6. The Council examined these matters on the basis of the Report of the Fiftieth Session of the CCP and the Report of the Thirty-First Session of the CCLM.
7. The Council acknowledged the very significant and constructive part which the CCP had played in the past twenty-five years in the field of commodity problems and policies and the notable contribution which it had made to the work of FAO. Noting the views expressed in paragraph 14 of CL 67/14, the Council agreed that the CCP, while maintaining most of its current programme of work, should also develop more problem-oriented approaches in the field of agricultural commodities. With such approaches the CCP could make valuable contributions to the work of those international agencies which have as their main activities commodity and trade problems. In doing so, however, unnecessary duplication of work between FAO and those agencies must be avoided.
8. The Council stressed the need to avoid duplication between the activities of the CCP and those of the proposed Committee on World Food Security and the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes. It therefore recommended that after paragraph 6 of Rule XXIX of the General Rules of the Organization, which specifies the Committee's present terms of reference, an additional paragraph should be inserted as follows: “The Committee shall take full account of the responsibilities and activities of the Committee on World Food Security and of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of work”. Corresponding provisions should be inserted in the terms of reference of the proposed new Committee on World Food Security. 2
9. The Council recommended that CCP should normally hold two sessions in every biennium, but that its work programme should be flexible enough to allow for the holding of an additional session if necessary. There was some division of opinions regarding the desirability of holding sessions of the CCP immediately preceding or immediately following those of the proposed Committee on World Food Security, but there was general agreement that the timing of the sessions of both bodies should be related to the meetings' schedule of the higher body to which both had a duty to report, namely, the Council. It was considered that the CCP might be able to shorten the duration of its sessions provided that its agenda concentrated on a small number of fundamental issues.
10. As agreed at its Sixty-Sixth Session, the Council considered under “The Director-General's Proposed Strategy of International Agricultural Adjustment” the Report of the Fiftieth Session of the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP) of which paragraphs 25–29 reported this Committee's discussion of the Conference document. Since the substance of the Director-General's proposed strategy had been examined by the Sixty-Sixth Council Session and the definitive views of Member Governments concerning it would be made known at the Conference, the Council's discussion focussed mainly on the views expressed in the CCP.
1 CL 66/REP para 28, CL 67/3, CL/67/3 - Sup. 1, CL 67/4, CL 67/14, CL 67/PV/5, CL 67/PV/6, CL 67/PV/9.
2 See paras 145, 148.
3 C 75/18, CL 67/14, CL 67/PV/5, CL 67/PV/9.
11. The Council reaffirmed that agricultural adjustment was a long-term process, and the international strategy for it should provide for the special needs and requirements of the developing countries. Some members pointed to the need for caution in formulating the guidelines especially in view of the present rapidly moving situation. Others stated that the guidelines even formulated in a general way so as to reflect universality in their appeal, should not be at the expense of the clarity of the real goals. Others drew attention to the various relevant recommendations made in the resolutions of the Sixth and Seventh Special Sessions of the UN General Assembly and pointed out that the guidelines provided a coherent and comprehensive framework for following up progress on these. The Council supported the general approach of the proposed Strategy of International Agricultural Adjustment and agreed that the proposed policy guidelines were appropriate and useful as a starting basis.
12. Some members emphasized that the Director-General's proposed strategy should not seek to subordinate national food and agricultural policies to a global blueprint but rather should serve as a global framework within which each country would develop its own agricultural policies according to its circumstances on a voluntary basis.
13. The Council supported strongly the view that international agricultural adjustment should not be considered as a separate activity within FAO but rather as a global framework for drawing together in a coherent fashion the policy-oriented content of FAO activities, including, inter alia, those relating to food security, commodity programmes, nutrition and production requisites, and activities in other fora, in particular those relating to UN General Assembly Resolution 3202 (S-VI) on the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order and UN General Assembly Resolution 3362 (S-VII).
14. Most members emphasized the necessity for a greater degree of quantification and time determination of the policy goals expressed in the guidelines and of definite time dimensions for them. In C 75/18, most of the goals are expressed only in rather general terms but, particularly in keeping with the precedent of the inclusion of additional targets in UN Resolution 3362 (S-VII), additional quantified goals should be included. They emphasized, moreover, the special significance of the guideline relating to the transfer of resources and technology in support of increased agricultural production in developing countries. Other members questioned the advisability and feasibility of further quantification of the guidelines. In particular they requested that the growth targets for DD2 be not omitted. The Secretariat explained that quantification of the policy goals expressed in the proposed policy guidelines was limited to that for which consensus had been developed at the political level and that the Director-General hoped that further development of consensus in the direction of quantification and time determination would be possible at the Conference. It was noted that an important link between the International Agricultural Adjustment and the Perspective Studies on World Agricultural Development (PSWAD) was that the latter would analyse the implications of various alternative levels of quantification of at least some of these policy goals and thereby assist development of consensus at the political level.
15. The Council agreed that the monitoring of progress in relation to the policy guidelines and general objectives would be a crucial part of the follow-up activities, although this could present considerable difficulties until satisfactory procedures were developed. The suggestions of the CCP that monitoring should initially be based on a relatively small number of key indicators and that the monitoring and analysis of results should be kept as concise as possible and presented in a condensed form were strongly supported by the Council.
16. The Council had before it the Report of the Programme Committee, the Review of Field Programmes, and a note on the magnitude and composition of the field programmes prepared in response to the request of the Programme Committee 2
17. The Council acknowledged the contribution made by the Secretariat in preparing the Review, which it considered to be comprehensive and constructive both in its consideration of FAO's field activities and in its analysis of the policy issues arising from them.
1 C 75/4, CL 67/2 paras 2.87 to 2.99, CL 67/15, CL 67/PV/1, CL 67/PV/2, CL 67/PV/9.
2 CL 67/2, para 2.98.
18. The Council approved the Programme Committee's choice of five major topics, outlined in paragraph 2.96 of its report, as a basis for discussion in Commission II of the Conference. It stressed, however, that this choice should be considered indicative rather than limiting.
19. While leaving major study of field programmes for Commission II, the Council nonetheless pinpointed specific items and general policy issues during its debate. For the first time, it was pointed out, the magnitude and significance of FAO's field activities had been considered not in isolation but in the context of total aid to the agriculture sector. Stress was placed on the linking of technical assistance with investment follow-up and FAO's potential role both in a dialogue with other donors and in assisting recipient countries to formulate investment projects.
20. Attention was also drawn to the value of the assessment of on-going field projects contained in the Review, and there was general agreement that the problems mentioned by the Programme Committee in paragraph 2.89 of its report, including in particular technical support to field staff, and the selection and placement of fellows, deserved careful attention from the Secretariat. The Council agreed with paragraph 2.93, and expressed concern that the lessons learnt from the assessment of the field programme be given careful attention at all of the four levels identified in this paragraph, in the interest of greater effectiveness of the Organization's development activities. Furthermore, the Council noted the point made in the Review that the differing and rapidly changing needs of countries required a flexible approach on the part of FAO in providing technical support. Some members drew attention to the possible conflict of interest in the review between the emphasis on poverty-focussed programmes and a priority for regions where a Unit of investment could have a larger pay-off.
21. The Council emphasized the Organization's role in promoting technical cooperation among developing countries; in this connexion it was felt that FAO should devise more satisfactory procedures for offering complete projects on a turn-key basis and, where this was not possible, subcontracts to firms and purchase of equipment in developing countries, that it would be advisable to work with UNDP on modifying its procedures for according quicker sanctions for projects, and that more funds were needed for regional, interregional and global projects. The use of national institutions to assist in implementing the Regular Programme, though a separate item on the Agenda, was particularly stressed.
22. The Council felt that because of the size and growth of the Field Programme relative to the Regular Programme, the governing bodies should examine it more closely in the future, and noted with satisfaction that the Review provided an excellent basis for such an examination. The Council stressed the need for a mutually supporting relationship between the Regular and the Field programmes. The implications of promoting such a relationship should be carefully examined, as this question was one of the most crucial ones to be dealt with by the governing bodies in the immediate future.
23. The Council examined the Report of the Twenty-Ninth Session of the Programme Committee which summarized the Committee's conclusions on the future orientation of FFHC/AD, as required by Conference Resolution 4/69, and the Director-General's proposals to the Conference on this subject.
24. In supporting the conclusions of the Programme Committee, and endorsing the proposals of the Director-General, the Council also supported the general and specific aims of FFHC/AD as outlined in paras 12, 13 and 14 of the Director-General's proposals.
25. The Council stressed that there should be a more equitable geographical distribution of the Campaign's activities in future. More emphasis should be placed upon the educational role of FFHC/AD and on its work with small farmers and landless workers. In this respect, the Council felt that National FFHC/AD Committees should be strengthened and emphasis placed on their role in advising on the development of FFHC/AD programmes.
1 C 75/29, CL 67/2 paras 2.74 to 2.80, CL 67/PV/1, CL 67/PV/9.
26. The Council agreed with the Programme Committee's view that FFHC/AD be action-oriented and complementary to, rather than overlapping with, other units' work in rural development and with small farmers and landless workers.
27. The transfer of FFHC/AD to be a programme in the Development Department and the reintegration of the FFHC/AD Projects Unit was endorsed. Two members, however, expressed the opinion that transfers of this nature should only take place within the context of broader studies and action aimed to increase the capacity of FAO and the UN system as a whole to respond to changing world needs.
28. At its Sixty-Sixth Session, the Council had decided that the Director-General should report to its next session on progress concerning preparatory work for holding the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. The Council considered the report presented and more up-to-date information which was provided orally. The Council noted the ECOSOC Resolution 1967 (LIX) of 30 July 1975 on Rural Development requesting the UN Secretary-General to be ready to cooperate with the Director-General of FAO and inviting other interested specialized agencies to take part in the Conference. The Council was also informed of the discussions on this Conference at the Preparatory Committee of the ACC.
29. The Council expressed satisfaction at the positive response on the part of the UN, the World Bank, ILO, Unesco and WHO to the approach by the Director-General and their assurances that they would cooperate in a substantive way in the preparation and holding of the Conference. The Council agreed 2 to recommend the convening of the Conference in mid-1978 and underlined the importance of adequate preparations, including a well-chosen agenda, so that satisfactory results should be ensured. The Council recommended that agrarian reform and rural development be included in the agenda of the FAO Regional Conferences in 1976 as an important part of the preparations for this Conference.
30. In approving the holding of a world conference, the Council stressed the need, however, to pay special attention to the complex problems involved, at the national and sub-regional levels, in view of the different conditions found in individual countries and small groups of countries. The Council underlined the value of an integrated approach to development. The importance of forestry aspects was stressed by some members. The Council showed distinct preference for the second alternative concerning the organization and procedure of the Conference 3 namely that discussions should be concerned with problems and constraints identifiable on an area basis.
31. The Council noted that the programme, agenda and financial aspects of the Conference would be discussed with the cooperating agencies and requested the Director-General to report on all preparations in detail to the November 1976 Council Session.
32. The Council recalled the intensive discussion which had been held during its Sixty-Sixth Session in relation to the sharp increase in the number of meetings organized by FAO in 1975 over 1974 and the problems created by the late distribution, particularly in certain languages, of preparatory documents for meetings. A projection for the 1976–77 biennium 1 indicated a total of over one thousand meetings, funded both by the Regular Programme and from extra-budgetary sources, i.e., an increase of more than 40 percent over the present biennium. The problems presented by this increase both for Member Governments and for the Secretariat had been examined by the Programme Committee at its Twenty-Ninth Session.
1 CL 67/2, CL 67/6, CL 67/PV/5, CL 67/PV/9.
4 C 75/3-Sup.2, CL 67/2, CL 67/7, CL 67/PV/6, CL 67/PV/9.
33. The Programme Committee had endorsed the measures proposed by the Director-General 2 in order to strike a balance between the ability of Member Nations to participate in these meetings, and that of the Secretariat to service them. These proposals included: greater central control of the meeting programme with a view to eliminating meeting activities which had become outdated or repetitive with time, better scheduling of sessions through improved central programming procedures, preparation of a yearly calendar of intergovernmental meetings to be communicated to governments, improvements in the career prospects for language staff so as to attract and retain qualified personnel and a somewhat reduced reliance on freelance interpreters and contract translators.
34. The Council agreed with the proposed measures, but considered that these constituted only a starting point. It expressed concern over the Organization's failure to limit the growth of the meeting programme. The Council stressed that it was necessary to reduce the number of meetings in accordance with a clear order of priorities, which should ensure that the objectives of the meetings were closely related to the objectives and programmes of the Organization and that the resulting benefits would justify the cost and manpower involved.
35. Whilst recognizing the complexity of the problem, the Council identified the following five measures which were more far-reaching than the Director-General's proposals and would also contribute to better management of the meeting programme:
attempt to reduce the number and extent of meetings dealing with questions within the responsibility of other international organizations;
in the spirit of decentralization, hold meetings, wherever possible and desirable, at the regional level thus relieving the workload at Headquarters;
examine carefully the need for experts' meetings and resort as frequently as possible to national institutions acting as rapporteurs for the Secretariat and Member Governments;
persistently seek accuracy in documents and clarity in proposals to facilitate genuine substantive discussions;
restrict the number of items to be debated and be satisfied wherever possible with a mere information note and, if necessary, a brief oral introduction without further debate,
The Council agreed that these five measures should be applied.
36. The Council stressed in particular the need for short and concise documentation, and in this connexion considered the possibility of imposing a limit on the number of pages of preparatory documents. It also recommended that meetings should be clearly identified by reference to the three categories defined by the Programme Committee and the Council. 3
37. The Council recalled its intention to examine in depth the whole structure of the Council committees, and confirmed that this should be pursued. It agreed that the programme of meetings of these bodies should be kept at its present level until the results of this review were available.
1 CL 67/7 para 10.
2 CL 67/7 paras 45–48.
3 Report of the Programme Committee, Twelfth Session (CL 48/6, 1967, para 282) as modified
by the Fifty-First Council Session (Report, 1968, para 267).
38. Lastly, the Council noted that the list of sessions to be held in 1976–77 under the Regular Programme would be submitted to the Conference as a Supplement to the Programme of Work and Budget. 1 With regard to meetings funded from extra-budgetary sources, which consisted mainly of group training activities, the Council noted that their number was now almost equal to those planned under the Regular Programme and noted that appropriate resources should be provided to meet the related servicing requirements.
39. In accordance with Rule VII-1 of the General Rules of the Organization (GRO), the Council agreed to put the following nominations before the Conference:
| Chairman of the Conference: | M. Rouhani (Iran) |
| Chairman of Commission I: | F.J. Specks (Germany, Federal Republic of) |
| Chairman of Commission II: | G.C.L. Joneja (India) |
| Chairman of Commission III: | F. Alvarez Yépez (Venezuela) |
40. The Council also agreed to nominate E.C. Bayagbona (Nigeria) as Rapporteur from Plenary to Commission I.
41. In accordance with Rule XXIV-5(b) GRO, the Council elected the following eleven Member Nations to the Nominations Committee:
Algeria
Australia
Bulgaria
Finland
Guatemala
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Syria
Thailand
Uruguay
42. The Council nominated Mrs. Jaya Arunachalam (International Federation of Agricultural Producers) to chair the informal meeting of observers from Non-Governmental Organizations, which was scheduled for Tuesday, 11 November 1975.
43. The Council noted with satisfaction that the Ninth McDougall Memorial Lecture would be delivered by Mme Simone Veil, Minister of Health of France.
44. The Council recognized that the three major topics for discussion in Commission II were complex ones and that there was inevitably some overlapping on certain matters, e.g. extrabudgetary activities, which were referred to in all three documents.
1 C 75/3-Sup.2, C 75/3-Sup.2-Add.1
2 C 75/12, CL 67/PV/6
3 CL 67/INF/7
4 CL 67/2, para 2.158, CL 67/PV/7.
45. In order to facilitate a fruitful discussion, eliminate overlapping as far as possible and to enable the Commission to follow its time schedule as closely as possible, the Council generally agreed with the suggestions of the Programme Committee that the discussion in Commission II might be concentrated on the following major issues raised in the three main documents:
(a) Programme of Work and Budget 1976–77
Programmes proposed, including increases in resources, balance of programme sectors, priorities, and objects of expenditure (pp. XXI-XLVII, paras 47–154).
Proposed new posts and upgradings (pp. IX, para 18; pp. LII-LV, paras 163–170).
Additional lapse factor of 25 percent for all new posts (pp. XIX-XX, paras 40–43).
Decentralization steps proposed for 1976–77 (pp. VII-IX, paras 14–16).
Use of National Institutions (p. IX, para 17; p. LV, para 171).
Impact on Regular Programme of extra-budgetary activities, including transfer of Agency Cost posts to the Regular Programme (pp. XIV-XVIII, paras 10–32).
Budget level (pp. IX-XII, para 19 - Draft Resolution).
(b) Review of Field Programmes 1974–75
Trends in subject matter and volume of activities financed from extra-budgetary sources, including projections for next biennium (paras 1.1–1.18 of Review of Field Programmes 1974–75 and paras 18–28 of Explanatory Notes of Programme of Work and Budget).
FAO's role in promoting technical cooperation among developing countries as outlined in paras 1.34 to 1.40 of the Review.
Assessment of FAO field projects discussed in paras 2.1 to 2.13.
Future flow and orientation of technical and capital aid to agriculture discussed in paras 2.14 to 2.26, 6.24 to 6.43 and 7.76 to 7.79.
FAO's role in influencing aid policies and procedures and in the programming and utilization of aid dealt with in paras 5.14 to 5.22.
(c) Medium-Term Objectives
Issues relating to “Continuing, Mandatory Activities” (paras 12–90), including FAO's activities relating to: Information and Research (paras 15–30); Providing Policy Advice (paras 31–38); International Harmonization (paras 39–54); and Servicing Field Operations (paras 55–76).
Issues relating to “Main Programme Priorities” including Substantive Programme Trends (paras 129–196); and Problems of Least Developed Countries (paras 119–128).
Relevant operational, organizational and resource implications (paras 197–209).
Evaluation of the Regular Programme (paras 79–82).
46. The Representatives of the Latin America Region on the Council proposed that SELA (Sistema Económico Latinoamericano) be invited to attend the Eighteenth Session of the Conference because of that Organization's interest in the subjects to be dealt with by the Conference.
47. The Council recommended that the Director-General invite SELA to attend the Conference in an observer capacity.
48. The Executive Director informed the Council that the Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) at its Twenty-Eighth Session had endorsed his proposal and recommended unanimously a pledging target of $750 million for 1977–78, considering it to be both realistic and attainable. He regarded this figure as a minimum in the light of calls for expanded food aid made at the 1974 World Food Conference and more recently at the Seventh Special Session of the UN General Assembly.
49. The Council welcomed the Executive Director's statement and expressed satisfaction with the Programme's achievements as outlined by him. It unanimously recommended to the FAO Conference the Pledging Target of $750 million, a large number of members indicating that this should be regarded as a minimum figure. A number of members said the WFP should be provided with increased cash resources to enable it to purchase commodities from exporting developing countries. Some members stressed that food aid should be given to all national liberation and resistance movements in Africa, Asia and Latin America without discrimination. The Council emphasized that WFP aid should be closely integrated with the country programming exercise under the aegis of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
50. The Council welcomed in this connexion the following recommendation of the Seventh Special Session of the UN General Assembly: “Pending the establishment of the world foodgrain reserve, developed countries and developing countries in a position to do so should earmark stocks and/or funds to be placed at the disposal of the World Food Programme as an emergency reserve to strengthen the capacity of the Programme to deal with crisis situations in developing countries. The aim should be a target of not less than 500 000 tons.” Some members stressed, however, that the Programme's major role lay in the field of social and economic development rather than emergencies. The Council took note of the effective way WFP was working in adopting its priorities to the needs of the least developed and most seriously affected countries.
51. The Council was informed that this part of its report would be presented to the First Session of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes drawing the Committee's attention to the wishes expressed by a number of Council members with respect to increased food aid to national liberation and resistance movements.
2 CL 67/5, CL 67/PV/4, CL 67/PV/9.
52. Concerning the pledging target for 1977–78, the Council recommended the following draft resolution for adoption by the Conference:
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR THE CONFERENCE
TARGET FOR WFP PLEDGES FOR THE PERIOD 1977–78
THE CONFERENCE,
Recalling the provisions of Resolution 4/65 that the World Food Programme is to be reviewed before each pledging conference,
Recalling the provisions of operative paragraph 4 of its Resolution 4/75 of 28 November 1973 that, subject to the review mentioned above, the next pledging conference should be convened at the latest early in 1976, at which time governments should be invited to pledge contributions for 1977 and 1978, with a view to reaching such a target as may be then recommended by the General Assembly and the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
Noting that the review of the Programme was undertaken by the Intergovernmental Committee of the World Food Programme at its Twenty-Seventh Session and by the FAO Council at its Sixty-Sixth Session,
Having considered Resolution 1/66 of the FAO Council, as well as the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Committee,
Recognizing the value of multilateral food aid as implemented by WFP since its inception and the necessity for continuing its action both as a form of capital investment and for meeting emergency food needs,
1. Establishes for the two years 1977 and 1978 a target for voluntary contributions of $ 750 million of which not less than one third should be in cash and/or services in aggregate, and expresses the hope that such resources will be augmented by substantial additional contributions from other sources in recognition of the prospective volume of sound project requests and the capacity of the Programme to operate at a higher level;
2. Urges States members of the United Nations and Members and Associate Members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to make every effort to ensure the full attainment of the target;
3. Requests the Secretary-General, in cooperation with the Director-General or FAO, to convene a pledging conference for this purpose at United Nations Headquarters early in 1976;
4. Decides that, subject to the review provided for in Resolution 4/65, the following pledging conference at which governments should be invited to pledge contributions for 1979 and 1980 with a view to reaching such a target as may be then recommended by the General Assembly and the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization, should be convened at the latest early in 1978.
53. In considering the above three sub-items of its agenda simultaneously, the Council recognized that these matters would receive the full consideration of the Conference. It therefore concentrated its discussion mainly on two recent developments which the Director-General drew to its attention.
54. The first concerned the Meeting of Interested Countries on the International Fund for Agricultural Development, held at FAO Headquarters from 27 October to 1 November 1975. The Council noted that the Meeting had recommended to the UN General Assembly that the Fund should be established as a specialized agency within the United Nations system with autonomy in policy formulation and operations. 1 The Council expressed the hope that further progress would be made in coming months, and that the Fund would be successfully established with initial resources of SDR 1 000 million. The Council felt that FAO should give every possible assistance to the Fund in launching and conducting its operations. The Council therefore recommended that the Conference welcome the progress made towards establishing the International Fund for Agricultural Development, approve the proposal of the Director-General that he undertake a study of the support which FAO could, if requested, make available to the Fund, and authorize him to make any appropriate arrangements that might be required to facilitate the start of the Fund's work.
55. The Council emphasized that the principle of FAO support was equally important in the case of the other bodies established as a result of the World Food Conference, namely the World Food Council and the Consultative Group on Food Production and Investment. This was necessary so as to avoid duplication of effort in the United Nations system, while at the same time maintaining FAO's leading role in the field of food and agriculture.
56. The second recent development was the Final Declaration of the Preparatory Meeting for the forthcoming Conference on International Economic Cooperation, proposed by the President of the French Republic. The Council expressed its satisfaction at the recommendation of the Preparatory Meeting that FAO, together with a number of other intergovernmental functional organizations, be represented on a permanent basis by observers in appropriate commissions of the Conference, with the right to speak but without the right to vote. It emphasized the importance of FAO participating actively in such Conferences, as the issues of food and agriculture are of key importance and FAO's experience and expertise should be fully utilized in all such fora. It recommended that the Conference authorize the Director-General to arrange for FAO's full participation in and support to the forthcoming Conference on International Economic Cooperation.
57. The Council emphasized the importance of the results of the Seventh Special Session of the General Assembly and indicated the support of FAO for its Resolution 3362 (S-VII) on Development and International Economic Cooperation. It was stressed that FAO's programmes and policies should be geared to achieving the objectives of that resolution, particularly regarding the increase of agricultural production in developing countries, improving the trade structures and earnings of developing countries, reducing post-harvest losses, promoting investments for food production and ensuring that developing countries obtain a stable supply of fertilizers and other agricultural requisites.
58. The Council was informed by the Director-General that a provisional agreement had just been reached with the United Nations Secretariat on three simple principles which might be used in apportioning the costs of the World Food Council between the United Nations and FAO. These were: that the World Food Council was seated in Rome, and it would be assumed for budgetary purposes that the meetings of the Council would be in Rome; that FAO, in addition to providing staff would provide the necessary services relating to the Council's location in Rome, including space, communications and interpretation for Council sessions; and that the United Nations would be responsible for covering other costs, including documentation.
1 One member indicated his preference for the status of a UN Organ.
59. The Council noted that the views of the governing bodies of the participating organizations on the continuation of the JIU beyond 31 December 1977 had been solicited in compliance with UN General Assembly Resolution 2924B (XXVII). To meet the timetable established for consideration of this question by ECOSOC and the UN General Assembly, the United Nations had requested that these views be submitted not later than March 1976.
60. The Council took note of the background information provided by the secretariat and the reports on this subject by the Programme and Finance Committees. It gave particular attention to the reasons for the sizeable increase in the Unit's budget for 1976–77, the need to avoid overlapping of the Unit's activities with those of other bodies engaged in investigation and evaluation, and the advisability of reviewing the terms of reference and methods of operation of the Unit, were it to be continued.
61. Taking all factors into consideration, the Council agreed that the JIU performed a valuable function on behalf of the participating organizations and recommended that the Unit be extended beyond its present expiry date of 31 December 1977. The Council recognized that the proposed extension of the JIU would also depend on whether any new machinery were created for investigation and evaluation which might result from the forthcoming review of the economic and social sectors of the United Nations system by the ad hoc Committee-of-the-Whole established by the UN General Assembly.
62. The Council endorsed the suggestion of the Finance Committee that the JIU make greater use of informal notes on matters requiring immediate attention, it being understood that these matters and action taken thereon would later be reported to the governing bodies. The Council also endorsed the Committee's recommendation that the secretariat continue to review JIU reports addressed to other organizations and draw to the attention of the governing bodies those findings in them which had a bearing on the work of FAO.
1 CL 67/2, CL 67/9, CL 67/9-Sup.1, CL 67/PV/8.
