J. BELGRAVE (New Zealand): Mr. Chairman, my delegation would first like to place on record our thanks to the Chairmen of the Programme and Finance Committees for the very clear explanation they gave us yesterday afternoon over the deliberations of their Committees on this most important and complex item.
Also , Mr. Chairman, we are grateful to the Director-General for his statements to the Council on the summary Programme of Work and Budget at the beginning of this 83rd Council Session and also yesterday afternoon. It seems to us that both the Committees' Chairmen and the Director-General have put the issues in front of those of us not on either Committee in very clear perspective.
My delegation is not in a position to comment on the Programme of Work in the detail produced by a number of other delegations. However, in general terms we do feel that the proposals before us take good account of the concerns expressed at the 1981 Conference about matters such as programme evaluation, the general thrust of FAO's activities, as well as the actual level of the budget itself.
We feel also, Mr, Chairman, that the Director-General is trying to do his best at a time when many, if not all Member Nations, are under real and severe budgetary restraints of their own, a point which New Zealand feels should not be overlooked, and I think as a consequence the document in front of the Council does seem to my delegation to reflect the realities of the situation.
Turning to the summary of the Programme, although we are not able to comment on it in detail, the increased concentration on what might be described as more front-end activities and more research and development support albeit at the expense of general Headquarter's administration, does seem to us to be the preferable way to proceed. My delegation doubts,. Mr. Chairman, whether the quality of service offered by FAO will suffer as a result of these changes; I think it is quite likely that similar approaches to activities are probably being adopted by many countries, certainly including New Zealand and indeed, as was told to us before lunch by the distinguished delegate from Ireland when he mentioned the policy in his country. They are all adopting these approaches to administration without any noticeable diminuition in the quality of services offered. Therefore, New Zealand can give its general support to the overall strategy and priorities to the Programme of Work.
Turning to the summary of the budget, we are in favour of the restraint on growth and expenditure that the summary budget contains, given the current economic conditions faced by Member Governments. We feel that the way in which the 0.5 percent increase seems to have been arrived at, that is by selecting programme reallocation, is to be preferred to unplanned across-the-board cuts. The budget summary therefore seems to my delegation to represent a reasonable basis on which the Director-General can proceed to develop the full Programme of Work and Budget fot final consideration of the Conference later this year.
My delegation would just like to flag one further point and that is in the circumstances where the Director-General has referred, both in his presentation yesterday and, I think, earlier, to the matter of possible unforeseen cost increases, we would expect the final document to have reflected also any unforeseen real or projected cost savings that might arise between now and the Conference.
In conclusion, therefore, the New Zealand delegation looks forward to being able to consider the final 1984/85 Programme of Work and Budget at this year's FAO Conference on the basis of the document now before us.
P.S. McLEAN (United Kingdom): May I begin my intervention with a reaffirmation of the United Kingdom's support to the role of FAO as the central body within the UN system on matters concerning food and agriculture. The United Kingdom's inability to contribute as we have in the past to a number of FAO activities should in no way be construed as any change in that basic view of the Organization. We have noted the Director-General's conclusion that there is no need to alter the basic strategies of FAO as contained in the medium-term objectives. We agree with that view.
We also note the Director-General's suggestion that it is more relevant to identify the factors which affect specific aspects of that basic strategy; we agree with that also. The Director-General rightly points to the way in which priorities reflect the process of consultation in the main fore of FAO, including the regional conferences and the technical committees. As you know, Mr. Chairman, the United Kingdom among a number of other members has pressed for greater evidence in the summary Programme of Work and Budget that in its formulation all programmes and sub-programmes have been subjected to the most rigorous scrutiny of their impact on the development problems which we all face. Here I should like to express the appreciation of my delegation for the way in which the FAO Secretariat has responded to requests for clarification of certain aspects of the Director-General's proposals; this has been extremely helpful in our consideration of them. The position of my Government on the need for budgetary restraint throughout the UN system is well known and needs no elaboration. That position has not changed. We are therefore grateful to the Director-General for the efforts he has made to limit real growth in his budget proposals for the next biennium. This is especially gratifying given the conflicting pressures of the increasing demands for the services of the Organization and the effects of inflation and other factors determining the level of cost increases and therefore the additional amounts which all members will have to provide in terms of their national currencies.
In this connection it has to be said that the estimated United Kingdom contribution to this budget under the revised contribution scale would be in the order of 20 to 25 percent higher for the current biennium in our national currency, which is many times the current rate of inflation in the United Kingdom, and hence the allowance made nationally in our public expenditure programmes to cover this factor. We note in particular the savings that have been achieved by what document CL 83/3 calls "trimming for greater efficiency and economy." I like the expression. In the two broad sectors where such economies have been made, we commend the fact that an overall reduction in development support programmes can be achieved without detrimental effect on the units involved.
We agree strongly with the Programme Committee in particular on the importance of the work of the Investment Centre. Most pleasing is the substantial saving that can be made in the various areas under the heading of Support Services.
Turning to the proposed increases in the technical and economic programmes, we have examined these carefully and we are pleased to see that steps have been taken in many programmes to cut out or to put back on, activities seem to have only a marginal developmental impact, and to reallocate the funds thus released to higher priority areas. In general we believe these shifts in resource allocation do indeed reflect the priority needs for the next biennium, as they can be judged at present.
We therefore welcome the fact that additional resources are allocated to research and technology development, since money wisely spent here can have considerable benefits.
The one area where my delegation feels bound to express some concern is that of the Technical Cooperation Programme. The real increase proposed of 5 percent may not seem large although the resources made available in cash terms will, of course, be substantially higher than those currently available. The United Kingdom is not in any way opposed to the concept of TCP nor to the purposes for which it is to be deployed. However, as a proposed 13.5 percent of the budget it now represents a not unconsiderable sum and as yet TCP continues to be, in our view, an area of FAO expenditure which it is most difficult to assess in terms of cost effectiveness, mainly because of absence of information.
Other members of the Council have referred to this matter, I think particularly the delegates of Japan, the Federal Republic of Germany and Canada; and I can therefore simply endorse the points they made on this issue.
I hope that what I have said concerning my delegation's views on the Summary Programme of Work and Budget is a sufficient indication of our general support for the Programme content of the Director-General's proposals. As to their financial implications, we recognize that there are a number of uncertainties, such as the final exchange rate to be adopted, the level of mandatory cost increases, the amount of extra-budgetary resources which may be forthcoming and so on, which remain to be clarified before the final proposals can be prepared and presented to the Conference. At this stage, therefore, my delegation cannot state the position the United Kingdom will take in November on the Programme of Work and Budget for 1984/85, but we can accept the conclusion reached by the Joint Session of the Programme and Finance Committees as recorded in paragraph 1.6 of their report in CL 83/4.
Finally, I would say that we also share the Director-General's hope that the final proposals will be supported by consensus at the Twenty-second Session of the Conference.
A. RODRIGUES PIRES (Cap Vert): Après nombre de mes collègues dont j'ai écouté attentivement les interventions, je tiens également á féliciter le Directeur général ainsi que l'ensemble du Secrétariat pour le document que nous avons sous les yeux.
Ce document est en effet remarquable tant par sa forme que par son contenu. Du point de vue de la présentation, les quatre premières pages récapitulatives des principaux points saillants du Sommaire du Programme de travail et budget constituent un effort louable pour permettre aux déle-gâtions d'appréhender d'emblée les principales évolutions de notre organisation. J'ai particulièrement apprécié, pour ma part, les trois diagrammes qui nous sont fournis car ils répondent parfaitement au souci légitime de nos gouvernements d'être à même d'évaluer la portée des mesures entreprises par le Directeur général pour rationaliser la gestion de notre organisation dans le sens d'une économie et d'une efficacité accrues. Ces diagrammes nous dispensent de toute rhétorique i les chiffres parlent d'eux-mêmes et devraient rassurer les plus sceptiques. Ils ne laissent aucun doute sur l'ampleur et le succès des mesures entreprises pour accroître sensiblement l'impact des programmes techniques tout en réduisant drastiquement les dépenses administratives.
Ce document est aussi remarquable pour son contenu. Comme tout un chacun, je retiens d'abord le chiffre de 0,5% d'augmentation réelle du programme proposé pour le prochain exercice biennal. Monsieur le Président, ce chiffre est saisissant par sa modestie et,à l'instar de la plupart des pays en développement,je ne cacherai pas ici ma surprise, En effet, comme je viens de le souligner, cette organisation a fait ces dernières années la preuve éclatante de sa capacité à gérer ses ressources avec une rigueur que pourraient lui envier bien des institutions.
D'autre part, la situation agricole des pays en développement est heurtée de plein fouet par les effets néfastes de la crise économique mondiale et plus particulièrement par deux de ses aspects les plus préoccupants, à savoir: le fléchissement de leurs exportations agricoles associé à la dégradation constante des prix de la plupart des denrées agricoles. Face à une telle situation, et forte de la confiance de ses pays membres dans l'efficacité de sa gestion, la FAO aurait pu légitimement en tirer prétexte pour proposer une augmentation sensible du niveau de son budget. Mais le Directeur général a résisté à cette tentation et ce au risque de décevoir l'ensemble des pays en développement qui pourraient ajouter à la liste déjà bien lourde de leurs préoccupations celle de voir réduire, biennium après biennium, les moyens mis a la disposition d'une organisation pourtant vitale pour le soutien de leur développement agricole. Cependant, bien que victimes de cette décision, les pays en développement en comprennent les motivations et l'approuvent à leur corps défendant.
Bien heureusement, la FAO compense la modestie des ressources de son programme ordinaire par le développement de ses activités extra-budgétaires. Le dynamisme du Centre d'investissement et l'effet multiplicateur de ses activités ne sont plus è démontrer.
Mon Gouvernement se réjouit des nouveaux accords de coopération passés avec des institutions sous-régionales de financement et tient à manifester son appui à toute initiative qui viserait dans le futur à renforcer le Centre d'investissement.
Notre satisfaction est aussi très grande de constater l'augmentation régulière des activités financées par les fonds fiduciaires et plus particulièrement celles de ces activités au titre desquelles les pays en développement financent leurs propres projets d'assistance technique avec l'aide de la FAO.
Mais ces sujets de satisfaction sont assombris par la perspective de voir diminuer toujours davantage la part du PNUD dans le financement des programmes de terrain de la FAO. A cet égard, l'évolution enregistrée ces dernières années et qui semble devoir se confirmer dans l'avenir est très préoccupante. C'est pourquoi nous tenons à saluer ici les efforts entrepris avec succès par le Directeur général pour diversifier les sources de financements extra-budgétaires.
Il faut, par ailleurs, se souvenir que la Création du Programme de coopération technique avait été, d'une certaine manière,inspirée par les premiers effets néfastes de la crise du PNUD sur la FAO. Bien sûr, ni la création du PCT, ni le développement progressif de ses ressources, n'arriveront jamais à compenser les conséquences de cette crise qui persiste et s'amplifie. Et cela pour la raison bien simple que le PCT ne peut soutenir la comparaison, ni du point de vue de ses ressources ni de celui de ses objectifs avec le PNUD. Mais si j'ai tenu à faire cette remarque,c'est pour en appeler une autre; Monsieur le Président, le Directeur général propose d'augmenter la part du PCT dans le budget total de 12,9% à 13,5%. Une augmentation bien modeste en vérité et je ne cacherai pas, pour ma part, que j'aurais souhaité davantage d'audace en ce domaine.
En définitive, la totalité de ce Programme de travail et budget, de la première à la dernière
proposition, et dans le moindre de ses détails, a été de toute évidence conçue dans le souci unique de faire l'unanimité.
Aussi, j'ose espérer que la sagesse et la mesure du Directeur général ainsi que les sacrifices consentis par la majorité seront appréciés à leur juste valeur et récompensés par l'approbation unanime des propositions contenues dans ce Programme de travail et budget. Et surtout que l'on
ne vienne pas tenter de contester la méthodologie observée pour calculer l'accroissement des coûts dans l'espoir de grignoter encore et encore ce budget déjà bien maigre. Une telle approche serait totalement injustifiée car la méthodologie est parfaitement conforme à celle approuvée par la Conférence.
M. FRANCISCI DI BASCHI (Italie): Lorsqu'il s'agit de lutter contre la pauvreté et la faim, il est extrêmement difficile, je dirais même douloureux, d'établir des priorités dans des priorités avec des ressources en déclin et nettement insuffisantes par rapport aux besoins courants qui sont au contraire partout en augmentation. La situation économique mondiale nous oblige néanmoins à réaliser cet exercice c'est-à-dire un compromis acceptable, comme l'a dit la distinguée déléguée du Brésil dans les premiers jours de notre débat, entre une économie mondiale qui frappe tous les pays, une économie mondiale en crise et les besoins croissants des pays en voie de développement, surtout des pays à plus faible revenu et à déficit alimentaire.
Le sommaire du Programme de travail et budget 1984/85, rédigé par le Directeur général et ses assistants avec l'appui efficace du Comité du programme et du Comité financier, a réussi à réaliser ce compromis qui nous semble acceptable et réaliste dans les conditions actuelles. Je comprends très bien le Directeur général lorsqu'il dit dans sa déclaration introductive aux travaux du Conseil que, de tous les programmes de travail et budget présentés jusqu'ici, ce programme a été pour lui le plus difficile à préparer. La croissance zéro en termes réels est devenue la règle depuis quelque temps des pays développés mais je veux souligner qu'il ne s'agit pas d'une nouvelle théorie ou d'une nouvelle politique, qu'il s'agit plutôt d'une triste nécessité conjoncturelle, d'une conjoncture qui malheureusement se prolonge dans le temps. Cette contrainte, c'est-à-dire mettre un frein à tout prix aux dépenses budgétaires au niveau national et dans les organisations internationales, se traduit dans l'exercice 1984/85 de l'Organisation par un accroissement réel de 0,5 pour cent,ce qui nous paraît tout à fait acceptable et un effort très louable.
Mais je voudrais dire que l'évolution la plus positive dans le Programme de travail et budget est moins la limitation du volume total des dépenses que le transfert des ressources disponibles au programme technique et économique en réduisant les dépenses sur le personnel et les services de soutien administratifs. Nous sommes d'avis que c'est dans ce contexte qu'il faut surtout apprécier l'efficacité, l'esprit d'économie et la volonté de rigueur du Directeur général et de ses collaborateurs, le but étant de préserver la qualité et le volume des programmes techniques dans des conditions particulièrement difficiles.
Quant aux priorités, nous sommes largement d'accord avec les stratégies et les priorités proposées dans le sommaire. Il s'agit du développement de la recherche et de la technologie, avec le regroupement des quatre unités existantes: de la formation et du développement rural intégré; du rôle des femmes dans la production et la commercialisation; du développement de la production vivrière; de la sécurité alimentaire; de la concentration des programmes et des moyens dans les pays à faible revenu et à déficit alimentaire surtout en Afrique; et enfin du développement des ressources humaines et des énergies nouvelles et renouvelables sur le plan local.
On parle beaucoun, d' interdépendance entre le Nord et le Sud. Oui, il y a interdépendance, mais nous sommes d'avis que cette interdépendance n'est pas équilibrée lorsqu'on a à faire face au problème de la pauvreté et de la faim. C'est pour cette raison, que nous regrettons la limitation et surtout le déclin des ressources mises à la disposition des institutions internationales qui s'occupent du développement, et particulièrement du secteur alimentaire.
Mon pays, bien que dans une situation difficile et avec des moyens limités, s'est efforcé et s'efforce d'aller contre cette tendance, surtout dans le secteur de la sécurité alimentaire.
A. Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia) (original language Arabic): As a matter of fact in the previous meeting of the Finance Committee and while deliberating on the Summary Programme of Work and Budget for 1984/85 all of us, the members of that Committee, felt that we represented this Council in all its groupings and always attempted to secure the agreement of all member states. Therefore we were very keen in our careful and deep analyses of all aspects, whether the positive or negative aspects, to maintain this level of the proposed budget. Our Report is before you.
Now I speak as a representative of a developing country that needs the technical expertise in order to improve the standard of its food production and it no doubt needs assistance and support in this field. We have always resorted to this pioneering organization in order to secure assistance from this Organization and our cooperation with the organization is constant and we say that it is of topmost level. Based on this point I would like to give our full support to the TCP and the modest increase which has been proposed for this programme in the budget and we also endorse its continuity through the regular budget and the approved allocations.
Two days ago we were all in this Council, in this august assembly, talking, all of us, about food security, food-deficit countries, people that suffer from hunger and face death as a result of malnutrition and of all other alarming facts and the delegation of my country stated before this Council that the strengthening of international economic cooperation is an imperative and unavoidable fact and it is to the benefit of all states, developing and developed alike. Strengthening world food security is a responsibility which is borne by the international community as a whole. We also referred, and this is more important, that international agencies specialising in food and its production, bear the biggest share in this responsibility, in order to provide all help and assistance to the efforts which are exerted by developing countries, in order to secure food security and to obtain self-sufficiency in the food production. We also stressed that developed countries should strengthen their cooperation and increase their assistance and support to these organizations and to developed countries alike in order to achieve this goal and to reach the desired target. This is what we stated two days ago and we all know, as everybody else does, that this Organization is the pioneering and capable organization and through it we can achieve much for the developing countries, especially those food-deficit developing countries.
We now discuss the Summary Programme of Work and Budget for this Organization for 1984/85 which has been formulated, as is clear, for various important considerations. Among these considerations first we have to keep in mind the international economic situation, its problems and the deterioration of the economic international situation, the high rate of inflation, increasing unemployment in the world at large and this is a situation that is undoubtedly recognized by all and we all suffer from it, inspite of the fact that the degree of suffering differs from one country to another.
On this occasion I would like to address myself to developing countries and I refer to the proposed contributions by the General Assembly of the United Nations for the next biennium. We note from this scale of assessments that the trend is that developing countries should bear the full responsibility. The contributions of many developing countries increased in the Regular Budget of the United Nations for the next biennium and the contributions of some of the wealthy countries decreased, and I do not mean here wealthy countries in terms of cash only but wealthy in cash, food and expertise.
The second point is, as the Director-General stated, and which he highlighted in his introductory statement, namely the continuity of the wise management which would lead to increasing the ability of the staff members and to achieve the highest economies and to use the savings for the agricultural development in developing countries. All of us have endorsed, and we also endorse and appreciate very much this trend which is followed by the Director-General and we request that he should continue on the same path as far as possible - and I repeat, as far as possible.
The Director-General formulated this budget taking into consideration all these factors and other factors and, as we have heard, the developing countries who are in need of the assistance of this Organization started to endorse this budget. However, this was endorsed with bitterness and pain and with some deafening protests, and they are perfectly right in this because the food problem and the suffering of these countries in view of a shortage of food is not a matter which is easy to accept.
On another plane we hear voices calling for reducing the administrative costs, and this is also their right. The Director-General has always been responsive to them and this is very clear in this budgets the degree of responsiveness by the Director-General in reducing the administrative costs.
As for reducing technical assistance which is called for by some voices here, we have no comment thereon after what we have said. We would like only to say that they do not have the right to do so, especially when we know that the largest contributor in this proposed budget for the next biennium would pay only $278,000 per annum and this cannot be compared with the benefits which can be taken by developing countries as a result of this modest increase.
In conclusion we would like to stress our endorsement to the proposed level of the budget. We stress our endorsement that this would be taken as an experiment only for all countries without exception. I call upon developing countries to be well aware for they have two years ahead of them to prove this experiment and to feel the impact of the experiment.
May Allah guide our steps and make our efforts successful. If we fail, the whole world community will bear the brunt of this failure and we should then reconsider the whole situation.
M. AHMED (Pakistan): The Pakistan delegation would like to join the others who have preceeded us in their interventions to pay warm and sincere tribute to the Director-General for his well-conceived, soundly prepared and finely balanced proposals for the Summary Programme of Work and Budget. We also congratulate the Chairmen of the two Committees, the Finance Committee and the Programme Committee, for their presentation of the results of their examination of these proposals.
We strongly endorse the priorities reflected in the budget and the criteria by which these have been established, namely the four aims given in the wonderful factsheet. We welcome the economies and improvement in efficiency, the shift in the emphasis to technical and economic programmes, curtailment of administrative and overhead costs, but we feel that the concept of zero growth is rather harsh and inappropriate for an organization whose main purpose is to spark off development of food and agriculture and rural development in the rural areas which in most of the developing countries support two-thirds to three-quarters of their population. Such development touches their very lives. Let us hope that the difficult task which is facing the Director-General will be possible within the budget. But we strongly support the reservation that if unforeseen events arise he will have to ask for more. I think it is a fair reservation and we should all endorse it. But we would nave liked this budget to be somewhat larger and there should have been a sizeable element for contingencies because there will be several regional conferences held next year, although the recommendations will find a place in the next biennium, 1986/87. But some of them may be urgent. That is why we are pleading that an allocation for contingencies should have been provided for in this budget to take care of such expenditure.
We welcome the new initiative embodied in this programme which the Director-General has very nicely and aptly described as new dimensions, wherein there is scope for the appointment of national directors, project directors, consultants, particularly from the developing countries, and procurement of equipment. Already considerable progress has been made. We only hope that equitable distribution will be kept in view until the appointment of such experts and procuring such equipment.
We also welcome and strongly endorse the stress reflected in this budget on the promotion of TCDC and ECDC. The previous statements have touched upon the wonderful programme that we call TCP. I think perhaps it is not fair to describe it as unprogrammedî it is really programmed but not finely tuned. Perhaps this change of description would clearly bring out the important utility of this programme. It provides a link between the national and regional priorities. It has a catalytic role to play. By virtue of its flexibility and capability of ensuring speed and timeliness it has served the countries who have been the beneficiaries of assistance under this programme. Perhaps the misgivings expressed by a few delegates could have been set at rest if countries receiving this assistance could with the help of FAO have prepared documents, some brochures, on the benefits actually received by them. The Pakistan delegation would be willing to make a humble contribution in this regard. We would, incidentally, like this assistance also directed at increasing the capability of member countries to prepare schemes for food and agriculture in rural development which may not necessarily be financed by outside agencies but be financed by the national governments themselves.
Our delegation has already indicated some of the areas which need emphasis within the system of priorities established in this programme and I have brought the attention of this Council to these points in my earlier interventions. Briefly these are, studies relating to crop insurance, marketing of perishables, and in this connexion we welcome the extension of the Prevention of Food Losses. Programme to include fruits and vegetables. That is a very welcome addition, very much needed. The third suggestion we made was the credit system for the small farmers. The fourth was extension of dairy development, particularly the chilling technology and the transport for the benefit of the small producers.
Fertilizer research was also mentioned by me. A few other areas which need emphasis within the system of priorities already indicated are agro-forestry, multipurpose fast-growing trees. Dissemination of interest on this should be properly reflected in this. We have read in this programme about forestry for community development, but agro-forestry, wherein agriculture can be side by side with forestry tree cultivation, is a point which needs emphasis - agro-based industries with linkage with production, linkages between these industries and production, as an incentive and stimulus for production. This has already been mentioned at page 54. That is what is needed, to establish linkage of such industries with production.
One word about food and agriculture policies and the support realized for planning for food and agriculture policies. The aim in this should be not only to maximize production and productivity but also to see that we maximize this production through optimization of the land and water resources for different ecologies, not merely production; we have to see which crops are more suited to a particular technology so that we make the maximum use of the resources. In the regional programmes of Asia and the Pacific on page 28, we would suggest that as part of dryland farming and rain-fed agriculture, some specific mention may be made of oilseeds, water management, and development of soil-tolerant agriculture should also be included.
In agricultural engineering on page 54, we would like studies relating to the minimum use of energy and selective mechanization which should increase productivity and production without having a serious impact on employment opportunities for the people.
One or two delegations have suggested that agricultural applications of isotopes should be emphasized. We do not agree with these suggestions. In fact, isotopes are an essential tool for hydrological mapping, for hydrological studies and also for fertilizer research on which so much emphasis has been requested to be placed by the delegations.
Of course, mutation breeding is very important. It has complete success in Pakistan, and we have evolved several new varieties much better suited to our economy, much more high yielding and pest-resistant, and I mention in this connexion rice and cotton.
Once again I would like to express our deep appreciation to the Director-General for his wonderful proposals as contained in the Summary Programme and the Budget.
Miss ALMAZ WONDIMU (Ethiopia) : The economies of many developing countries, particularly food-deficit countries, have reached a very critical stage. The statements made by the various delegations during the past five days clearly echo this concern. Various FAO studies on the State of Food and Agriculture reveal an alarming situation at present and in the future. Over three-quarters of the world population are in a continuous state of hunger and malnutrition. Such a situation calls for serious steps at the global level. FAO's leading role in this global exercise to combat hunger and malnutrition is unquestionable. Under these circumstances, the zero budget growth or the trends towards that direction is absolutely unjustifiable and we strongly object to this unjustified direction. We do understand the position of the Director-General. He is faced on the one hand with certain donor countries who consistently ask for budgetary restraints, and on the other, mounting problems of hunger and malnutrition in the developing countries. In such a situation, Ethiopia would like to congratulate the Director-General's ability for the realistic allocation of the scanty resources FAO would have at its disposal.
At this juncture, my delegation fully supports the Programme and the Budget proposals and hopes for its efficient implementation in the future. It strongly supports the priorities given to food.
The Ethiopian delegation wishes to commend the Director-General for the efficient use of the TCP. As one of the main beneficiaries of the Programme, we can attest to this and proudly endorse any efforts aimed at strengthening this sector.
At the last COAG meeting and other subsequent meetings, the importance of food crops, particularly traditional crops such as tuber roots, sorghum and millet, have been strongly underlined. To this end we strongly recommend once again that the crop unit be strengthened by transferring additional resources and additional personnel.
Inasmuch as we support the administrative measures taken to cut costs, we wish to express our hope that proper steps will be taken to keep up FAO's efficiency.
Lastly, we wish to congratulate and commend the Director-General for his continuous efforts for the cause of development and for his consistency in aligning himself with the poor and undernourished sector of the world population.
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Estamos conscientes de la dificultad para preparar el Programa de Labores y Presupuesto sometido a nuestra consideración actualmente. Las circunstancias económicas internacionales y el empecinamiento de algunos países desarrollados en manejar una política de crecimiento cero, que repudiamos, en los presupuestos de los organismos internacionales, ha hecho mucho más difícil la labor de integración de nuestro programa de trabajo.
Apreciamos en este sentido la posición razonable, la posición abierta de países como Francia e Italia y esperamos que la Comunidad Económica Europea no se solidarice con esas políticas de crecimiento cero.
Estamos de acuerdo y suscribimos lo planteado por el Presidente del Grupo de los 77 en el sentido de que mientras los problemas del mundo crecen es un contrasentido, y nosotros agregaríamos que si así se continúa, será un crimen reducir a cero el aumento de los presupuestos de los organismos internacionales que tienen que analizar estos problemas, y representan, por ahora, las únicas expectativas de solución; este es el caso de la FAO.
Coincidimos también con Cuba y otros países en su preocupación sobre las causas que están llevando a los poderosos a debilitar las fuerzas del multilatéralisme en función de relaciones de preponderancia. En este contexto dramático e injusto, apreciamos todavía más el esfuerzo del Director General para que, a pesar del modesto incremento real de 0,5 por ciento para el futuro bienio, se logren impulsar actividades sustantivas dentro de la Organización. Ha sido un esfuerzo de gran ingenio y de mejor utilización de los recursos disponibles. Apoyamos por tanto, este contexto, en su totalidad, del Programa de Labores y Presupuesto para 1984-85 y la manera clara y eficiente como lo ha presentado el Director General.
Aprobamos también la transposición en las prioridades de los programas que han logrado eliminar actividades de menor interés, y que significan un aumento de los programas técnicos y económicos que triplican el incremento general de aquellos cuyas prioridades y objetivos compartimos plenamente. Pensamos, sin embargo, que se deben impulsar los programas a nivel de campo y la cooperación económica y técnica entre los países en vías de desarrollo dentro del esquema de fortalecimiento de las relaciones Sur-Sur.
Consideramos que como consecuencia de la lamentable disminución de la disponibilidad de recursos para el PNUD en particular y en general para la cooperación internacional, es plenamente justificable el incremento del porcentaje del Programa de Cooperación Técnica, porque éste es además un programa válido y útil.
Estamos también de acuerdo con las actividades que recibirán recursos adicionales netos conforme a las prioridades establecidas, y quisiéramos ver enfatizadas las labores complementarias de la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural, la de Pesca, Montes y los Programas de Cooperación Técnica que ayuden directamente a elevar el nivel y la calidad de la vida.
Nos oponemos enfáticamente a lo dicho por una delegación en el sentido de que la FAO colabore más con el Grupo Consultivo de Investigaciones Agrícolas Internacionales, porque éste es un órgano heterodoxo y autónomo, donde no necesariamente se reconocen los intereses de toda la humanidad, y porque estas cuestiones bien pueden ser resultado de los elementos que ahora el Director General está recabando del Grupo de Trabajo que le apoya en la preparación de su reporte.
Finalmente, nuestra delegación solicita información de parte de la Secretaría en torno a las razones por las cuales en el Programa 2.1.4, sobre Fomento de la Investigación Tecnológica, página 64 del documento CL 83/10, no aparecen asignaciones a la región de Latinoamérica. Es tan solo una pregunta.
M. TATIETA (Haute-Volta): La délégation de Haute-Volta felicite le Directeur general ainsi que le président du Comité du programme de travail et budget pour l'introduction à l'examen du sommaire de ce Programme. Elle apprécie hautement les orientations soumises par le Directeur général. Les priorités proposées, entre autres la promotion des productions vivrières, la sécurité alimentaire, rencontrent notre agrément et nous leur accordons notre plein soutien puisqu'elles sont celles d'un grand nombre de pays d'Afrique au sud du Sahara, avec pour objectif l'autosuffisance et la sécurité alimentaire à l'horizon 2000.
Notre délégation est satisfaite du renforcement, insuffisant à notre avis, du budget du PCT dont la grande utilité a été reconnue par la Conférence à sa 21ème session ainsi que par plusieurs conférences régionales.
Nous félicitons le Directeur général pour les dispositions proposées accordant plus d'importance aux opérations de terrain et au continent africain. Notre délégation exprime sa reconnaissance à la FAO, à travers sa représentation, pour les prestations diverses et efficaces au profit de notre pays.
Notre délégation approuve le sommaire du Programme de travail et budget 1984-85, dont l'exécution, nous en sommes sûrs, donnera des résultats très satisfaisants étant donné la qualité des hommes chargés de la gestion.
La délégation de Haute-Volta félicite la FAO pour son ouverture vers un plus grand nombre de banques afin de mobiliser davantage de fonds au profit des Etats Membres. Elle constate avec regret l'augmentation insignifiante du budget au niveau global et se joint aux délégations qui estiment que des sacrifices auraient pu être faits par certains Etats Membres pour permettre à notre organisation de disposer de plus de fonds en vue de jouer pleinement son rôle très noble visant à sortir l'humanité de sa misère.
AMIDJONO MARTOSUWIRYO (Indonesia): On behalf of the Indonesian delegation I wish to express
appreciation to the Secretariat for the preparation of the documents on the Summary Programme of
Work and Budget for the next biennium. Allow me to thank also the Chairmen of both the Programme and Finance Committees for their explanatory statements.
Having studied carefully the document under discussion, and taken note of the considerations underlying the explanation made by the Director-General and the statements made by the Chairmen of the Programme and Finance Committees, my delegation fears that there are many reasons for proposing a programme increase in real terms of 0.5 percent for the biennium 1984-85 and Indonesia supports it.
Taking into consideration the present state of food and agricultural development in the Third World, the need for increased and sustained assistance in the developing countries with special reference to LDCs, the proposed increase is to be considered very modest. We understand that the formulation of the proposed Programme of Work and Budget must have been made in the light of the financial difficulty arising from the world recession. Under this consensus the proposed increase in allocations of TCP resources should be welcome although the increase is very modest. There is no need to stress over and over the advantages connected with the implementation of the TCP.
Mr Chairman, turning to the significant role of Forestry in food and agriculture and rural development, my delegation finds that this should deserve immediate attention. The Government of Indonesia places high priority to forestry development and this is reflected in the establishment of the Ministry of Forestry several months ago. My delegation therefore is eager to note that the matter of Forestry for rural development will be accorded high priority in the FAO Forestry Programme.
Mr Chairman, the proposed level of the budget for the next biennium can be considered as reflecting austerity in the near future. This being the case, my delegation is in agreement with all effort, including the trimming, that can be made towards a higher degree of efficiency in expanding the work of the Organization.
In conclusion, my delegation takes note with concern of the prospect of a decline in extra budgetary resources.
B.N. SEQUEIRA (Angola): Mr Chairman, as per your appeal we are going to be concise and shall start with the voice of disagreement. Most previous speakers have been stressing, and I quote "the budget increase, the moderate increase, the minimum increase and so on" in real terms this increase actually means only 278, hundred thousand per annum to the largest contributor and $111 to the smallest. Mr Chairman, we disagree. Instead of real increase one should talk about notional increase. Indeed the proposed budget increase of 0.5 percent becomes a notional increase if one takes into account the economic, political and social variables which daily impinge on the activities of FAO action quarters and in the field. This is the case of adverse exchange rates, rampant inflation and ever mounting cost increases for the forthcoming biennium. This notional 0.5 percent increase represents an extreme budgetary regress which may have adverse effects for developing countries and in turn for developed countries due to the negative effect of the multiplying factor running through North/South interdependence.
Mr Chairman in view of this budgetary regress and taking into account the formations of the variables I submit that some Member Countries of the Council are in practice slowly but steadily applying the concept of zero rate growth to FAO. My delegation strongly regrets this concept and in the future will find it difficult to accept it.
However, for the biennium 1984-85, and in the spirit of cooperation and compromise the Angolan delegation fully supports the present summary Programme of Work and Budget and appeals to distinguished Members of the Council to approve by consensus the proposed level of the budget as a reasonable basis for the preparation of the final Programme of Work and Budget to be presented to the Conference.
Mr Chairman, on the substantive part of the Programme of Work and Budget my delegation has the following comments. First, we support the organization of the research and technological activities of FAO into a new Research and Technology Division. Second, we also support the Programme Committee's recommendation that the Director-General give some more resources, financial and personnel, to the Crops Division so as to emphasize food crop production especially roots and tubers, sorghum and millets. Third, we endorse the intended programme to be launched in Africa, and my delegation deeply appreciates the strong support the Director-General is giving to the training in Africa. Fourth, finally and to save time we strongly endorse the support given to TCP by the distinguished delegations of Cape Verde and Pakistan.
O. AWOYEMI (Nigeria): The Nigerian delegation joins the earlier speakers in congratulating the Director-General and the Chairmen of the Programme and Finance Committees for the excellent work done in preparing a very clear and a very positive Programme of Work and Budget for the 1984-85 biennium.
We support the level of budget which the Director-General has allowed to remain virtually at the level of the current biennium in response to the general economic climate. The marginal increase of 0.5 percent over the 1982-83 biennium can hardly advance the cause of the Organization significantly but consolation lies in the increases proposed for the technical and economic programmes to be financed largely from savings made from general policy and direction provisions. We join other delegations from developing countries in appealing to this august body that in spite cf the present economic climate the concept of zero growth should not be allowed to take root in the sector which is so crucial to the welfare of mankind and yet is so much subject to the forces of nature.
We endorse in particular the new emphasis on TCP which is demonstrating year by year its efficacy in dealing with pressing problems of specific countries. We note with deep appreciation the continued emphasis on Africa as the region which requires special attention to deal with the mounting problem of food production and rural development.
Mr Chairman, please allow me to address a few specific issues. In sub-paragraph 2.1.1.3 Soil Management and Fertilizers, more emphasis needs to be placed on assisting developing countries in developing simple soil testing techniques which extension workers can apply at the field level to advise farmers on the types and levels of fertilizers to apply. This will result in significant savings both for the farmers and for the countries concerned.
The recent resurgence of rinderpest disease in cattle in most countries of Africa calls for a dramatic review of the Sub-programme 2.1.3.2 Animal Health, with FAO playing a significant role in assisting affected countries in the control or in the setting up of local vaccine production.
In Programme 2.1.5 Rural Development my delegation suggests that FAO should do more in the promotion of small-scale rural agro-industries in the context of WCARKD, if necessary in collaboration with other bodies.
Additional emphasis should also be given to functional literacy as it relates to women's activities as illiteracy has been a handicap in the participation of women in rural development.
The programme on marketing is fully endorsed.
In the Fisheries sub-sector the proposal to forecast our assistance to developing countries to increase their fish catch with improved cost benefit is welcomed. In doing this more interest should be given to the establishment of technical report units rather than multiplicity of consultancy missions. Priority attention should continue to be given to training both in marine fisheries as well as inland fisheries and agriculture.
Finally, Mr Chairman, my delegation shares the hope of some other delegations that the status of Forestry in terms of the size of the programme and the percentage of the budget allocated to it would increase substantially in future biennia, if not possible in the 1984-85 Programme of Work and Budget.
V. ISARANKURA (Thailand): Regarding the summary Programme of Work and Budget 1984-85, Mr Chairman, my delegation was very pleased to note from the Director-General's opening statement that on preparing the Programme he took account of the fact of the needs for expanded FAO assistance and the continuity imperative for the FAO Programme to be more effective and responsive. We agree with his statement since no one can deny that with the current international economic situation, the developing countries need more assistance from the FAO. In our opinion we would like to see a figure in our biennium budget higher than 0.5 percent. In order to run the Organization and maintain a minimum number of programme activities, but under the present circumstances as everybody in this meeting of FAO knows, we have no choice but to accept it. The only one thing we can do now is to appeal to this Council to accept unanimously the summary Programme of Work and Budget for 1984-85 as proposed by the Director-General.
Mr Chairman, after having listened to several delegates from the developed countries which spoke before me my delegation became very disturbed when they mentioned the Technical Cooperation Programme. They appear to have misunderstood with regard to the role of TCP and its usefulness to developing countries. We would like to stress that it is indicated in the document CL 83/3 that TCP is an instrument enabling FAO to respond promptly to urgent requests for assistance from governments as well as filling a gap in the range of the technical assistance that is so relevant to the developing countries.
As a representative of a recipient country, my delegation can confirm that this Programme has always responded to emergencies and to the needs and priorities of governments when we requested FAO help. We have always believed that all developed countries are willing to help the developing countries. We therefore hope that they will listen to us and we appeal to them to let us have TCP in our regular Budget because it really meets our needs.
Sra. Doña M.I. CASELLAS 0. (Venezuela): En aras de la brevedad del tiempo y para no referirnos a puntos que ya han sido debatidos durante la discusión de este tema, hemos pedido la palabra para manifestar al Sr. Director General y a su equipo, nuestra satisfacción por los esfuerzos hechos para presentar un Programa de Labores y Presupuesto que merece nuestro reconocimiento.
Queremos manifestar el apoyo de la Delegación de Venezuela al Programa de Labores y Presupuesto para 1984-1985; sus objetivos, prioridades y estrategias, por estar convencidos de que se ajustan adecuadamente a las dificultades causadas por la actual situación económica mundial. La reducción de los recursos a sectores menos prioritarios, el fortalecimiento de programas técnicos y económicos responden a la urgencia y necesidad que afrontan los países en desarrollo en esta precaria coyuntura.
El Presupuesto presentado por el Sr, Director General representa el nivel mínimo requerido para llevar a la práctica dicho Programa; no obstante, queremos dejar constancia de nuestra preocupación de que el criterio del crecimiento cero se vaya a institucionalizar en el futuro, cuando sabemos que el camino de las soluciones a los problemas de la alimentación y de la agricultura en el mundo es largo y complejo,
H. CARANDANG (Philippines): The Philippine delegation is at a dilemma. The Programme of Work I will say is like a candle lighted in a vast infinite empty darkness. It is a Programme that is in general agreement with the priorities of the member countries and the ideas expressed in the governing bodies. But as President Kenneth Kaunda once said in a speech in this august body, it is like planning where to place a bridge where the need, as everybody knows, is for a hundred bridges. It is like trying to locate a road of ten miles where a thousand miles of road are needed. It is a programme of Lilliputian dimensions to solve a problem of Brobdingnagian proportion. We know that the Programme itself cannot turn the tide of reaching the goal set up by the international development strategy of 4 percent growth of food and agriculture for the decade of the 80s. We need a programe of much bigger dimensions - something like a Marshall Plan, at this stage.
On the other hand, we have some difficulty with regard to what we call 0.5 percent. In our national budgets we are not able to afford a 0.5 growth much less a 22 percent growth. We are obliged to contain ourselves at a zero budget because of the present economic situation.
We know - as everybody knows, as many that are developing - that our exports are primarily agricultural. I do not know whether we are undeveloped because we are primarily agricultural, or whether we are agricultural because we are primarily undeveloped. But the fact is that our exports are agricultural products and the price of these are very low - a record low price. So we find it difficult to finance not only our essential budget development programmes. So even 0.5 percent is difficult for us, I mean for the developing countries, not only my own government but many developing countries will find it difficult to get an increase, not only a 0.5 real increase but any nominal increase would be difficult for us to sustain at this point.
However, we are not going to oppose this budget because we know that in spite of the fact that we find difficulties at home and that we are tightening our own belts, we know that this has more or less the corresponding priorities of the Member Countries, so we will not oppose this budget. Nevertheless, we want to express a few points which we think should be emphasized at this point. Since resources are very scarce, these scarce resources should be placed at those points where they are able to have a maximum effect. I think the study of the African paper on the Committee on Food Security gives us a hint on what the developing countries regard as the main obstacles to their own development.
If I may be allowed to quote document CL 83/10, these are the priorities which should receive attention and I think also in FAO: first of all training, research, delivery systems and institutional development. And I think even in the Committee on Agriculture, research is given enough emphasis. In fact, I quote from document CL 83/9 on page 12 there is a sentence which states that "the diffusion of new developments in research and technology" ... "in the developing world, which activities, the Committee stressed needed further strengthening."
I think in spite of the fact that developing countries find it difficult to raise money to support a budget that would propose a 20 percent increase in nominal terms and a 0.5 percent increase in real terms, this entails a real sacrifice for many developing countries, but nevertheless we believe this budget merits support. But we believe that this budget also should give more emphasis and more concentration and priority to what the developing countries think is the central focus of the things that will be able to help them get out of the present stagnation in production in food and agriculture.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much for your statement. If there are no further Council members wishing to take the floor, I shall now give the floor to the observers, hoping they will emulate the Council members and try to be as brief as possible.
MAI LUONG (Observateur pour le Viet Nam): Je serai bret, mais puisque pour la première fois la délégation de la République socialiste du Viet Nam a l'occasion de prendre la parole devant cette illustre session du Conseil de la FAO, permettez-moi, au nom de ma délégation, de féliciter le Président pour la compétence dont il a fait preuve en dirigeant les travaux du Conseil, de féliciter les Etats-Unis d'Amérique, le Cap-Vert et l'Egypte pour leur élection à la noble Vice-Présidence du Conseil.
Ma délégation apprécie hautement l'exposé très clair, très approfondi du Directeur général, sur le sommaire du Programme da travail et budget 1984/85. Elle remercie aussi les deux Présidents du Comité du Programme et du Comité financier d'avoir plaidé sous leur pleine responsabilité les travaux de ces deux comités.
Monsieur le Président, la délégation de la République socialiste du Viet Nam est saisie de la manière ingénieuse et novatrice du Directeur général et de son Etat-major d'avoir pu trouver des mesures excellentes pour sortir de la situation financière difficile de l'Organisation et pouvoir garantir l'exécution des nobles tâches qui incombent à la FAO, chef de file dans la lutte contre la faim et la malnutrition dans le monde. Ces mesures sont la compression des dépenses administratives, l'esprit d'économie, la volonté de rigueur, la suppression des postes au siège en faveur des programmes techniques et économiaues. le choix iudicieux des stratégies et des priorités Dour le biennium 1984/1985, l'attention donnée à la recherche et à la technologie, au Programme de coopération technique, etc.
A propos du PCT, notre délégation a plus d'une fois, durant la dernière session du Conseil et de la Conférence, apprécié les résultats tangibles de cette activité que nous considérons comme une des grandes réalisations de la FAO, une idée quasi novatrice du Directeur général.
A voir cette activité si efficace du PCT, tant appréciée par de nombreux Etats membres et appuyée fortement par les conférences régionales pour l'Afrique, pour le Proche-Orient, pour l'Amérique et les Caraïbes, ma délégation ne se réjouit guère d'une augmentation de crédits pour le PCT qui, dans le biennium à venir, atteint moins de un pour cent, c'est-à-dire qu'elle passe de 12,9% à 13,5% du budget total. Nous espérons que l'activité du PCT sera soutenue plus fortement encore par le Conseil et que des ressources soient mobilisées pour ce programme de coopération technique qui est un instrument opérationnel permettant de fournir une assistance rapide sur le terrain, de faire face à des besoins imprévus et à des problèmes d'ampleur et de durée limitée.
Permettez-moi maintenant de faire quelques commentaires à propos du niveau du budget de ce biennium à venir. Une augmentation minimum, je dirai même imperceptible, de 0,5%. Ma délégation trouve que c'est là un effort insuffisant pour l'activité de la FAO devant l'ampleur des travaux à exécuter, devant la nécessité d'aider de nombreux pays en développement et surtout d'aider les pays à faible revenu et à déficit alimentaire, tels que de nombreux pays d'Afrique, alors que le Conseil et la Conférence ont jusqu'ici reconnu la nécessité que le programme de la FAO soit toujours plus efficace et serve l'objectif d'accroître la production et la sécurité alimentaire, d'éliminer la misère et d'assurer plus d'équité dans le commerce international.
Ma délégation accepte avec réticence ce niveau de budget pour 1984/85, qui est d'ailleurs très proche de la croissance zéro. La nécessité et les circonstances actuelles, tant économiques que politiques, nous obligent à accepter à contre coeur ce niveau du budget, mais nous espérons qu'à l'avenir cette notion de croissance zéro ne sera plus qu'une ombre qui obscurcirait tous les espoirs d'une coopération de plus en plus grande et d'une aide internationale plus adéquate pour les pays soucieux du développement de leur production agricole et d'une élévation du niveau de vie de la classe rurale.
Je termine en déclarant une fois de plus que la délégation de la République socialiste du Viet Nam appuie pleinement le sommaire du Programme de travail et budget pour le biennium 1984-85 présenté dans le document CL 83/3. Elle espère vivement que les membres du Conseil seront totalement d'accord pour accepter ce document, quitte à présenter une moindre réduction du budget à la 22ème Conférence de la FAO.
T.E.C. PALMER (Observer for Sierra Leone): Normally a basic handicap of Observers, especially under circumstances such as these, is time and in most cases substance is sort of sacrificed for brevity, and at this point of time my delegation is the victim but however we take solace in the fact that we are in fact a member of the Programme Committee which has thoroughly discussed the Programme of Work and Budget as proposed by the Director-General and because of this we are in fact heartened to have observed and to have listened very attentively to the interventions of many delegations from the Council membership who have supported, who have raised objections, who have raised points of clarification on the budget but we are, however, a bit disturbed that one or two issues were relatively not adequately addressed to, especially the TCP and reallocation of resources and the efforts, strenuous as it was, attempted by the Director-General in meeting the demand of some of the members of the organization in asking and in fact demanding the organization absorbs quite a considerable chunk of the economic situation as it completes itself today.
However, we would like only just to re-emphasise our point here, and I am sure it has been emphasised by many other delegations that, first of all, we would not like to see the project, which has been prepared and presented to this Council, and which has in fact now been prepared for the Conference, to be a sort of blue-print for budgets to come because we do not want to think that this might be a trend for what is now sneaking in as a concept for zeru-growth because we at this stage believe that when you have a constant, like this budget is now explaining itself to be a more or less constant, and you have increasing variables, which are the demands from the recipient countries, we would not be surprised, and painfully we would arrive at the conclusion, when in fact we cannot have the ability
to overcome the consequences of it, that we might have in inverse proportionality of the problems and to match up with the demands from the developing countries. So we would like to request this Council more or less to ask the Director-General that he should view future programmes of Work and Budget purely on the situation as they present themselves, not on concepts which in fact might be a little misleading and tend to turn the clock back because this organization was meant for the developing countries to assit the developing countries, but now we see dictates coming from areas where we, the developing countries, would have very little to do or influence, and this is where we believe our brothers from the developing countries, who have more or less been raising this issue of zero-growth, should re-examine not only the concept but also examine economic trends and see what is the status quo in developing countries and see if there is some point of mileage.
With this we would like to reflect on one or two issues of the proposed Summary Programme of Work and Budget and that is the reallocation of the resources that has been attempted by the Director-General. Here we would like to suggest that more emphasis be given to the present needs of the developing countries, particularly the hard pressed regions such as Africa where in fact shortages are now more frequent than in:fact they ought to be. So we request that emphasis be given to an increased crop production, increased production of livestock, with particular reference to small ruminants, and also we welcome the emphasis being placed on research and development and there we from the Africa region would like to extrapolate one aspect of this research and development, to exphasise the importance of food technology in the region at this particular stage because we believe it would go a long way to help us obtain food security.
Now coming to the last point, we have heard relatively disturbingly, some comments raised about the usefulness of TCP. I just want to make one or two brief comments. What are the origins of TCP:
non-political, specifically technical. What is the specific purpose: in fact it is a short-term and is geared towards assisting developing countries on specific problems, problems which in fact they could not have tackled at a particular point of time. What is the methodology, the procedure; it is immediate because you do not need to go through a labyrinth of political and inflexible bureaucracy to arrive at a decision for assistance. What are the characteristics of the operations of TCP; they are flexible, international and they have considerable regard to the reactions of the recipient governments and the resources unfortunately are inadequate for the purposes for which the TCP is intended. I doubt if you will have a programme, multilateral or bilateral, to match this particular programme at this point of time in food and agriculture and all the more reason why we believe, rather than just sort of throwing pointers as to the alternatives of TCP resources, that is forestry and all the programmes, careful observation should be made as to the different points I have just raised on the TCP and perhaps those who probably have inhibitions or who have reservations about the TCP might perhaps come forward and this is what we are looking forward to.
So we welcome the proposed summary but we are not happy with the level at which the summary was brought but at this stage we reserve the position to say that we believe that the Director-General has done his best under the present circumstances to merge contrary views so that he could arrive at a sort of meeting point, a compromise point between the demands and the available resources and for this reason we request that at least all present here, and those who are going to be at the Conference, should support the present level of proposed Summary Programme of Work and Budget.
P. VALSCEANU (observer for Namibia): As an observer, I would like, with your permission, to make some brief remarks, in the framework of general debate, stressing in this way the importance given by the United Nations Council for Namibia to the 83rd Session of the FAO Council in Rome. At the same time, we would like to present to you some areas of concern for the UN Council for Namibia, including the food and agriculture problems of Namibia, and to make some suggestions which may be found useful to be taken into consideration when finalizing the Programme of Work and Budget for the next bienniurn.
But before doing so, allow me to convey thanks and compliments to the Director-General, Mr. Edouard Saouma, and to Professor Islam for the comprehensive appraisal of the world agriculture and the current world food situation, in particular in Africa.
As Namibia is a developing African country, we are particularly concerned with the situation in Africa, for the reasons which have been stressed here by the African brothers. Namibia is confronted with the same economic problems as other developing countries, aggravated and deepened by the continuous colonial domination, by the ruthless illegal occupation of the territory by South Africa, by the plundering of its natural resources by foreign economic interests.
The need of Namibia for overall international assistance to remove the occupation regime, for the Namibian people to decide freely of its own future is stressed by the fact that Namibia is the only territory with an international status, being under direct administration of the UN until it has reached independence.
Acting in this framework, the UN Council for Namibia, as legal administering authority, is developing an intensive activity in the political, economic and other fields. As you know, in accordance with the General Assembly resolution 31/153, a comprehensive programme of assistance to Namibia has been launched within the UN System, covering the period until independence and the initial years of independence. A nationhood programme has been worked out, which includes manpower training programmes for Namibians, surveys and analyses of the Namibian economy, including the food and agriculture; identification of development tasks and policy options, projects for education of Namibians and other programmes.
In this regard, we are grateful that some of the projects in the framework of the nationhood programme are executed by FAO, in agricultural education, agrarian reform, protection of food supplies, food and nutrition fellowships, water development, fisheries policy options, the potential land suitability and others, and we hope that the second stage of these projects will be implemented in the same conditions like the first one.
The Council for Namibia is interested in the expansion of such programmes of assistance for Namibian people and its liberation movement - SWAPO, and we rely on the UN System support.
It is true that the struggle to free mankind from the scourge of hunger goes back to the very dawn of history, but this has always been going along with the struggle of man to be free of exploitation, with the struggle for liberty and human dignity, for the assertion of the right to freely decide upon its own future.
This is true for the Namibians, for the valiant people of Namibia still facing domination, exploitation, hunger and humiliation and which has been fighting since the very first moment it came to existence, for liberation.
The Council for Namibia, since its creation in 1967, after the General Assembly by its resolution 2145 (XXI) terminated South Africans mandate upon Namibia, spares no efforts to mobilize concerted international actions to seek an early end to South Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia, and has firmly supported the people of Namibia and its liberation movement in their struggle to achieve self-determination, freedom and national independence in a united Namibia. We believe that the United Nations should continue to exert every effort to bring and end to the illegal occupation of Namibia, and to assist the Namibian people in building up its own independent country, free from hunger, domination, and exploitation.
For this concerted international action for assistance to Namibia, FAO has a significant role to play to be shared with other UN bodies and specialized agencies. We would be grateful to, and are ready to cooperate with, FAO Council, in working out FAO programmes of technical cooperation for Namibia; FAO ordinary, medium and long term programmes; technical assistance; nutrition programmes for Namibian people and its liberation movement, assistance for displaced and refugees from Namibia, We would be interested to see some reference included in the budget, which would allow FAO within the sphere of its competence to assist Namibia immediately after independence, to help Namibian people and its liberation movement to cope from the beginning of independence with the problems created by a long occupation and domination, and to build up a prosperous Namibia independent country. This role may be taken into account in the consideration of reappraisal of the concept of food security and the establishment of new approaches towards solving world food security problems.
M. ZJALIC (Observer for Yugoslavia): My delegation endorses the proposed Summary Programme of Work and Budget for the biennium 1984/85.
The economic situation of many developing countries, particularly their balance of payments problems as well as their policy of budgetary austerity in cutting off public expenditure by developed countries has imposed the need for minimal growth of budget.
In his proposal the Director-General has successfully and happily in our view recognized the needs for increased multilateral support to the efforts of developing countries aimed at solving their food problems on the one side, and financial constraints which are in our view partly the result of objective circumstances and partly a reflection of deliberate action and political orientation of some governments to give more emphasis on bilateral cooperation within an overall reduction in public resources allocated for assistance and cooperation. We express our hope that in the future neither zero growth philosophy nor a relatively negligible increase will be the basic approach of Member Governments when we are in a position to discuss the next Programme of Work and Budget. The same goes for another attempt to introduce an unacceptable principle of external evaluation which in our view in an attempt to weaken the United Nations system and this Organization as well.
Having expressed our general agreement with the proposed Programme of Work and Budget and particularly with stratgies and priorities for 1984/85, we would like to commend the Director-General for a balanced and carefully elaborated document as well as for his introductory statement.
We feel that the further reduction in administrative and support costs could have an adverse impact on the effectiveness of technical and economic programmes as well as on field programmes. We note with satisfaciton that resources for the Technical Cooperation Programme will be increased for the next biennium so as to meet at least partly the growing need for such type of assistance.
We support the proposed priorities in major programme 2.A, Agriculture. In this connexion we under line the important role of FAO in solving the specific problems of Africa, particularly in the field of animal health, as reflected in sub-programme 2.¿.3.2. and express our full agreement with the statement of the delegate of the Democratic Republic of Sudan.concerning the role of FAO in executing, backstopping, monitoring, and coordinating action within the rinderpest campaign.
Many developing countries are faced with the problem of reorientation of their national planning policies in the sector of food and agriculture The developed countries are invited, not only in this forum but in many other international fora, to readjust their agricultural policies. This situation calls for intensified intergovernmental consultations on policy issues, exchange of information, and sound analytical work, all of this being the mandate and the task of FAO. This work cannot be done without a reliable statistical data base. That is why we support the general orientation in the proposed programmes 2.1.7. and 2.1.8. These two programmes have an additional significance and importance for developing countries, namely they provide support for improvement in technical and economic cooperation among developing countries.
Let me mention that while the interdependence between the developed and developing countries' economies plays an irreplaceable role in resolving the actual economic problems, economic cooperation among developing countries represents a reliable and unique agent for long-term and more balanced economic growth and development accompanied with necessary adjustments as the global level.
FAO's work on agricultural commodities field, policy analysis, agricultural planning, provides an essential backstopping and assistance for the action of the developing countries in their efforts aimed at attaining a higher level of collective self-reliance,
J.E. MENDES FERRAO (Observateur pour le Portugal): Nous avons étudié avec beaucoup d'attention le document qui fait l'objet de notre ordre du jour, et avons apprécié le soin avec lequel il a été élaboré, dans le but d'aboutir à un budget susceptible d'être accepté par tous les Membres. Nous constatons que la bonne volonté du Directeur général a permis la convergence de points de vue différents, bien que les principaux objectifs de notre Organisation soient communs.
Mon pays est dans une situation économique difficile; comme vous le savez, nous avons un nouveau gouvernement depuis exactement 10 jours. Mais nous avons conscience que d'autres pays éprouvent également beaucoup de difficultés.
Je ne suis pas, dès lors, en position d'avancer beaucoup sur ce sujet, mais personnellement je considère que le document élaboré fait preuve de réalisme devant les problèmes mondiaux de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, et je pense que le projet de budget recevra un accueil favorable de mon pays et qu'après avoir été enrichi des suggestions présentées par les intervenants il pourra être approuvé par nous au cours de la prochaine Conférence.
J. GAZZO FERNANDEZ (Observador de Perú): Señor Presidente, señor Director General: En mi condición de observador pero a la vez miembro del Comité de Finanzas tengo el deber de confesar que inicialmente cuando ví este presupuesto me espanté; me espanté porque era conocedor de la creciente demanda de alimentos, de la creciente hambre, de la creciente mortalidad infantil; sin embargo, pensé que como miembro del Comité de Finanzas iba a recibir un presupuesto por lo menos incrementado en el 10 20 por ciento en relación al año pasado. Sin embargo, cuando Director General hizo un análisis detallado de la situación mundial y de todo el estancamiento de las economías de los países desarrollados y la situación precaria en la cual vivía el comercio mundial y la inestabilidad de carácter general, poco a poco fui aminorando, digamos, mi estupor.
Mi delegación apoya en su plenitud este resumen de los Comités del Programa y Presupuesto para el próximo bienio porque creo, sencillamente, que lo que ha habido es una racionalización en el uso de los fondos y recursos.
Yo casi con sorpresa he aprendido una lección: que se puede a veces hacer más tortillas sin romper huevos, porque efectivamente se está volcando al campo mayores fondos a base de una racionalización del uso de esos fondos para finalidades administativas; sin embargo, me parece que dentro de esa racionalización queda un punto que, siendo racional, no ha sido tocado en la profundidad y al cual sé se le deben de todas maneras dar mayores fondos. Me refiero al Progama de Cooperación Técnica; Programa que todos los países en desarrollo conocemos muy a fondo y que sabemos por intuición, por
esa profunda intuición que tienen los pueblos del bien que se les hace, sabemos por esta intuición que son los programas de menor costo y de mayor eficiencia, y como el mundo está viviendo situacio-nes de emergencia permanente son éstas las que más producen y son éstas las únicas que pueden ser atendidas con celeridad, con oportunidad, con dedicación por este Programa de Cooperación Técnica, el cual tiene un crecimiento ridículo y al cual, sin embargo, algunas delegaciones, muy respetables, objetan y olvidándose de que muchas veces algunos de los fondos de este Programa son para reforzar, directa o indirectamente, un programa de silvicultura, o un programa de pesquería o un programa de algunos de los programas ordinarios, creo que la asistencia técnica imprevista a corto plazo y en pequeña escala para situaciones de emergencia sólo tienen este medio: el Programa de Cooperación Técnica en la preparación y complementación de los proyectos de inversión que generan después proyectos de desarrollo; sólo tienen este asidero, los programas de cooperación técnica.
Además de la indudable y comprobada capacidad para responder en casos de emergencia de estos programas, debe tenerse en cuenta que el PCT desempeña una función muy especial en lo que respecta a la movilización acelerada de la asistencia externa. Y es más, en momentos en que descienden los recursos extrapresupuestarios, por ejemplo, el PNUD y otros más, es el PCT el que está desempeñando y tiene una función importante porque evita el que se paralicen algunos programas por falta de fondos.
Por consiguiente, yo no sólo estoy en desacuerdo con los que digan que se debe cortar el PCT, sino sencillamente creo que no conocen lo que es el PCT, porque si lo conocieran no podrían, no deberían decir esto; y me llevo la triste impresión, después de oir el crecimiento cero, etc., de que si bien este crecimiento cero podría haberse aplicado en orden a las prioridades, las funciones de cada uno de los organismos de las Naciones Unidas, o de la familia de las Naciones Unidas, si se sabe que una persona malnutrida, una persona con hambre no va a poder asimilar lo que le enseñen en los colegios, se va a enfermar más, etc., entonces es obvio que debería haberse dicho: bueno, agricultura, crecimiento cinco; el otro, tres; el otro, dos; y el otro, cero, pero ¿agricultura y alimentación crecimiento cero?
Entonces, queremos combatir, queremos balancear la doctrina Malthusiana: "que las poblaciones crezcan en progresión geométrica y los recursos en progresión aritmética", pues sencillamente van a seguir creciendo las poblaciones en progresión geométrica, y los recursos y la capacitación y la producción, no sólo en progresión aritmética, sino que van a crecer, entonces queremos controlar la población por medio del hambre, que se mueran de hambre más y así va a haber menos competencia por los recursos; y por otro lado el crecimiento del armamento, también alguna vez, ojalá nunca se use, pero también si se usa va a ser para favorecer la doctrina malthusiana "combatir y decir que mueran más en las guerras para que haya más recursos". Entonces, no entra en mi cerebro que dignos países que deben estar a la vanguardia, enarbolañdo la bandera de la humanidad, que cada día se acuesten menos niños sin haber comido, menos adultos sin haber ido a la escuela y a hospitales, mezquinen un crecimiento en un sector tan importante como es la agricultura y la alimentación, y hagan poca oposición al crecimiento en el armamentismo.
Creo que éste es un presupuesto el cual debemos aumentarlo. Como miembro del Comité de Finanzas, indudablemente cuando recibimos este presupuesto notamos que había sido tan racionalizado que ya no se puede hacer más. Pero yo sí creo que algo va a sufrir la administración, que algo va a sufrir el manejo con menos fondos y con mucha más obra que hacer, porque las generaciones malnutridas son aquellas que van a dar hombres disminuidos.
Con esto hago una invocación para que en alguna forma, si hubiera alguna forma de hacer alguna economía, si existiera algún programa no hecho, o no completado por alguna razón, estos fondos se vuelquen al Programa de Cooperación Técnica, que es un programa dinámico, ejecutivo y que justamente surge para subsanar emergencias que son las que más se presentan en estas épocas en que la humanidad se debate en estas acciones. Y si algunos países creen no tener fondos, si tienen fondos que dejen un poco el proteccionismo, que no vendan en el extranjero algunos de sus productos a la mitad del precio que cuestan dentro de su mercado interno. Esto es harto conocido, de manera que fondos hay, pero hay que reorientarlos con sentido humanitario.
B.N. SEQUEIRA (Angola): Just a brief statement: the Angola delegation fully supports the statement made by the representative of the UN Council for Namibia and requests the Director-General of FAO to to give all humanitarian aid to the Namibian people under the leadership of SWAPO, its sole and legitimate representative, until such time as the madman of South Africa leaves its illegally occupied territory.
Srta. M.E. JIMENEZ ZEPEDA (Observadora de El Salvador): Muy brevemente, Señor Presidente, quisiéramos en esta primera oportunidad en que hacemos uso de la palabra, ratificar a usted nuestra confianza por la forma acertada en que preside este Consejo. Deseamos, asimismo, felicitar a los Sres. Vicepresidentes por su elección.
El trabajo desarrollado por el Director General y sus colaboradores, para presentarnos el Documento que estamos analizando, merece nuestra más sincera felicitación. Realmente, no es tarea fácil com-patibilizar las urgentes necesidades que afligen a la humanidad con la situación económica imperan-te en el mundo.
Nuestra Delegación desea ofrecer su total apoyo al Programa de Labores y Presupuesto presentado por el Director General. Reconocemos el trabajo realizado, sin embargo no estamos de acuerdo con la tesis del crecimiento CERO, pues las necesidades de las poblaciones de los países en desarrollo no conocen esa tesis; es más, día a día crecen en forma alarmante y la función que la FAO desempeña en aliviar esas necesidades es fundamental.
Hay muchos puntos sobre los cuales nos gustaría opinar, aunque no quisiéramos abusar del tiempo de este Consejo; por otra parte, los mismos han sido tratados ya en forma excelente por otros Delegados. Sin embargo, quisiéramos referirnos brevemente al Programa de Cooperación Técnica. En cuanto a este Programa de Cooperación Técnica estamos de acuerdo en que el mismo sea reforzado. Este Programa responde a las necesidades de los gobiernos tal como ellos las ven, tal como ellos la sienten. Representa una ayuda rápida y ágil y en general tiene una serie de características que lo hacen merecedor de su continuo reforzamiento. No entendemos las objeciones que se formulan contra el Programa de Cooperación Técnica; se dice que debe ser evaluado para ver si funciona bien, como si no fuese evidente por la acogida entusiasta que recibe de los países interesados, la validez del mismo. Se le achaca que es un Programa tipo cuerpo de bomberos que apaga fuegos aislados. No es verdad; en lo que a nuestro país se refiere, y tenemos la impresión de que lo mismo ocurre en otros lugares, el Programa de Cooperación Técnica se inserta en programas de desarrollo de largo alcance
o da origen a los mismos, no es cierto que desemboque en esfuerzos aislados sin seguimiento; por ello, queremos manifestar nuestro total apoyo al mismo y al Programa de Labores y Presupuesto en general.
M. TRKULJA (Chairman, Programme Committee): Mr. Chairman, with your indulgence, I would wish only briefly to address one of the issues, that is the unified nature of the FAO programmes. One of the major disadvantages of the summary stage is that we are confronted with the proposed Regular Programme only. At this stage it is not possible to assess extra-budgetary contributions with any acceptable precision, so I want to say that my colleagues and myself are always very much aware of the unified nature of the FAO programme. November will certainly give us much more opportunity to express our views regard to the balance of allocations within the various programmes and sub-programmes. As you are fully aware, any line to be drawn between the Regular Programme and extra-budgetary of FAO is largely artificial. In that case, perhaps next time in November we would then be in a position to make, our judgement on a much more sound basis. I will not go into any detail. I propose only to explain one aspect of our work that is the joint FAO International Atomic Energy Agency programme.
I want to assure the Council that the Programme Committee at its last session as well as at its previous sessions throughly reviewed the Programme. We had with us in April/May, the representative of the Joint Programme. He distributed a number of summaries of their findings, their projects. We asked a number of questions related to certain aspects, the most vital one in fact of the Programme, and after a fairly long debate we got the feeling quite strongly that the Joint Programme was progressing quite well in particular in certain areas such as breeding, plant protection, and fertilizers. We will again come to the same Programme and we will certainly take into account the views expressed by the Members of the Council and I want to assure you, Mr. Chairman, and Members of the Council, that we will seriously consider all the views expressed here.
I am not aware of any specific questions addressed to me so I would wish only to express again the deep gratitude on my behalf and on behalf of my colleagues to the Council for supporting our views and I would certainly wish to say that it will encourage all of us to continue to invest all our efforts and to do whatever we can to serve the Council.
D.H.J. ABEYAGOONASEKERA (Chairman, Finance Committee): I do not think there were any specific questions raised by the many speakers and observers who took the floor on this subject, but nevertheless since two members of the Finance Committee did voice their views which were completely in accordance with what the Committe's report reflected, I would like to say that when we discussed the question of cost increases and the very many questions that were asked, the Secretariat did provide us with all explanations. This I wanted to assure you because it was not a hurried debate, the timetable was agreed upon by all Members, and as the dinstingished Council Members are aware, the Committee consists of both developed and developing countries and many opinions were reflected. So I think the time was adequate, the questions that were raised and the explanations given by the Secretariat were completely convincing and there were no questions left unanswered. When we meet for the Autumn Session, in deference to the views expressed by one country in particular that more detailed information should be provided by the Secretariat, we accepted that and we will be seeking the clarifications and details of information during our Autumn Session.
The next point I want to make, Mr. Chairman, is that our discussions were very cordial in the Committee. We had lengthy discussions and I must congratulate the Members for the deep interest they have taken. Many delegates came from their capitals and I took great delight and privilege in chairing this Committee and I wish to thank everyone of them. Finally, I would wish to stress upon the Council the fact that we have striven hard to do justice to a very important subject, and I think it will come up for discussion again and I very much appreciate your appreciating the services rendered by the Committee and look forward very much to eventually finding consensus in our views.
V.J. SHAH (Director, Office of Programme, Budget and Evaluation): It is a privilege to be authorized by the Director-General to respond to the many questions that have been raised in this interesting debate since yesterday afternoon. There have been a large number of comments, Mr. Chairman, which can be taken in the spirit of the words used by the Director-General himself at the opening of this debate. I refer to the suggestion made for the Director-General to consider in formulating the full Programme of Work and Budget. All the suggestions that have been constructively and carefully made will no doubt be studied carefully with a view to taking them into account, and in particular those suggestions which came from the Programme and Finance Committees and which found a ready core of response in the Council.
There are also a number of questions which were raised requesting further information. As the full Programme of Work and Budget document will contain considerable further information, I would propose not to reply to these individual questions where the information is going to be provided either in the document itself or to the next sessions of the Programme and Finance Committees.
That still leaves me with the task of responding to those questions which in many cases were raised by a number of delegations and are of particular interest not only because they call for specific information but because they point to certain principles which constitute the formulation of the Programme of Work and Budget.
May I first take the question of research. Research and technology development. There was considerable discussion on this subject starting with a comment by the distinguished representative of the United States of America yesterday afternoon when he commented on the fact that the resources to Programme 2.1.4, the Research and Technology Development were proposed to be increased by some 15 percent. He was referring indeed to the right figures, but here the Council may be interested in taking note of a number of factors which I would submit as relevant. Research and Technology Development has long been considered to be of prime importance by the Conference, by the Council, by the Regional Conferences, and by a large number of technical bodies of this Organization. In the past we have made specific recommendations to the Director-General to emphasize the priority to research and technology development, to give it a higher feasibility and a higher focus and to devote additional resources. All these recommendations are being responded to by the proposals submitted in this document. You have an amalgamation of different programme elements to give a higher focus, you have additionality of resources to show the higher priority should be given to this scheme, and you have the proposal for the regrouping or the grouping of existing units for better direction and a more effective focus. The Council will no doubt remember that it is not just the resources under the Regular Programme, as pointed out by the Chairman of the Programme Committee, which are relevant in this context. Under research and technology development there are some $60 million of extra-budgetary funds per annum, some 258 field projects and over 400 experts.
Some questions were raised also about the new Division. The proposal for the new Division which has been endorsed by the Committee on Agriculture and by the Programme and Finance Committees however was the subject of some question as to whether it was really necessary or whether the additional posts were fully justified. Mr. Chairman, the Committees to which I have referred have already gone into the detail to accept the proposal of the Director-General. I would only indicate here that the new posts proposed by the Director-General are kept to a very minimum in terms of two professional posts, the Director of the Division itself and the Programme and Planning Officer. That can hardly be called excessive provision of resources for a new Division in a field which the Conference and the Council recognize is not only important but should be given additional resources and additional focus. I would point out that this new Division itself with the existing units which comprise it, for example the Remote Sensing Center, support field activities of almost $9 million and the environment and energy Unit supports field activities of .$8 million per annum.
Mr. Chairman, a number of very interesting comments were made about the priority to be given in a regional focus, particularly to Africa, and in this connection I may be permitted to take also a comment made by the distinguished delegate of Lesotho about the resources devoted under Sub-programme 2.1.1.4 on Water Resources. I would take these two questions together, Sir, in order to point to a very particular principle. The Director-General has always said the priority he accords to Africa can be seen in the regional focus in the whole Programme of Work and Budget. In the full document which you will have in the autumn, each region will be able to see what the focus of resources is, not only particularly in terms of Headquarters resources or regional offices resources but the impact of the programme for each region.
Further of course we have had to start some work in formulating or preparing the full Programme of Work and Budget, and in looking at Africa itself I can indicate that under Chapter II, the Major Programme Agriculture alone, Africa will have a focus, an increase in resources of 13.6 percent over the 1982-83 base. This regional focus for Africa becomes particularly important under Programme 2.1.1 on Natural Resources where the increase is 30 percent.
Let us move them to the Sub-programme which the distinguished delegate from Lesotho referred to, 2.1.1.4, and he referred to the fact that the resources were rather modest for water development and management at $1 368 000. I can however indicate that under this very modest Sub-programme the activities proposed for Africa alone, and I repeat I am only confining myself to describing the activities for Africa, we hope and we plan to have a concentration of small scheme irrigation development and on farm water management. Specifically it will include an expert consultation and three original workshops on small-scale irrigation in Africa, the publication of proceedings of the above, guidelines for small-scale irrigation development in Africa and a training workshop on farm worker management for three specific countries. Irrigation in Africa south of the Sahara has in the past largely concentrated on large scale multi-purpose basin projects and it is in recognition of this that the Director-General has given a new emphasis, and an added emphasis to small-scale irrigation development which has not received adequate attention in the past, and which is of particular benefit to small farmers; which does not require heavy investment and which is also very suitable for technical cooperation among developing countries. What I indicated was only what is proposed under the Regular Programme. However, immediately one should bear in mind everything that can be done and is done under other categories, for example the Technical Cooperation Programme. I cannot tell you what the Technical Cooperation Programme will do for water management and development in the next biennium: that depends on the requests put forward by the member nations. But what I can tell you is what the TCP has provided recently; in Nigeria, a project for water resources, irrigation and reclamation of development policies in the framework of food production strategy; in Gambia assistance in water resources development in the framework of the national food plan; in the countries of the West African rice development association, formulation of projects for small-scale irrigation in rice production and integrated development projects in four other countries.
I will perhaps not go into further details at this stage. We have numerous and substantial extra-budgetary activities and the next Regional Conference for Africa will be looking in detail into this particular subject.
May I turn now to the question of the Technical Cooperation Programme which has aroused a rather lively debate. I need not comment, of course, on the points of principle made by some representatives of member nations, nor do I need to add to the comments of the overwhelming majority of the members of the Council who have benefited from the Technical Cooperation Programme and who have been themselves its most ardent advocates. I need only reply, if I may, to two points. Firstly, to emphasize that although the Technical Cooperation Programme is a separate budgetary chapter in our Programme of Work and Budget and it has specific provisions under the financial regulations which govern its usage, the Technical Cooperation Programme is not a separate part of the Organization's Programmes and activities. The Director-General himself has repeatedly emphasized in the past how the Technical Cooperation Programme is a mere extension of the technical and economic activities of the Organization. In the document before you, in the summary, we have tried to show very briefly and concisely how all the activities of the Technical Cooperation Programme can be linked to specific sectors and specific programmes, in particular economic and social policy, forestry, etc.
We have had requests for more information. Gladly, because we have a lot more information we can give. Immediately, for example, to show you that in the categories which are given of training, investment, emergency assistance and miscellaneous, this information can immediately be broken down by agriculture, fisheries, forestry, economic and social policy, etc. Of the total resources under the TCP used for training in 1982, 47.2 percent went for agriculture, 26.4 percent for economic and social policy; forestry I emphasize because there have been numerous suggestions that it merits additional resources: forestry in the training activities of the TCP alone got 6.8 percent. Under General Support to Development, forestry got 17.5 percent of TCP resources, which leads me also to emphasize the point that the Director-General made elsewhere in this document: that resources to forestry cannot be viewed purely in terms of those regular programme resources indicated under Major Programme 2.3 Forestry.
The TCP is thus an extension, if I may say, of the technical and economic activities of the Organization but it is also distinct; and it is distinct because it is specific. It responds to specific requests for very specific assistance. It is prompt, it is responsive to individual needs and I think here is a characteristic which distinguishes it from the activities normally carried out under the rest of the Regular Programme: that whereas activities in the rest of the Regular Programme respond to the demands and the needs of a number of member countries and try to respond to these in the most flexible manner with the most appropriate means of expenditure, the TCP is a programme which responds to individual needs. And finally, if we talk of impact, there can be nothing which is clearer of impact than a TCP project which is specific, where the assistance given is defined both in its quality and in time and where the recipient government itself is in a position to see what the results have been.
Lest the Council have the impression that the resources of the TCP are being proposed to be increased without any methodology, first of all the Council will no doubt recall that the recommendations to increase the resources of the TCP are not only of individual member nations but have been formally made in the regional conferences. There were specific recommendations in the form of resolutions requesting the Director-General to increase the provision of resources for the TCP. But I can also give an example and some figures to show that the resources are, in fact, utilized very carefully. For example, the number of requests has increased from 279 in 1980 to over 500 in an estimate that we made for this year. In 1982 it was 455. These are official requests. I do not take into account in these figures requests which may be made perfectly formally by governments but, because they are not made through the formal channel of submission, the formal authority designated by the government itself, are not considered official requests.
Of this number in the two last years, almost 30 percent of the requests have been turned down. This is surely the clearest way of showing that it is not a question of using resources to meet every request that comes in, but a firm indication of the strict application of the approved criteria in the approval of the requests.
The other comments to which I need to respond are rather more specific. If I may take only a few more minutes, the representative of Poland queried why there was a decline in the resources proposed for the FAO/World Bank Cooperative Programme. This is no indication of any reduced interest on the part of the Director-General. In fact, in his opening statement to the Council he referred to the visit he received of Mr. Knudsen. There was an identity of views on the importance of investment, particularly investment in agriculture and equipment in Africa, which remain priorities for the World Bank, where a decline has occurred. It is only the fact of declining resources, particularly from the International Development Agency. The IDA resources in 1982 suffered a cut of 35 percent. For 1983, IDA has a commitment authority of only $3.1 billion, compared to the original figure of $4 billion. The priority on investment work shows that, no matter what the level of the resources which may be forthcoming from any one institution, the Director-General continues to attach the highest priority to the promotion of investment work and the mobilization of resources.
A number of questions were asked about posts, which posts are abolished, which new posts are created, at what grades, in which unit. There is no secrecy on this. As the full Programme of Work and Budget has shown in the past, all this information will be provided. The only reason why it was not provided in the summary is partly that by definition it is a summary, and partly because, as it is stated in the document itself, the proposals for elimination and for new posts have to undergo a very severe process of an establishment review, not only in the Personnel Division but in the establishment sub-Committee chaired by the Deputy Director-General, which then submits its recommendations to the Director-General. Because of this, firm indications were not given in the summary but will appear in the full document.
And finally, several comments were made about the objects of expenditure, why there is a nominal decline in the resources proposed for consultants, a nominal increase for contractual services, and so on. As regards consultants the Committee on Agriculture, the Programme and Finance Committees have recognized that the Organization's ability to utilize consultants effectively is a function of its own staff resources. As staff resources are proposed to be decreased, this is a factor which we have to take into account. Consultants are not merely to be utilized by issuing a contract and asking them to submit an end-product. Consultants need identification, briefing, support and the work they do has to be reviewed carefully in order to obtain the Organization's stamp of approval.
On the other hand, contractual services are favoured because of the very policies that the governing bodies have recommended to the Director-General. The use of national institutions and technical cooperation among developing countries - if I give only the highlights - but if one is to comment on the pluses and minuses and objectives of expenditure, may I conclude with a final word: that if the total budget is to have a nominal increase, if the staff resources are to be reduced, the total resources have to be spent in some way. And it is surely a management decision which the Director-General has to take in his wisdom as to how those resources are to be utilized. It is inevitable that this would lead in some cases to increasing reliance on one object of expenditure and decreasing the reliance on another. While keeping to the broad questions which have been raised, I hope I have answered sufficiently the main points which arose in the debate and I am, of course, at your disposal, under the instructions of the Director-General.
LE DIRECTEUR GENERAL : M. le Président, je serai bref. Je voudrais simplement dire que j'ai suivi avec une très grande attention les débats, les interventions qui ont eu lieu depuis hier, et auxquels ont pris part plus de 47 membres du Conseil et 7 observateurs.
Je voudrais, au nom de tous mes collègues et en mon nom personnel, remercier tous ceux qui ont bien voulu adresser des paroles aimables à l'égard du Secrétariat, et je voudrais aussi dire combien j'apprécie les nombreux appels qui ont été lancés par divers délégués en faveur d'un consensus sinon d'une unanimité à l'occasion du vote du budget en novembre. Je le souhaite également.
M. le Président, Mesdames, Messieurs les délégués, le budget proposé ne présente pas sur une croissance zéro. D'abord, le chiffre exact est de 0,50 % ! Mais l'accroissement des activités techniques, qui sont la raison d'être de la FAO - qui est une agence technique - est de 3,5 pour cent, et je vous prie de vous référer au paragraphe 5.21, page 21 du texte français qui indique bien que l'accroissement des activités techniques est de 3,25 pour cent. A diverses occasions, on a remarqué que les ressources de l'agence internationale pour le développement ont diminué en termes réels de 35 pour cent; celles du PNUD, celles du FIDA, l'aide publique ont aussi diminué en termes réels. Par contre le budget que je vous propose ne présente pas une diminutioîi en termes réels.
Vous avez, je pense, tous reçu ce document qui vous donne des informations sur les arriérés dans les contributions des pays membres (CL 83/LIM/1). Il reste encore 21 pays, presque tous en voie de développement, qui n'ont pas payé un seul dollar pour l'exercice 1982-83; quant aux arriérés, le total est de 105 millions de dollars, autrement dit 30 pour cent des contributions de 1982-83 n'ont pas encore été payés. Quand j'ai fait mes propositions budgétaires, j'ai tenu compte de la situation difficile des pays du tiers monde, dont les dettes se montent à 700 milliards de dollars.
Certes, le budget que je propose est modeste, et je suis le premier à le reconnaître, si on le compare aux besoins. Mais le budget de la FAO n'est pas là pour résoudre la totalité des problèmes des pays, c'est un budget pour promouvoir et accélérer les efforts déployés par les pays eux-mêmes.
Un mot sur le programme de coopération technique. Oui, c'est le programme le plus populaire parmi les pays membres et il était donc tout à fait normal que l'augmentation que je propose pour ce programme soit de 5 pour cent pour deux ans, soit 2,5 pour cent par an, donc une augmentation presque égale à la croissance démographique des pays en voie de développement, c'est-à-dire les trois quarts de l'humanité.
M. le Président, c'est en réduisant au maximum possible les ressources des activités non techniques que j'ai pu effectuer cet exercice que j'appellerai "de haute voltige", et je le dis parce qu'une opération similaire ne peut pas se répéter tout le temps. Je ne peux pas trouver d'autres procédés pour le prochain budget de 1986-87, pour maintenir une croissance nette minimum tout en obtenant une croissance plus importante des activités techniques. J'ai épuisé toutes les possibilités.
Alors, j'espère beaucoup que l'inflation va diminuer pendant les années prochaines, que la récession va s'arrêter, que la croissance économique va reprendre pour tous les pays, sinon ce serait une catastrophe, les pays en voie de développement devant chaque année débourser des sommes énormes pour le service de leur dette. S'il n'y a pas de reprise économique, si les prix des matières premières de base ne deviennent pas plus rémunérateurs, ce sera vraiment une grande catastrophe.
Enfin, pour conclure, je voudrais exprimer ma reconnaissance. Je suis vraiment reconnaissant pour l'accueil qui a été fait par le Conseil dans sa totalité au programme de travail et budget. Je suis très touché par cet accueil. Je crois que c'est la quatrième fois que je présente le programme de travail et budget (parce que j'ai dû présenter une autre fois celui dont j'ai hérité en 1975 pour 1976-77, donc c'est la quatrième fois) et jamais cet accueil n'a été, je puis le dire, aussi favorable que celui que nous avons reçu pendant ces journées.
Je voudrais assurer tous les délégués que j'examinerai attentivement les commentaires qu'ils ont formulés, les suggestions qu'ils ont bien voulu faire, les demandes d'information à inclure dans le programme de travail et budget détaillé. Mais je dois dire qu'un certain nombre de délégués ont dit : "tel secteur, 5 pour cent, ce n'est pas assez; augmentez; tel secteur, là encore, faites monter les chiffres; là, baissez les chiffres". Nous n'avons pas eu.de propositions concrètes. En particulier, je regrette que certains délégués ne soient pas là pour nous dire exactement quelles activités supplémentaires ils suggèrent, dans le domaine des forêts par exemple. Ils se sont bornés à dire "le pourcentage est trop bas faites le monter s'il vous plaît", mais de quelles activités s'agit-il précisément ?
Il y a eu ainsi des suggestions pour faire augmenter les pourcentages pour certains secteurs, sans propositions concrètes, et c'est pour cela qu'il me sera difficile de donner suite à certaines de ces suggestions. D'ailleurs un congrès mondial forestier se tiendra au Mexique, grâce à l'hospitalité du Gouvernement mexicain, probablement en 1984, qui débattra de ces sujets, et permettra aussi de discuter des problèmes des forêts tropicales qui intéressent certains pays. Nous pourrons peut-être alors prévoir d'une façon plus claire et plus précise ce qu'il y a lieu de faire en plus, dans le domaine des forêts, dès 1986, et peut-être même pourrions-nous l'envisager dans le programme de 1985. Il s'agit-là d'une réunion au sommet de tous les forestiers du monde, qui a lieu chaque 4 ans, qui je crois nous donnera davantage d'orientations. Au Comité des programmes on nous a dit que nous ne faisions pas assez sur les cultures vivrières; cet après-midi, sur les forêts. Je ne sais pas quels seront les avis qui seront exprimés à la Commission II de la Conférence, mais en tout cas nous allons revoir tout cela à l'occasion de la formulation détaillée de tout le Programme de Travail et Budget.
M. Shah a bien dit que nous étions prêts à donner toutes les informations nécessaires. Je crois que, comme un délégué l'a reconnu lui-même, quand on nous a demandé non pas des réponses à une ou deux questions mais de tenir une réunion qui a duré pendant deux jours, nous nous y sommes prêtés volontiers. Je crois que c'est la meilleure façon de maintenir votre confiance, et nous le ferons encore quand il s'agira de préparer le programme entier.
M. le Président, je crois que je peux, avec mes collègues, êtres confiant qu'en novembre prochain, je pourrai vous présenter un programme de travail répondant à toutes les remarques et commentaires qui ont été faits, et qui je l'espère recevra l'unanimité et l'appui de tous les pays membres.
CHAIRMAN: You have heard the Chairmen of the Programme and the Finance Committees, Mr. Shah, and finally the Director-General himself. I want to add my words of gratitude to the 47 members of the Council and 6 observers who took part in the discussion. The fact that nearly all Council members have spoken is an index, of course, of the importance of this topic. Sometimes we do not realise
that what we have been discussing in the last one and a half days is the whole Programme of Work and Budget of the most important inter-governmental organization dealing with the first among the hierarchal needs of man, namely food and so I am glad that the situation warranted the seriousness with which members participated.
I would like to summarise the major trends of our discussion into three major groups. Firstly, there has been complete unanimity in the conclusion that the Summary Programme of Work and Budget for 1984/85 as presented by the Director-General is an acceptable basis for proceeding with the preparation of the detailed programme for presentation at the 84th Session of the Council and the 22nd General Conference. By doing this we have really endorsed the joint views of the Finance and Programme Committees who had, after detailed examination of the Summary Programme of Work and Budget concluded that the Director-General's proposals for 1984/85 have been framed to respond to the highest priorities, as decided at various meetings, regional conferences, Council and various committees, and to limit the request for additional resources and hence the proposed level of resources is a sound basis for the preparation of the full Programme of Work and Budget for 1984/85.
Considering the diversity of viewpoints and wishes represented in the Council, I think it is an outstanding achievement that there is such unanimity on the correctness of the strategies and priorities in relation to the medium-term objectives of the organization on the basis of the recommendations made by the governing bodies, the regional conference and main committee. This is truly an inspiring hope for the successful functioning of this organization. There has also been complete unanimity in the regional priority accorded in the Programme of Work and Budget to the less-developed food-deficit countries of Africa, mainly in the sub-Saharan region.
The second main trend from our discussions relates to the fact that several delegations would like to have more details of particular programmes and hence would like to offer more detailed and specific comments and definite comments when the full Programme of Work and Budget becomes available in November. Of course, you heard the Chairman of the Finance Committee and also Mr. Shah say that being a Summary Programme, obviously it would not be a summary if all the details were given but the Chairman of the Finance Committee said whatever details they had wanted are always available and I am sure Mr. Shah now has reassured us that the details requested by members will be forthcoming. In any case, the detailed Programme of Work and Budget will give all this information.
The third main trend that I have noticed from the intervention of the Council members and observers I think is best summarized by what the Ambassador of Italy said, which was also said in eloquent terms by the Philippines and finally by Peru. All of them said in different words what the Ambassador of Italy said, that it is very painful to establish priorities within priorities when so many urgent problems are crying for attention. Hence many delegates have expressed the fond hope that the financial resources available to FAO will at least be enhanced to the level that the programme can keep pace with the needs of the growing population. The delegate of India put it in the way that at least one should keep up the budget growth in per capita terms, not so much in terms of percentages. I think that population growth necessitates most of our countries to run twice as fast to remain where they are. Therefore many delegates feel, how can FAO assist in this endeavour if its resources are going to remain static. Of course I find the Director-General capable of performing this miracle, like Alice, of running twice as fast with the same resources. But this is done by a considerable degree of redeployment of resources and realignment of priorities on the basis of suggestions given by members themselves. I am amazed, because I have been involved in exercises of this kind. In fact the most recent one was in 1980 when I was involved in the preparation of the sixth five-year plan of India involving an outlay of over US$ 100 billion. No government department will ever concede that one position is surplus to their requirements, but nevertheless it is a fact that everybody wants an accretion and not any adjustment. Therefore we have to compliment the Director-General on this exercise that he has undertaken. Although there has been a difference in viewpoint, such a drastic exercise is really in the long-term interest of the Organization. We therefore appreciate the steps taken by the Director-General to increase the outlay for technical and economic programmes by internal redeployment of resources and realignment of priorities.
Of course while listening to the various delegates one could certainly see that there are varying perceptions concerning programmes which deserve either enhanced or reduced outlay. This is but natural. A body like this will obviously have varying perceptions. But there has been unanimity in spite of this diversity in perceptions. What is most encouraging is that there is unanimity in terms of purpose, whether it is forestry, fisheries, and so on. There is a purpose in terms of looking at both the long-term and the short-term views on development in a more harmonius way.
I only hope that there will be some additional resources. I hope that Council members will convey to their respective governments this viewpoint expressed so eloquently by so many members of the Council and that during the November Conference they will agree, at least some of them, to say that we should have a mid-term appraisal some time next year, and when the international climate improves we must strengthen the resource position of the Organization.
These are the three major streams - unanimity with reference to the present Summary being the basis for a more detailed programme, secondly some members wanting more details before they offer definitive comments, and thirdly many other members feeling that the resources are inadequate in relation to the genuine needs of these countries.
Let me add a word about the TCP, because I have also been involved in developing projects for TCP and I think some questions were asked, and legitimately members should ask such questions, about the impact and benefit of this programme. In this context I would like to endorse the viewpoint expressed by Pakistan that countries themselves - some of them spoke here - which have asked for TCP projects and also implemented them, could each prepare a short factual and analytical report, on what was the project and what happened. Certainly FAO could compile it but I think countries also have a responsibility towards the Organization and it will be useful for countries to accept the proposal of Pakistan and prepare suitable objective accounts.
Listening to the debate for the last one and a half days one goes through a sense of pleasure and pain - I suppose there is no pleasure without pain - pleasure because there has been this enormous consensus, as the Director-General said. He said in the last three or four biennial debates this is the first time that there has been such complete unanimity in terms of support to the Summary Programme of Work and Budget and also in connexion with the correctness of the strategies and priorities. On the other hand, there has been pain that the Organization may not be able to respond to all the demands. I only hope that ultimately this kind of agonizing reappraisal of priorities and programmes will lead to some form of enduring ecstasy in terms of having a programme which will have a vital impact.
Finally, my colleagues of the Council and Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to offer two personal suggestions which occurred to me while listening to delegates. The first is that several useful ideas about programme areas which need urgent attention in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and forestry, have been made by different members. Several important gaps in ongoing work, both at the production and post-harvest phases, have been pointed out, and obviously FAO cannot respond to these urgent calls under the prevailing budgetary conditions. But I personally feel that it might be useful to compile all the suggestions which come from the proceedings of these meetings. I am confident that the Investment Group in FAO must be doing it, but nevertheless I think it will be useful to compile some of these valuable suggestions made by members here, maybe on COAG and so on, and circulate it to all bilateral donors and regional development banks.
Let me cite one specific example of what I have in mind. I think the delegate of Lesotho, to whom Mr. Shah also referred, mentioned that to accelerate the harnessing of the untapped irrigation potential in sub-Sahara Africa it will be very beneficial if the long experience gained in Asia in harnessing and utilizing both surface and ground water can be shared with African countries. My feeling is that that is a very good suggestion, the sharing of experience in the Asian irrigated areas and the potentially irrigable areas of Africa. The delegate of the United States said that nearly $1 billion, both in commodities and cash, will be available for Africa next year, and the delegate of Italy and many others made their commitment to the cause of Africa. I think it will be useful to get this kind of suggestion, however it cannot be implemented by FAO because of resource constraints implemented with bilateral help. You must have heard Mr. Shah outline the many steps taken by the Director-General for small-scale irrigation. I think it will be useful to implement such suggestions through suitable bilateral donors or under the TCDC programme with FAO's assistance. I would particularly call for, in addition to workshops, seminars, and so on, a programme of exchange of farmers between selected irrigated areas in Asia and countries with irrigation potential in Sub-Sahara Africa. This is because I personally observe the tremendous impact which, for example, Japanese farmers have had in India and our own farmers in the Punjab. In the area of water management and water use this had a tremendous impact, because to farmers seeing is believing and the impact is even greater when the demonstrations are laid out by other farmers, and a well-planned farmer exchange programme may well be of help to purchase time and accelerate the pace of progress in the high-yield potential and low-risk areas of Africa.
Finally, I feel that the initiative which the Director-General has titled "New Dimensions" is exceedingly important and significant. It is my conviction that all external assistance should be so designed that it does not become self-perpetuating. We need a development assistance strategy based on a self-eliminating pattern of expatriate expertise. This is the aim of the New Dimensions Programme. Hence it will be valuable if FAO summarizes the experience in the New Dimensions initiative and indicates how all available resources can be harnessed for the programme content rather than for overheads and project management.
I must also mention in this context that the gap between national salaries in many developing countries and international salaries is widening and the introduction of a large number of highly paid expatriates in an environment where highly qualified nationals receive very low salaries causes many human problems which are well known to the people around the table here. In addition it stimulates the whole process of the braindrain. This is why I hope that the FAO's New Dimensions Programme will open up some new frontiers in the methodology of international development assistance and cooperation.
Let me again thank the Chairmen and the members of the Programme and the Finance Committees, Mr. Shah, Mr. West, the various officers of the FAO and the Director-General for putting up such a fine document which has received such unanimous support around this table. I would request you all, Ladies and Gentlemen, to give a big ovation to the Director-General as our appreciation of the hard work that he and his staff have done.
Applause
Applaudissements
Aplausos
L. ARIZA HIDALGO (CUBA): Pido excusas por hablar después de que usted, Señor Presidente, ha ya hecho el resumen de la sesión, pero no quisiera irme con una confusión, con una duda, ya que no entendí la proposición de Pakistán, sobre si es una proposición de número de programas por países, o un análisis de los orígenes o de la forma. No tengo la versión de Pakistán pero no me parece haberlo oído en esta forma. Por eso quisiera que me explicaran esto, ya que no lo tengo claro y no quisiera irme con esa confusión.
CHAIRMAN: If you are referring to what I said, what I said was, I referred to the proposal of the Pakistan delegate that it might be useful for countries which have benefited from this programme to try to summarize their experience from this programme, what they got out of it, and so on. But if you are referring to any data given by Mr. Shah, then he will have to answer that question.
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): First I must convey my real appreciation of the excellent summing up you have made. I am also grateful that you have highlighted the proposal that the delegation of Pakistan brought forward. The basic thrust of that proposal simply was that the best judges of a programme like the TCP are the recipient countries and when the recipient developing countries are emphasizing in the various fora and the committees and Council that it is and excellent programme, it is very flexible, it responds immediately to the needs of developing countries and exercises a catalytic agent, whereas the resources of the developing countries themselves can be mobilized into these channels where the TCP funds are going, so we are of the opinion that the recipient countries themselves are the best judges and we were inviting other recipient countries to share the experience of the TCP benefits in the Council and in other form.
CHAIRMAN: I hope that satisfies you, Cuba.
DIRECTOR-GENERAL: Just to assure the distinguished delegate of Cuba that, of course, the Chairman was making his own comments in addition to his summing-up of the debate on the Summary Programme of Work and Budget. These were merely personal comments and advice to you and not decisions which have been taken by the Council. As Independent Chairman of the Council, I think he is entitled to give the Council the benefit of his wisdom and to express his views on all subjects. These views do not constitute a decision of the Council as we are now in the process of discussing specifically the Programme of Work and Budget. I think the Chairman has made an excellent summing up, which will be reflected in the draft report which will be submitted to you. I only wanted to clarify this point.
CHAIRMAN: I made the last two suggestions as my personal suggestions which came when I was listening to the delegates.
On Monday morning at 10 o'clock Mr. Roger Sorenson, our first Vice-Chairman, will chair the session and conduct the proceedings according to the timetable. You all know Mr. Sorenson; he has been a familiar face here. He has also been a member of the Programme Committee, the Minister Counsellor and Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. I find his biographical data very impressive. He Studied violin, piano and composition at the Conservatory of Music and then went on to Brigham Young University and got his M.A. in Political Science and Economics, then proceeded further to the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and did post-graduate work. He has had a very distinguished career and a background starting from 1952 in private industry, then foreign service. In foreign service he has had a number of assignments, including the present one, and he has received a State Department Meritorious Service Award as early as 1965, and again in 1969 the State Department Superior Honour Award. We are really honoured to have him as the First Vice-Chairman.
The meeting rose at 18.00 hours.
La séance est levée à 18 h 00
se levanta la sesión a las 18.00 horas.
