46. The Council noted the progress made in the preparations for the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN) following its endorsement by the FAO Conference at its Twenty-fifth Session in November 1989 and the World Health Assembly in May 1990. It particularly noted the preparatory activities which had already commenced through the FAO Regional Conferences providing valuable regional inputs.
47. The Council reiterated its support for the ICN. It stressed the need for the ICN to concentrate on policy issues based primarily on the needs of developing nations and to refine the focus and objectives of the Conference as preparations proceeded. It welcomed the cooperation that had been developed between FAO and WHO, the co-sponsoring agencies, as well as with other agencies through the Administrative Committee on Coordination/Subcommittee on Nutrition (ACC/SCN). It supported the establishment of the Interdepartmental Task Force by the Director-General to coordinate FAO inputs to the ICN, in order to ensure that interdisciplinary and cross-sectional considerations linking all aspects of food and agriculture would be incorporated into the planning for the Conference. It also supported the plan to establish a joint FAO/WHO Secretariat and an Advisory Group of Experts to provide inputs on scientific and technical issues and, from an early stage, to involve the nutrition community outside the UN system. It also noted with satisfaction the envisaged involvement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) , industry and other concerned sectors.
48. The Council endorsed the need for effective government involvement in the preparations for the Conference, inter alia through the Governing Bodies of FAO and WHO, the Committee on Agriculture (COAG), the Regional Conferences and Meetings of both FAO and WHO and subregional meetings. It supported the planned country-level preparatory activities as well as regional and subregional workshops to consider causes and possible remedies of nutritional problems. It considered that this approach would help the Conference to focus on policy issues and needs identified by Member Governments, especially in developing countries.
49. The Council stressed the need for FAO and WHO to provide adequate staff and other resources for the preparation of the ICN. It noted that requests for extra-budgetary resources would be presented to potential donors, particularly for financing country-level preparatory activities, regional and subregional workshops, and support for the delegations from the least developed countries to participate in the ICN. In this connection, it welcomed the statements by several members indicating the readiness of their governments to support such activities.
50. The Council expressed its full appreciation to the Government of Italy for its generous offer to host the ICN in Rome.
51. The Council noted that COAG would consider a detailed report on the ICN at its April 1991 session. It requested that a substantive report on the ICN be submitted to the Council at its next session, including the conclusions and recommendations of COAG, as well as those from the Regional Conferences held in 1990.
52. The Council generally endorsed the report of the Tenth Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO).
53. The Council supported the recommendations of the Committee on strengthening research as a priority area and welcomed the close collaboration of FAO with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and with the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO), which was developing a programme to support forestry research in developing countries. The Council stressed the priority of programmes on the integration of women as equal partners in the design and implementation of forestry activities. The Council welcomed the Forest Resources Assessment Project, noting that it would provide global coverage.
54. Having considered the report of COFO and the comments of the Director-General, the Council recalled that the TFAP had been conceived as a collaborative effort and responsibility of the agencies and partners involved. The Council reiterated the importance of the TFAP as a unique framework for the conservation and sustainable use of tropical forest resources for the development of the countries concerned and for environmental sustainability, and emphasized the need to strengthen the TFAP and make it more country-driven, process-oriented and policy-focused.
55. The Council decided to endorse the recommendations of the COFO on the findings of the independent Review, and particularly regarding the need:
for the TFAP to become a long-term programme aimed at the conservation and sustainable development of tropical forest resources and which justified the plan to be renamed the Tropical Forestry Action Programme;
for FAO's forestry programmes to fully reflect the priority accorded to the TFAP;
for better mobilization of resources for the TFAP and to explore the possible establishment of a Tropical Forestry Fund including the scope, nature and possible institutional arrangement for its establishment and management;
to develop and establish new guidelines for TFAP implementation;
to develop and implement country capacity projects, designed to strengthen forest policies and planning capapbilities and provide training at the national level;
for FAO to take the initiative to improve the effectiveness of TFAP implementation and coordination and, in particular, to accelerate and intensify significantly the level of action in addressing tropical deforestation;
for FAO to continue its contacts with the World Bank, UNDP, and the World Resources Institute, as co-sponsors of the TFAP, and to establish as soon as possible, in association with them, an ad hoc group of experts, with adequate representation of developing countries, donor agencies, developed countries and NGOs, to:
- make proposals for clarification of goals and ojectives;
- analyse and propose options for improved appropriate institutional arrangements for all interested parties;
- suggest ways and means to strengthen FAO's coordinating function;
- examine the financial implications of the options; and
- report back as rapidly as possible; the report to be made available to other TFAP participants.
56. With respect to paragraphe 55(c), some members indicated that the rational for a Tropical Forestry Fund had not yet been established.
57. The Council expressed its appreciation of the work carried out by the expert team which undertook the independent Review of the TFAP.
58. The Council welcomed the intention of the co-sponsors to hold the meeting, in pursuance of paragraph 55(g) above, in a developing country. The Council supported the choice of Indonesia for holding this meeting and noted that discussions were at an advanced stage for its organization. The Council agreed that the FAO share of the cost of the ad hoc Experts Group on the TFAP should be met from the reallocation of Regular Programme resources without affecting priority activities for developing countries. In view of the urgency for immediate action on the findings of this meeting, the Council considered that the Director-General should have flexibility in implementing the recommendations, but that any important policy decisions should be reported to the Council at its next session.
59. The Council appealed to the donor community to:
increase its efforts to provide prompt and adequate financial 'and technical support for the preparation and implementation of national TFAPs using existing financial mechanisms as appropriate channels for prompt action;
further strengthen the extrabudgetary funding, including the Multidonor Trust Fund enabling the TFAP Coordinating Unit to fulfil its role in coordination, quality control and information management at the global level.
60. The Council supported the COFO recommendations on the need to allocate greater resources of the Regular Programme to the Forestry Programme.
61. The Council, noting that forests played a vital role in stabilizing the environment and the sustainable economic development, endorsed the concept of an international instrument on the conservation and development of forests. Recognizing FAO's leadership role within the UN system in the field of forestry, the Council agreed that FAO would have a substantial contribution to make to the development of the legal, technical and intellectual content of such an instrument.
62. The Council requested that FAO should make a substantial contribution to the comprehensive report on Forests and Forestry for the second United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Preparatory Committee in Geneva in March 1991. Some members observed that any eventual instrument on forests ought to be complementary with other initiatives currently under way and progress on any one instrument ought not to impede progress on the others.
63. The Council noted with satisfaction FAO's request to the Secretary-General of UNCED to convene a meeting of agencies concerned with the current initiatives and noted that this meeting might take place even before the next session of the UNCED Preparatory Committee.
64. The Council requested that the question of an international instrument on the conservation and development of forests be referred to the next session of the Council in June 1991 for further consideration of actions to be taken by FAO in the light of developments in other international fora.
65. The Council noted with satisfaction the progress reported by France in the preparations for the Tenth World Forestry Congress to be held in Paris in September 1991. It welcomed also the forthcoming Pan-European ministerial -conference on the conservation of forests to be held in Strasbourg, France, in December 1990 and the ministerial conference of the African Timber Organization to be held in Luanda, Angola, in April 1991.
66. The Council noted with satisfaction that progress had been achieved in the' implementation of Conference Resolution 189 entitled "Provision of Technical Assistance to the Palestinian People" and expressed its appreciation to the Director-General for the steps which he had taken, in particular with respect to sending a mission to study and evaluate the situation of the agricultural sector in the occupied territory. It confirmed that the mission should proceed on the basis of the action taken by the Director-General.
67. The Council requested that the symposium envisaged in Conference Resolution 189 be organized soon. It was hoped that the results of the mission would be included in the agenda of the symposium but the convening of the symposium should not be linked to the sending of the mission. The symposium could take place in Rome.
68. The Council commended the Director-General for the measures taken in implementing Resolution 389 of the Conference concerning the strengthening of interdisciplinary work in FAO on aspects related to environment and sustainable development. It welcomed the establishment of mechanisms to promote and coordinate such action, namely the designation of a Special Adviser to the Director-General/ADG for Environment and Sustainable Development, the establishment of a Steering Committee at ADG level, the strengthening of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Environment and Sustainable Development, and the organization of a number of satellite multidisciplinary groups.
69. The Council endorsed the activities reported in the Secretariat document which indicated the many ways in which efforts were being pursued by FAO to integrate environmental and sustainability concerns in both its Regular and Field Programmes. In this regard, the Council stressed the importance of further FAO activities in such fields as: environmental impact assessment for FAO field projects, including sustainability aspects in project design and appraisal; environmental economics and accounting, including ways of assisting small farmers undertaking environmental protection measures ; follow-up action to the Second World Climate Conference; biological diversity and diversification, including conservation and use of plant and animal genetic resources; integrated management of coastal zones and aquaculture; management of capture fisheries including driftnet fishing; agro-ecological zoning, soil and water conservation and maintenance of soil fertility; rural energy planning and fuelwood; integrated pest control; forest resources management, afforestation, wildlife management, sylvo-pastoral management, watershed management and combatting desertification, particularly under the Tropical Forestry Action Plan; remote sensing applications to natural resource assessment and environmental monitoring; debt for nature swaps; measuring the possible impact of applied technology on the environment; training and extension on environmentally-sound technologies, with due consideration to local traditional technologies.
70. Some members, recognizing the complexity and breadth of the task, expressed their preference for integrating environment concerns into FAO programmes rather than implementing specific environment programmes, while some others emphasized the need to prioritize, and redeploy, resources in those areas where FAO had a comparative advantage so as to ensure that its efforts would be of most benefit to its Member Nations.
71. A number of members expressed concern that the increased attention being given by FAO to environmental matters might divert resources from, and place new conditions and constraints on, essential development activities. They stressed the need for additional resources to accommodate new activities in this field. The Council recognized the high cost of environmental conservation in developing countries. In order to enable the basic needs of the present generations to be met without compromising the needs and quality of life for future generations, many members recognized that fair and equitable terms for international trade, and debt alleviation were prerequisites for sustainable development. The Council also recognized the close association in developing countries between poverty and environmental degradation which limited the options available to resource users for more sustainable practices.
72. Many members underlined the fact that industrialized countries were mainly responsible for global environmental degradation problems. The Council called for increased assistance to developing countries in their environmental conservation efforts. The Council, therefore, commended the recently established Global Environmental Facility as a welcome initiative to provide additional funding to developing countries, including that for areas of sustainable agriculture.
73. In the light of the above considerations the Council requested the Director-General to give due priority in the FAO medium-term plan and in his proposals to the Conference for Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) 1992-93, to activities related to environment and sustainable development, in accordance with Conference Resolution 389. In so doing, priority should be given to concrete outputs which would make an effective contribution to the solution of specific environmental problems and the attainment of sustainability objectives.
74. The Council welcomed the introduction of environmental impact assessment procedures in FAO1s field programme and requested that the Secretariat report on progress in the application of these procedures at the next Conference. The Council also agreed that training for national and FAO staff in this field should be given special attention.
75. The Council noted with satisfaction that a number of regional initiatives were being supported by FAO as follow-up to the Regional Conferences, among them the Special Action Programme on Conservation and Rehabilitation of African Lands, FAO support to activities under the Amazon Cooperation Treaty and follow-up action for the sustainable management of fragile ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean. Some members requested that similar initiatives be developed for other regions.
76. The Council endorsed the organization of the FAO/Netherlands Conference on Agriculture and the Environment, to be held at 's Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands from 15 to 19 April 1991 and expressed its appreciation for the financial and technical support being given by the Netherlands Government. The Council noted that a participant from each of the developing countries would attend the Conference at the expense of the Netherlands Government, and that this should enable regional groups to meet during the Conference to discuss the problems and requirements of different regions of the developing world.It also noted that this Conference should lead to the formulation of strategies and an agenda for action, including specific action programmes for the consideration of FAO Governing Bodies and as an input for the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992.
77. The Council supported FAO's activities contributing to the preparatory process of the UNCED. This event had created great expectations regarding the mobilization of additional financial resources and the launching of a number of Initiatives, particularly in the fields of food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Therefore, the Council recommended that FAO, in its areas of competence, continue to actively participate in cooperation with other agencies in the preparations for this Conference.
78. The Council welcomed the expansion of FAO's cooperation with other international organizations in the fields of environment and sustainable development and encouraged the Organization to pursue its efforts in developing collaborative activities in these fields, including collaboration with the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) concerned with food and agriculture.
79. The Council welcomed the progress report on the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources. It expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of the Third Session of the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources (CPGR) and, in particular, with the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding on programme cooperation between FAO and the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR). In this Memorandum of Understanding, the IBPGR subscribed to the principles of the International Undertaking and recognized the intergovernmental authority of the Commission and its technical responsibilities were clearly outlined. The Council also expressed satisfaction with the other Memorandum of Understanding related to administrative arrangements between FAO and IBPGR.
80. The Council welcomed the United States of America and Japan as new members of the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources and invited other countries to join the Commission. The Council noted that seven member countries which had adhered to the International Undertaking, with reservations, had withdrawn their reservations during the present session.
81. The Council recognized in general the importance of the concept of farmers' rights, especially for developing countries, and agreed that the implementation and financial realization of this concept required further negotiations, within the context of the Agreed Interpretation of the International Undertaking, by the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources and its Working Group.
82. The Council noted the review of FAO activities on animal genetic resources since the Ninety-fifth Council Session and the proposal for the sustainable development of animal genetic resources at the country, regional and global levels contained in the Supplementary Document.
83. The Council recognized the significant role played and the important activities promoted by FAO in this field, and appreciated the progress made by the Organization in formulating proposals for a technically-sound programme for the conservation and sustainable use of the world's animal genetic resources. It recognized the need for FAO to assume a catalytic role in promoting appropriate national programmes and in initiating cooperative regional ones.
84. The Council recommended that FAO prepare a detailed programme for the sustainable development of animal genetic resources on a global level based on the technical proposals contained in the Supplementary Document for consideration by the next session of the Committee on Agriculture (COAG). It agreed that the programme should include projects for interested countries and regions to be implemented by their respective governments and should be financed primarily in the form of Trust Fund projects. The Council urged donor countries, as well as international and regional banks, to assign due priority to sustainable development of animal genetic resources, while considering the Trust Fund projects proposed by FAO. It agreed that the proposals for the development of an appropriate legal framework for the conservation and rational use of animal genetic resources should be referred to the next session of COAG, for its consideration.
85. The Council discussed the widening of the mandate of the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources to become a commission on biological diversity for food and agriculture, which would include plant and animal genetic resources, in order to allow the Organization to deal with problems related to biological diversity and its conservation and use within a single conceptual approach. The Council recognized in this context that (a) there were technical differences between plant and animal genetic resources, and (b) there were several legal, institutional and policy aspects common to the conservation and utilization of plant and animal genetic resources, especially as regarded in situ conservation and management. The Council realized the merits of having different administrative and technical structures for plant and animal genetic resources. However, there were differences of opinion on whether there should be a single intergovernmental commission. Some members noted that the widening of the Commission's mandate might lead to closer collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), but could on the other hand dilute the present distinct focus and therefore weaken the relationship with IBPGR. The Council agreed that the subject of widening the scope of CPGR needed to be further discussed by both CPGR and COAG, taking into consideration technical, legal, institutional and financial implications.
86. The Council recognized the great importance of biological diversity, especially for the sustainable development of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, as well as for food security. The Council also recognized the pioneering work and long-standing activities of FAO in promoting the conservation and use of biological/genetic diversity, including the development of the Global System on Plant Genetic Resources. The Council recommended that FAO should, in accordance with its mandate, continue to play an active role in and give due priority to the conservation and rational use of biological/genetic diversity of interest to agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The Council further recommended that FAO continue to actively participate in the UNCED preparatory process in all aspects related to the conservation and rational use of Biological Diversity.
87. The Council supported the initiative of the Secretariat to prepare a special action programme encompassing different elements of biodiversity for food and agriculture. It agreed that this action programme should be aimed at rationalizing and coordinating activities, avoiding dispersion and duplication of efforts and at attracting additional support from donors to assist developing countries in strengthening their national structures and capabilities to conserve, utilize, and fully benefit from, their biological diversity. The Council agreed that priority should be given in this programme to areas such as germplasm evaluation and breeding programmes for marginal conditions, and diversification within and between crops, particularly of underutilized species. The Council considered that such activities should enhance the development of national infrastructures, capabilities and programmes necessary for the implementation of agreements and action agenda related to biodiversity which might result from the 1992 UNCED.
88. The Council noted the cooperation developed between FAO and UNEP for the reparation of an international legal instrument on biological diversity. It recognized that ways and means needed to be identified in order to enable the Secretariat to respond to the wishes expressed by the Conference, which had "urged that FAO play a key role in the formulation and negotiations of any eventual legal instrument on biological diversity".
89. The Council considered a draft resolution, presented by the delegation of Venezuela, outlining more specific proposals in this regard. The Council, recognizing that members required more time to examine such proposals, suggested that the CPGR might be the most appropriate forum for their further consideration.
90. The Council recommended that FAO discuss and develop with UNEP the necessary modalities for ensuring that there was full cooperation, complementarity and synergy between both organizations. The Council encouraged the FAO Secretariat and CPGR, within the framework of the formulation and negotiation of a legal instrument on biodiversity, to (a) stress the socio-economic importance of biodiversity, (b) emphasize the interdependence of the conservation and sustainable development of biodiversity in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, in order to ensure that both aspects were given equal consideration and weight, and (c) to ensure further that the important work accomplished, agreements reached, and institutional structures established in this field, by FAO were not duplicated or ignored. The Council requested the CPGR, as the primary intergovernmental body mandated to address a large and important area of biodiversity of agriculture and forestry, to ensure that its long-standing experience was fully utilized and its views taken fully into account in the formulation and negotiation of a global legal instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
91. The question of transforming, with appropriate revisions, the International Undertaking into a legally binding instrument, possibly as a protocol of the proposed legal instrument on biodiversity, was discussed. The Council recommended that this matter should be brought first to the attention of the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources and its Working Group.
92. The Council welcomed the Director-General's initiative to submit a preliminary report on the Implementation of the Review of Certain Aspects of FAO's Goals and Operations. It noted with appreciation that this report also covered some other decisions taken by the Twenty-fifth Session of the Conference, not falling strictly within the scope of the Review.
93. The Council considered that the report was clear, concise, well-focussed and a prompt response to Resolution 10/89. The Council was particularly pleased to note that despite the Organization's financial difficulties, action had been undertaken on a wide front of priority areas, e.g. environment and sustainable development, country policy work, women in development and support to field operations. It noted that a comprehensive and definitive report would be submitted to the Twenty-sixth Session of the Conference through the Programme and Finance Committees and the Council, as directed by Resolution 10/89.
94. The Council recalled that the Conference, in Resolution 10/89, had recognized the need for adequate resources including the provision of extra-budgetary funds, to implement the measures proposed without; impairing the execution of priorities and programmes established in succesive Programmes of Work and Budget, and had requested the Director-General to implement its recommendations on a phased basis, to the extent that the resources foreseen were available. In order to ensure fuller implementation of the Conference decisions, the Council again stressed the need for prompt and full payment of assessed contributions by Member Nations.
95. The Council considered that the rolling six-year Medium-Term Plan should constitute a major policy document indicating the future direction for ongoing programmes and the need for any new initiatives. It welcomed the assurance that the Plan would present FAO's major activities in relation not only to the established programme structure, but also, where relevant, to cross-sectoral and cross-programme priorities and action plans. It was noted that many such action plans had system-wide implications, and that the Plan could facilitate coordination with other UN organizations. It reiterated the organic link between the Medium-Term Plan and the successive Programmes of Work and Budget, including for the identification of resource needs. Some members recalled a majority view expressed in the Conference that a viable medium-term plan should logically be based on a firm indication of available resources. Some, members stressed the view that the programme budget process implemented on an experimental basis for 1990-91, and continued for the 1992-93 biennium budget, should become a permanent feature of FAO's planning and budgeting system, to ensure that adequate time was given to members of the Programme and Finance Committees to participate in the development of each biennial budget. Other members considered that continuation of this process as a permanent feature should depend on the achievement of consensus in the Programme of Work and Budget for 1992-93.
96. The Council noted that work on the Medium-Term Plan had been initiated and that the document would be submitted to the Conference, through the Programme and Finance Committees and the Council, in the autumn of 1991. On the basis of its consideration of the first plan, the Conference would need to provide guidance on the timing and modalities of subsequent reviews. The Council welcomed the assurance that in preparing the Plan, full account would be taken of the views of the main Technical Committees of the Council. In this connection it was noted that COAG and C0FI would consider the medium perspectives and programme emphases in their respective areas, during their spring 1991 sessions.
97. In the crucial area of country policy work, the Council noted with satisfaction the Director-General's initiatives to promote closer cooperation with other multilateral institutions engaged in such work, especially the IMF, the World Bank and the UNDP. Furthermore, it welcomed his recent actions in strengthening coordinating mechanisms within FAO for sector and structural adjustment work, namely the creation of a Steering Committee, a Central Task Force and a Country Policy Information System. It noted that these arrangements were intended to ensure both a fully multidisciplinary approach and the necessary regional and country focus in the Organization's policy work.
98. The Council welcomed the Director-General's action to strengthen FAO's work in the field of environment and sustainable development. In particular, it expressed satisfaction with the appointment of the Special Adviser to the Director-General on Environment and Sustainable Development with the rank of ADG, and the creation of the Steering Committee for Environment and Sustainable Development. It also welcomed the forthcoming FAO/Netherlands Conference on Agriculture and Environment, and expressed gratitude to the Government of the Netherlands for its support. The Council considered that the foregoing initiatives would enable FAO to participate actively and constructively in the forthcoming UNCED.
99. The Council noted that FAO and the UNEP were cooperating closely in a joint programme on the implementation of Prior Informed Consent procedures, following the incorporation of such procedures into the FAO Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides, and into the UNEP London guidelines. This included the establishment of a joint FAO/UNEP data base making use of the UNEP International Register of Potentially Toxic Chemicals. The role of FAO in biotechnology was emphasized, and the Council was informed of the various activities under way, and that the subject would be fully discussed by the Committee on Agriculture early in 1991.
100. The Council attached great importance to the strengthening of FAO Representations in countries, to handle more effectively both country policy work and support to field operations. It also welcomed the measures, already taken or planned, to further strengthen FAO's field operations. These included: improved arrangements for the review of field operations by FAO's Governing Bodies; the development of the computerized field programme management system (PROSYS); phased strengthening (subject to availability of resources) of staff engaged in the backstopping of field operations; strengthening of field inspection and evaluation; the development of the field programme manual and project formulation guidelines, and the issue of a project catalogue and other information concerning the Organization's field operations.
101. Some members suggested that FAO develop outlines for regional and national programming so as to enable countries to effectively and appropriately plan specific cooperation activities. They also suggested that FAORs should strengthen their liaison with national institutions responsible for international cooperation.
102. The Council supported FAO's action in other priority areas, in particular regarding the implemention of the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development. Recalling the role of FAO in information collection and dissemination, it was informed of recent developments in implementation of the World Agricultural Information Center (WAICENT). It also noted with satisfaction the integration of Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC) and Economic Cooperation among Developing Countries (ECDC) activities into a single unit at Headquarters, and the designation of focal points in the technical divisions and the Regional Offices for such activities.
103. Most members restricted their comments to the implementation of the recommendations in Resolution 10/89, which had ended the Review as a distinct exercise in response to Resolution 6/87. A few members however also expressed a desire to examine the working methods of the Governing Bodies and the composition of and broader participation in the Programme and Finance Committees. It was noted with satisfaction that FAO was proceeding to Implement certain recommendations of the Management Review and that matters arising from this Review were being pursued in the Finance Committee.
104. In conclusion, the Council expressed satisfaction that the measures already introduced and those contemplated in the coming year would greatly enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of FAO's activities. It encouraged the Director-General to pursue his efforts to implement Resolution 10/89, and appealed to all Member Nations to ensure the financial stability necessary for him to do so.
105. The Council noted the initiative of the Director-General to inform it of the work of the Subcommittee on the Governance of WFP and the relationship between the United Nations, FAO and WFP (SCG) established by the CFA and to indicate the main matters of principle involved In the discussions of importance to the relationship. These were in the view of the Director-General the maintenance of joint UN/FAO responsibility for the World Food Programme; the need to consider any changes in the present arrangements in the context of the future of food aid; the role and mandate of the CFA; the case for WFP's continued primary reliance on FAO's technical services; the role of the Finance Committee, including responsibilities for the Trust Fund; the possibility of further delegation of the Director-General's administrative, authority; and the case for preserving the current provisions for the approval of emergency food aid projects.
106. Several members were of the opinion that there should be no discussion of substantive issues in the Council, or any other UN fora which could prejudge or prejudice the forthcoming debate in the CFA. Others welcomed the opportunity to be informed and to express views and guidance on the points of principle raised by the Director-General. There was widespread agreement that the status of WFP as a joint programme of the UN and FAO should be continued. Further, and continued reliance by WFP on the technical services of FAO and the UN, should be maintained and its cooperative links with these organizations should be strengthened. A number of members stressed that any change should necessarily include an increase in the size of CFA and a greater representation of developing countries. A number of members also stressed the importance of increased authority for the CFA and clear accountability of the Executive Director to CFA.
107. Several members raised other important issues, including, inter alia, the need to establish clear policy guidelines for the future use of food aid, so as to maximize its impact. In this connection, it was stressed that the effective involvement of the recipient government from the earliest stages of the programming cycle was of paramount importance: hence the need for clear and well-defined procedures and modalities governing not only the relationship between the United Nations, the FAO and the World Food Programme, but also the role of recipient governments in the entire process.
108. It was felt that the discussions in the SCG had already identified a number of points of convergence, as well as the main issues of divergence, and that future discussions should focus only on the most important areas of divergence, i.e. with regard to (a) the size, composition and authority of the CFA, (b) the responsibility and accountability of the Executive Director, (c) the administration of the Trust Fund and (d) the arrangement for provision of emergency food aid.
109. Many members observed that the objective was to arrive at institutional arrangements that would ensure the most efficient, effective and timely use of food aid as an element of the international development effort. They stressed their belief that consensus on such lasting solutions could be reached on the basis of a package deal, in a spirit of goodwill and give-and-take. A number of members were of the view that discussions should be maintained in an open manner which would provide equal opportunity for participation by all members of the UN and FAO, and that the aims should be to reach a conclusion by
CFA 30. Time should not be a constraint, however, on reaching a satisfactory 110. The Council, in general, concluded that the problem should be resolved as quickly as possible, preferably by consensus, and urged the three organizations to lend their constructive efforts towards this end.- The Impact of the Draft WFP Headquarters Agreement on the Relationship between the WFP, FAO and the UN 8
111. The Council noted that the negotiation on a text for the WFP Headquarters Agreement had been concluded in a satisfactory manner. It expressed its deep appreciation to the Italian Government for the steps which it had taken to facilitate the negotiation of the Agreement.
112. The Council noted with satisfaction that an exchange of letters had taken place between the Italian Government and FAO. It was informed that this provided at least an interim legal basis for the reimbursement by the Italian Government of the entire costs of rental of FAO and WFP Headquarters premises while such rented premises were still required. The exchange of letters was distributed to Members of the Council and is given in Appendix E of this Report.
113. The Council was informed that some important questions which would also affect the WFP Headquarters Agreement were pending. These questions regarded the interpretation of certain provisions in the FAO Headquarters Agreement concerning the Immunity of the Organization from legal process and the non-applicability of Italian labour legislation to the employment relationship between the Organization and its staff. However, the Council considered that these questions should be dealt with separately, and urged the Director-General and the UN Secretary-General to conclude the WFP Headquarters Agreement with the Italian Government without delay so as to improve the working conditions of WFP staff.
114. In introducing the Fifteenth Annual Report of the CFA, the Executive Director of WFP explained that, in the light of discussion at the Ninety-fifth Session of the FAO Council, the Report included a summary of the major decisions of the CFA during 1989.
115. The Executive Director noted that 1989 had been a challenging year for WFP. Although annual turnover remained high at about US$1 100 million, the rapid increase in world cereal prices had resulted in a decline in the amount of food available to WFP for development purposes. To cope with this shortfall, WFP had reduced 1989 and 1990 allocations to ongoing development projects by more than one-quarter. However, steps had been taken to protect the poorest countries, the neediest beneficiaries and the most successful projects from the brunt of the reductions that had to be made.
116. The Executive Director pointed out, however, that recent falls in the price of many food commodities had increased the resources available to WFP for its development work. Delivery of the Programme's development food aid was therefore expected to be 10 percent higher in 1990 than in 1989, and 25 percent higher in 1991. WFP also expected a 50 percent increase in 1991 commitments for development projects. As WFP's development commitments increased, so would its need for supporting technical services from United Nations specialized agencies, especially FAO. The Executive Director informed the Council that WFP had spent nearly US$3 million on such services from FAO in 1989. While the reduction in WFP's new project commitments had resulted in a fall in the need for technical services, FAO's proportion of WFP's overall expenditure on technical services had remained at the same level. He expressed appreciation for the quality of FAO's technical services provided to WFP.
117. The Executive Director noted that purchases of food by WFP for use as food aid had reached a record level of more than US$157 million in 1989, more than two-thirds of which had been bought in developing countries. He noted that since 1985, WFP had purchased nearly US$500 million of food from developing countries, which made a significant contribution to South-South trade.
118. Turning to the future, the Executive Director said that the importance of food aid for many poor, food-deficit countries, and especially the least-developed countries, was likely to increase. The situation was particularly acute in Africa. Projections indicated at least a doubling of food imports for that region during the 1990s. He noted that evidence suggested that African consumption of imported cereals would continue to rise well beyond the capacity of countries to pay for them commercially. Without higher levels of food aid, hunger in Africa would grow. In order to help, WFP had sought to promote development projects that reduced dependence on imported cereals and had expanded local purchases and exchanges of imported commodities for local foods for use as food aid in project activities.
119. With regard to a successful outcome to the Uruguay Round Negotiations, the Executive Director pointed out that several major proposals had recognized explicitly the role that food aid could play in helping food-importing developing countries shift during the period of adjustment, which in many cases was likely to be lengthy, to a more open trading regime. Food aid could help bridge the gap provided it was furnished in ways that supported, rather than impeded, increased domestic food production and measures to achieve equitable and sustainable economic adjustment and growth. At least one major group of agricultural exporting countries had proposed that in order to prevent food aid from being used as a hidden export subsidy, it should be made available multilaterally and on a grant basis.
120. The Executive Director stated that, under the guidance of the CFA, WFP, as the multilateral channel for food aid, would play a key role in making food aid an even more effective and valued development resource during the 1990s.
121. Turning to emergency operations, in which WFP's central involvement had continued to grow, the Executive Director stated that WFP had developed a unique role in the transport and logistics sector. Acceptance of the principle of "corridors of tranquillity" in Sudan's Lifeline Operation had led to a number of other initiatives, such as in Ethiopia, Angola, Afghanistan and Cambodia, where the Programme's capacity to organize emergency food delivery to areas across battle lines, and to virtually inaccessible locations, had developed to a fine art.
122. In conclusion, noting that in development work, in sustaining refugees and displaced people, and in the provision of emergency feeding to victims of natural and man-made disasters, WFP was being increasingly called upon to do more, and the Executive Director urged donors to provide WFP with the resources commensurate with the demands being made on the Programme. He appealed to them to increase their contributions to WFP, both in food and in cash, so that WFP's assistance for both development and emergency needs could be sustained and its work continued and strengthened.
123. The Council paid tribute to the Executive Director and WFP staff, especially those working in difficult and dangerous locations, for the Programme's achievements in 1989. It emphasized that WFP was an important agency in the alleviation of hunger and poverty and the attainment of equitable and sustainable development. A number of members from developing countries expressed appreciation for WFP assistance received for development projects and emergency operations.
124. The Council strongly endorsed WFP's provision of assistance for agricultural and rural development, especially through labour-intensive activities that provided employment and income for the poor and strengthened infrastructure, and for human resource development by improving nutrition, education and training. It also supported the special focus that WFP had given to providing assistance to Africa in view of the pressing problems of that region.
125. The Council encouraged a greater use of triangular transactions, local purchases and exchange arrangements as a stimulus to agricultural production and trade in developing countries.
126. The Council urged that action be taken to ensure the speedy delivery of emergency food aid by all parties concerned.
127. The Council strongly supported the multilateral system of food aid which enabled all Member States and nations to contribute resources and to determine their most effective uses.
128. The Council appealed to donors to endow WFP with more resources in both commodities and cash to enable it to expand its vital work for the benefit of poor people in low-income, food-deficit countries. Concern was expressed that the considerable food aid being programmed for countries in Eastern Europe should be in addition to food aid destined to developing countries.
129. Emphasizing the importance of the collaboration between the UN agencies and WFP, the Council stressed the particular need for the close cooperation with FAO for the alleviation of hunger and poverty and noted, with appreciation, the assurance the Executive Director had given in continuing to seek technical services of FAO. The record of WFP's interagency collaboration was commended.
130. The need for studies on the future roles of food aid in development was referred to in order to, inter alia, allay fears that food aid might be used as a political weapon. Such studies should be performed through cooperation efforts among concerned agencies. Reference was made to FAO's study on food aid in the 1990s, which, it was suggested, should be performed in collaboration with WFP and other concerned agencies and institutions, submitted to the CFA for its consideration, and draw on the results of other work to avoid duplication. In response to a question concerning the status of WFP's study on the International Emergency Food Reserve (IEFR), the Executive Director informed the Council that it was being prepared in consultation with FAO and would be presented to the Thirty-first Session of the CFA in May 1991.
131. The Council noted that the CFA report covered activities of WFP and decisions of the CFA for the year 1989. It was pointed out that the considerable lapse of time between the period covered by the annual report and its consideration inhibited the Council from adequately fulfilling its responsibility. It was suggested that ways be explored of providing up-to-date information, in addition to the annual report, which would be taken into consideration when the Council discussed this agenda item.
132. In response to the Council's discussion, the Executive Director thanked members for their positive comments on, and support for, the work of the Programme, which he would convey to WFP staff. He echoed members' concern that food aid to Eastern Europe, which WFP was not providing, should not be at the expense of food aid to developing countries. He expressed WFP's interest in collaborating with FAO in its study on food aid in the 1990s. He assured the Council that WFP would continue to strive to strengthen further the performance of every aspect of the Programme's activities for development and in emergencies.
133. The Representative of the Director-General expressed appreciation for the positive comments made by the Executive Director concerning the quality of FAO's technical services to WFP. He assured the Council that FAO was ready to continue to provide technical services to WFP in the interests of both donor and recipient countries.
134. The Representative of the Director-General looked forward to cooperation with WFP in the study on the IEFR. Regarding the FAO study on food aid, he informed the Council that in preparing this study FAO was consulting WFP as well as the World Food council (WFC), IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute) and the World Bank. He expressed appreciation for the constructive comments WFP had made on the outline of the study, which were being taken into account, along with those received from other agencies. The study would use the results of other analyses, including that of the joint World Bank/WFP study on food aid in Africa, and FAO would be pleased to submit the findings of the study to a future session of the CFA. He offered to provide additional information on the study to any interested member country.
135. The Council elected the following five Member Nations to the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes for a term of office of three years from 1 January 1991 to 31 December 1993: Brazil, Burundi, China, Netherlands and Tanzania.
136. The Council appreciated the information provided in the Secretariat document, updated and supplemented orally by the Secretariat, concerning recent developments in the United Nations System which were of relevance to the work of the Organization. It noted that a number of matters with extensive system-wide implications were covered under other items of its agenda, and that the report was selective in its coverage of the wide range of ongoing activities carried out by FAO in cooperation with other organizations. In this connection, FAO's active role in the system's main coordination mechanism, the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), was welcomed, and note was taken of the outcome of the Joint Meetings of the ACC with the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) , held in October 1990.
137. With regard to the Uruguay Round Negotiations, the Council welcomed the technical support provided by the Organization to the negotiating groups on agriculture, tropical products and natural resource-based products, as well as to interested participating developing countries. Particular stress was placed on FAO's work in the area of sanitary and phytosanitary measures and barriers to trade, based on standards, guidelines and recommendations established within the framework of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). The Council urged FAO to continue to provide such support to the end of the Negotiations and beyond.
138. The Council noted with satisfaction that contacts had been established between the Director-General and the Managing Director of the Common Fund for Commodities, that the necessary documentation was being prepared to facilitate the designation of a number of FAO Intergovernmental Commodity Groups as International Commodity Bodies (ICBs), and that work had been initiated in order to be able to present project requests for Second Account financing as soon as the Fund's policies and procedures had been clarified and the ICBs had been designated.
139. The Council expressed appreciation for the close cooperation between the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and FAO on investment support activities, and in particular on the campaign to eradicate the screw-worm fly from North Africa. It also noted with satisfaction the progress made toward finalizing a new Cooperation Agreement between the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and FAO.
140. The Council took note with appreciation of the main conclusions and recommendations adopted by the WFC at its Sixteenth Ministerial Session held in Bangkok in May 1990. In connection with the forthcoming WFC/UNDP interregional consultation on "Meeting the Food Production Challenges of the 1990s and Beyond", the Council noted with satisfaction that the Director-General had offered FAO's fullest possible collaboration, in view of the fact that the objectives and subject matter of the consultation were clearly related to FAO's mandate and experience. It was considered important that the activities of FAO were not duplicated by other UN system organizations. In this connection, the need to follow up the proposal of the Director-General of FAO to establish an inter-secretariat consultative mechanism among the four Rome-based food organizations, was underlined.
141. The Council expressed support for the role FAO was playing, in collaboration with other UN organizations, in providing assistance for the elimination of the radiological consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. It noted with appreciation FAO's disaster-related activities. Noting the complementarity of the FAO early warning system (GIEWS) and the mandate of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator (UNDRO) in disaster preparedness and relief activities, it welcomed practical cooperation between UNDRO and FAO, especially in Africa. It encouraged FAO to contribute to the fulfilment of the goals and objectives of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR), within its areas of competence and available resources.
142. The Council took note of the main elements identified in the Secretariat document underpinning FAO activities in the field of drug-abuse control. It welcomed the Organization's collaboration with other UN organizations, noting in this connection that these activities would need to be reviewed following the expected decision by the UN General Assembly concerning harmonization of the mandates of the Vienna-based organizations.
143. The Council appreciated the Organization's ongoing efforts to promote the objectives of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990 (UN-PAAERD). In this connection, the continuing need of African countries for external assistance was stressed.
144. Attention was drawn to the potential for duplication of efforts arising from the export notification requirements in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention on Safety in the Use of Chemicals at Work and the FAO/UNEP Joint Programme for implementation of Prior-Informed Consent (PIC) procedures. The Council recalled that the matter had been placed beforethe FAO Conference in November in 1989, and noted that it had also been raised by FAO with the ILO Secretariat and the ILO Governing Body in November 1989, and the ILO Conference in June 1990. It was informed that FAO was pursuing consultations with ILO to avoid overlapping and to ensure harmonization of efforts at the country level.
145. The Council noted with satisfaction that FAO had contributed to the preparatory process of the World Summit for Children, held in September 1990, and that possible FAO follow-up was now under consideration. In this connection, it was informed that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNCEF) would be closely associated with preparations for the FAO/WHO International Conference on Nutrition, and that the ongoing Regular Programme activities for improved access to food and improved community nutrition, as well as work undertaken jointly with WHO and UNCEF on vitamin A deficiency, were relevant to the goals and objectives of the Summit Declaration and Plan of Action.
146. The Council stressed the importance of the outcome of the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held in Paris in September 1990, and adopted the following Resolution:
THE COUNCIL,
Aware of the precarious situation of the least developed countries, especially in Africa, and with reference to the Paris Declaration and the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s, adopted on 14 September 1990 at the close of the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries,
Expresses satisfaction with the contribution of the Organization to the preparation of this Conference and smooth running of its work,
Underscores the importance of the programme entitled "Rural Development, Modernization of Agricultural Production and Food Security",
Recalls the concern expressed by the countries participating in the pConference, that the United Nations system respond effectively to the needs and requirements of the LDCs, taking into account the differing and complex psituations of each,
Requests The Director-General to bear in mind, in connection with all FAO activities, the overall results of the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, and to report to the next Conference of FAO on his suggestions for approaches and measures both to more closely associate the Organization with the Implementation of the Programme of Action and to help the least developed countries, on their request, to define an agricultural development strategy for the next ten years, in line with paragraph 86 of the final declaration of the Paris Conference.
1CL 98/21; CL 98/PV/6; CL 98/PV/19
2CL 98/8; CL 98/8-Sup.l; CL 98/LIM/5-Rev.l; CL 98/PV/15; CL 98/PV/16; CL 98/PV/17; CL 98/PV/18; CL 98/PV/19
3CL 98/15; CL 98/PV/6; CL 98/PV/8; CL 98/PV/19
4CL 98/6; CL 98/INF/25; CL 38/?v/7; CL 98/PV/8; CL 98/PV/19
5CL 98/16; CL 98/16-Sup.l; CL 98/LIM/4; CL 98/PV/8; CL 98/PV/9;
1CL 98/PV/19
6CL 98/17; CL 98/18; CL 98/PV/ll; CL 98/PV/12; CL 98/PV/19
7CL 98/3 paras 13-22; CL 98/4 paras 4.8-4.11; CL 98/18 paras 1.10-1.18;CL 98/26; CL 98/INF/23; CL 98/PV/12; CL 98/PV/13; CL 98/PV/19
8CL 98/5, paras 25-28; CL 98/22; CL 98/LIM/2; CL 98/PV/13; CL 98/PV/14; CL 98/PV/19
9 CL 98/9; CL 98/PV/14; CL 98/PV/19
10CL 98/11; CL 98/PV/12; CL 98/PV/19
11 CL 98/12; CL 98/LIM/3; CL 98/PV/9; CL 98/PV/10; CL 98/PV/19
