on Human Settlements 

The Council elected the Gambia for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2002.

The Council postponed to a future session the election of one member from African States for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2002.

Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations 

The Council elected Senegal for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2002.

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development 

The Council elected the following three experts for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2002: Adam Edow Adawa (Kenya), Messaoud Boumaour (Algeria) and Wafik Meshref (Egypt).

The Council further postponed the election of one expert from Asian States for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2002.

Committee for the United Nations Population Award 

The Council elected Burundi for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2000.

Programme Coordination Board of the Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome 

The Council elected the Philippines for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2001.

Nominations postponed from previous sessions 

Committee for Programme and Coordination 

The Council nominated the Comoros for election by the General Assembly for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2001.

The Council postponed to a future session the nomination for election by the General Assembly of one member from Western European and other States for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 1999.

Other elections 

Commission on Sustainable Development 

The Council elected Finland to assume the term of office of Denmark for a term beginning on 1 May 1999 and expiring at the conclusion of the Commission’s session in 2002.

International Narcotics Control Board 

The Council elected Sergio Uribe Ramírez (Colombia) to replace Alfonso Gómez Méndez (Colombia) for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 1 March 2002.

Confirmation 

The Council confirmed the nomination by his Government of the following representative on a functional commission of the Council:See E/1999/L.5.

Statistical Commission 

Masahiro Horie (Japan)