The General Assembly,
 
      Reaffirming its resolutions 45/264 of 13 May 1991, 46/235 of 13 April
1992 and 48/162 of 20 December 1993,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 57 (I) of 11 December 1946, 304 (IV) of 16
November 1949, 417 (V) of 1 December 1950, 1240 (XIII) of 14 October 1958,
1714 (XVI) of 19 December 1961, 2029 (XX) of 22 November 1965, 2211 (XXI) of
17 December 1966, 2688 (XXV) of 11 December 1970, 2813 (XXVI) and 2815 (XXVI)
of 14 December 1971, 3019 (XXVII) of 18 December 1972, 3404 (XXX) of 28
November 1975, 31/170 of 21 December 1976, 34/104 of 14 December 1979 and
36/244 of 28 April 1982, and Economic and Social Council resolutions 1084
(XXXIX) of 30 July 1965, 1763 (LIV) of 18 May 1973 and 1986/7 of 21 May 1986,
and other relevant resolutions,
 
      1.    Adopts the texts contained in the annexes to the present
resolution;
 
      2.    Calls upon the relevant intergovernmental bodies to fully
implement the measures for the restructuring and revitalization of the United
Nations in the economic, social and related fields;
 
      3.    Requests the Secretary-General to implement the further measures
for restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic,
social and related fields falling within his responsibility, as set out in
annex I to the present resolution;
 
      4.    Also requests the Secretary-General to report to the General
Assembly at its fifty-second session, through the Economic and Social Council
at its substantive session of 1997, on the implementation of the present
resolution;
 
      5.    Invites the specialized agencies, organizations and other bodies
of the United Nations system to implement the measures for restructuring
within their respective areas of competence, as appropriate;
 
      6.    Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session the item entitled "Restructuring and revitalization of the United
Nations in the economic, social and related fields".
 
 
                                      ANNEX I
 
            Further measures for the restructuring and revitalization of the
            United Nations in the economic, social and related fields
 
      I.    FUNDING OF OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED
            NATIONS SYSTEM
 
1.    There is a need for a substantial increase in resources for operational
activities for development, on a predictable, continuous and assured basis,
commensurate with the increasing needs of developing countries, in accordance
with resolutions 48/162 of 20 December 1993 and 50/120 of 20 December 1995.
 
2.    Efforts to mobilize the political will should be intensified in order to
achieve the objectives outlined in the present section regarding funding of
operational activities for development.
 
3.    There is an urgent need to strive for the fulfilment of the agreed
target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product for official development
assistance as soon as possible.
 
4.    The fundamental characteristics of the operational activities of the
United Nations system should be, inter alia, their universal, voluntary and
grant nature, their neutrality and their multilateralism, as well as their
ability to respond to the needs of developing countries in a flexible manner.
The operational activities of the United Nations system should be carried out
for the benefit of the developing countries, at the request of those countries
and in accordance with their own policies and priorities for development.
 
5.    There is a need for priority allocation of scarce grant resources to
programmes and projects in low-income countries, in particular the least
developed countries.
 
6.    The United Nations development system should take into account the
specific needs and requirements of the countries with economies in transition.
 
7.    Developing countries are responsible for their development processes and
operational activities for development are a joint responsibility of all
countries.  Partnership between developed and developing countries should be
based on agreed mandates, principles and priorities of the United Nations
system in the development field.  All countries should demonstrate their
commitment to the funds and programmes, and in this regard, the importance of
equitable burden sharing among developed countries is recognized.
 
8.    Many donor and recipient countries have made sustained contributions to
the operational activities for development in the spirit of partnership.
 
9.    Within the context of the efforts to provide the operational activities
of the United Nations system with resources, in particular core resources, on
a predictable, continuous and assured basis, and taking into account that
voluntary contributions from official sources should remain the main source
for funding of those activities, all aspects of funding of United Nations
operational activities, and options presented in the reports of the Secretary-
General and other reports subsequently presented, which include the three
funding mechanisms (voluntary, negotiated and assessed), as well as their
expected impact, should be examined by the General Assembly and the Economic
and Social Council in accordance with their respective mandates.
 
10.   Overall policy issues regarding modalities of funding of operational
activities for development should be considered by the General Assembly as the
highest intergovernmental mechanism for the formulation and appraisal of
policy matters relating to the economic, social and related fields, under the
item on operational activities for development, in particular in the context
of the triennial policy review, including the relationship between funding and
programmes.
 
11.   In order to fulfil its coordination role, and in accordance with the
policies formulated by the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council
should consider, on an annual basis in the operational activities segment, the
overall financial picture of the funds and programmes, including the
availability of resources, the priorities and programmes agreed upon in the
funds and programmes, the adopted targets and further guidance on priorities,
and make recommendations thereon to the General Assembly and the funds and
programmes.
 
12.   The governing bodies of each programme and fund coordinated by the
Economic and Social Council (United Nations Development Programme, United
Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Population Fund and World Food
Programme) shall adopt, in the context of their programme arrangements and
financial plans, a specific and realistic target for core resources, based on
the needs arising from their agreed programmes and priorities, as well as the
specific mandates of each programme and fund.  On this basis, and in
accordance with relevant decisions taken by the General Assembly and the
Economic and Social Council, the governing bodies of each programme and fund
shall take decisions on their own funding arrangements.  The importance of
non-core resources as a mechanism to enhance the capacity of the United
Nations development system and to supplement the means available for
operational activities for development is also recognized.
 
13.   The importance of continuing to improve ways in which Member States are
kept informed of the impact of operational activities for development and of
the financial picture of the programmes and funds coordinated by the Economic
and Social Council should be stressed, as well as the relationship between
programming requirements and available funding.
 
14.   The recommendations and priorities set out in General Assembly
resolution 50/120, regarding measures to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of the operational activities for development of the United
Nations system should be fully implemented, including, inter alia, programmes
focused on meeting the specific needs of developing countries, giving priority
allocation to developing countries, in particular the least developed
countries and Africa, appropriate cooperation among United Nations programmes,
and keeping administrative costs to a level that allows effective programme
delivery.
 
15.   All organizations of the United Nations development system should focus
their efforts at the field level on priority areas in accordance with the
priorities identified by recipient countries and the mandates, mission
statements and relevant decisions of their governing bodies in order to avoid
duplication and enhance the complementarity and impact of their work.
 
16.   By its fifty-second session, the General Assembly should review the
above- mentioned funding modalities.  A decision regarding the future of the
United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities will be
postponed pending the results of this review.  In the event that this review
is not completed by the end of the fifty-second session of the General
Assembly, a decision on whether to effect changes in the scheduling of the
Pledging Conference for the fifty-second session will then be made.
 
17.   The Secretary-General is requested to prepare a report on new and
innovative ideas for generating funds, to be considered by the General
Assembly, on a priority basis, not later than at its fifty-first session,
taking into account the discussions at the substantive session of 1996 of the
Economic and Social Council, analysing various proposals that have been
advanced on innovative funding sources and modalities for operational
activities, including national, international and private sources, and setting
forth his views on the advantages and disadvantages associated with each.
Innovative funding sources could be an additional element for the provision of
resources for operational activities for development.
 
 
                               II.  GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 
18.   The General Assembly should exert greater policy leadership on
development issues inasmuch as the Charter of the United Nations provides the
Assembly with broad mandates concerning these issues.  The General Assembly is
the highest intergovernmental mechanism for the formulation and appraisal of
policy on matters relating to the economic, social and related fields, in
accordance with chapter IX of the Charter.  It is the main forum where
Governments pursue the development dialogue, which includes all these issues,
in its political context.  The purpose of the dialogue is to take an
integrated view of matters relating to the economic, social and related fields
in order to build and deepen the political understanding required for enhanced
international development cooperation, to generate impulses for action and to
launch initiatives.
 
19.   The High-level Open-ended Working Group on the Strengthening of the
United Nations System should be encouraged to consider, in the context of the
debate on all the Main Committees of the General Assembly, promoting the use
of innovative mechanisms, in accordance with the rules of procedure of the
General Assembly, such as panel discussions with delegations and interactive
debates, with the active participation of Secretariat and agency
representatives, as well as outside experts.
 
20.   The Secretary-General is requested to provide information on the total
cost associated with the reports submitted annually to the General Assembly
under current mandates, so that the General Assembly may review and take
appropriate action on them.
 
 
           A.  Coherence of the work of the Second and Third Committees
 
21.   There is a need to promote greater coherence and complementarity between
the work of the Second and Third Committees.  For this purpose the General
Committee of the General Assembly should ensure better coordination of the
agendas of the Second and Third Committees; the two bureaux should review
their respective programmes of work in order to exchange information on the
issues discussed in each, identify potential areas of overlap or duplication
and examine means of considering in a more coordinated manner issues related
to the follow-up of the major United Nations conferences and make
recommendations thereon to their respective Committees.
 
22.   There is a need to consider possible measures to allow for the
coordinated consideration of the report of the Economic and Social Council
during the General Assembly session.
 
23.   To the extent feasible, the discussions in the Second and Third
Committees should not commence until after the end of the general debate in
the plenary meetings of the General Assembly.
 
24.   For issues of a procedural nature, decisions, instead of resolutions,
should be used to the maximum extent possible.  Resolutions should be shorter,
in particular as regards preambular parts.  The bureaux, in reviewing the
respective agendas, could identify and recommend those individual items or
clusters of related items that could be effectively considered in omnibus
resolutions.
 
 
             B.  Programme of work of the Second and Third Committees
 
25.   The arrangements in the General Assembly and in the Economic and Social
Council for considering the coordination of humanitarian assistance and
special economic assistance to individual countries and regions should be
reviewed during the fifty-first session of the General Assembly.
 
26.   In order to ensure, whenever possible, a common approach and clear
system- wide mandate for issues dealing with special economic assistance to
individual countries, each resolution could contain, to the extent possible
and, as appropriate, a common preambular section, while specificity
(individual needs) would be maintained within a number of operative
paragraphs.
 
27.   To facilitate discussions based on an integrated approach to development
issues, the possibility of choosing a principal theme or themes should be
explored to focus substantive debate under each "cluster" in the agenda
without prejudice to the right of delegations to raise any other specific
issue in the debates.
 
28.   Consultations should be held at an early stage, in an organizational
session of the Committee, before the start of its general debate, based on
proposals from the bureau for decision, on clustering of the agenda, and,
where possible, themes and focus for these clusters, taking into account the
content of reports presented, as well as on items to be included for
discussion or items for decisions and resolutions without formal debate.
 
29.   The agenda of the Second Committee is set out in annex II.  This is
without prejudice to the current arrangements on the biennialization and
triennialization of items, as decided by the General Assembly in resolution
48/162.
 
30.   The agenda of the Third Committee is structured in accordance with
General Assembly decision 50/465 of 22 December 1995 (see annex III).
 
 
                      III.  DOCUMENTATION AND RELATED MATTERS
 
31.   The Secretariat and representatives of the specialized agencies are
requested to provide executive briefings, as appropriate, on the matters to be
covered under the items on the agenda, at least a week prior to the opening of
the General Assembly.  The Second Committee should, in accordance with
resolution 48/162, look early in the session into all aspects related to the
improvement of the working methods of the Committee.
 
32.   There should be greater use of relevant background documents in the
Second Committee such as the World Economic and Social Survey, the Trade and
Development Report, the World Development Report and the World Economic
Outlook; in the preparation of the first two reports, cooperation and
coordination between the Department for Economic and Social Information and
Policy Analysis and the secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development should be enhanced to ensure more complementarity between the
reports. 
 
33.   There should be continued improvement of other reports to make them more
concise and action-oriented, by highlighting the critical areas requiring
action by the General Assembly and, as appropriate, by making specific
recommendations.  All documentation should be provided within the specified
timetables and page limits and in all official United Nations languages.
Efforts should also continue to be made to have all documentation available in
electronic form, in particular for distribution on the Internet, in a timely
manner and within existing resources.
 
34.   In order to rationalize and simplify reporting procedures, the Second
and Third Committees shall, at the end of their sessions, while reviewing
their draft programmes of work for the next sessions, consider procedural
decisions regarding requests for reports, including where possible integrated
reports on closely related items, as well as items to be inscribed on the
agendas for the next sessions.  This exercise shall be based on the lists of
reports mandated from decisions taken by the present and previous sessions of
the General Assembly, which are included in the draft programmes of work, as
well as suggestions from the Secretary-General on reporting arrangements.
 
35.   It is noted that the Economic and Social Council requested the
Secretary- General to prepare proposals, for consideration by the Council in
1996 and by the General Assembly at its fifty-first session, on the
simplification of existing reporting requirements, taking into account the
reports that will be required for the follow-up to United Nations conferences.
 
 
                         IV.  ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
 
36.   In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United
Nations, the Economic and Social Council must continue to strengthen its role
as the central mechanism for coordination of the activities of the United
Nations system and its specialized agencies and supervision of subsidiary
bodies, in particular its functional commissions, in the economic, social and
related fields.  It should provide overall guidance and coordination to the
United Nations development system.  It must also promote a coordinated
follow-up to the outcomes of major international conferences in the economic,
social and related fields.
 
37.   The Council should fully implement its authority to take final decisions
on the activities of its subsidiary bodies and on other matters relating to
its system-wide coordination and overall guidance functions in the economic,
social and related fields, as appropriate.
 
38.   The Council should continue to consider reports of intergovernmental and
inter-agency bodies and mechanisms for coordination and recommend ways to
enhance their interaction and complementarity of efforts.
 
39.   In the follow-up to United Nations conferences, the Council shall ensure
the harmonization and coordination of the agendas and work programmes of the
functional commissions by promoting a clearer division of labour among them
and providing clear policy guidance to them.  To this end, better preparation
of the meetings of the Council should be ensured.  The Council could
periodically organize meetings on specific issues to allow for more dialogue
with the chairpersons and the secretariats, as appropriate, of the functional
commissions, other subsidiary and related bodies and the relevant executive
boards.  If an effective and coordinated follow-up process suggests the need,
then the consolidation of activities of subsidiary bodies may be considered,
as appropriate.  The aim of sustaining and strengthening the quality and
impact of the output of these bodies must be assured.
 
40.   The Council shall hold a shorter, focused substantive session for four
weeks in July.  Efforts shall be made, therefore, to improve preparedness of
the session through the effective use of the organizational session of the
Council and, as appropriate, open-ended informal consultations in order to
conduct preliminary consultations among delegations on matters to be dealt
with at the substantive session.  This may involve, as appropriate, dialogues
with the chairpersons and the secretariats, as appropriate, of the functional
commissions, other subsidiary and related bodies and executive boards relevant
to these issues, among others, in order to identify problems, avoid overlaps
and fill gaps.
 
41.   In accordance with the provision of the Charter and its rules of
procedure, the Council may convene special sessions to address urgent
developments in the economic, social and related fields that may require
guidance and coordination by the Council.
 
42.   In scheduling the above-mentioned sessions and consultations, the
Council should take into consideration meetings of other bodies dealing with
economic and social issues to avoid unnecessary overlapping and overburdening.
 
43.   The Secretary-General is requested to prepare a study with a
comprehensive assessment of the present arrangements for the Council's
sessions.
 
44.   The outcome of each segment of the Council should be strengthened and
made more action-oriented.  Resolutions, decisions and agreed conclusions
should be implemented and followed up fully by all relevant parts of the
United Nations system.  This process should be monitored by the Council and
the General Assembly on a regular basis, as appropriate.
 
45.   Panel discussions and interactive debates, with the participation of
outside experts, non-governmental organizations and the business and academic
communities, where appropriate, and in accordance with the rules of procedure
of the Council, should be encouraged in parallel to the formal meetings of the
Council, taking into account any relevant outcome of the Open-ended Working
Group on the Review of Arrangements for Consultations with Non-Governmental
Organizations that the Council adopts.
 
        A.  Preparation of the sessions of the Economic and Social Council
 
46.   The organizational session of the Council should continue to be the
appropriate framework for transparent discussion and approval of the agenda
items of the substantive session, as well as of its annual basic programme of
work, taking into account the rules of procedure of the Council and relevant
General Assembly resolutions, in particular resolutions 45/264 of 13 May 1991
and 48/162.
 
47.   The Bureau of the Council should convene open-ended informal
consultations of the Council to improve organizational and procedural as well
as substantive aspects of the Council's sessions, with a view to highlighting
the issues and recommendations that require consideration and action by the
Council.  In order to have more focused and well-prepared substantive sessions
of the Council, the Bureau should be encouraged to continue to exercise its
role as facilitator.
 
48.   The Bureau of the Council should meet on a regular basis and may
consider issues such as recommendations on agenda items and subjects, the
structure of meetings and lists of guest participants for panel discussions,
and should be kept informed, where appropriate, and in the context of its
organizational efforts, of the deliberations of relevant intergovernmental
mechanisms outside the United Nations system.  The Bureau shall brief the
Council on its deliberations and shall not have the authority to make
decisions on any substantive matters.
 
49.   The Bureau should also assist the Council in identifying economic,
social and related issues for discussion at its sessions, maintain contacts
with the bureaux of the functional commissions and other subsidiary bodies, as
well as with those of the specialized agencies and the executive boards of the
funds and programmes, and thus allow for a better interaction between the
Council and those bodies and contribute by assisting the Council to better
fulfil its role.
 
50.   The Bureau shall monitor the state of preparedness of documentation for
the Council and take necessary measures to facilitate its timely issuance in
all official languages.
 
51.   Based on proposals by member States, recommendations in the reports of
the Secretary-General as well as in the reports of the Council's subsidiary
bodies and the executive boards of the United Nations funds and programmes,
the Bureau shall identify areas for possible action by the Council, with a
view to improving the proceedings of the Council.
 
52.   Members of the Bureau should be entrusted with safeguarding and passing
on to the next session of the Council the working methods that have proved
successful and the overall experience acquired in implementing resolution
48/162 and the present resolution, taking into account the rules of procedure
of the Council.
 
 
                              B.  High-level segment
 
53.   The theme for the general debate of the high-level segment shall be
determined by the Economic and Social Council.  In this connection, the
President of the Council, following consultations with Member States and,
through the Secretary-General, with members of the Administrative Committee on
Coordination, should present a proposal for a topical theme for the following
year at the annual substantive session of the Council.  At such session, the
Council shall undertake consultations on the theme for the high-level segment
with a view to reaching a decision, if possible, during the substantive
session, but not later than at a resumed session in the autumn following the
annual session.  In the event a matter of high urgency and priority
subsequently emerges that would qualify as a theme for the high-level segment,
the Council, at its organizational session, may, as appropriate, consider that
theme as an additional topic for discussion at the high-level segment.
 
54.   The Secretary General is requested to include in his report for this
segment all relevant issues that could be discussed during the session, on the
basis of the theme or themes chosen, making use of inputs from the various
pertinent bodies of the United Nations system, including concrete
recommendations on the matters under discussion.
 
55.   In order to better focus the policy dialogue, the possibility of having
joint reports, prepared by the secretariats of the United Nations, the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Bretton Woods institutions
and the World Trade Organization, should be explored.
 
56.   The outcome of the high-level segment should normally be in the form of
agreed conclusions and should be followed up by all relevant bodies and
organizations of the United Nations system.
 
 
                             C.  Coordination segment
 
57.   The agreed conclusions of the Council concerning the selection of cross-
cutting themes common to major international conferences and/or the
contribution to an overall review of the implementation of the programme of
action of a United Nations conference should be implemented.  At the
organizational session of the Council, consideration should be given to
choosing a second theme dealing with concrete sectoral issues.  The Council
should develop a focused dialogue on the chosen theme or themes with the funds
and programmes, the regional commissions and the relevant specialized
agencies, including the Bretton Woods institutions, as well as the World Trade
Organization, as appropriate.
 
58.   The functions of the present joint meetings of the Administrative
Committee on Coordination and the Committee for Programme and Coordination,
which are hereby discontinued, should be assigned to this segment.
 
59.   The implementation of the agreed conclusions of this segment should be
followed up in the general segment of the following year.
 
 
                D.  Operational activities for development segment
 
60.   The role of the Council in providing overall coordination and guidance
for operational development programmes and funds on a system-wide basis should
be reinforced, including objectives, priorities and strategies in the
implementation of the policies formulated by the General Assembly, as well as
concentrating on cross-cutting and coordination issues related to operational
activities, including through a high-level meeting, in order to provide an
opportunity for policy makers to engage in discussion on the broader issues
for development cooperation.
 
61.   Efforts should focus on improving the overall impact of operational
activities of the United Nations system in development cooperation by, inter
alia, implementing the set of measures agreed upon in this framework and
ensuring a more coordinated implementation at the field level.
 
62.   With a view to avoiding repetition of discussions, the governing boards
should be requested to highlight in their respective reports to the Council
the issues requiring examination and identify action to be taken.
 
63.   National officials directly involved in the implementation of national
development strategies in recipient countries, as well as field-level
representatives of the United Nations system, should be encouraged to
participate in this segment.
 
64.   The debates with the heads of agencies should focus on concrete topics
of common concern and, with the consent of the countries concerned, use should
be made of national and regional case-studies.  The annual discussion of
policy for operational development programmes should be broadened, focusing on
support for country-driven processes, so as to include the status of
collaboration with other multilateral and bilateral donors, especially the
Bretton Woods institutions.
 
65.   Contributions to the preparations for the triennial policy review of
operational activities conducted by the General Assembly should be continued.
 
 
                                E.  General segment
 
66.   The primary function of this segment as that of an action-oriented
review of the activities, reports and recommendations of the Council's
subsidiary bodies should be consolidated, avoiding a repetition of the debates
held in those bodies and focusing attention on major policy issues that
require a prioritized and coordinated response from the United Nations system
as a whole.
 
67.   The Council should regularly review the agenda of its general segment
with a view to discontinuing consideration of items that are not relevant to
the work of its subsidiary machinery or are duplicative of items on the agenda
of the General Assembly, and distinguish more clearly between items on the
agenda requiring decisions and those for information only.
 
68.   The subsidiary bodies should be requested to include in their reports an
executive summary, and the reports should be concise, identifying clearly
their conclusions and recommendations and the issues that may require
attention and/or action by the Council.  The Secretariat should consolidate
these issues in a single document for consideration and action.
 
69.   Provision should be made for the integration and coordination of
humanitarian and emergency assistance activities with medium- and long-term
rehabilitation and development efforts and programmes.
 
 
             V.  FUNCTIONAL AND REGIONAL COMMISSIONS AND EXPERT GROUPS
 
                   A.  Functional commissions and expert groups
 
70.   The Council shall undertake, taking into account recent decisions
regarding the mandates, functions and composition of the Commissions on
Population and Development, Social Development and the Status of Women, as
well as the discussions during the special session of the General Assembly in
1997 on the future role of the Commission on Sustainable Development,
including its relationship with the United Nations Environment Programme, a
review of the mandates, composition, functions and working methods of its
functional commissions and expert groups and bodies, ensuring more effective
and coordinated discussions and outcomes of their work.  In the case of
functional commissions with the primary responsibility for the follow-up and
review of the implementation of a major conference, The Council shall ensure
the coordination of their multi-year programmes, in accordance with the agreed
conclusions adopted by the Council at its substantive session of 1995 on the
coordinated follow-up of the results of major international conferences.  Such
a review should be completed by the fifty-second session of the General
Assembly.
 
71.   The review should, as a matter of priority, consider the role, working
methods and relationship with other bodies of the Commission on Science and
Technology for Development, the Committee for Development Planning, the
Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development
and the Committee on Natural Resources.
 
72.   The functions of the World Food Council shall be absorbed by the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food
Programme, and consequently the World Food Council is discontinued.
 
73.   The role and the working methods of the Committee for Programme and
Coordination should be considered by the High-level Open-ended Working Group
on the Strengthening of the United Nations System within the context of
General Assembly decision 47/454 of 23 December 1992, with a view to finding
ways of improving programme coordination functions throughout the United
Nations system.  In this context, consideration should be given, inter alia,
to the roles and responsibilities of the Economic and Social Council and the
Committee for Programme and Coordination with respect to coordination.
 
 
                             B.  Regional commissions
 
74.   The Council shall provide for the review  of the regional commissions,
with a view to strengthening and enhancing their effectiveness as action- and
policy-oriented bodies in the economic and development fields with better
response to the conditions and environments unique to the specific regions;
improving their coordination with the entire United Nations system, including
the specialized agencies, the Bretton Woods institutions and the regional
development banks; strengthening their active participation relating to the
implementation at the regional level of the results of major United Nations
conferences; and shall encourage them also to undertake their own management
and functional assessments towards these ends.
 
75.   One of the major purposes of the above reviews should be to improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of these bodies by eliminating unnecessary
duplication or overlapping of work and by ensuring a better structural
relationship among these bodies and with the Economic and Social Council.
 
 
VI.  GOVERNING BODIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND FUNDS
 
76.   Efforts should continue to be made to reduce the proliferation and
overlapping of formal and informal meetings of the same bodies throughout the
year, to improve the setting of agendas and to delineate the subjects for
allocation for consideration at their annual and regular sessions; where
possible, the overlapping of such meetings with other meetings should be
eliminated.  In this context, the executive boards should, on a continuous
basis, consider adjustments to their agendas, reporting procedures and format,
as well as reviewing the number and scheduling of meetings and sessions, with
a view to continuing the rationalization of the working methods of the boards.
 
77.   While recognizing that governing bodies in the context of their specific
mandates deal with policy issues that pertain to their own institutions, they
should also describe in their reports how the overall policy guidance and
coordination provided by the General Assembly and the Economic and Social
Council have been implemented, as well as their specific recommendations for
further action.
 
78.   The effective participation of observer member States and observer
States in the sessions of the executive boards should be facilitated.  To this
end, the executive boards should review their arrangements and working methods
and, where applicable, their rules of procedure.  Documentation of the
executive boards should be made accessible to all member States of the funds
and programmes.
 
 
                          VII.  INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION
 
79.   In the context of the discussions on an agenda for development, a close
review shall be made of the relationship of the Economic and Social Council
with the specialized agencies.  The Council, in accordance with the Charter of
the United Nations, shall provide overall guidance and coordination, identify
points of duplication with funds and programmes, and make recommendations, as
appropriate and necessary.
 
80.   The Administrative Committee on Coordination should have an enhanced
function for inter-agency coordination purposes for the United Nations system,
and continue to meet for this purpose on a regular basis under the
chairmanship of the Secretary-General, at the head-of-agency level, to review
and advise on coordination matters; it should continue to report to the
Council, and continue to make use of small task forces at the operational
levels to develop joint inter-agency programmes, as appropriate.
 
81.   The Administrative Committee on Coordination should present the thematic
aspects of its report to the Council at its coordination segment and the
remaining parts at the general segment; the members of the Administrative
Committee on Coordination should engage in an active dialogue with the Council
on ways to improve inter-agency coordination.
 
82.   The periodic meetings of all concerned senior secretariat officials in
the economic and social sectors, under the authority of the Secretary-General,
should continue to be used to improve coordination and performance; the
outcomes of these meetings should be presented on a regular basis to the
Economic and Social Council.
 
83.   While recognizing the importance and the necessity of adapting the
United Nations to new realities and challenges, it is also important that
sufficient time be accorded to the implementation of reforms undertaken in
order to provide necessary stability in the functioning of United Nations
organs and bodies, hence allowing for the building of experiences for any
future reforms.
 
 
      VIII. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCE
            AND TRADE INSTITUTIONS
 
84.   The issues relating to the strengthening of the relationship between the
United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions, and possibly also the World
Trade Organization, shall be particularly considered in the context of the
deliberations on an agenda for development, as foreseen in resolution 47/181
of 22 December 1992.
 
85.   In general, there should be greater interaction and cooperation between
the Bretton Woods institutions and other parts of the United Nations system
and between their secretariats; a first practical step could be to request the
Bretton Woods institutions to furnish special reports and studies to the
Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly on issues falling within
their competence, in accordance with article V of the Agreement between the
United Nations and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
 
86.   There is a need for an early exploratory review to be prepared jointly
by the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions to assess mechanisms,
programmes and relationships at the field, headquarters and intergovernmental
levels, with a view to identifying areas in which communication, cooperation
and coordination could be improved.  The review should produce a report and
recommendations on how the respective institutions can improve their own
efforts and effectively complement one another's efforts, particularly in the
context of the priorities established by their respective member States, in
relation to the implementation of the results of United Nations conferences,
the collection and dissemination of data analyses and reports, the use of
existing resources in the transition from emergency relief to rehabilitation
and development, the provision of technical assistance operations in the
field, intergovernmental and secretariat consultations, and policy dialogues.
 
87.   The General Assembly and the respective governing bodies of the Bretton
Woods institutions, based on the conclusions of the above review, should
consider concrete areas and forms of collaboration in the field of
development- related activities.
 
88.   In order to improve communication and cooperation at the
intergovernmental level between the Council and the international financial
and trade institutions, to facilitate an exchange of views with regard to
global issues of high priority and relevance and to consider how the Economic
and Social Council and the international financial and trade institutions
could mutually support their respective efforts in promoting and coordinating
programme activities within their purviews relating to these issues, the
Council should schedule periodically a high-level special meeting at a time
proximate to the semi-annual meetings of the Bretton Woods institutions with a
view to benefiting, to the extent possible, from high-level ministerial
participation and the participation of heads of financial and trade
institutions and other relevant organizations.  A theme and agenda for this
Council meeting should be prepared collaboratively, sufficiently in advance to
permit preparation and consultations, and the financial and trade institutions
should be invited, as and when appropriate, to prepare reports and studies to
enhance the discussions.  In order to secure an effective outcome of such
meetings, the Secretary-General is requested to consult the heads of the
International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, in order to explore
possibilities and practical modalities for such meetings and to inform the
Council thereon.
 
 
                                 IX.  SECRETARIAT
 
89.   The present structure and functioning of the Secretariat, including the
economic and social departments and the question of establishing a post of
Deputy Secretary-General for International Cooperation and Development, shall
be considered in the High-level Open-ended Working Group on the Strengthening
of the United Nations System and in the Open-ended Working Group on an Agenda
for Development.
 
90.   In the context of the High-level Open-ended Working Group on the
Strengthening of the United Nations System, uniform and maximum terms of
service for heads of programmes and funds and other Economic and Social
Council and General Assembly bodies should be considered.  In connection with
the recruitment and appointment of staff, there is a need to implement the
provisions of Article 101 of the Charter of the United Nations and relevant
General Assembly resolutions.
 
 
                                     ANNEX II
 
                          Agenda for the Second Committee
 
1.    Report of the Economic and Social Council.
 
2.    Macroeconomic policy questions:
 
      (a)   Trends in social and economic development;
 
      (b)   External debt crisis and development;
 
      (c)   Financing of development, including net transfer of resources
            between developing and developed countries;
 
      (d)   Trade and development;
 
      (e)   Commodities;
 
      (f)   Science and technology for development.
 
3.    Sectoral policy questions:
 
      (a)   Industrial development cooperation;
 
      (b)   Development of the energy resources of developing countries;
 
      (c)   Food and sustainable agricultural development;
 
      (d)   Business and development.
 
4.    Sustainable development and international economic cooperation:
 
      (a)   Implementation and follow-up to major consensus agreements on
            development:
 
            (i)   Implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon
                  in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in
                  particular the Revitalization of the Economic Growth and
                  Development of the Developing Countries;
 
            (ii)  Implementation of the International Development Strategy for
                  the Fourth United Nations Development Decade;
 
      (b)   Agenda for development:
 
            Renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international cooperation
            for development through partnership;
 
      (c)   Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed
            Countries for the 1990s;
 
      (d)   Integration of the economies in transition into the world economy;
 
      (e)   Population and development;
 
      (f)   International migration and development, including the convening
            of a United Nations conference on international migration and
            development;
 
      (g)   Human settlements;
 
      (h)   Eradication of poverty;
 
      (i)   Women in development;
 
      (j)   Human resources development.
 
5.    Environment and sustainable development:
 
      (a)   Implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the United
            Nations Conference on Environment and Development;
 
      (b)   Desertification and drought, including implementation of the
            International Convention to Combat Desertification in Those
            Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification,
            particularly in Africa;
 
      (c)   Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
 
      (d)   Implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the
            Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;
 
      (e)   Protection of the global climate for present and future
            generations of mankind;
 
      (f)   International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.
 
6.    Operational activities for development:
 
      (a)   Triennial policy review of operational activities for development
            of the United Nations system;
 
      (b)   Economic and technical cooperation among developing countries.
 
7.    Training and research:
 
      (a)   United Nations Institute for Training and Research;
 
      (b)   United Nations University.
 
 
                                     ANNEX III
 
                          Agenda for the Third Committee
 
1.    The items allocated to the Third Committee for consideration during the
fifty-first session of the General Assembly should be taken up in the
following order:
 
      Item 2.     Social development, including questions relating to the
                  world social situation and to youth, ageing, disabled
                  persons and the family.
 
      Item 3.     Crime prevention and criminal justice.
 
      Item 4.     International drug control.
 
      Item 5.     Advancement of women.
 
      Item 6.     Implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference
                  on Women.
 
      Item 7.     Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
                  questions relating to refugees, returnees and displaced
                  persons and humanitarian questions.
 
      Item 8.     Promotion and protection of the rights of children.
 
      Item 9.     Programme of activities of the International Decade of the
                  World's Indigenous People.
 
      Item 10.    Elimination of racism and racial discrimination.
 
      Item 11.    Right of peoples to self-determination.
 
      Item 12.    Human rights questions:
 
                  (a)   Implementation of human rights instruments;
 
                  (b)   Human rights questions, including alternative
                        approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of
                        human rights and fundamental freedoms;
 
                  (c)   Human rights situations and reports of special
                        rapporteurs and representatives;
 
                  (d)   Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the
                        Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action;
 
                  (e)   Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for
                        Human Rights.
 
      Item 1.     Report of the Economic and Social Council.
 
2.    This arrangement may be reviewed at the organizational meeting of the
Third Committee, in particular in the light of the status of documentation at
that time.