[WSIS CS-Plenary] TR: [ReformtheUN] Resumed ECOSOC Session Will Begin To Implement Reforms

Thu Dec 7 23:45:59 GMT 2006

Dear all, 

Find enclosed below a note on the up coming Resumed ECOSOC Session, made
possible after the adoption on 20 November 2006 of the GA Resolution on the
Strengthening of the ECOSOC.

The Resumed ECOSOC session will take place in New York between 11 and 15
November 2006 (next week.) and will notably consider the report of the 9th
session of the CSTD and the draft decision presented by the CSTD for
adoption by the ECOSOC (May 2006), as well as implement the ECOSOC
resolution reviewing the CSTD (July 2006).

 <http://www.un.org/docs/ecosoc/> http://www.un.org/docs/ecosoc/

Documents: 
    -  <http://www.csbureau.info/ECOSOCBureau_PendingIssues_22Nov06.pdf>
List of issues before the resumed ECOSOC Session
    -  <http://stdev.unctad.org/docs/report9.doc> Report of the 9th session
of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development including draft
decision for the adoption of the Council

Best regards, 

Philippe Dam

  _____  

ReformtheUN.org Latest Development, Issue #162 - Resumed ECOSOC Session Will
Begin To Implement Reforms

New York, 6 December 2006 - The Economic and Social Council will hold a
resumed substantive session on 11-15 December.  At the top of the agenda are
three key decisions which will allow the Council to begin implementing the
recent General Assembly resolution, Strengthening of
<http://www.reformtheun.org/index.php/articles/2644>  ECOSOC.  The
vice-presidents of ECOSOC conducted three sets of consultations at the end
of November to build consensus on the follow-up questions: 

1)     Theme for the 2007 Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) (a new analytic
and policy-setting mechanism of the Council)

2)     Theme for the 2007 Coordination Segment

3)     Guidance to members of the ECOSOC system on their roles in the newly
enhanced Council.

Tentative Agreements

The delegation of Haiti was tasked with consultations on the AMR theme, and
they reported on 30 November that members had expressed preliminary support
for sustainable development because the review will take place five years
after the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development.  Other themes
suggested during consultations were: "Ensuring environmental sustainability
and managing the natural resource base for development" (Switzerland,
Finland on behalf of European Union), and "Strengthening global partnership
for development" (South Africa on behalf of Group of 77 plus China, Russia,
Cuba).  

The delegation of Iceland, coordinating consultations on the theme of the
2007 Coordination Segment, suggested: "role of the UN system in promoting
sustainable development" as the theme.  Members reportedly responded
positively to this idea.  A second proposal is to use the theme of
employment, to continue the theme from the previous ministerial meeting.  

Both of these themes are considered especially important this year for the
"launch" stage of the enhanced ECOSOC.  The early active engagement of a
large number of bodies is crucial now, according to the Council.  Lithuania
had been tasked with consultations on guidance to the ECOSOC system
regarding the GA's resolution.  The delegation of Lithuania reportedly is
now drafting a proposal for a draft decision from the Council which will
highlight new areas for cooperation, in particular regarding the AMR and the
Development Cooperation Forum, another new mechanism.  The draft is supposed
to circulate to delegations before the 11 December meeting.

The "ECOSOC system" includes functional commissions, regional commissions,
civil society organizations, and the private sector.  This issue is
considered urgent because each commission or other member of the ECOSOC
system is awaiting guidance on their contributions to the new functions of
ECOSOC, and on the 2007 theme.

Agenda for December 11-15

Ambassador Hachani said he hoped to present a "consensus package" of all of
the aspects and themes arising from the GA resolution at the upcoming
meeting of the Council.  Other follow-up matters to be addressed at the
resumed session include action to be taken on the Report of the Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues (E/2006/43) as well as the election of three
members to the Peacebuilding Commission's Organizational Committee. To read
the full agenda, click
<http://www.reformtheun.org/index.php?module=uploads&func=download&fileId=18
45>  here. 

The 2007 bureau will be tasked with an additional set of follow-up matters
on resolution (also listed in the pending
<http://www.reformtheun.org/index.php?module=uploads&func=download&fileId=18
45>  issues document).

NGOs Briefed on GA Resolution 

To update Non-Governmental Organizations about these developments, ECOSOC
representatives gave a briefing to NGOs with consultative status on Friday,
1 December.  The briefing aimed to "demystify" the impact of the
long-awaited General Assembly resolution on Strengthening ECOSOC.  The Panel
outlined the new additions to the structure of ECOSOC - namely, the Annual
Ministerial Review, with an emphasis on assessing the implementation of the
Millennium Development Goals; the Humanitarian Affairs Segment, the
bi-annual Development Cooperation Forum as a space for developing global
policy; and the not yet finalized coordination role.

Participating NGOs expressed frustration with the limited ability of NGOs to
access ECOSOC processes, given the Council members' stress on the importance
of NGO contributions to its work.

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