ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS ONE RESOLUTION AND TWO DECISIONS, HOLDS ELECTIONS IN ONE-DAY RESUMED SESSION

Economic and Social Council
Resumed Substantive Session
25 October 2002
44th Meeting (PM)



The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) meeting this afternoon, adopted a draft resolution on regional cooperation and two draft decisions, the first relating to an Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau and the second concerning amendment of the rules of procedure of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names.

By the terms of the text on regional cooperation (document E/2002/15/Add.4) the Council proposed modifications to the medium-term plan of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) for the period 2002 to 2005.

According to the draft decision on the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau, the Council decided that the Group would examine the country's humanitarian and economic needs, review its rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes, and submit a report by mid-January 2003.

By further terms, the Council decided that, as an Ad Hoc Advisory Group on African Countries Emerging from Conflict, the Group on Guinea-Bissau would comprise the representatives of South Africa, Guinea-Bissau, Brazil, the Netherlands and Portugal, with South Africa's representative serving as Chairperson.

Under the terms of the text on geographical names, the Council amended rule 5 of the rules of procedure to read:  "The Group shall elect the following officers from among the experts representing divisions:  a Chairperson, two Vice-Chairpersons and two Rapporteurs”.

The Council, noting a decision made at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development to transfer the work of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development to the Commission on Sustainable Development, decided not to adopt a related draft decision on the provisional agenda for that Committee's third session, and to cancel that session, which had been scheduled from 9 to 20 December 2002.

Also this afternoon, the Council took note of two reports of the Secretary-General on the integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, including the Millennium Summit (document A/57/75-E/2002/57).  That report analyzes the three-tiered system of follow-up to conferences in 2001-2002, and looks at specific roles played by the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council as well as its functional commissions.

The Council also took note of the report of the Secretary-General on the role of public administration in the implementation of the Millennium Declaration (document A/57/262-E/2002/82).

It deferred consideration of a draft decision on themes for its 2003 session until its resumed session in December.  The Council also deferred consideration of the Secretary-General’s report on the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development until its 2003 session and of the Statistical Commission's report on its thirty-third session.  Also deferred was consideration of the report of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration on its first session.

In other business, the Council elected Jordan, representing the Group of Asian States, to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development until 31 December 2004.  It also elected Belgium, for the Western and other States Group, to a four-year term beginning on 1 January 2003.

The Council elected China, for the Asian Group, to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, until 31 December 2004.  Panama, representing the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, was elected to the Intergovernmental Working Group of experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting to a three-year term beginning 1 January 2003.

Council President Ivan Simonovic (Croatia) informed members that the Western and other States Group had endorsed Switzerland for election to one of two vacancies in the Committee for Programme and Coordination.

The Council also heard from a representative of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on the observance by the Government of Myanmar of the ILO Forced Labour Convention.

Also speaking today were the representatives of Venezuela (on behalf of the Group of 77 and China), Guinea-Bissau, Egypt, Cuba, United States, Pakistan, Sudan, China, Denmark and Nepal.

Guido Bertucci, Director of the Division for Public Economics and Public Administration in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, also addressed the meeting.

The Economic and Social Council will meet again in December to take up outstanding items.




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