Programme planning, G.A. res. 47/214, 47 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 261, U.N. Doc. A/47/49 (1992).


The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 37/234 of 21 December 1982, 41/213 of 19 December 1986, 42/211 of 21 December 1987, 43/219 of 21 December 1988, 44/194 of 21 December 1989, 45/253 of 21 December 1990 and 46/189 of 20 December 1991,

Having examined the proposed revisions to the medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997,

Having considered the note by the Chairman of the Fifth Committee reporting on the review of the proposed revisions to the medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997 by the other Main Committees of the General Assembly,

Having also considered the report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on the work of its thirty-second session, the report of the Committee on Conferences and the oral report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Having further considered the reports of the Secretary-General on the programme performance of the United Nations for the biennium 1990-1991 6/ and on the assessment of evaluation activities and proposals for strengthening the role of evaluation,

I

MEDIUM-TERM PLAN FOR THE PERIOD 1992-1997

1. Adopts the Secretary-General's proposed revisions to the medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997, as amended by the recommendations of the Second Committee, the Committee for Programme and Coordination and the Committee on Conferences, and the additional conclusions contained in the annex to the present resolution;

2. Takes note of the views of the other Main Committees of the General Assembly and the observations made by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;

3. Reaffirms that the medium-term plan is the principal policy directive of the United Nations and shall serve as the framework for the formulation of the biennial programme budgets;

4. Emphasizes the importance of the contribution of the sectoral, regional and central intergovernmental bodies, in particular the Main Committees of the General Assembly, in reviewing and improving the quality of the plan and its revisions;

5. Regrets that there are still considerable practical problems which limit the availability of such contributions;

6. Calls upon intergovernmental bodies to take appropriate measures to ensure their active participation in the review of the medium-term plan and its revisions;

7. Endorses the recommendation of the Committee for Programme and Coordination that a prototype of a possible new format of the medium-term plan should be presented to the Committee at its thirty-third session;

8. Endorses also the recommendation of the Committee for Programme and Coordination that an ad hoc technical seminar of experts should be convened in the field of programme planning of the United Nations, without additional cost to the Organization, to assist the Secretariat in the drafting of the prototype of the new format of the medium-term plan;

9. Decides that the prototype, as recommended by the Committee for Programme and Coordination, should take into account the relevant conclusions of the seminar on the prototype of a new budget document and address, in particular, issues concerning the manageability of the drafting and revision process, including the questions of preparation and submission of documentation and the review of programme planning documents by subsidiary intergovernmental machinery;

10. Expresses its concern at the negative impact of late issuance of documentation on the in-depth review of the revisions to the medium-term plan and endorses the related recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination as contained in its report on the work of its thirty-second session;

11. Recommends that, within the framework of the review of the format and structure of the medium-term plan, the seminar give particular attention to ensuring the timeliness of the provision of documentation;

II

PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE REPORT

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the programme performance of the United Nations for the biennium 1990-1991;

2. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on the report of the Secretary-General on the programme performance of the United Nations for the biennium 1990-1991;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to reflect the improvements proposed in his report to the General Assembly at its forty-sixth session in his report on the programme performance of the United Nations for the biennium 1992-1993;

III

PROGRAMME EVALUATION IN THE UNITED NATIONS

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the assessment of evaluation activities and proposals for strengthening the role of evaluation;

2. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination at its thirty-second session on this question and urges the Secretary-General to improve the methodology for self-evaluation;

IV

COORDINATION

1. Emphasizes the need for enhanced coordination in the United Nations system and welcomes the intention of the Secretary-General, as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, to assign a high priority to coordination and to work with the executive heads of the organizations of the system to develop new approaches for collaboration with the purpose of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of coordination;

2. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations made by the Committee for Programme and Coordination at its thirty-second session on the annual overview report of the Administrative Committee on Coordination for 1991;

3. Endorses also the recommendations made by the Committee for Programme and Coordination at its thirty-second session on the report of the Secretary-General on the System-wide Plan of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development and invites the Secretary-General:

(a) To launch, at the earliest possible time, the System-wide Plan of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development and the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s;

(b) To call upon all the relevant executive heads of the United Nations agencies and bodies to accord high priority to the implementation of the Plan and to use it as a guideline for their activities related to African development;

4. Takes note of the preparation of the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001 and the amendments proposed to the plan by the Committee for Programme and Coordination;

5. Takes note also of the decision of the Committee for Programme and Coordination to propose to the Administrative Committee on Coordination that at the twenty-seventh series of their joint meetings, the Committee for Programme and Coordination and the Administrative Committee on Coordination should discuss the results of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and their implications for the United Nations system;

V

OTHER MATTERS

1. Recalls its resolutions 46/185 B and 46/189 of 20 December 1991, by which it endorsed the recommendation of the Committee for Programme and Coordination at its thirty-first session to establish a system of responsibility and accountability of programme managers of the United Nations;

2. Endorses the recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination in its report and invites the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session on the establishment of such a system.

94th plenary meeting
23 December 1992

ANNEX

CONCLUSIONS ON REVISIONS TO THE MAJOR PROGRAMMES, PROGRAMMES AND SUBPROGRAMMES OF THE MEDIUM-TERM PLAN FOR THE PERIOD 1992-1997

Programme 1. Good offices and peacemaking, peace-keeping, research and the collection of information

The General Assembly endorses the recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination contained in paragraphs 30 and 31 of its report and invites the Secretary-General to take into account the decisions of the Assembly on preventive diplomacy and related matters in the implementation of this programme.

In the fourth line of new paragraph 1.21 (b) and in the second line of new paragraph 1.21 (i), insert international before peace and security

Programme 2. Political and Security Council affairs

Retain the title "Political and Security Council affairs" for the programme.

Programme 4. Special political questions, trusteeship and decolonization

Subprogramme 4: Enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections

For the text of new paragraph 4.37, substitute:

4.37. The legislative mandate of the subprogramme is provided by the General Assembly in its resolution 46/137 of 17 December 1991 and its implementation will be carried out in the context of Assembly resolutions 47/130 and 47/138 of 18 December 1992 and in full coordination with programme 35, Promotion and protection of human rights.

At the end of new paragraph 4.39, delete and provide development assistance

Programme 6. Elimination of apartheid

In new paragraph 6.2, delete consensus

In new paragraph 6.36 (a), for the consensus read related

Programme 7. Disarmament

Not applicable to English.

Programme 13. Trade and development

Paragraph 13.30 should read:

13.30. Subprogrammes 1 to 5, 7 to 9 and 11 are designated high priority.

Subprogramme 1: International competition and trade policies

Paragraph 13.34 (c)

At the end of the paragraph, delete ,ensuring transparency and defining consultation procedures

Paragraph 13.35 (d)

For the existing text, substitute:

(d) Enhancing knowledge of restrictive business practices and encouraging the elimination of those practices which adversely affect international trade, particularly that of developing countries and the economic development of those countries;

Subprogramme 2: Commodities

Paragraph 13.41 (d)

In the first line, after diversification insert and crop substitution

Paragraph 13.41 (g)

For the existing text, substitute:

(g) Review developments, undertake analysis and provide information and support to technical cooperation in the field of commodities and sustainable development;

Subprogramme 3: Development finance and debt

Paragraph 13.45 (g)

In the second line, after debt insert management and

Subprogramme 4: Investment and technology

Paragraph 13.49 (b)

At the beginning of the paragraph, for Formulation and adoption of read Analysis of and advice on

Paragraph 13.50 (h)

For the existing text, substitute:

(h) Consider whether there is the convergence of views of Governments on a code of conduct on the transfer of technology necessary to reach agreement on all outstanding issues. If there is convergence of views, contribute to further work on the code;

Add a paragraph 13.50 (j) reading:

(j) Analyse challenges and opportunities for transfer of technology to and from countries undergoing transition processes to a market economy.

Subprogramme 5: Poverty alleviation

Paragraph 13.53 (b)

At the end of the paragraph, after poverty insert and the participation of the poor and vulnerable groups in development

Paragraph 13.53 (d)

The second line should read:

social development programmes, particularly in developing countries, especially in the

Subprogramme 6: Economic cooperation among developing countries

Paragraph 13.62 (a)

For both among developed and developing read among developing

Subprogramme 7: Global interdependence: the international trading, monetary and financial systems; international implications of macroeconomic policies

Paragraph 13.66 (b)

In the first line, for study read consider

Paragraph 13.67 (b)

For the existing text, substitute:

(b) Study trends in the international trading, monetary and financial systems with a view to identifying the coherence of these systems and alternative responses required to ensure good macroeconomic management at the global level and adequate coordination and surveillance of national policies;

Subprogramme 8: Enlarged economic spaces, regional integration processes and systematic issues of international trade

Paragraphs 13.70 (c) and (d)

For the existing texts, substitute:

(c) To contribute to the promotion of regional and subregional economic integration, particularly among developing countries, as a complementary means of strengthening the trade liberalization process in order to facilitate, in a timely way, the smooth and equitable integration of all countries into the international trading system.

Subprogramme 9: Privatization, entrepreneurship and competitiveness

Paragraph 13.77 (a)

In the second line, delete appropriate

Paragraph 13.78 (c)

In the second line, for and read and/or

Add a paragraph 13.78 (j) reading:

(j) Provide support for the presentation of national programmes and plans for privatization.

Subprogramme 10: Domestic reforms and resource mobilization

Paragraph 13.80

At the end of the first line, delete developing

Paragraph 13.82 (a)

The paragraph should read:

(a) To help to identify, taking into account the diversity of country situations, the scope and nature of domestic economic reforms needed; the costs and benefits of alternative policy approaches and options; and measures and mechanisms for effective mobilization of domestic financial resources;

Paragraph 13.82 (b)

For generation of additional finance for sustainable development read of increasing the availability of development finance

Subprogramme 11: Environment and sustainable development

Paragraph 13.88 (a)

In the second line, for coexistence read coherence and complementarity

Paragraph 13.88 (c)

In the first line, after developing countries with insert new and

Subprogramme 12: Data management

Paragraph 13.96 (d)

In the first line, for assistance to developing countries read assistance, particularly to developing countries,

Programme 14. Trade expansion, export promotion and service sector development

Paragraph 14.13 should read:

14.13. Subprogrammes 1, 3 and 4 are accorded high priority.

Subprogramme 1: Structural adjustment and trading opportunities

Paragraph 14.16 (f)

In the seventh line, before increase insert the encouragement of preference-giving countries to consider an

Paragraph 14.16 (g)

For in Central and Eastern Europe read in transition

Paragraph 14.17 (g)

In the third line, for of Central and Eastern Europe read in transition

Paragraph 14.18 (j)

In the first line, after increasing insert ,where possible,

Paragraph 14.18 (k)

For of Central and Eastern Europe read in transition

Subprogramme 3: Trade efficiency

Paragraph 14.30 (i)

For the existing text, substitute:

(i) Undertake research and development of new automatic data-processing systems such as ASYCUDA for use at the country level;

Subprogramme 4: Service development

Paragraph 14.33 (b)

In the first line, after examine insert ways of overcoming

Paragraph 14.34 (b)

The paragraph should read:

(b) Elaborating policies aimed at strengthening the service sector in the developing countries, including issues relating to production and export capacity, and increasing their participation in world trade in this sector;

Paragraph 14.34 (g)

At the beginning of the paragraph, insert Elaborating policies aimed at

Paragraph 14.35 (a)

The paragraph should read:

(a) Analyse specific ways to allow an increasing participation of developing countries in trade in services; to overcome difficulties they face in their export of services and to improve the functioning of service markets, including through analysis of relevant restrictive business practices;

Subprogramme 5: Shipping, ports and multimodal transport

Paragraph 14.37

For the existing text, substitute:

14.37. Most of world trade is carried on ocean transport and many developing countries have put priority on participating in this sector. Given the growing interdependence among the service sectors, their efforts to develop competitive shipping sectors may be facilitated by increasing their capacity to cope with rapidly changing structural and technological developments in improving the efficiency of their maritime and multimodal transport and related services and infrastructure facilities.

Paragraph 14.41 (a)

In the third line, after countries insert ,in particular,

Paragraph 14.41 (c)

For in the fields of shipping, ports and multimodal transport, read in the development of competitive shipping, ports and multimodal transport services,

Paragraph 14.41 (e)

The first two lines should read:

To promote the development of port services, in particular through heightened awareness of technological improvements and measures which may enhance the

Paragraph 14.41 (g)

In the second line, after with a view insert ,inter alia,

Paragraph 14.42 (a)

For the existing text, substitute:

(a) Preparing comparative analyses of national shipping policies, including such strategies and options as privatization, commercialization or possible elimination of State shipping companies, and their impact on the establishment of a national institutional environment aimed at fostering competitive shipping services, fleet development, service quality and increased trade, and reducing the technological gap;

Paragraph 14.42 (c)

For the existing text, substitute:

(c) Promoting a balance of interests between users and providers of shipping services, with particular regard to encouraging regular consultations among them;

Paragraph 14.42 (d)

In the fourth line, for application read by increasing awareness

In the fifth line, for transport read shipping

Paragraph 14.42 (f)

For the existing text, substitute:

(f) Monitoring structural changes in multimodal transport supply services, including multimodal sea/air services; promoting the use of international multimodal transport operations and the development of transport technologies, including the application of the agreed modal rules for container tariffs as well as UNCTAD/ICC standard form and modal provisions for multimodal transport documents and the use of transport-related information technologies such as EDI and the Advance Cargo Information System (ACIS);

Paragraph 14.42 (g)

For the existing text, substitute:

(g) Encouraging a better understanding of the utilization of the latest techniques and developments in multimodal transport and physical distribution management and disseminating such knowledge to countries in need thereof;

Paragraph 14.42 (h)

Insert a new subparagraph (h) reading:

(h) Elaborating reference documents setting up the basic concepts of multimodal transport and major issues to be dealt with in a market-oriented implementation process in order to achieve a stronger awareness of these issues;

Renumber former paragraphs 14.42 (h) to (j) as paragraphs 14.42 (i) to (k).

Add a paragraph 14.42 (l) reading:

(l) Increasing knowledge of laws and regulations related to maritime and multimodal standards for the purpose, inter alia, of adapting them to modern shipping, ports and multimodal transport market conditions, with a view to promoting the competitiveness and economic development of countries, in particular developing countries; and providing assistance to Governments, on request, in the formulation of national legislation, including advice on the application of international conventions adopted within UNCTAD.

Paragraph 14.43

For the existing text, substitute:

14.43. In the light of the above-outlined framework, the UNCTAD secretariat will:

(a) Undertake research and prepare comparative analyses of national shipping policies and their impact on fleet development and the quality of shipping services, and of structural, technological and institutional changes in trade and transport and their impact on ports and multimodal transport operations;

(b) Study strategies and options aimed at fostering competitive shipping services, as well as possibilities of economic cooperation among developing countries in the fields of shipping, ports and multimodal transport and monitor developments in transport technology;

(c) Enhance the exchange and dissemination of relevant information in these fields and increase the knowledge of laws and regulations responding to the requirements of modern international transport conditions;

(d) Assist Governments in implementing the main findings of the above-mentioned studies and reports through the development and support of technical cooperation projects.

Delete paragraphs 14.44 to 14.46 and renumber the subsequent paragraphs accordingly.

Subprogramme 6: Insurance

Paragraph 14.53 (a) (v)

In the first line, after authorities insert in developing countries

Paragraph 14.53 (d) (ii)

In the second line, after supervisory capacity insert in developing countries

Programme 15. Least developed, land-locked and island developing countries, and special programmes

In the last but three lines of paragraph 15.3, delete and

In the last line of paragraph 15.3, after Action add and that the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Group on the Least Developed Countries will hold a mid-term review in 1995

Programme 23. Transnational corporations

Paragraph 23.13

In the third sentence, for While the original objectives of the code are still valid, read On the other hand,

Paragraph 23.15 (a)

In the first line, for through the adoption of a code of conduct read through the adoption of appropriate international arrangements

Programme 28. International drug control

Delete the designation of high priority for subprogramme 2 recommended by the Committee for Programme and Coordination in paragraph 155 (c) of its report.

Programme 38. Public information

In new paragraphs 38.3, 38.7 (h) and 38.17 (m), insert international before peace and security


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