1. The International Emergency Food Council was set up as a result of the recommendations of the Special Meeting convened by FAO in May 1946 to consider urgent food problems. It was then provided that this organization, which took over the allocation functions of the Combined Food Board, would extend initially until 31 December 1947. Its financial requirements were to be met out of FAO funds.
2. In May 1947 the IEFC drew attention to the continuing shortage of some basic foodstuffs and recommended that at its next meeting its existence should be prolonged at least for another six months, i.e., until 30 June 1948, unless FAO set up a Council which could assume its functions.
3. The Third Session of the Conference agreed that the Council of FAO should assume the responsibilities of the IEFC and suggested the general lines along which the contemplated merger might be made without any interruption of its activities.
4. The IEFC held a further meeting on 27 October and decided to invite the Council of FAO to indicate its plans regarding the incorporation of the IEFC into FAO bearing in mind specific recommendations which the IEFC put forward.
5. After considering a report from its Finance Subcommittee, the Council decided to forward to the IEFC the following statement, the provisions of which would be put into effect upon notice of dissolution from that body.
Statement for International Emergency Food Council
The Council of FAO, having considered the resolution concerning the transfer of the functions and activities of the International Emergency Food Council to the Council of FAO adopted at the Fifth Meeting of the International Emergency Food Council accepts in their entirety the recommendations put forward by the International Emergency Food Council and will embody them in the arrangements made for such transfer.
In particular the Council of FAO, in implementing the recommendations approved at the Third Session of the Conference, undertakes that upon dissolution of the International Emergency Food Council:
a committee shall be set up, to be known as the International Emergency Food Committee, which shall have, in regard to the work of the existing Commodity Committees, functions and responsibilities similar to those of the Central Committee of the International Emergency Food Council, with a membership identical initially with that of the Central Committee of the International Emergency Food Council at the time of dissolution, and election to which shall be open to all members of Commodity Committees:
the functions, procedures and responsibilities of the Commodity Committees of the International Emergency Food Council as well as of the Central Committee, and the servicing thereof, shall be continued as heretofore;
every effort will be made both to retain the services of the present Secretary-General of the International Emergency Food Council and its other officers in accordance with recommendations of the Secretary-General and to maintain an adequate level of staffing for continuation of the work;
the present working relations and channels of communication of the International Emergency Food Council, the Commodity Committees and the Secretariat on the one hand and Government representatives on the other hand shall be continued as heretofore;
necessary financial provisions in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the Organization will be made in respect of the functions of the International Emergency Food Council taken over by the Council of FAO.
Furthermore in consequence of transfer of the activities of the International Emergency Food Council, the Council of FAO will:
invite all Governments which are represented upon any Commodity Committee but are not members of the Council to participate in meetings of the Council at which problems of the international distribution of commodities in short supply are under consideration;
set up a Committee of the Council, to be known as the Committee for Integration, consisting of three members of the Council, the Director-General of FAO and the Secretary-General of the International Emergency Food Committee, to keep under review the work of the International Emergency Food Committee and the other activities of the Council of FAO with a view to assisting the Director-General in dealing with any administrative problems that may arise;
adopt as the terms of reference of the International Emergency Food Committee and the Commodity Committees the statement of “Functions, Membership and Procedure” of the International Emergency Food Council except where obviously inappropriate.
6. The Council further decided that the Committee for Integration, which is to be set up under “g” of this statement, should consist of three members, viz. the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
7. The International Emergency Food Council met on 11 November to consider the above statement and adopted the following resolution:
WHEREAS
The Council at its Fourth Meeting recommended that in view of continuing world food shortages and the consequent need for the international allocating or programming of supplies of essential foodstuffs and ancillary materials in 1948, the life of the International Emergency Food Council be extended, unless a permanent Council be in the meantime authorized under the auspices of FAO to take over the responsibilities and activities of the International Emergency Food Council for such remaining period as the shortage of basic foodstuffs and ancillary materials may require; and
WHEREAS
The Third Session of the FAO Conference recommended that the activities of the International Emergency Food Council be transferred to the new Council of FAO;
The Council
Expresses its satisfaction with the decision of the Council of FAO to accept in their entirety the recommendations put forward by the International Emergency Food Council for carrying on the work of the Council and the additional proposals put forward by the FAO Council;
RECOMMENDS to Member Governments that:
The International Emergency Food Council should be dissolved and that its functions, responsibilities and procedures be transferred to the Council of FAO;
Simultaneously with concurrence to dissolve the International Emergency Food Council, Member Governments signify their concurrence to the assumption of the obligations and responsibilities as set out in the Statement of “Functions, Membership and Procedure” which is to be adopted, except where obviously inappropriate by the Council of FAO;
The dissolution of the International Emergency Food Council should come into effect as soon as the majority of the Member Governments of the International Emergency Food Council signify their concurrence to this resolution:
INSTRUCTS the Secretary-General
To bring this resolution to the attention of Member Governments;
To notify Member Governments, the Chairman of the Council of FAO and the Director-General of FAO as soon as the majority of Members of the International Emergency Food Council have signified their concurrence to this resolution.
8. In accordance with this resolution, after the majority of the Members of the International Emergency Food Council have expressed their concurrence with this resolution, the recommendation of the Council of FAO will come into effect immediately.
