LE PRESIDENT: Je déclare ouverte la huitième séance plénière de notre session. Nous allons commencer par le point 9 de notre ordre du jour: "Faits nouveaux survenus dans le système des Nations Unies qui intéressent la FAO: pour examen et éventuellement décision (CL 102/12)".
En ce qui concerne ce point, je vous rappelle que la déclaration de compétence reprise dans le document CL 102/INF/19 prévoit que la Communauté économique européenne a, en la matière, une compétence mixte avec ses Etats Membres; elle a le droit de parler mais le droit de voter reste entre les mains des membres.
Cet après-midi nous avons donc deux points à examiner, le point 9 auquel je viens de faire allusion et le point 8 qui est le "Troisième rapport intérimaire sur le Programme d'action de la CMRADR et suite à donner à l'Etude de la décennie suivant la CMRADR: pour examen et éventuellement décisions (CL 102/8)".
Nous allons commencer par le document CL 102/12 qui est l'unique document sur le point 9. Je salue la présence de Mme Killingsworth qui va immédiatement vous présenter le document CL 102/12: "Faits nouveaux survenus dans le système des Nations Unies".
Ms Κ. KILLINGSWORTH (Director, Office for External Relations): Mr Chairman, as you know, Recent Developments in the United Nations System of Interest to FAO is a standing item on the Agenda of the Council as well as of the Conference. As there have occasionally been some misunderstandings about the purpose and the rationale for this Item, and about the content of the document which the Secretariat submits, I think it may be desirable to give some preliminary explanations to clarify matters.
The purpose of the item has always been to keep you abreast of developments in the United Nations system which would have implications for the work of the Organization, and for this reason we tend to say that it is primarily an item for information. Of course, this does not mean that the Council is not expected to discuss the matters contained in the document. The Council is, of course, free to discuss and express its views on the issues covered, but it is important to clarify that some of these matters are, in fact, still under consideration in other fora (in which FAO's Member Nations are also represented). On some of the matters, decisions (which we could report) have not yet been taken and no action by the Council is requested at this point. This is why the document which is before you, CL 102/12, contains a purely factual narrative, without views, analysis and recommendations from the Secretariat, in view of the fact that no particular action or decision is needed from the Council.
As you will have seen also, the document is very selective in its coverage. We do this in order to facilitate Council debates and avoid overlap in them, by not covering issues which you have addressed, or will address, under separate agenda items. You will already have noted this from your discussions of environment and sustainable development, and also on international cooperation in fisheries, both topics with significant UN system ramifications upon which you have already touched.
At your request, Mr Chairman, I should now like to provide you with some updates on developments which have taken place since the document went to press. Incidentally, although the date on the document is October 1992 because that was when it was ready for distribution in all languages, I would like to point out that it actually went for processing in the month of August. Therefore the information contained in it is updated only until August.
The first item in the document is Restructuring and Revitalization of the United Nations in the Economic, Social and Related Fields. As was reported, the ECOSOC had decided in July to establish an open-ended Ad hoc Working Group on the Role of the UN in Enhancing International Cooperation for Development. This Working Group did meet and conclude its work on 5 October by adopting a Compendium of the position papers submitted to it by delegations or groups of delegations. The General Assembly has now in its turn formed an open-ended Working Group to facilitate negotiations for a draft resolution. That is about all I can say on the matter at this point.
Similarly, on Operational Activities for Development, the General Assembly has had its initial debate on this subject during the last week of October 1992. Informal consultation is now in progress. The discussion on this item followed the earlier debate on which we have reported in ECOSOC. It was based on the Triennial Policy Review prepared by the Department of Economic and Social Development of the United Nations.
During its debate, the General Assembly was informed of the views of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) which groups all the Executive Heads of the United Nations system. At its October 1992 session, the ACC expressed its deep concern at some recent indications of reductions in levels of official development assistance and the significant consequences thereof for voluntary contributions to the operational activities of the UN system. The ACC also noted with deep concern the decline in UNDP approvals and the risk of reduced involvement of UN Specialized Agencies. These developments were having immediate grave consequences for the agencies and could result in an erosion of their capacity, thus impairing their ability to assist developing countries through technical cooperation programmes.
The ACC stressed the urgent need to expedite approval of UNDP projects consistent with resource availability, and to accelerate the effective implementation of successor arrangements for agency support costs. It also invited the relevant intergovernmental bodies to review these matters in 1993 so that appropriate action could be taken in a timely manner.
We have reported in the document on the System-wide Plan of Action for Africa's Economic Recovery and Development. This plan was considered by the UN's Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) at its session in September 1992. The Committee recommended that the Secretary-General should launch at the earliest possible time this System-wide Plan of Action as well as the UN New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s, with the
objective of raising global awareness of the critical socio-economic and environmental situation in Africa. The Committee further recommended that the priorities of the System-wide Plan be used as guidelines for the organs, organizations and bodies of the UN system related to development in Africa. The Committee emphasized the role of the ACC in the follow-up and coordinated implementation of the Plan.
Continuing with Trade and Commodities Issues, as a follow-up to UNCTAD VIII, the new bodies of UNCTAD are now engaged in setting out their plans of work on the basis of their terms of reference decided earlier this year by the Trade and Development Board. At the first meeting held for this purpose last month, the new Standing Committee on Commodities also considered the need for a World Conference on Commodities which, as you know, had been called for at UNCTAD VIII. This question will be pursued further through informal consultation.
Paragraphs 2.12 and 2.13 of the document refer to the Uruguay Round of negotiations. The latest developments are as follows: the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) met in special session in Geneva two days ago, on 10 November. Its Chairman at the official level, Mr Arthur Dunkel, Director-General of GATT, noted that the meetings and negotiations, which had been organized since the TNC had agreed on a work programme in January toward the conclusion of the Round, have not yet yielded any concrete results; that the Uruguay Round is faced with a crisis; and that the negotiating machinery which it set up remained blocked.
Mr Dunkel proposed that the Committee express its dissatisfaction with this state of affairs; that it request its Chairman at the official level personally to bring these concerns to the notice of the authorities in charge of the Uruguay Round in Brussels and Washington, and to urge their cooperation in restarting multilateral negotiations in Geneva; and, finally, that it ask its Chairman to propose a concrete work programme as soon as developments indicate a genuine readiness by all governments to engage in substantive negotiations in Geneva on the basis of transparency and mutual trust. The TNC endorsed the proposals put forward by Mr Dunkel.
Mr Dunkel also reminded the Committee that, even after the essential political breakthroughs have taken place, there will be a great deal of detailed work to be done before the Round can be successfully concluded. For example, he noted that negotiations pertaining to market access and initial commitments in services will be technically time consuming, even with the best political will on the part of all participants.
With regard to the Common Fund for Commodities, it has now undertaken a preliminary review of project profiles for the commodities, which were submitted by the FAO inter-governmental bodies in their capacity as International Commodity Bodies, or ICBs. For a number of these commodities there are good chances for the conclusion of project agreements in the month ahead, while for other commodities we have been disappointed by the response to the proposals.
I shall go on to say a few words of update on the information in the document related to specific emergency situations. With regard to the Special Emergency Programme for the Horn of Africa, an advance of US$1.6 million has been received by FAO from the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs under its Central Emergency Revolving Fund, for the provision of agricultural inputs to
Somalia. Following the SEPHA appeal, the Trust Fund contribution to FAO has increased from the US$8.1 million reported in the document to US$17.2 million. In addition to the areas indicated in the document, FAO interventions also cover the provision of fertilizer and the implementation of small-scale irrigation schemes in drought-affected areas. There has been some donor interest but so far no firm pledges for relief measures aimed at the rehabilitation of animal draught power and the provision of hand tools.
Going on to update the section on the Drought Emergency in Southern Africa (DESA), I would add that between late June and mid-September 1992, FAO has fielded three missions to the Southern African Development Community (SADCC) countries to assess drought-induced emergency relief needs for the agriculture and livestock sectors. Requirements have been estimated at US$55 million. Within the limits of available resources FAO has provided assistance to seven SADCC countries through eight projects valued at US$2.6 million. This assistance has been primarily aimed at securing seed supplies.
The Deputy Director-General has already called to the Council's attention, in his introduction to Item 4, the limited donor support for seeds, hand tools and other inputs, which are essential to enhance or get started again agricultural production in the affected countries. Our experience with the appeal and implementation process in recent months, in collaboration with the Department of Humanitarian Affairs, leads to the conclusion that FAO must stand ready to help the affected countries document their agricultural rehabilitation needs more carefully and comprehensively, and also help obtain the funds for the purchase and distribution of the inputs.
I have a note of correction concerning the information in the document on the proposed World Conference on Human Rights. In the General Assembly Resolution, it was stated that the Conference would be held in Berlin in 1993. It is still planned for 1993, but we have been told informally by the delegate of Germany to FAO that Berlin will not be the venue.
Going on to the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN) which, as you know, will be taking place here at FAO Headquarters from 5 to 11 December of this year, preparations are well in hand under the able management of the FAO/WHO Joint Secretariat which is based here in FAO. Invitations to the conference were sent to governments on 31 July, and after that to other participants. Following the decision taken at PrepCom. 1, last August, there will be a one-day PrepCom. 2 immediately prior to the Conference, that is, on 4 December. Invitations to this meeting were sent to governments on 16 October. The drafts of the World Declaration and Plan of Action for Nutrition, as revised by PrepCom. 1, were also sent out on 15 September to governments, together with the provisional report of the PrepCom for their comments and suggestions, with a view to facilitating consensus on substantive matters.
Regarding the Rules of Procedure of the Conference, the General Rules of FAO will apply mutatis mutandis to the ICN. The PrepCom. 2 will appoint a Nominations Committee comprising 9 members. In this connection, regional groups should endeavour to make known their candidates to the Nominations Committee during pre-conference consultations.
Other details concerning the Provisional Programme and the organization of the work of the ICN are contained in document ICN/92/3.
Finally, I come to the question of the World Food Council. You have requested, in particular, an updating of the information contained in the document on this matter.
The ad hoc Committee established by the World Food Council to make specific proposals to the General Assembly regarding the World Food Council's mandate, functions and options for its future role met in New York in September, and its report is just out. This is one of the matters I mentioned earlier on which no decision has yet been taken and which is now under consideration at the General Assembly. However, this is not the first time that the World Food Council's role functions have been reviewed. There have been several previous occasions and on none of these occasions have FAO's views been formally requested by governments in the fora concerned.
The meeting of the ad hoc Committee in New York on 14 and 15 September was a closed one, and the FAO Representative was not allowed to be present, although he had been invited by the Secretary-General as part of the UN delegation. The Report to the General Assembly was issued in New York only a few days ago and has not been transmitted officially to the Organization. In fact, we have received a copy by fax but only in one language. I will not comment on it. I could inform the Council that the ad hoc Committee has made no clear-cut recommendation. It has presented the options advanced during the discussion on the future of the Council, and it has annexed comments on the report by various countries.
Before I conclude, I should like to correct the record on one matter at the request of the World Food Council Secretariat, that is, that at the last session in Nairobi the Council held four plenary meetings and not two, as is reported in the document.
Mr Chairman, I should like to conclude here, but of course I shall remain available for any clarifications the Council may wish.
Christodoulos CHRISTODOULOU (Cyprus): On behalf of my delegation I wish to welcome the valuable information on the recent developments in the UN system, which is well described in document CL 102/12. Our brief intervention is entirely supportive to what is presented in this document in the form of resolutions, declarations, statements or planned activities. The following comments are limited to some of the issues under review.
We fully agree with the salient points from the statement of FAO Director-General, which was delivered at the ECOSOC session last summer and concern the eradication of poverty, paragraph 1.11. Stressing the need for substantial improvements in the International Trade System, namely as regards fair prices for agricultural commodities and fair terms of trade, we share the view that such a step will create a sound base for eradicating poverty.
Referring to the Humanitarian and Emergency Assistance, page 6, we express our deep appreciation for the cooperation of FAO with the UN Department for Humanitarian Assistance and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. We are pleased to note that FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System as well as the Technical Cooperation Programme have been useful in this case too. Thanks to the promptness and efficacy of TCP, FAO was in the position to provide assistance, in various forms, to countries facing emergencies, like Lesotho, Mozambique, Cambodia and the Philippines.
The brilliant idea to put people at the centre of development, in the World Summit for Social Development, scheduled for 1995, is really of historic importance. We believe that FAO, being directly involved in development activities since its establishment, should be actively involved in the preparations for this World Summit.
Finally, a few words on the forthcoming International Conference on Nutrition. Cyprus attaches great importance to this Conference and will participate with a five-member delegation headed by the Minister of Health. It has participated in the preparatory committee meeting in Cairo, and has delivered the relevant country paper in time.
We expect that the conclusions of this Conference will give an impetus for increased public awareness of the scope and extent of nutritional problems and define strategies and action programmes for resolving these problems.
Cyprus, participating in the global effort to improve public awareness on the need for a balanced diet is organizing a National Seminar on "Food, Nutrition and Health".
The Seminar is organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources with the help of FAO to whom I would like to express our sincere thanks. Participants to the Seminar will be representatives from the public as well as the private sector. Speakers will also come from both the public and private sectors. It is expected that the conclusions of this Seminar will be a valuable input for the preparation of my country's delegation to the forthcoming International Conference on Nutrition.
Finally, arrangements have been made in Cyprus so that all correspondence, internal and external, will be stamped during the period of the Conference, i.e., from 5-11 December, with a special stamp informing the public about the organization of the Conference. Thank you, Mr Chairman.
R. ALLEN (United Kingdom): Mr Chairman, I cannot promise to be brief since this is an important item but I can promise to be to the point and to exercise some self-discipline as you have asked.
As is rightly pointed out in the introduction, this paper is primarily for the information of Member Nations and to keep the Council abreast of developments within the United Nations system which have implications for, and particular relevance to, the work of FAO. It is important that we - the Governing Body of this Organization - take full account of developments elsewhere in the system and the implications these can have for our own Organization.
Again, the paper rightly mentions current efforts to restructure and revitalize the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields, and this was mentioned by Ms Killingsworth in her introduction. The Secretary-General himself has taken the lead in pursuing these objectives and in opening a window of opportunity which should enable the entire UN system to become more effective and equipped to face future challenges. This entails a radical re-think of the UN's contribution to development, particularly at the field level where it counts most. The Director-General has been involved in recent deliberations on how the system can best coordinate and utilize its vast expertise in the follow-up to UNCED. The General Assembly is also considering - as we speak - a wide range of proposals to improve the operational
activities of the UN in development. These proposals are designed to streamline and to decentralize - not to centralize.
In the view of my delegation this report underplays the desire of Member Nations for reform, particularly in governance and in the performance of United Nations bodies in the field. Mr Chairman, the importance of reports of this nature should not be underestimated, but if they are to be taken seriously, these reports must be objective. The report of the ECOSOC Coordination Segment fails to mention that reports of the Agencies were not well received and that ECOSOC required further reporting of a more substantial nature. My delegation would be interested to know what steps FAO is taking to ensure a better performance at the 1993 ECOSOC given the increasing move towards genuine dialogue.
This is an important time of change. We, in Rome, must move with these changes and ensure that FAO does what it was mandated to do and provides an efficient and cost-effective service that has the full confidence of its membership, that is, of donors and recipients alike. This is even more important in the current uncertain economic climate which faces so many of us. We, the Governing Body of this Organization, must ensure that the important reform activities now taking place in New York are implemented in respect of FAO, our Organization.
Here, Mr Chairman, I have to diverge from the views expressed by the delegate of Trinidad and Tobago in the final part of his statement on the previous item of our agenda. We fully accept that a review has taken place of FAO's goals and operations - but, Mr Chairman, given the enormous changes taking place, we cannot simply leave it there. The challenge is clear. It is up to us whether we rise to that challenge and grasp the nettle of change.
While on the subject of change, we would like to commend to this Council the recent document prepared by Urquart and Childers which considered top UN posts. We consider that this document and the ideas that it contains are a useful signpost for the way forward. We consider that the UN system as a whole would benefit from periodic changes at the highest levels.
Regarding paragraphs 1.21 to 1.43 on Humanitarian and Emergency Assistance, we warmly welcome General Assembly Resolution 46/182 strengthening United Nations coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance. The elements outlined in paragraphs 1.23 and 1.24 should encourage appropriate and timely response to increasing disaster needs and provide an effective framework for improved international donor cooperation.
We are particularly pleased to note the linkage of emergency assistance measures with longer-term development, and planned early involvement in emergencies of UN development assistance organizations. Mr Chairman, it is vital to minimize the risk of recurring emergencies. We fully recognize the importance of FAO's contributions in Africa over the past year via the Global Information and Early Warning System reports, and participation in UN food assessment missions. We welcome the activity in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee - the success of which is vital if improved coordination is to be achieved. Just as vital is proper coordination by country representatives and staff.
Mr Chairman, these are exceptional times in humanitarian relief terms requiring exceptional efforts if the UN, and its individual agencies, are to play the roles which the world, and particularly the victims of emergencies and disasters, require of them.
We note paragraphs 1.44 to 1.53 of the report regarding Operational Activities and the comments regarding support costs. We will address this issue at a later point on the Agenda. The various other issues raised under this section will be fully debated at UNGA 47th in the discussion on the triennial policy review. It would therefore seem to us redundant, Mr Chairman, to discuss them in any detail at this Council.
Paragraphs 1.64 and 1.73 of the report discuss the World Summit for Social Development. A final decision authorizing the Summit is likely to be taken shortly at UNGA, and the likely date will not be until late 1994 or 1995; we therefore consider that it is not yet necessary for substantive work until it is authorized by UNGA. We fully recognize that FAO will have a major role to play in the proposed Summit, but that role must be matched to the agreed objectives and agenda of the Summit. This Mr Chairman is not yet known.
If I may now turn to Section 2 of the document, Mr Chairman, I will be selective in my comments.
We retain our long held doubts relating to the World Food Council. An ad hoc report by the Council on its own future mandate is unlikely to be an objective basis for change. We therefore hope that the General Assembly will conduct a rigorous scrutiny of the need for this Council.
Mr Chairman, the Section relating to Trade and Commodity issues refers to the Common Fund. The resources of the Common Fund are limited and this needs to be borne in mind when considering the size and number of projects to be submitted.
We welcome FAO's contribution to UN activities in the field of drug abuse control and therefore we welcome FAO's involvement in recent UNDCP consultations in Islamabad and Beirut to discuss drug control assistance. We were extremely interested by the description of research into Remote Sensing by the Research Technology Development Division. We look forward to seeing the results of this research. If it is successful this could be an extremely useful tool in evaluating the success of crop eradication and crop substitution.
On the Human Rights Section, Mr Chairman, our understanding is actually that the World Conference on Human Rights will now be held in Vienna and not Berlin as has been mentioned by Ms Killingsworth in her introduction.
Finally, Mr Chairman, we look forward to attending the International Conference on Nutrition next month. We consider that the ICN Declaration and Plan of Action finally emanating from this Conference must be as realistic and as achievable as possible. Anything else would be a total waste of time. Thank you, Mr Chairman.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie le délégué du Royaume-Uni de son intervention très précise et concrète. Il a fait allusion à un plan, je pense qu'il aura l'occasion, plus tard, de préciser de quel plan il s'agit.
Mustapha-Menouar SINACEÜR (Maroc): Merci Monsieur le Président. L'examen de ce document appelle quelques remarques et observations de la part des pays au nom desquels je prends la parole, à savoir l'Algérie, la Libye, la Tunisie et mon propre pays. S'agissant de la question relative à la promotion de la femme et bienqu'en introduisant ce document, le Secrétariat ait remarqué que ce sujet était très vaste et que l'on ne pouvait pas s'intéresser à toutes les questions, surtout celles qui font déjà l'objet d'autres points de l'ordre du jour, je voudrais quand même relever qu'à propos des résolutions pertinentes de l'Assemblée générale, on a passé sous silence un événement assez important, à savoir le Sommet qui s'est déroulé à Genève au début de cette année pour la promotion de la femme rurale, sommet auquel ont participé beaucoup de premières dames. Je pense qu'il aurait peut-être fallu en dire quelques mots au sujet de la promotion de la femme, en parlant des résolutions pertinentes de l'Assemblée générale et de ce Sommet qui, je l'espère, sera suivi de nombreuses décisions concrètes.
Toujours sur le même sujet et au nom des pays pour lesquels je prends la parole à propos du paragraphe d), lorsqu'on parle de la Résolution 46/100 (Amélioration de la situation des femmes au Secrétariat), par laquelle le Secrétaire général des Nations Unies est prié d'accroître le nombre des femmes au Secrétariat des Nations Unies, j'aimerais avoir la précision suivante de la part du Secrétariat: le champ de cette résolution se limite-t-il à New York ou concerne-t-il tout le système des Nations Unies? Nous avons entendu parler d'un objectif de 35 pour cent en 1995, lequel objectif pourrait être reporté à 1997. Nous aimerions bien avoir quelques éclaircissements sur cette question.
S'agissant des préparatifs de la Conférence internationale sur la nutrition, je pense que le document est assez clair. Nos pays ont pris une part active aux travaux des comités préparatoires et des réunions régionales. J'aimerais simplement faire une observation à ce sujet, à savoir que, lors de la dernière réunion d'information qui s'est tenue au Siège de la FAO, le Secrétariat nous a parlé des préparatifs de cette importante conférence mais, à cette époque, il a passé sous silence une certaine information. Certains pays ont été informés par la suite, du voeu du Secrétariat d'appeler une eminente personnalité à la présidence de cette importante réunion. Je crois que cette information aurait peut-être dû être portée à l'attention des pays membres au cours de cette réunion d'information.
S'agissant maintenant du Conseil mondial de l'alimentation, un processus est actuellement en cours, et nous sommes tous prêts à reconnaître que la décision n'appartient pas au Conseil et qu'elle doit être prise à New York. Mais beaucoup de choses ont été dites à ce sujet et j'aimerais d'abord remercier Mme Killingsworth d'avoir apporté ce complément d'informations sur la réunion du Groupe ad hoc. Il y a quand même certains développements dont nous avons eu connaissance et qui, à notre sens, auront ou auraient - tout dépend de la décision qui sera prise mardi prochain à l'Assemblée générale - des répercussions que nous considérons positives pour l'Organisation. Ces éléments d'appréciation qui figurent dans le Rapport du Groupe ad hoc font actuellement l'objet de discussions, entre délégations, à New York. Il y a quand même des faits dont on aimerait que l'on prenne note. Par exemple, dans les propositions qui seraient faites pour revitaliser ce Conseil qui, malheureusement, pendant toutes ces dernières années, n'a pas donné tous les résultats que l'on attendait de lui, il y aurait l'idée que les ministres de l'agriculture se réuniraient en session, en marge de la Conférence de la FAO, tous les deux ans, et non plus annuellement un peu partout à travers le monde.
Je crois que c'est une chose qui peut être considérée comme importante pour nous: que les ministres de l'agriculture puissent se réunir en marge de la Conférence générale de la FAO pour parler de cette importante question de la sécurité alimentaire.
Le deuxième fait important dont nous aimerions qu'il soit également pris note, c'est que l'on parle actuellement de renforcer le mandat du Comité de la sécurité alimentaire de la FAO. Je crois qu'il s'agit là d'un élément fondamental pour notre Organisation. Ce sont donc là principalement les deux éléments qui, si on leur donnait suite au cours des discussions qui auront lieu, l'année prochaine, à New York, pourraient avoir des répercussions positives sur notre Organisation à l'avenir.
Voilà les quelques observations que je voulais faire. En ce qui concerne la question précise de la promotion de la femme rurale, nous aimerions obtenir une réponse.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie très vivement le délégué du Maroc de son intervention précise et concrète. Je me permettrai de lui faire remarquer que le but de la Conférence de la FAO est de rassembler le maximum de Ministres responsables au sein de l'Organisation pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture, donc pas du tout en marge de la Conférence mais en son sein. La fonction essentielle des ministres de l'agriculture est de donner à l'Organisation les grandes orientations dans le cadre de la Conférence et non pas en marge de celle-ci. Leur présence est indispensable à la Conférence elle-même.
Jacques LAUREAU (France): Je voudrais faire un certain nombre de remarques sur le document qui nous a été soumis. Comme le sujet de la réforme des institutions des Nations Unies a également été évoqué par le Directeur général, il me semble que nous dépassons obligatoirement la simple réception d'une information pour engager une sorte de débat. A cet égard, je dois dire que je partage les remarques faites par mon collègue du Royaume-Uni, à savoir que le rapport qui nous est soumis reste trop général et trop factuel en ce qui concerne la question de la réforme des institutions des Nations Unies. Il nous semble que, compte tenu du débat à l'Assemblée générale, ce rapport méritait d'être plus ambitieux et d'ouvrir de plus grandes perspectives.
Comme le rappelait, par exemple, l’aide-mémoire du 18 septembre 1992 déposé par mon pays, "le monde est aujourd'hui confronté à de nombreux défis qui traduisent une aspiration générale à un développement économique centré sur l'homme. Ces défis s'adressent avant tout aux Nations Unies dans leur ensemble qui ont largement assuré la promotion de cette conception du développement. Mais dans un contexte financier difficile, les Nations Unies ne peuvent satisfaire cette attente sans améliorer l'efficacité de leur intervention par une réforme des activités économiques et sociales".
Nous estimons que cette réforme, amorcée notamment par les Résolutions 44/211 et 45/264 de l'Assemblée générale, doit être à la fois ambitieuse dans son objectif et progressive dans son application, comme le soulignent les orientations définies par la communauté internationale et auxquelles la France s'associe pleinement. Nous croyons qu'elle pourrait s'appliquer en priorité aux activités opérationnelles des Nations Unies en se consacrant tout d'abord aux fonds et programmes.
Avant tout, il faut que le Conseil économique et social soit mis en mesure de mieux remplir sa mission de coordination de l'ensemble du système, ce qui suppose à la fois, d'une part, un renforcement de la coordination dans les enceintes appropriées (débats de haut niveau, CAC, etc.) avec les institutions financières multilatérales et, d'autre part, une certaine centralisation - je me réfère aux propos du Directeur général - par le Conseil économique et social en ce qui concerne la programmation des institutions spécialisées de la famille des Nations Unies. L'idéal serait d'aboutir à l'adoption d'un programme unique par pays, l’ECOSOC jouant ainsi le rôle d'un "Conseil international du développement".
Mais, bien entendu, cet objectif suppose une analyse détaillée des implications pour les agences et devrait prendre en compte les avantages attachés à la préservation d'un degré d'autonomie suffisant des institutions spécialisées comme la FAO.
En attendant, soyons pragmatiques et commençons par réformer et coordonner les activités opérationnelles de développement des simples organes subsidiaires de l'Assemblée générale ou de l'ECOSOC, c'est-à-dire celles des fonds et programmes. Dans une première étape, cela viserait le PNUD, le FNUAP, le PNUE, le PAM et l'UNICEF. Il s'agirait de définir un programme unique par pays pour ces fonds et programmes, sous la responsabilité d'un coordinateur résident des Nations Unies, placé lui-même sous l'autorité du Secrétaire général.
La restructuration de l'ECOSOC et du Secrétariat leur permettrait de mieux suivre et orienter cette programmation unique par pays. Ce serait en effet au Conseil économique et social qu'il reviendrait, aux termes mêmes de la charte, d'assurer la cohérence centrale des activités de développement. Or, le Conseil économique et social, réformé par la Résolution 45/264, dispose d'ores et déjà des structures internes et des compétences lui permettant de remplir les fonctions d'orientation et de coordination en faisant un "Conseil international du développement" qui devrait définir les axes du développement économique et social de la coordination qui en découle.
Quant aux agences spécialisées, comme celle où se réunit aujourd'hui votre Conseil, il ne faut pas ruiner les avantages attachés à la préservation d'un degré d'autonomie suffisant. Chacune des agences spécialisées a un rôle spécifique qu'il convient de respecter, ce qui veut dire que nous leur reconnaissons une capacité autonome et propre à engager les réformes internes nécessaires en vue d'un fonctionnement coordonné et cohérent du système des Nations Unies. Or ce sont des propositions et des études allant dans ce sens que nous attendons dorénavant et qui donnerait au rapport sur les faits nouveaux dans le système des Nations Unies un contenu plus opérationnel que la seule description qui nous est soumise aujourd'hui. Voilà ce que la France demande au Secrétariat de faire.
Je voudrais aborder maintenant deux autres points qui ont été mentionnés. En ce qui concerne le Conseil mondial de l'alimentation, une discussion a en effet eu lieu à New York, il y a deux jours. Pour notre part, du côté français, nous soutenons le maintien de l'existence du Conseil mondial de l'alimentation, estimant qu'il peut être un forum utile de discussions libres entre ministres et personnalités de haut niveau, à condition que l'ordre du jour porte sur deux jours seulement et que les réunions du Conseil mondial de l'alimentation aient lieu les années où ne se réunit pas la Conférence de manière à assurer la permanence du dialogue.
Enfin, en ce qui concerne la Conférence internationale sur la nutrition, nous estimons qu'il s'agit là d'une excellente idée et nous tenons à féliciter le Secrétariat conjoint du remarquable travail de préparation qui a été fait. Nous nous réservons de faire des propositions plus opérationnelles que celles suggérées dans les lignes d'action, qui restent très générales.
En même temps, je voulais dire à notre collègue marocain qu'en effet, Mme Weil, qui fera partie de la délégation française, a reçu au mois de juillet une lettre lui demandant si elle était disposée à tenir la présidence de cette conférence. Bien entendu, Mme Weil n'y viendrait que s'il y avait consensus à ce sujet. Mais je ne doute pas qu'il puisse être obtenu.
Enfin, je voulais préciser que la délégation française sera dirigée par M. Bernard Kouchner, Ministre de la Santé et de l'Action humanitaire, qui est particulièrement qualifié pour participer aux débats sur cette question.
Voilà ce que je voulais dire en insistant une nouvelle fois, comme je le pense d'autre délégations le feront, pour que l'adaptation de la FAO, par ses propres moyens, au défi de la réorganisation des Nations Unies soit engagée le plus vite possible.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie vivement l'Ambassadeur de France de son importante déclaration. Nous aurons l'occasion de faire part de nos sentiments à ce sujet. Il a soulevé différents points très importants.
Elias REYES BRAVO (México): Mi delegación desea expresar, Sr. Presidente, el reconocimiento a la Secretaria de la FAO por el informe que nos presenta en el documento CL 102/12, el cual permite a los Estados Miembros conocer aquellas novedades que han ocurrido en el Sistema de Naciones Unidas y que tienen repercusión en la labor de esta Organización y que son de especial interés para la misma.
Los temas que aborda el documento ponen de manifiesto el ámbito de acción mundial de las Naciones Unidas, lo cual nos lleva a reiterar la necesidad de una eficaz coordinación entre órganos y organismos y de una acción armónica interagencial que permita una aplicación más eficiente de los recursos disponibles.
En general, consideramos de interés indiscutible los temas de que se informa en las dos secciones del documento. En particular, mi delegación desea destacar lo relativo al punto sobre: Actividades operacionales para el desarrollo, por considerar que si bien este punto es interesante en lo que toca a la acción interagencial, lo es también en lo que toca a la participación y a la relación entre los Estados en particular con los organismos internacionales, en este case con la FAO.
Consideramos, entonces, que los Estados en particular debemos realizar esfuerzos porque la relación y la cooperación con organizaciones como ésta que ahora nos convoca, sean cada vez más fructíferas conjugando las principales vertientes de acción de la FAO, es decir: el desarrollo y aprovechamiento de los sistemas de información; la formulación de proyectos de cooperación técnica y la realización de reuniones de trabajo en los foros como este Consejo.
Vincular nuestros discursos a las acciones especificas allá en el campo constituye una condición para alcanzar soluciones a nuestros problemas.
Bo WILEN (Sweden): I have the honour of making this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
The document presented on this Agenda Item, CL 102/12, as well as Ms Killingsworth's updated information today, give an interesting review of what is going on in the rest of the UN system. We have found several of the items reported on interesting, but will concentrate our intervention here on the ongoing reforms of operational activities for development. The discussions regarding this issue taking place in the ECOSOC and in the General Assembly are, in our mind, highly relevant to FAO.
The Nordic countries believe that multilateral cooperation offers important comparative advantages in the form of good potential for a multisectoral approach to development, in a transparent system without inappropriate political strings and commercial interests. Nevertheless, various studies commissioned by the Nordic UN project indicate that there is considerable room for improvement of the UN operational activities. Multilateral assistance through the UN system has to a large extent suffered from fragmentation, lack of focus and inability to make optimal use of its advantages.
We therefore believe that reform of the intergovernmental and organizational structures of the UN system is a precondition for a stronger UN in the fields of operational activities. The UN system will only be as strong as the member countries enable it to be, by the establishment of governing bodies that give clear policy guidance and ensure sound management accountability as well as provision of adequate and predictable financial means. As you are aware, the Nordic countries, through the Nordic UN project, have already presented proposals regarding the issues of governance and financing.
The Nordic countries recognize Resolution 44/211 as a good basis for reform of UN development assistance at the field level. In the three years' period since the last policy review, some steps have been taken by several UN organizations, their governing bodies and various coordination committees regarding national execution, programme approach and system-wide issues such as the successor arrangement to support cost. But much remains to be done. Growing development needs and increasing restraints on resources do not allow for further delays and should inspire us to be more specific in our efforts to make the UN system work better. FAO is an important part of this system, and any reform of the general system will also be important for this Organization.
The reforms needed at the field level pertain both to issues of substance and organization. Changes in the demands of the developing countries and the global economic and political context call for changes in the assistance provided. New emphasis on the interdependence of development issues requires more coherent and stronger multisectoral response by the UN development system. Resources are scarce and therefore need to be managed in the most cost effective manner. Moreover, there is a clear relationship between the efficiency of the system and the resource availability.
The Nordic countries support strongly the efforts made to enhance the cooperation among the UN organizations at the field level by the development
of a single UN country strategy. We see this as a good mechanism for mobilizing UN support in a more coherent manner and for strengthening the UN team work at the field level under the leadership of the resident coordinator. We support an enhanced role for the resident coordinator, on the understanding that the ultimate responsibility for coordination of external assistance lies with the national government. Accordingly the formulation of a UN country strategy is contingent upon the existence of a national development framework.
Connected to the UN country strategy are other programming mechanisms like the programme approach and national execution. Replacing a project approach by a programme approach contributes to greater relevance, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and impact in relation to national programmes and priorities. We believe that more extensive use of national execution increases the national responsibility for development activities and strengthens the governments' capacity to coordinate external assistance. To facilitate the implementation of these mechanisms, there is a need for clear and consistent instructions and system-wide guidelines.
During the debate on the operational activities in the General Assembly it was stated by a majority of the delegations that the tools for more efficient operations and programmes in the field, such as the programme approach and national execution, need to be defined in a system-wide manner. The Nordic countries are satisfied that FAO is moving towards programme approach in its field programme, but we feel it is of utmost importance that this be done in close cooperation with other organizations and agencies when the common concepts are clarified.
We are pleased to observe that reforms are under way not only in the Economic and Social Council itself but also in the programmes related to it. Any reform of UN organizations or agencies must, however, take into account the general framework of changes that the Secretary-General of the UN has announced in his opening statement of UNCED follow-up discussion in the General Assembly just a week ago. With a streamlined UN Headquarters as the first step, clearer lines of responsibility and simpler structure outlined by the Secretary-General imply significant changes in the field structure, decentralization of authority and capacity, as well as unified presence. These changes will affect the operational activities and necessarily create the need for changes in the operation of specialized agencies like FAO. The Nordic countries would like to hear from the Secretariat what implications such changes would have for FAO.
We trust the FAO is willing and interested in adjusting its role within the UN system's developments efforts in order to be able to respond to new demands and challenges the multilateral assistance is facing. This requires a new approach and innovative attitude as well as a spirit of teamwork. The criticism towards the central funding concept that constituted FAO's statement during the operational activities debate in the General Assembly does not reflect the kind of constructive approach that is now called for from all development assistance partners. Whatever the future structures of the operational arm of the UN are, the increased need for substantial transfer of skills and capacity-building remain. The Nordic countries remain assured that FAO will contribute towards attaining a cost-effective and efficient UN in its development task.
In conclusion, the Nordic delegations are satisfied that FAO is moving towards a programme approach in its field programme. We also trust that FAO is
interested in adjusting its role within the UN system's developments efforts in order to be able to respond to the new demands and challenges that multilateral assistance is facing. Increased emphasis on substantial transfer of skills and capacity-building will be needed in the future.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie très vivement le Royaume de Suède de son intervention. Il est clair que l'articulation dans des secteurs déterminés comme celui de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture doit se faire autour des organismes responsables. Si l'on veut une coordination il faut déterminer de manière très claire les responsabilités de chacun. Or, les responsabilités de la FAO semblent très nettement définies de par son Acte constitutif et il est donc souhaitable que cette articulation se fasse compte tenu de ses responsabilités propres.
Je crois également que l'approche par programme doit être recherchée, mais que pour élaborer de bons programmes il faut déjà avoir l'expérience d'un certain nombre de projets. L'élaboration d'un programme doit être basée précisément sur un certain nombre d'expériences précises, concrètes et opérationnelles.
John Bruce SHARPE (Australia): I join with those who have preceded me in thanking those involved in the preparation of this document and also Ms Killingsworth for her informative introduction. A perusal of the document indicates the extent of the diversity of the work of the UN, particularly when it is considered that what is covered here is only a small part, that which is of interest, or relates in some way, to FAO. I should like to touch briefly on a few aspects of the report which are of particular interest to Australia.
Firstly, on the question of restructuring and revitalization of the UN economic, social and related fields, Australia favours review of the UN system and, if necessary, the implementation of reforms which will improve that system. Widespread institutional reform in the United Nations system is an essential prerequisite for winning the additional resources needed for the fight against hunger and malnutrition. We need to be able to demonstrate that existing resources are being used efficiently and effectively.
This is a position we advocated in Nairobi. Australia took an active part in the discussions on the future of the World Food Council in Nairobi in June of this year. We also made a written submission to the ad hoc Committee established at that session to review and report on this matter and provided comments on that report, which has now gone forward for consideration in New York.
Australia strongly supports the extent of FAO's participation in the UN system-wide activities for the advancement of women and its collaboration with other agencies in Women in Development initiatives.
My Government congratulates the FAO for its contribution toward the International Conference on Nutrition and lends its support to achieving a unanimous adoption of a declaration on food and nutrition and a plan of action at the ICN in Rome in December of this year. The discussions during the PrepCom, in which Australia actively participated, will go far in assuring a successful conclusion at the ICN. The background document to the ICN, "Nutrition and Development: A Global Assessment", provides an excellent framework for the declaration and plan of action. The level of global
malnutrition is declining. However, it is still of significant proportions and requires concerted action if it is to be eliminated. The declaration and plan of action, in seeking the integration of nutrition, health and agriculture policies, will, for the first time, allow such an approach to be implemented, but, if significant gains are to be made, the nutrition sector must co-opt all workers in the food system as allies to an agreed plan of action.
In September 1992 an Australian National Food and Nutrition Policy was released and funds of more than 4 million dollars allocated to food and nutrition initiatives over the next few years. Under this programme, priority action has been identified in the areas of nutrition, nutrition information, education, monitoring and surveillance, specific programmes for disadvantaged groups and food supply changes consistent with dietary guidelines. The National Health and Medical Research Council which provides scientific advice to the Australian Government will be supporting these initiatives through the revision and development of references and scientific tools for the policy, implementation and evaluation.
Australia will be represented at the ICN and will again actively participate in the development of an agreed declaration on nutrition and plan of action.
As you are well aware, this report also covers developments in the Uruguay Round until October. I will refrain from commenting further on this extremely important issue, the outcome of which has significant implications for a large proportion of the membership of FAO and in particular for developing country members.
As a leading member of the Cairns Group of countries, Australia's views on the Uruguay Round are well known and well documented. They are covered in the Australian intervention on Agenda Item 4 by the leader of the Australian Delegation, Dr Geoffrey Miller.
Paolo Vincenzo MASSA (Italy): As the Representative of the Host Country of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN system, allow me to go on record with a few considerations on the Item touched on in paragraph 2.1-2.4 of CL 102/12: that is to say, on the question of the review of the mandate of operations and future role of the World Food Council. We have taken careful note of all the proposals expressed by the Council itself in its Ministerial session in Nairobi last June and also of the report of the ad hoc Committee held in September in New York.
What we have noted is that, whilst all members of the Council fully agree on the need for reforms to the United Nations system, including the Council itself, on the other hand all Council members still agree on the validity of the objectives which are within the mandate of the Council, whilst a few member countries expect an improvement in the system, from the transfer of the Council's function to other United Nations bodies and the Council's dissolution, the majority of members wish to improve the Council's effectiveness through fundamental reforms of the Council itself.
Italy's viewpoint is that, whilst we fully recognize the need for substantial reform, we also think that the function of the World Food Council should be preserved. A Ministerial-level body can provide much-needed policy guidance and political impulse on major food security questions, not only energizing
the three agricultural organizations, but also catalyzing individual national administrations in their support.
As there is apparently the need to bridge the opposing positions on the question, we think that for the moment the Council should be retained as a separate entity and undertake immediate reforms, whilst keeping under review logger-term opportunities on alternative solutions. In time, as a reform of the UN system proceeds, it will be possible to assess better if and how the coordinating functions of the Council could be attributed to other restructured and revitalized bodies such as ECOSOC or ACC.
Therefore, we think that the World Food Council should re-assert its role, update its mandate and mainly streamline its structure. In this, we go along with the ideas expressed by the French delegation about the reforming of the Agenda, the focus of the mandate on more topical issues, and adjusting the frequency, venue and length of the meetings of the Council. We also think that they should be biennial, they should be held in alternate years to the General Conference of FAO, they should last only two days, and, finally, they should all be held in Rome, thus avoiding the cost of the transfer of the Secretariat.
As the host country, Italy is fully supportive of all the organizations, including the Council, which have a seat in Rome. We would increase its responsibilities in order to ensure that the shortcomings of the Council's activities will be overcome through the most appropriate logistic arrangements.
LE PRESIDENT: Je voudrais souligner que le principal organisme ministériel compétent en matière d'alimentation et d'agriculture est incontestablement la Conférence de la FAO.
Deddy SUDARMAN (Indonesia): As we know now, we have now entered into a time of unprecedented changes in world politics and economy. These changes in the international environment could also have profound implications for food security. We noted that many developing countries are still facing the problems of poverty, hunger and malnutrition. Considering the major role of agriculture in the development of most developing countries, due to its large contribution to the national economy, it is imperative to keep food and agricultural issues as priority items on the international agenda of cooperation.
In this connection, support should be given to the efforts of developing countries in seeking ways and means to reduce poverty and to enhance food security and self-sufficiency by raising the productivity of agricultural producers, particularly of smallholders and women farmers. Cooperation between exporting and importing countries should also be increased through, inter alia, the management of bufferstocks to prevent shortages of essential food products. Greater efforts to establish ways and means for the exchange of information and experiences should be promoted, with specific reference to joint food production ventures and cooperative schemes for the production of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs.
With regard to the prevailing trends toward the restructuring, revitalization and democratization of the UN, the improvement of the Organization and methods
of work of the UN System and its Specialized Agencies and subsidiary bodies should be encouraged to make them more responsive to the changing realities, and more effective and efficient in implementing their mandates. In this context, better coordination among the UN agencies and bodies dealing with policies and programmes of food and agriculture should be pursued. In this regard, FAO's initiatives to conduct intensive consultations with other Rome-based food and agriculture agencies should be strengthened to achieve the objective of eradication of poverty, hunger and malnutrition.
Ms Melinda KIMBLE (United States of America): Before I begin I should like to thank both Ms Killingsworth for her introduction and the Secretariat for its work on this item.
I would like to share our impressions of the dialogue on the United Nations system reform which has been actively pursued by Member Governments since the level meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council this high-summer.
This discussion and its central themes are of systemic importance. We believe that the ideas being considered in New York have compelling relevance for the FAO.
We understand that the thrust of the reform of UN operational activities is aimed at making a coherent whole of many disparate, fragmented parts, by focusing on individual country programmes as the pivotal units for action, policy coordination and decision-making. The reorganization now under way in ECOSOC is designed to give member states a larger voice in governance and to cut through bureaucratic layers which deal with the development process. Just as important, it is meant to equip the system to mobilize rapid, concerted field-level responses by appropriate agencies at the onset of major or complex emergencies. Not centralized planning but streamlining and decentralization are the goals of this reorganization.
The potential transformation of ECOSOC into a broad forum for policy formulation will have far-reaching implications for system reform. This process will be further strengthened by the establishment of a commission on sustainable development as an arm of ECOSOC.
These changes in UN governance open up opportunities for a more active, considered intervention by member states in the agenda-setting process. In this regard, the member-driven list of goals embodied in Agenda 21 should help to guide the redesigning of agendas and priorities for the UN system as a whole, and for the FAO in particular.
To translate these goals into action, members need to engage in open exchanges of views. We need to overcome futile antagonisms to look freshly and decidedly at the consequences of our programmes and our priorities. We have little time to lose.
The winds of change are sweeping the globe and the UN system. We believe that the reforms under active consideration in New York will advance the necessary improvements in organization and resource utilization, but only if ultimately accepted by the entire system. On 27 October the US Permanent Representative to the UN in his statement to the 2nd Committee of the General Assembly stated our commitment to further developing mechanisms for programme and financial review with the aim of strengthening field operations. Our Permanent
Representative also made clear our belief, shared by others, that periodic changes at the highest levels throughout the system are a valuable component of this dynamic process of change and renewal.
In a world of exhaustible and limited resources, we cannot do everything. We must learn from the best and the worst of development programmes, to determine whether our efforts can achieve real, lasting improvements. What our hardest lessons suggest is that focus is critical and the impact of national policies pervasive.
Instruments must be put in place to provide for greater membership oversight over the process of choosing and evaluating field programmes. The criteria for those programmes should be clearly aimed to develop sustainable national capacities and alternatives to dependence. With respect to the World Food Council, my delegation would like to reinforce the views expressed by the United Kingdom. We too have doubts regarding the need for this organization.
One area of overreaching interest is international participation in drug control. We note with interest FAO's narcotics-related projects in Afghanistan and Burma and welcome its involvement in recent UNDP consultations in Islamabad and Beirut to discuss drug control assistance.
We urge the FAO to take drug control objectives into account in project design and development in areas afflicted by drug transit and production. To this end, we encourage FAO Representatives to be fully informed so that counter-narcotics options can be considered in establishing country programmes.
The United States supports the actions and recommendations contained in the document under consideration and the implementation of UNGA Resolution 46/100 entitled "Improvementof the Status of Women in the Secretariat". In particular, we call attention to the commitment by FAO to inter-agency cooperation to pool expertise and resources in this work, and its collaboration with other UN bodies in activities for the advancement of rural women.
We look forward to a time when more women are represented in the managerial and professional levels of the FAO and other UN agencies.
The time for change has come. We have seen walls of repression and tyranny come tumbling down. But many remain, and the world is far from a healthy and secure place. The explosion of long-repressed ethnic and national conflicts, the persistence of malnourishment, deforestation, the destruction of natural habitats, the extinction of plant and animal species, the increase in tragic, complex emergencies - these problems demand our most concerted responses. The UN system working as a coordinated whole can play a vital role in mobilizing the leadership and collective will to make multilateral development a powerful instrument for eradicating poverty and preserving the earth's resources.
In contrast to some views expressed, we see reform as a dynamic and essential process, not a book that closed in the last decade. The strengthening of FAO is imperative and closely linked to the system-wide effort of programmatic reform, administrative restructuring and budgetary restraint. These changes are especially important for those engaged in creating solutions to the problems of world hunger and rural neglect. To ignore the UN mandate for vigorous, rapid change would be to consign the FAO to the sidelines. We cannot entertain this possibility.
R.C.A. JAIN (India): Document CL 102/12 very competently details the developments in the UN system of interest to FAO for the information of Member Nations. We are hopeful that the revamped ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies will now pursue their respective mandates with greater vigour and cohesion and inter-agency coordination.
We also look with great optimism on the functioning of the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs under the able leadership of Mr Jan Eliasson, Under Secretary-General, and Emergency Relief Coordination for the strengthening of coordinated humanitarian emergency assistance, particularly in regard to the continuum from relief to rehabilitation and development.
My delegation is gratified to note FAO's close interface and involvement with UN/DHA in responding to developing emergencies in Africa and elsewhere. India has considerable experience in disaster management, amply demonstrated in our handling of the drought of 1987 - one of the worst in this century.
My delegation views with great interest the proposed study on combating aridity, soil erosion, water logging, desertification and the effects of drought in South Asia, to be prepared by the FAO on the request of the Secretary General, sequel to ECOSOC Resolution 1991/97.
However, we continue to view with concern the slow progress in the issuance of guidelines on training and briefing by UNDP in regard to implementing the successor support costs arrangements. Delay in putting into operation the new complex system is liable to tell upon UNDP's delivery as well as FAO's performance in this regard.
I should like to put on record our appreciation of the deep involvement and support of FAO to the ICN process during the last two years, culminating in the Conference in Rome early next month. The developing countries look with great anticipation on the outcome of the Conference, particularly the Declaration and the Plan of Action which will determine the quality of the international community's response in the coming decades to the intractable problems of poverty, hunger and malnutrition.
If I may add a word on the "Programme Approach", concerning Paragraph 1.49 of the document, currently in vogue in the UNDP parlance, I should like to reiterate the position that the programmes that the UN system or other international organizations participating in a country's development process need to follow should be the programme of the national government. Such programmes are often detailed in the development plans, such as the Five-Year Plans in the case of India. Any efforts to hoist plans, programmes or priorities from outside the country, be it from the United Nations or any other external organization, may go against the sound principles of planning which consider people's participation as a sine qua non of the development process. Even from the standpoint of resources earmarked for poverty alleviation and other development efforts by national governments and external organizations, the national government should be the final arbiter in the process of decision-making in its national development efforts. Any attempt to abrogate their authority to the detriment of development programmes and priorities may not only raise the question of the efficacy of such an effort but would also go against tenets of democracy.
My delegation would therefore call for a flexible and effective programme approach which provides support to the national governments to develop their national programmes, to be implemented by financial and technical support from the UN and other international organizations.
Adel EL-SARKI (Egypt) (Original language Arabic): My country's delegation welcomes FAO's efforts in reviewing the recent developments in the UN system of interest to the FAO, embodied in the document we are discussing now. My delegation cannot but express its appreciation to the Secretariat for the outstanding preparation of such a document. We should also like to thank Ms Killingsworth for the fine introduction of this document.
Having carefully studied the first section of the document relating to Restructuring and Revitalization of the United Nations in the Economic, Social and Related Fields, my delegation wishes to welcome the FAO's active involvement in the deliberations relating to this issue, in addition to its positive response to the relief operations in emergencies as described in paragraphs 1.26 to 1.30. More particularly, we appreciate FAO's efforts in the Horn of Africa through the relief operations office.
Concerning paragraphs 1.31 to 1.39 dealing with the critical situation in Africa, my delegation would like to praise FAO's efforts in assessing the food requirements of these countries, with positive results in the face of disasters.
My delegation endorses the review of the World Food Council's mandate, functions and structure. This is in order to enable it to fulfil its mandate, namely the preparation of policies contributing to the uprooting of hunger and poverty.
Furthermore, my delegation supports the contents of paragraph 2.14 and FAO's efforts in supplying the developing countries with technical advice, thus helping them for the Uruguay multilateral negotiations.
We would also like to express our appreciation for the action taken by FAO in promoting the status of women.
We should also like to welcome the IFAD effort in convening a summit meeting on the promotion of economic and social conditions of rural women. Concerning the role of Egypt in the promotion of women, we shall deal with it in the future.
As for paragraphs 2.51 to 2.54 concerning the ICN Conference, we all undoubtedly agree on the importance of convening such a conference. Therefore, we fully endorse the FAO's participation in the preparation of such a conference.
In this connection my country, Egypt, played host to the Near East Regional Meeting in the preparation of this conference. Moreover, we set up an expert technical committee entrusted with the task of preparing the working papers for the delegation of Egypt to that conference. It is our intention to take part in the deliberations of the ICN at the highest level.
In conclusion, we hope the FAO will strengthen further its cooperation with the financial institutions.
Mohmed Said HARBI (Sudan) (Original language Arabic): I should like to commend the Secretariat for preparing document CL 102/12 on Recent Developments in the United Nations System of Interest to FAO. I should like to comment briefly on paragraphs 1.54 to 1.63 which deal with the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development. I will refer in this context to the situation in my country.
It is abundantly clear that the Programme of Action is an expression of the renewal of the commitment of the international community and the African countries to cooperate in the field of sustainable socio-economic development of Africa in the 1990s. We in the Sudan, in spite of the desertification and drought spells we faced in the 1980s, committed ourselves to the objective promoted by FAO, namely to give development an internal character and to adopt and enhance self-reliance.
In the new programme we are implementing, we are committed to pursuing agricultural and rural development strategies and policies aimed at fully integrating the rural economies into the national economy, and at achieving food security and enhancing food self-reliance.
We are also committed, Mr Chairman, to improving our agricultural policy. We managed to increase agricultural productivity and we established an appropriate credit scheme and storage facilities.
The producing households, and women in particular, were provided with the necessary resources for food production and for participating in development. Special attention was paid to rural women, thanks to the role played by UNICEF in some provinces.
Mr Chairman, in spite of the difficult situation in Sudan throughout the 80s, which was characterized by a rural exodus, by an increase in the number of refugees, and the civil war imposed on us in the South, the efforts made by the United Nations in order to help us are clear everywhere, such as the support given to the activities directly related to the improvement of the lot of the Sudanese people.
On behalf of my delegation, I would like to pay tribute to the UN system and the role it is playing in alleviating suffering and helping many countries in the world, and particularly my own, where many UN agencies, like UNICEF, UNDP, UNEP, WHO and, of course, FAO are very active.
I would like also to pay tribute to OSRO which is helping us a lot.
I would like once again to commend the Secretariat for preparing this document and I look forward to more efforts by the UN system as we are now on the threshold of the 21st century. I look forward to more assistance for Africa to enable it to develop and catch up with the developed countries. Thank you, Mr Chairman.
Tang ZHENGPING (China) (Original language Chinese): Mr Chairman, I also would like to thank Ms Killingsworth for her introduction. The Chinese delegation have carefully studied document CL 102/12 and we noted some of the developments in the UN system which are of interest to FAO.
The Chinese Government at relevant fora has expressed its opinions on questions related to this agenda item. I would like only to make the following two remarks: our operational activities and ICN. Firstly, our operational activities for development; I would reiterate that the Chinese Government supports the general idea of national execution of projects. However, we think this should be done step by step and it should be done in accordance with the execution capability of the developing countries. The technical advantages of FAO should be brought into play.
At the same time, training should be provided to developing countries to enhance their ability to implement projects. Secondly, our international Conference on Nutrition; we appreciate the large amount of work done by FAO in preparation for this very important Conference. The Chinese Government is now also making full preparations so as to take an active part in the discussions on various agenda items. We sincerely hope that this Conference will bring about positive results.
Finally, I would also like to mention the meeting convened in February, in Geneva, this year that was a successful meeting participated in by wives of State leaders and rural women. That was a successful meeting and of great significance to women's participation in rural development. The Chinese Government has always attached great importance to women's participation. We will take an active part in such activities in the future. We are willing to exchange experiences with various Governments in order to strengthen cooperation in this field. Thank you for your attention.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie vivement le représentant de la Chine de son intervention empreinte de sagesse. Je crois également que l'exécution nationale est un objectif à atteindre dans une vision de solidarité supranationale. Un des aspects les plus importants du développement est le transfert des techniques. C'est un point sur lequel, très souvent, on n'insiste pas assez.
Daudi NGELAUTWA MWAKAWAGO (Tanzania): Mr Chairman, thanks for giving me the floor to make a few comments on the report before the Council, document CL 102/12. My congratulations to the Secretariat for the very able and competent preparation of the documents. FAO will need to reorganize itself to take into account the requirements of Agenda 21 but even more important the changes in the world scene resulting from the end of the Cold War.
Poverty is still a worldwide menace. In the African scene many countries including Tanzania are implementing structural adjustment programmes. Whereas positive results are being realized in agricultural and rural development, my delegation is concerned at the growing gap between the rich and the poor.
Consequently, my delegation believes there is need to revisit the strategies which are currently in force. There is impatience in the developing countries. It is one thing to resolve that food is a right but availability and accessibility are crucial. FAO should feel obligated to ensure food is produced and is available to all the people.
Tanzania supports the reforms of the UN system spearheaded by the Secretary-General Dr Boutros Ghali. In this aspect coordination is the key element. Reform is timely and absolutely necessary. A word of caution here. We feel
there should be a rational balance between streamlining the structures and functions of the United Nations and the direction of resources to areas of greatest need in Africa. The Cold War had its positive advantages in the area of resources. Now that the world is unipolar, the issue of mobilization of resources needs focusing in an urgent way. To the poor it is not the structure that matters but delivery.
My delegation is in agreement with positions of Brazil, Venezuela, Zambia, India, and Trinidad and Tobago on sustainable development of agriculture and the requirements of Agenda 21.
In conclusion my delegation would like to underscore the need to intensify cooperation among the developing countries in their efforts for sustainable development. In this regard we urge the FAO to expand the use of experts from the developing countries in consultancy work.
As to women's development, we would like to stress that the approach should be governed by demographic reality and compassion rather than charity. Thank you.
Shahid RASHID (Pakistan) : The comments of the Pakistan delegation are somewhat general in nature. The introduction to document CL 102/12 states that recent developments in the UN system of interest to FAO is a standing item on the agenda of the Council and is primarily for the information of Member Nations.
The Pakistan delegation would like this item to be viewed as such and does not support going beyond what is envisaged.
During these critical times when most things are in a state of flux, recent developments in the UN system cannot be dealt with in an abrupt manner. The debate that has been initiated in New York, and being carried on in Geneva and other places, may lead to far-reaching consequences for the world community at large.
We should be particularly careful that, while revitalizing the United Nations is a worthy objective, such a process should not in any way compromise the basic principles on which the UN was founded. The sanctity of the UN Charter should be respected in letter and in spirit. The principal ally of universality should be maintained and the democratic process of decision-making should be based on the sovereign equality of members which should be maintained.
As far as FAO is concerned, we would like to stress that we have always been appreciative of the role it has played in promoting activities in pursuit of its mandate. It is a role that has made an important difference in a variety of ways relating to food and agriculture. FAO, with its broad membership of Sovereign Nations and its adherence to democratic decision-making, is an Organization so structured as to accomplish the goals set forth in a satisfactory manner.
The reservoir of expertise and wealth of knowledge accumulated over the years and special experience acquired in policy and programmes for the development of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and other related fields - particularly at the operational level - is a special resource for FAO which we hope will be preserved, protected and enhanced.
We would, therefore, like to see FAO hold its own and continue to occupy the centre stage of such activities both at the policy level and operational level. Having said that, Mr Chairman, the Pakistan delegation would like to emphasize that FAO should not be the silent recipient of prescriptions for change nor should we be presented with a fait accompli. If a reform has to take place it should be from within and with the full participation of its entire membership.
At the same time, we are of the view that this is not the appropriate time to go into any substantive details or specifics. Such matters require due consideration and deep thinking and can hardly be made subject of an impromptu debate.
Before concluding, Mr Chairman, let me thank the Secretariat for providing useful details and updates on developments taking place on the subject. Thank you, Mr Chairman.
CHAIRMAN: I thank the distinguished representative of Pakistan for his very interesting intervention. I am sure that you are right about the point which you explained.
A. DE JONG (Netherlands): Mr Chairman, the last few years we have been discussing the changes which are taking place in the world. And, in a changing world we are, not surprisingly, faced with a changing UN system as well.
It is not my intention today, in a Council meeting where only limited time is available, to discuss this extremely important issue in depth. But, before touching upon a few points concerning the ICN, one remark with regard to this process in the UN.
One of the main issues in the UN reform discussion is how can we ensure that the UN system starts working in a better way. This applies to the central as well as to the field level where the UN system should operate in a more efficient and unified manner. With regard to the field level, my delegation hopes that the coordination of a UN representative or Resident Coordinator with no direct links to a Programme Fund or Agency might improve the impact of the UN system in the field.
On the intergovernmental level there are important tasks for a future Sustainable Development Commission and an International Development Council. The SDC will have to coordinate, oversee and monitor the actions of the various parts of the UN system implementing Agenda 21.
An International Development Council should give policy guidance on operational activities of the UN system.
We believe that these two bodies could constitute an appropriate and efficient mechanism to ensure the implementation of Agenda Item 21 in a consolidated manner in which FAO will have its role to play and to ensure a more integrated and coherent development activity of the UN system.
In the UN system of the next century the right hand should always know what the left hand is doing. We feel that by a strong SDC and IDC the polycentric nature of the UN system can be utilized in the most efficient manner.
My next point is the ICN. I am not going to reopen the debate which took place in Geneva or pre-empt next month's discussion here in Rome, but I just mention a few points which are of concern to my country.
The Netherlands is of the opinion that serious attention should be paid to the follow-up process of the ICN. It is of importance that in the ICN Declaration goals are sufficiently specified and priorities set for further action. The question arises as to whether there would be a focal point where the implementation of the plan of action could be set in motion and/or monitored. Is any such a joint initiative or organizational structure being thought of by FAO and WHO?
I am not so much advocating another body, but in order to get a continuing process started immediately after the Conference, at least some sort of a framework, preferably within an existing unit, should be agreed upon. We must keep the process going.
I am mentioning FAO and WHO only, as the organizers and first responsible organizations within the UN family, but I want to make it clear, that the Netherlands is of the opinion that the implementation of the outcome of the ICN should take place in close cooperation and coordination with all concerned parties in the UN system. In this respect there is a natural role for the ACC/SCN to ensure that all parties are acting in a consolidated manner, not forgetting the NGOs in this respect.
Mr Chairman, in short, my country is looking forward to a constructive and fruitful ICN next month.
There is one final point. In the document there is a reference to the Special Emergency Programme for the Horn of Africa and to the assistance my country has provided to this programme. I would like to express our appreciation to FAO's Office for Special Relief Operations for the swift and efficient manner it has handled our contributions. It may be foreseen that the Netherlands will continue to make use of this channel to provide humanitarian assistance where it is needed.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie les Pays-Bas pour leur intervention positive.
II est clair que ce sera au cours de la CIN que le problème devra être soulevé et que des modalités opérationnelles devront être présentées. Je ne doute pas que les Pays-Bas feront des propositions constructives en ce sens.
Yvan JOBIN (Canada): L'ampleur des développements récents au sein du système onusien illustre le fait que ce système est en rapide évolution. Ma délégation aimerait signaler un certain nombre d'actions auxquelles le Canada attache une importance particulière.
Tout comme de nombreuses délégations qui se sont déjà exprimées, nous espérons vivement qu'une suite concrète sera donnée sous peu aux propositions visant à renforcer le rôle du Conseil économique et social de l'ONU.
Dans cet esprit le Canada souscrit à la proposition de confier au Conseil économique et social les fonctions assignées dans le "UN nordic Project", un Conseil du développement international.
Nous appuyons également un rôle renforcé pour le Comité administratif de coordination, le CAC, qui regroupe les chefs des agences et des programmes onusiens. A cet égard, nous nous réjouissons de l'intérêt actif manifesté par le secrétaire général de l'ONU, en sa qualité de Président du CAC, pour un rôle plus efficace de ce comité. Le Canada considère comme très important que la relation entre le Conseil économique et social, le CAC et les institutions spécialisées soit renforcée, dans le respect du mandat de chacune des institutions spécialisées. Aux yeux du Canada, l'objectif recherché devrait être d'en arriver à une réelle coordination, fondée sur la complémentarité et l'avantage comparatif des diverses organisations. Il importe en même temps d'obtenir une meilleure efficacité, ce qui constitue un impératif critique dans une période marquée par une croissance des demandes et une décroissance des ressources.
Au nombre des actions positives récentes au sein du système onusien, nous estimons que la nomination d'un coordonnateur des Nations Unies pour l'assistance humanitaire est particulièrement appropriée. La gravité de la situation dans de nombreux points chauds du globe en ce qui a trait à la nécessité de secours d'urgence exige une coordination nettement plus efficace de l'action des diverses agences onusiennes, et un appui réel au mandat du coordonnateur.
Nous aimerions également signaler, parmi les développements positifs récents, le ralliement de la communauté internationale autour du concept essentiel de développement durable, illustré par le Sommet de Rio, l'accent accru placé par le PNUD sur le développement humain, ainsi que les résultats positifs de l'exercice de réforme de la gouvernance du programme alimentaire mondial. Cela dit, il ne s'agit là toutefois que d'une première étape. En effet, il nous incombe maintenant de transformer ces concepts et ces réformes organisationnelles en programmes concrets qui soient en mesure de répondre pleinement aux objectifs et aux besoins identifiés par la communauté internationale.
Par ailleurs, nous attachons une grande importance à une gestion améliorée de la sécurité alimentaire au sein du système onusien. Dans cet esprit, nous espérons vivement que les discussions en cours au sujet de l'avenir du Conseil mondial de l'alimentation seront couronnées de succès.
Ma délégation désire également réitérer la très ferme conviction du Canada que l'ONU et ses institutions spécialisées se doivent d'être à l'avant-garde des efforts visant à promouvoir le rôle de la femme dans la société. Le Canada souhaite aussi voir un nombre nettement plus important de femmes accéder à des postes de responsabilité dans les institutions onusiennes. Depuis trop longtemps, en effet, nous avons sous-estimé la moitié du capital remarquable de talent qui existe sur notre planète. Nous, en tant qu'Etats Membres de l'ONU et de la FAO, devons donc insister pour que soient mis au point de solides plans d'action de nature à assurer que soit pleinement reconnue à la femme la place de partenaire à part entière qui lui revient de droit. Nous souhaiterions de connaître quel est l'état de la situation à la FAO à ce sujet et quels sont les plans de la FAO en ce qui a trait à la mise en application de la Résolution 46/100.
Pour terminer, Monsieur le Président, ma délégation aimerait rappeler le rôle essentiel qui revient à la FAO dans ce mouvement de revitalisation et de renouveau du système onusien. Le rôle de notre Organisation, qui est la plus grande de toutes les institutions spécialisées et sans doute aussi celle qui
a le plus grand potentiel d'influence sur l'ensemble du système onusien, est en effet capital. Le Canada est désireux de continuer de joindre ses efforts à ceux des autre Etats Membres et du secrétariat en vue d'assurer que la FAO soit en mesure de relever avec succès les défis redoutables auxquels elle est confrontée. Les changements apportés à notre organisation depuis 1989, en ce qui a trait notamment à la façon d'établir ses priorités et son plan d'action, ont permis d'améliorer l'efficacité de son action. Ce mouvement positif amorcé en 1989 doit toutefois être poursuivi avec vigueur. En effet, les réalités politiques, sociales, morales et technologiques qui caractérisent notre environnement nous enseignent que le changement est la seule constante avec laquelle nous pouvons compter.
Il en découle que, si elles veulent demeurer vibrantes, efficaces et même simplement viables, les organisations se doivent de se remettre constamment en question, en réexaminant, en redéfinissant et en renouvelant de façon régulière leurs priorités, leurs actions et leurs façons d'agir. La survie, dans le monde en proie à des mutations d'une ampleur sans précédent dans lequel nous vivons, est à ce prix.
Le Canada est fermement d'avis qu'une telle constatation s'applique pour la FAO tout autant que pour le système onusien dans son ensemble. Dans ce contexte, il nous apparait absolument essentiel que nous, les Etats Membres de la FAO, assumions pleinement la responsabilité collective d'agents de changement qui est la nôtre.
LE PRESIDENT: Merci à l'honorable délégué du Canada pour ses réflexions pleines de sagesse. Je pense qu'il a raison, en ce sens que ce sont les Etats Membres qui forment la FAO, et c'est aux Etats Membres à donner les impulsions, les directives, à présenter les propositions, de façon à ce que les adaptations nécessaires dans un monde en perpétuelle évolution puissent se réaliser dans les meilleures conditions, en renforçant le but et l'organisation de la FAO, dans les perspectives de ses objectifs fondamentaux.
Juan NUIRY SANCHEZ (Cuba): En primer lugar, Sr. Presidente, queremos en nombre de la delegación de Cuba hacer un reconocimiento tanto al excelente documento, como usted lo ha definido justamente, puesto a nuestra disposición en el documento CL 102/12, el cual hemos leido muy atentamente por la variedad de sus temas que siempre esperamos con interés en cada periodo de estas sesiones, asi como a la clara presentación del tema hecho por la Sra. Killingsworth y que si este tema 9 es fundamentalmente de información, ella ha hecho gala de una amplia gama, completa, actualizada, clara e instructiva.
Por ser este documento informativo opinamos que no nos referiremos a todos los puntos que contiene el mismo, precisando que no por ello reconocemos la importancia que cada uno tiene por separado y conjuntamente y de este modo nos acogeremos a su llamado,Sr. Presidente, y seremos concretos.
Nuestra delegación ha seguido de cerca la evolución que se produce en el seno de las Naciones Unidas, en Nueva York, en el marco del ECOSOC. Confiamos que las discusiones en marcha lleven a feliz término en modo más útil para el futuro funcionamiento de la misma dentro de un enfoque de equidad sin hegemonía.
Señor Presidente, nuestra delegación ha tomado nota de los párrafos 2.17 al 2.22, sobre la Promoción de la Mujer que ilustra la acción de la FAO en favor de la promoción de la mujer en el desarrollo. Es interés de Cuba el que la Organización mantenga vivo el espíritu de las resoluciones aprobadas en este sentido y aboga porque este tema se mantenga como fuera prioritario en el Programa de Labores y Presupuesto para este bienio y para el Plan a Plazo Medio. Instamos a que se agilicen los trabajos en el interior de la Organización a la IV Conferencia Mundial sobre la Mujer prevista en China en 1995.
Nuestra delegación apoya los pasos que se han venido dando para la celebración de la Conferencia Internacional sobre Nutrición y asistirá a la misma convencida de que la declaración y el Plan de Acción pueden ser eficientes y útiles instrumentos para el seguimiento en los países, además del compromiso formal de la comunidad internacional en favor del mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida de sus respectivos pueblos.
Señor Presidente, Cuba apreció por su contenido la Declaración de Barcelona sobre los derechos alimentarios por su especial importancia para la FAO, pues ésta se ocupa en primera linea por los derechos a los alimentos. Por ello, nuestro pais reafirma su apoyo a esta Declaración que, entre otras cosas, indica que los alimentos no deben utilizarse como armas políticas, ni es. permisible que bloqueos internacionales, regionales o locales limiten el acceso a los alimentos, párrafo 2.49 del presente documento CL 102/12.
Señor Presidente, creemos que nuestra delegación ha sido siempre muy clara en su posición de los beneficos sobre la política multilateral por su amplio enfoque y participación representativa, equilibrada, democrática y transparente así como también de lo que representa la FAO como principal órgano especializado en la agricultura y la alimentación dentro del sistema de las Naciones Unidas para los países en vías de desarrollo, que no creo necesario repetir, por el alto criterio de su óptimo trabajo y valiente política.
Hemos oído con interés los comentarios sobre algunas consideraciones, sobre reformas, o reestructuraciones dentro de las Naciones Unidas, en los que la sesión de hoy ha sido rica, aun cuando tenemos entendido que el tema era sólo informativo, pero en vista de algunos pronunciamientos, no queremos dejar pasar por alto nuestra posición en lo referente a nuestra Organización. Sólo invito a recordar las numerosas delegaciones que hicieron público reconocimiento y felicitación a la declaración del Director General de la FAO en la inauguración de este 102 a período de sesiones, razón por la cual también invito a recordar una parte de sus palabras que debemos tener en cuenta con evidente atención.
Explicaba el Dr. Saouma, refiriéndose a introducir reformas que nos afectarían directamente: "Esta observación es válida para todas la instituciones del sistema, pero tiene un relieve particular en el caso de la FAO. En efecto, nuestra Organización ha emprendido ya por sí misma una reforma exhaustiva, que la pone en condiciones de ejercer una acción aún más eficaz que en el pasado. Durante dos años, nuestras actividades fueron objeto de un examen a fondo a cargo de expertos independientes".
Por el momento esta es también nuestra posición, pues cada organización tiene y presenta características propias.
LE PRESIDENT: Je voudrais faire une communication avant de continuer le débat.
Le Président du Comité de rédaction, M. Drake, demande que l'annonce soit faite à tous les membres du Comité de rédaction que la première réunion se tiendra immédiatement après la présente session du Conseil. Suivant les prévisions, cette session pourrait se clôturer vers 18 heures 30 et la réunion du Comité de rédaction se tiendra, dès la clôture de notre session, dans la Salle du Mexique.
Ms Maria Luisa GAVINO (Philippines): My intervention will be very brief. I will dwell only on the portion on humanitarian and emergency assistance, particularly paragraphs 1.42 and 1.43 of document CL 102/12, which describe the disaster wrought by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991. The catastrophe is a continuing one, with mud flows going on even as I speak now. The Philippine delegation would therefore like to register its appreciation to FAO in general and WFP, TCP and OSRO, in particular, not to mention all the other donors, for the assistance and relief which has greatly helped the victims and helped us in the rehabilitation of vast tracts of affected farmlands,including fishery areas.
I thank you, Mr Chairman, and the Secretariat for the document.
CHAIRMAN: I thank the distinguished representative of the Philippines for her intervention. I also think that the TCP is a very important element for developing countries to try to help them following disasters.
Sra. Mercedes FERMIN GOMEZ (Venezuela): Hemos leído con mucha atención los aspectos que sobre la reestructuración y revitalización de la Asamblea General y del ECOSOC contiene, con carácter informativo, el presente documento CL 102/12 que estudiamos. Nos enteramos por eso que "El Comité sobre el Aprovechamiento y la Utilización de Fuentes de Energia Nuevas y Renovables mantendrá su mandato actual, incluido el examen de sus relaciones con el medio ambiente y el desarrollo. Además, se ocupará del mandato actual del ex Comité de Recursos Naturales en cuanto a energia para el desarrollo." Nos satisface esto, por cuanto cabe ello dentro de las preocupaciones que nuestra Organización, la FAO, ha mantenido en estos dos últimos años cuando ha iniciado, anticipándose a esta decisión de la Asamblea General, una revitalización de sus programas, luego de haber estudiado a fondo mediante un análisis exhaustivo sus programas y de haber recibido de un comité externo la evaluación que correspondía como una acción satisfactoria y eficiente y, sin embargo, la FAO ha iniciado una serie de programas que están revitalizando la acción de la FAO en cuanto se refiere a su mandato, de acuerdo con sus Textos Básicos, esto es, la atención a la agricultura, a la alimentación, a la conservación de los recursos que ha traducido en una serie de programas, todos los cuales van en satisfacción de los principios de las Naciones Unidas en cuanto a justicia, en cuanto a equidad y atención a las grandes mayorías del mundo.
Por esa razón, consideramos satisfactorio que la FAO, que se caracteriza por su gran capacidad para iniciativas que aportan retos y marcan nuevas ideas de cambio esté recibiendo hoy en este Consejo el reconocimiento de muchas delegaciones con relación a sus atinados programas que van en beneficio de los países del tercer mundo, principalmente de los países en vías de desarrollo,
porque la FAO ha centrado sus programas en los últimos ocho años - yo puedo ser testigo por estar aquí participando en estas reuniones - en atención a la pobreza, en la manera de aliviar la pobreza, ha desarrollado la atención a los países en vías de desarrollo con grandes necesidades y ha afrontado el reto del hambre. Nos tocó presenciar aquí, al inicio de nuestra gestión, la gran campaña en favor de los países africanos, cuando sufrieron el enfrentamiento con el hambre en los años 1985-1986.
Por esa razón, debe ser muy satisfactorio para quienes respaldamos sinceramente la acción de esta Organización y contribuimos a que ella pueda salir adelante enfrentando estas dificultades, que hoy las Naciones Unidas estén tomando el camino que ya había marcado la FAO, poniendo en el centro de sus preocupaciones la pobreza y el desarrollo sostenible que son ideas y programas ya tomados por la FAO anticipadamente.
Por eso, deberíamos sentirnos satisfechos de que las proposiciones presentadas por nuestro Director General ante la reunion del ECOSOC mantengan en alto el papel que corresponde a esta Organización especializada, en su labor en beneficio de la humanidad. No necesitamos leer las proposiciones que fueron hechas ante el ECOSOC por el Director General de la FAO, quien encabezaba nuestra delegación, pero no hay duda de que sus palabras representan el sentimiento, el pensamiento de los países en desarrollo, que no solamente estamos sufriendo en parte esta situación de pobreza al ver disminuidas nuestras posibilidades, países que una vez por razones de la naturaleza pudimos disfrutar de situaciones de beneficio y vemos hoy reducidas nuestras posibilidades por la circunstancia de no poseer ya las ventajas que nos daban esos recursos naturales.
Por esa razón, la atención que la FAO presta fundamentalmente a la agricultura, a los bosques, a la pesca, desde el punto de vista de su conservación, desde el punto de vista de la atención que se les debe prestar para su mejor aprovechamiento es una función de la mayor importancia y de la máxima prioridad, tal como lo están entendiendo hoy las Naciones Unidas en su nueva manera de mirar su responsabilidad. Porque debemos ser sinceros y saber que en los últimos años las Naciones Unidas habían prestado atención a otros aspectos de la vida política del mundo, y habían descuidado esta necesidad, que sólo la FAO había llevado en alto con sus programas, sosteniendo la defensa de la pobreza, la defensa de los desvalidos en el mundo, con la asistencia técnica, que es la única que puede dar en mejorar sus condiciones, con sus Programas de Cooperación Técnica y sus Programas de Campo.
Por esa razón, nosotros no podemos hacer otra cosa que respaldar la decisión de traer este papel de trabajo a nuestro conocimiento en el Consejo, documento que no está en debate, que es simplemente para información, pero que nos puede llevar y que nos debería llevar a transferir a nuestros gobiernos la necesidad de llevar a cabo en los programas efectivos, en los programas concretos para ello, estas ideas que representan las prioridades en la investigación y en la financiación de estos programas a nivel nacional, que es el único ámbito en que podrían trabajar los gobiernos.
Por eso, pienso que expresando aquí nuestro apoyo al mantenimiento de la política de trabajo que ha seguido la FAO en procurar recursos suficientes, estables y seguros a las actividades operativas para beneficio de los países de menores recursos en el mundo, debemos decir que si la FAO sigue por ese camino, estará cumpliendo, a cabalidad, no solamente con el papel que le corresponde como organismo especializado de las Naciones Unidas, sino lo que
es más importante, estará cumpliendo con la satisfacción de las esperanzas. Millones de gentes en el mundo, en las comunidades más desposeídas, tienen puestos sus ojos en la FAO, porque ha sido realmente la Organización que hasta ahora ha tratado de satisfacer sus necesidades, de atender sus verdaderas necesidades.
No necesitamos enumerar aquí los programas que la FAO ha desarrollado a lo largo de su existencia, pero sobre todo en este momento. Basta recordar que el desarrollo sostenible, la agricultura sostenible, están dirigidos fundamentalmente a los campesinos pobres, aquellos que no tienen tierras, que no tienen capital para desarrollar estas actividades; que la FAO toma en cuenta en primera línea a la mujer, principalmente a la mujer campesina, porque sabe bien que es éste el factor principal en la producción agrícola. Sin la ayuda de la mujer, la innumerable cantidad de pequeños países que no tienen recursos económicos no podrían producir siquiera la mínima subsistencia para sobrevivir.
Termino diciendo que nosotros no podemos por menos que expresar nuestra satisfacción porque la FAO se mantenga como líder de las organizaciones que tienen preocupación por el bienestar de la humanidad y que mantenga la vanguardia en cuanto a la iniciativa para atender a las necesidades de los pueblos, dentro de la familia de las Naciones Unidas.
Takayoshi ISHIDERA (Japan): Japan would like to thank the Secretariat for their efforts in providing such a useful document on this Agenda Item in such a concise manner.
First of all, Japan is of the view that the coordination system under UN General Assembly Resolution 2688 in 1970 has not always functioned well. In order to improve this situation, in 1989 the UN General Assembly, through Resolution 44/211, launched such policies as the strengthening and the utilization of the national capacities of developing countries, recalling the role of the UNDP as the central funding mechanism for the UN system of technical cooperation, and so on. In addition, the UNDP Governing Council in 1991 adopted the Support Cost Successor Arrangement from the viewpoint that specialized agencies should provide such intellectual contribution in the upstream a sectoral analysis, advice to project design, and appraisal rather than execution of projects.
Japan has been supporting the aforementioned trend from the point of view of strengthening efficiency and the coordination of UN development activities. In this context, FAO should endeavour to transfer its core of activities to the intellectual contribution in the upstream originally required. It is necessary that FAO carry out its restructuring and elevate the capacity of its staff in order to realize those efforts.
Secondly, with regard to FAO activities related to humanitarian and emergency assistance, Japan appreciates that FAO, through its Global Information and Early Warning System, continued to alert the international community to the deteriorating food situation in Africa.
FAO participated actively in the ministerial conference on rehabilitation in Cambodia which was held in Tokyo in June 1992 and was formally attended by 33 nations, 12 international organizations and the representative of the EC. At the conference FAO stated, "FAO stands ready to provide technical
assistance to the Government of Cambodia in cooperation with the donor community on the full range of rehabilitation and reconstruction tasks that fall within our mandate." Japan evaluates FAO's contribution to this Conference as significant for the establishment of international assistance to Cambodia.
Thirdly, let my delegation touch upon ICN. Recognizing the improvement of the nutritional condition of all the people on earth is one of the most important targets of human welfare which could be achieved through social development, and adhering the significance of ICN which is the first trial in the history of a UN agency to challenge hunger and malnutrition from the aspect of nutrition, my Government will participate with ICN based on cooperation among the ministries concerned with agriculture and health. A large number of people is still suffering from hunger and malnutrition, notwithstanding technological development and global information networks. My Government strongly hopes that ICN will surely provide a substantial impact on all governments and related organizations to solve this problem.
Finally, I should like to touch upon the future of WFC which has been discussed in the WFC ministerial session, and is now under deliberation in the UN General Assembly. It is regrettable that WFC has failed to provide the level of political leadership and coordinating function among international agencies concerned, which the founders expected.
My Government never wished that the total activities concerning world food security of related UN agencies would be weakened. In this connection, we expected FAO to enhance its function concerned with World Food Security within the mandate including monitoring, analysing and policy advice.
LE PRESIDENT: Je vais me permettre de faire une petite réflexion. Je pense que la dernière partie de votre exposé démontre parfaitement qu'il n'y a pas, dans le domaine qui nous occupe de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture, d'activités intellectuelles valables sans un contact étroit avec les réalités du terrain. C'est à mon avis un point particulièrement important et vous en avez fait indirectement la démonstration dans la dernière partie de votre exposé.
Winston RUDDER (Trinidad and Tobago): As you would expect, I intervene on this agenda Item in the interest of the 13 Member States of the CARICOM Region of Latin America and the Caribbean Region of FAO. It was not my intention to intervene, but, having regard to our secret pact with my colleague on my right, I determined that I should intervene in the debate on this particular item.
As we approach the third millennium, we look forward to a brave new world, with greater understanding and cooperation between developing and developed countries in the wider interests of humanity. In that context, having regard to the far-reaching responsibilities entrusted to the United Nations and its related agencies, one obviously looks forward to, and in fact demands, greater cooperation and collaboration amongst these agencies in the relevant fields, as they prosecute their mandates.
Therefore, we welcome this document which speaks of activities in this regard. We are happy to note the involvement of FAO, its participation in these activities, hoping,as members of the Council, one of its Governing Bodies,
that the Organization has not only been influenced by events that are taking place, but in fact is also influencing these events.
We believe that the Organization is well placed so to do because, as we understand it, the system is being examined with a view to restructuring and to revitalization. I would suggest that the FAO is well placed to influence actions in this regard in view of the exercises which we ourselves have been engaged in prior to 1989 - exercises which have led to some fundamental rethinking of what we do and how we do what we do. One area of note is a greater and more targeted approach, and a seemingly greater injection of strategic thinking in the way programmes have been formulated by the Organization.
My delegation is of the view that this fundamental re-look by the Organization that has taken place, and this commitment to a strategic way of acting and managing, provides the mechanism for self-renewal and self-analysis which will enable the Organization to accommodate any changes that are taking place that are of relevance to the Organization - changes that would be consistent, of course, with its mandate for the development of agriculture, forestry and fisheries. We would hope that, to the extent that any of the deliberations taking place outside the forum of the Governing Bodies of the Organization that have significant implication for the conduct of the Organization's business, and moreover for organization change, would be brought fully to the notice of the membership of the Organization for discussion, debate and decision.
We would wish us to keep fully in mind - fully understanding that we live in a world of change and there is a need for continual self-renewal, self-reflection and self-assessment - that as an Organization we do not become subject to paralysis by analysis, and that we are very much honed to the fact that while we deliberate and agonize as necessary, and time must be spent in that regard, there is work to be done in the development of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
I thought that I should reflect these concerns to clarify a view I expressed earlier, and to leave no doubt about the need for this continuous self-renewal, but we must ensure there is some balance in how we go about our business.
LE PRESIDENT: Je suis convaincu que vous avez usé de la voix de la sagesse dans les réflexions très judicieuses et de grand bon sens que vous venez de faire. Je vous remercie très vivement de votre intervention particulièrement concrète, précise et opérationnelle.
Morad Ali ARDESHIRI (Iran, Islamic Republic of): First, I should like to thank the Secretariat for preparing the informative document before us. As indicated in the introductory statement, the document before us is for information. It is not my intention to touch on the whole subject of the document. In general,
we believe that all matters related to food, agriculture, forestry and fishery issues should go to the United Nations in New York from Rome, through FAO, WFP, IFAD and WFC.
Regarding the subject of the World Food Council in this document, I should like to support the statements made by the Delegates of Italy and France because we believe that WFC should continue its work as a policy-making and
coordinating body in relation to food issues, and its mandate should be reviewed as it is taking place in New York at the present time.
Eulogii BONEV (UNDP): Under the chapter headed Operational Activities for Development, in paragraphs 1.44 to 1.53 of document CL 102/12, the FAO Secretariat provides information on relevant matters discussed during the last UNDP Governing Council session in May 1992 in Geneva.
Particular references are made on support costs successor arrangements. References to the same subject are made in the reports of the last sessions of the Programme Committee and the Finance Committee of FAO, document CL 102/17. I have provided an information note on the status of approvals in the fifth programming cycle and associated issues including national execution, the situation of agencies subject to the new support costs arrangements, as well as other matters such as training workshops to familiarize field practitioners including government officials and representatives of UNDP and agencies in the application of the new support costs mechanisms, and the underlying policy framework approved by the Governing Council of the UNDP.
Thanks to your kind arrangements, Mr Chairman, and those of the Secretary-General of the Council, the paper may have been distributed in the pigeonholes of Council members, and I will not refer to it. I hope that you already have it in your possession, but if not you may check your pigeonhole.
The paper contains useful and updated information which may clarify some of the issues raised in document CL 102/12, as well as those raised during this discussion. However, I have taken very careful note of the comments made by the various speakers and I will transmit them to my colleague, the Deputy Director of the UNDP Office from Geneva, who will attend the rest of the Council meeting from Monday onwards. At that time, and during the discussion of Agenda Item 11 in relation to document CL 102/17 he will be making a statement on the subject whereby care will also be taken to answer some of the questions which have been raised so far and which may be raised during further discussions.
LE PRESIDENT: Puis-je faire remarquer que la question des dépenses d'appui fera l'objet d'une discussion et éventuellement d'une décision dans le cadre du point 16 de l'ordre du jour qui sera discuté le mardi 17 novembre après-midi.
Il y a encore un membre du Conseil qui a demandé à prendre la parole: l'Ambassadeur de Colombie.
Iván MARULANDA GOMEZ (Colombia): Deseamos intervenir en este punto del orden del dia, Sr. Presidente, sólo para reafirmar aquí nuestro interés en los cambios que se realizan dentro del sistema de las Naciones Unidas, y que son el reflejo y la consecuencia de las transformaciones que se verifican en el mundo. Nosotros estamos comprometidos con esos cambios, señor Presidente. La humanidad evoluciona en forma vertiginosa y los organismos y los instrumentos hechos para servirla tienen que acomodarse a las realidades, a las actualidades y a las expectativas hacia el porvenir.
El hombre y los Estados, los Estados que son la expresión política de los pueblos, pierden interés en las organizaciones que no sirven a sus necesidades directas, que no interpretan sus vivencias y sus anhelos. Las herramientass de trabajo que no evolucionan, que no se modernizan, son abandonadas y pierden importancia. Ese es el reto de las Naciones Unidas y de sus agencias, incluyendo a la FAO. Desde su fundación hasta ahora, a lo largo de casi medio siglo, se han producido sobre la tierra los cambios más profundos de los que se tenga memoria en la tecnología, en la economía y en la política. Nada es igual ahora en estos campos a lo que nosotros mismos conocimos unos pocos años atrás. Si las Naciones Unidas, y en nuestro caso la FAO, no interpretan los cambios y las aspiraciones de esta época y no se sintonizan con la dinámica de estos tiempos, serán superadas, marginadas en el interés de la gente y de sus gobernantes. La juventud, señor Presidente y señores Miembros del Consejo, la juventud es muy cruel y aquello que no vibra en su interés y se queda en el pasado porque no quiso comprometerse con el futuro, es descartado y se muere. Muy cerca de nosotros vienen unas generaciones jóvenes impetuosas y en algunos aspectos desesperadas. Dejémosles cosas útiles que les sirvan para su progreso. Para eso necesitamos cambiar con inteligencia, pero con determinación, estas organizaciones de las Naciones Unidas que hoy reposan en nuestras manos.
LE PRESIDENT: Je voudrais quand même faire une petite remarque, c'est que l'acte constitutif de la FAO est resté d'une étrange jeunesse. Il a été examiné puis réexaminé très longuement il y a quelques mois et je crois qu'il est parfois utile de le relire.
Si ceux qui veulent des changements pour des changements, souhaitent redéfinir la fonction de la FAO, il serait peut-être utile de le faire au regard d'une lecture réfléchie et approfondie de l'acte constitutif qui nous régit.
Nous arrivons maintenant au terme d'un débat qui a été particulièrement intéressant, riche, et divers, puisqu'il a abordé de nombreux sujets extrêmement vastes.
Il sera difficile de tirer des conclusions d'ensemble puisque il a été traité de la Conférence de la nutrition, du Conseil mondial de l'alimentation, en passant par la définition des activités du PNUD, de la restructuration de la réforme, de l'aide humanitaire, du sommet pour le développement social, de la promotion de la femme. Ce sont, en effet, des sujets variés qui sont à suivre de façon constante.
Au demeurant, un certain nombre de questions précises ont été posées, questions auxquelles Mme Killingsworth va maintenant essayer de répondre de la meilleure façon possible.
Ms Κ. KILLINGSWORTH (Director, Office for External Relations): I would like first of all to thank the Council for the various expressions of appreciation for the document. I regret that a few delegates felt that it was not ambitious enough, but that is a point I would like to come back to later.
First and foremost, I would say that we have taken careful note of all the interventions. We have particularly noted the support by a number of Council Members for, for instance, the work that the Organization has carried out in the past few months, in close cooperation with the Department of Humanitarian
Affairs of the United Nations, in the area of emergency relief and humanitarian assistance.
As will have been obvious from the document, it is an area to which we attach a great deal of importance. In that connection I would particularly like to note the intervention of the delegate of the Netherlands who expressed his satisfaction with the work carried out by the Office for Special Relief Operations, and indicated that the Netherlands would envisage continuing to support the activities for these very important agricultural relief and rehabilitation activities, for which often it is quite difficult to obtain donor funding because, of course, of the competing demands of other forms of relief assistance.
Secondly, we have also noted the many statements welcoming the Organization's work on drug abuse control, again in a UN system-wide context, on the preparations for the International Conference on Nutrition, and on the Organization's work to promote the advancement of women, particularly rural women.
In that connection a few questions were asked. The delegate of Morocco asked what was the scope and time-frame of Resolution 46/100. I would confirm that this resolution is in fact applicable to the UN Secretariat itself. It urges the Secretary-General to accord priority to the recruitment of women. Here I would point out that they are talking about women essentially in professional and higher management posts and not the overall recruitment of women. I think organizations like United Nations and FAO, and most others if you consider the total staff, very often have a majority of women.
In addition, there was a question asked about the present situation regarding women in the professional and higher categories in FAO itself. The latest figures I have here, which are as at 31 October 1992, indicate an overall percentage of 12.9 percent for women in professional and higher categories. The percentage is, perhaps not surprisingly, higher at headquarters where it is 19.4 percent. We have 10.3 percent in Regional Offices and Joint Divisions, and a lower percentage, 3.8 percent, in the field which reflects the difficulties which have been encountered in recruiting women for certain field posts. But, as you know, this has been our priority and a great deal of attention is being paid to increasing that percentage as much as possible.
Other comments were made with regard to the World Summit on the Advancement of Rural Women which was organized by IFAD and I am pleased to inform Council Members that FAO was not only represented at the Summit but also contributed substantially to the preparatory meetings for the Summit. FAO's previous experience and work on rural women, particularly through its Plan of Action, enabled it to make very specific inputs.
Mr Chairman, another comment - and here I am still speaking about what is reported in the document itself - was made by the United Kingdom delegate with regard to the discussion at the Coordination Segment of ECOSOC this summer. He stated that our report failed to mention that reports of the agencies were not well received and that ECOSOC had required further reporting of a more substantial nature, and he asked what steps FAO was taking to ensure a better performance at the 1993 ECOSOC. I think there must be some misunderstanding here and I would like to try and correct it. In fact, I was very surprised because we had no indication of this. First of all we did not, as FAO, table a report. There was a UN system paper submitted to ECOSOC for the discussion
on the coordination of efforts to eradicate poverty, and individual agencies made statements to ECOSOC.
The only thing I can think he, the United Kingdom delegate, might perhaps have been referring to was, not that the statements were not "well received", but that they were not received at all. A misunderstanding took place within the UN Secretariat. We were asked to provide copies of the statement, I think 24 or 48 hours in advance, to allow delegations to study them before the debate. We did in fact do that and I personally carried our statements to New York several days in advance. I know that they were there, but they were not distributed.
On the other hand, the question of the document is a little more complex, and since the United Kingdom delegate asked what we were doing about improvements for 1993, I think it is perhaps instructive to go back and look at what actually happened with regard to that document. We were first of all asked by the UN Secretariat in late 1991 to produce inputs for a thematic analysis on poverty as a result of an early request by ECOSOC in 1991 for such a thematic analysis to be presented this year.
We provided a rather long, detailed, and I think, very analytical document to the UN Secretariat at the end of December 1991 but subsequently ECOSOC, at its Organizational Session in February 1992, decided that the subject would be taken up at the Coordination Segment this past summer and asked for a document from the UN System as a whole which would be slightly different. We were then requested to provide a different kind of input, which input we did provide in about March of this year.
The result of this and other inputs was a document which unfortunately had to be put together very, very fast, I think this is not something one can blame anybody for; it takes a long time to produce a good document based on contributions from perhaps up to thirty organizations. What we were eventually asked to approve, as a UN System contribution, I think we all felt could have been a good deal better but we were all very conscious of the fact that in the time scale available it would have been very difficult to do much more. We have, as a group, in the ACC machinery put forward a suggestion through the UN Secretariat, to the Bureau of ECOSOC, with our major proposal for better performance in the future being that perhaps ECOSOC could give us more than two months' notice of the subject for which we should provide a document, which according to UN rules has to be available in all languages six weeks before discussion. I am sure you will appreciate that in the space of two months it is simply not possible to write a document, obtain comments, obtain inputs from all agencies, put them all together, revise it and approve it. I will not go on too long as I think perhaps I have made the point but I can assure you that, in fact, we the agencies had a number of very positive comments, including one from the United Kingdom delegate, during the discussion at the Coordination Segment, on our efforts to participate in the dialogue and bring about greater understanding of the point of view of the specialized agencies in such matters.
Going on to the questions raised by a number of delegates concerning what is not in the document, as I explained earlier, we are in a slightly difficult situation because it is very difficult to provide you with urgent analyses concerning a process which is not completed in New York, and on which there are no official documents we can bring to your attention.
The delegate of Trinidad and Tobago said that he felt FAO should influence events rather than submitting to them, and that events, decisions with implications for FAO, should be brought to the attention of the Governing Bodies. As you know, this always has been done in the past and we have done it in recent Councils, for example with regard to the question of operational activities for development, when decisions have been available to bring to your attention with their implications.
In the whole area of restructuring of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields, as one or two Members pointed out this afternoon, we are talking about a process which at the moment is primarily UN-based. It may have implications for the specialized agencies but at the moment it is going on within the Governing Bodies of the UN itself and concerning UN programmes rather than the specialized agencies such as FAO or WHO or others. However, the Director-General in his opening statement to the Council did draw attention to his own concern that decisions could be taken in these fora, again, of course, regarding the programmes which come within the purview of the General Assembly, but which could have very far-reaching implications for the Organization; that these decisions could be taken without the benefit of the views of the Organization, and by that I think he meant not just the views of the Secretariat but the views of the Governing Bodies the Council, or the Conference; that these views had not been sought and only if they were to be sought could they be transmitted in the most appropriate way.
One example of this, which has been brought up several times this afternoon, is proposals for an International Development Council which might be a subsidiary body of ECOSOC This is, as I would stress, a proposal and it has been talked about. We have seen some papers (or what are known in New York as "non-papers" because they are not official documents) which have suggested this. We have pointed out on a number of occasions to delegates who have asked our views informally that in the proposals for bringing together Governing Bodies of the four or five funding programmes involved, one of those programmes is WFP which also reports to the FAO Council and thus through to the FAO Conference. Not only has FAO gone through a process of review culminating in 1989 but also in 1991 the FAO Conference, as well as the General Assembly, had already adopted revised procedures for governance of this programme.
The question really is: Are all of these factors being brought to the attention of those who are discussing these matters in New York, and not whether the Secretariat has any particular views to express on them here. However, a number of questions have been raised requiring some response from the Secretariat and its views on some of these issues. Therefore, Mr Chairman, I would like to ask you if you would kindly give the floor to Mr Regnier, who might reply to some of the specific questions with regard to operational activities.
A. REGNIER (Sous-Directeur général, Département du Développement): Comme Mme Killingsworth a répondu à un très grand nombre de questions, je voudrais me borner à un aspect du débat: les questions opérationnelles, et essayer de répondre à un certain nombre de questions ou de préoccupations qui ont été posées ou soulevées.
Je voudrais me référer à l'intervention du Représentant de la Suède, et en particulier à sa remarque selon laquelle l'intervention de la FAO au deuxième
Comité de l'Assemblée générale serait apparu comme une critique du financement central du PNUD. Je voudrais à ce sujet le rassurer. Notre intervention ne doit pas être considérée comme une critique du financement central du PNUD, mais doit être vue à la mesure de la préoccupation que les événements actuels nous procurent, en particulier, la mise en oeuvre des nouveaux arrangements du PNUD.
Je m'explique à cet égard. Les activités de terrain de la FAO, comme vous le savez, ont été financées, en 1991 par exemple, pour 44 pour cent par le PNUD, pour 48 pour cent par les Fonds fiduciaires, qui dépassent donc le PNUD, le reste couvert par le Programme de Coopération technique. Le PNUD est donc le principal partenaire individuel des activités de terrain de la FAO, et reste un partenaire majeur avec lequel nous souhaitons avoir la plus intime, la plus étroite et la plus coordonnée des collaborations et des coopérations.
Mais notre préoccupation, celle que nous avons exprimée à New York, est au moins de deux ordres: d'abord, c'est que nous avons constaté à travers le temps une érosion de notre niveau d'activité financée par le PNUD pour toutes sortes de raison, que je ne vais pas mentionner ici. Alors que nous étions dans le passé le principal partenaire agent d'exécution du PNUD, tout le monde sait que nous avons maintenant régressé substantiellement, et que le Bureau des services d'appui au projet du PNUD, par exemple, est en passe de devenir le principal agent d'exécution du PNUD. Le PNUD agit donc à la fois comme source de financement, comme coordinateur et comme exécutant de ses propres programmes par un renforcement de ses capacités opérationnelles. Ceci va donc bien au-delà du rôle de financement central.
La deuxième préoccupation était la suivante, c'est que le nouveau régime des dépenses d'appui du PNUD, qui maintenant a presque un an de vie puisqu'il a démarré au ler janvier de cette année et qu'il est devenu obligatoire au ler juillet, ce nouveau régime est lent a démarrer. Les directives envoyées par le PNUD sur le terrain sont encore insuffisantes pour permettre dans bien des cas aux représentants résidents d'agir, et la formation vient à peine de commencer. En réalité la FAO avait pris les devants en commençant à former ses propres agents avant que le système actuel de formation, qui implique le PNUD, le gouvernement et les agences, ait démarré quelque part après la période d'été, au mois de septembre. Toujours est-il que le régime actuel a été lent à démarrer et que nous nous trouvons dans une période de vide dans les approbations.
Je ne veux pas exagérer, parce que je sais qu'en début de cycle il y a toujours une baisse. Il n'empêche que pour ce qui est de la FAO, sur le nouveau régime du PNUD, le total des projets approuvés jusqu'à présent s'élève à 12 pour un total de 6,2 millions de dollars, dont seulement 900 000 dollars pour les services d'appui soit administratifs et opérationnels, soit technique. En plus de cela, il est vrai qu'une décision a été prise par le PNUD pour une première tranche d'appui technique au niveau des programmes pour 6,7 millions de dollars, pour lesquels nous allons mettre en place les activités en amont des projets.
Au stade actuel il y a donc un très faible niveau d'approbation sur le nouveau régime, au point que selon les prévisions que nous avons faites jusqu'à présent les dépenses pour la période 1992-993 pourraient être inférieures à 30 pour cent à celles de la période 1991. C'est la préoccupation que nous avons exprimée, non pas parce que nous voulions contester en quoi que ce soit
l'importance du financement par le PNUD, mais parce que nous sommes inquiets de cette évolution un peu trop lente.
A ce rythme, il y a un risque que les agences spécialisées - elles sont cinq à qui s'appliquent le nouveau régime et les cinq agences en question ont la même préoccupation que nous quant au niveau de flexion des approbations - ces agences, dis-je, pourraient progressivement être marginalisées si on n'accélère pas le pas.
D'où la raison pour laquelle le Comité administratif de coordination a demandé, dans la déclaration que Mme Killingsworth a déjà mentionné dans son intervention, d'accélérer la mise en oeuvre du nouveau système, d'accélérer les approbations et de procéder à une évaluation déjà en 1993 de manière à assurer que les services techniques, en particulier, des agences soient complètement utilisés par le PNUD.
J'en viens à la seconde question importante soulevée par le délégué de la Suède, qui a demandé si la FAO s'ajustait à ces nouvelles perspectives et aux développements sur la scène internationale, y compris au sein du système des Nations Unies. Je voudrais à cet égard lui donner un certain nombre de réponses pour lui montrer que nous n'agissons pas de manière passive en attendant les événements.
D'abord, la notion d'exécution nationale. Une des raisons pour lesquelles probablement le niveau d'activité avec le PNUD des agences va baisser, c'est l'exécution nationale. La FAO depuis toujours s'est déclarée extrêmement favorable à l'exécution nationale dans tous les cas où elle est faisable, où les capacités sur place existent. La FAO a peut-être été la première agence à employer sur large échelle les directeurs de projets nationaux, à organiser des séminaires de formation pour les directeurs de projets nationaux à la formulation et à la gestion des projets. Ce que nous voudrions cependant, c'est que la notion d'exécution nationale ne soit pas antinomique de celle d'assistance et de conseil et d'implication des agences, qui peuvent apporter, dans des projets qui sont exécutés nationalement, un certain nombre de contributions. Pour ce faire, je pense que les agences devraient être impliquées très tôt dans le cycle des projets et que, par conséquent, des directives devraient être au niveau du système des Nations Unies par le PNUD et les agences en commun pour assurer que la consultation entre partenaires soit menée en temps utile avant la décision.
En second lieu, la FAO a certainement intensifié ses activités en amont des projets au niveau des programmes dans les dernières années, que ce soit pour l'examen sectoriel ou sous-sectoriel dans certains pays, que ce soit pour des conseils en matière de politique, et nous allons prendre avantage au maximum de ce que j'ai appelé tout à l'heure les services d'appui technique au niveau des programmes pour assurer aux pays récipiendaires, les services et les expertises que nous pouvons leur offrir. Ceci aboutira très certainement à devoir renforcer les services techniques de l'Organisation pour être en mesure de fournir ces nouveaux types de services en amont des projets. Probablement nous serons ainsi amenés à exécuter moins de projets directement sous la forme classique de l'exécution par input.
En troisième lieu, nous avons discuté ce matin de la révision des programmes d'action spéciaux dans un autre contexte, celui de la suite de la Conférence de Rio. Mais c'est une manière de s'ajuster aux nouveaux types de demande de servicesquelaFAO va devoir prendre. Nousespéronspouvoir, decette
manière, recentrer une partie de nos activités de terrain sur ces grandes priorités qui sont un des grands événements qui ont fait irruption sur la scène internationale ces dernières années.
Enfin, l'approche par programme. Nous avons également favorisé dans le passé, et nous sommes disposés de le faire à l'avenir, l'approche par programme et, comme le Représentant de l'Inde nous a posé une question directe sur ce plan, je voudrais lui répondre en prenant l'exemple de son pays. Avec l'appui du Programme de coopération technique en Inde, en 1990, nous avons lancé un véritable exercice de programmation qui avait pour but de centrer le programme du cinquième cycle du PNUD en ce qui concerne l'agriculture sur un petit nombre de secteurs où le gouvernement était intéressé et où la FAO aurait pu apporter, avec son avantage comparatif, son expertise. Cela a abouti à la sélection de quatre secteurs majeurs qui correspondaient bien à ceux du Plan Quinquennal de l'Inde qui étaient prioritaires et pour lesquels nous pouvions apporter une contribution valable en utilisant notre expertise et notre avantage comparatif. Nous l'avons fait également au Pakistan et au Népal et nous sommes disposés, en collaboration avec le PNUD et j'espère grâce au financement du PNUD, à pouvoir le faire sur une échelle beaucoup plus vaste dans d'autres cas.
Pour cette approche par programme, pour laquelle il faut bien le dire jusqu'à présent la base méthodologique n'est pas très sûre, le PNUD lui-même a organisé plusieurs séminaires récemment pour essayer de définir ce que l'on entend par approche par programme, lui donner un contenu opérationnel. Nous avons participé dans certains cas à ces séminaires. Il y reste cependant beaucoup de travail méthodologique à faire et nous attendons toujours les directives que le PNUD s'est engagé à préparer, j'espère en collaboration avec nous.
Je me suis permis d'utiliser ces deux points de l'intervention du délégué de la Suède, pour faire un tour assez vaste des questions opérationnelles et des problèmes que nous avons devant nous.
Le dernier point est l'impact de tout cela au niveau du terrain et également l'impact éventuel de la restructuration du système des Nations Unies. Nous sommes dans une période intermédiaire. Une série de propositions sont sur la table mais l'analyse de leurs conséquences est difficile à faire à ce stade parce que nous ne savons pas ce que les Etats Membres, à l'Assemblée Générale, vont prendre comme orientation.
Ce que je voudrais dire, en rappelant ce que le Directeur général disait dans son intervention au début de ce Conseil, c'est que le système des Nations Unies est, par nature, polycentrique, qu'il faut préserver la spécificité de chaque agence, chacune d'elles possédant une expérience et une expertise irremplaçables. Ceci ne signifie pas que nous ne pouvons pas progresser dans le sens d'une coordination plus intense. La FAO a été très active dans le Comité consultatif des questions substantives et opérationnelles pour définir et voir comment renforcer le rôle du Représentant Coordinateur des Nations Unies. Plus récemment, dans le cas des urgences, avec la création du Département de l'assistance humanitaire dirigée par M. Elliason, M. Hjort a dit combien la FAO avait participé intensément au Comité permanent interagences sur les urgences. En fait, notre ambition est qu'à travers une consultation aussi intense que possible au niveau local, non seulement nous soyons en mesure d'amener une coordination efficace de l'aide du système des NationsUnies dans descasd'urgence, mais égalementquenous essayons
d'assurer les liens entre la préparation aux urgences sous forme de la surveillance, de la détection précoce des situations d'urgence quand elles sont détectables, la fourniture de l'aide humanitaire comme l'aide alimentaire, et au-delà analyser quels sont les besoins en réhabilitation agricole c'est-à-dire lier dans un momentum continu la détection de l'urgence, l'action préventive, l'action d'aide humanitaire directe, la réhabilitation qui permet une reprise du développement après la catastrophe. Tous cela est en discussion et beaucoup dépendra de ce que l'Assemblée générale décidera. Nous suivons de très près ces discussions à New York. Elles ont indiscutablement pour l'avenir du système des Nations Unies une importance considérable et certainement le Conseil sera tenu au courant de ce qui a été décidé.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie M. Regnier et je donne la parole à M. Hjort.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: I will make a specific point or two and then a more general one. I wanted to make certain that the Council understood the answer to the question raised by Morocco which was given by France. The Director Generals of the Steering Committee for the ICN have not invited any person to chair the body. There has been a letter asking about the availability of the person whose name was mentioned. The selection of the chairperson and the rest of the bureau rests, as Ms Killingsworth reported in her introduction, with the member countries themselves.
The ICN will be held in Rome. We shall follow FAO's rules of procedure. The PrepCom was held in Geneva and we were guided basically by WHO's rules of procedure. There are some differences, but I wanted to make certain that you understood that the selection of the chairperson, vice chairpersons and so forth will follow the procedures long established in FAO.
While on the subject of the ICN, there was a question from the Netherlands with respect to follow-up. Certainly the plan of action and the follow-up thereto is what the whole thing is mainly about, so considerable attention and time has been given to this. But this gives the opportunity to leave you with a thought. From several statements that were made about the pace of change and the need for reform and the UNCED discussion this morning, one has the impression that some believe that these aspects were not taking place and that they are something new or sudden, that reform will take place one day at midnight and the next day the world will be very different, or that an UNCED Conference is held one day and all of a sudden the world has changed totally. The fact is that the environmental problems which were there the day UNCED started were very similar to those that were there the day UNCED finished. So it will be with the ICN.
We have a coordinated set of activities. What happens when we engage in these discussions and debates and come to agreement on certain programmes of action? We are convincing ourselves that there are certain matters involved in socioeconomic development that have not been given sufficient attention and that they are of concern to us for survival as a planet, as human beings, and so forth. We are seeking to strengthen our efforts in certain ways, on certain points. We shall have the ICN; we shall adopt a plan of action; there will be follow-up to it. We hope that out of that the ongoing efforts which are under way by millions of people, hundreds of organizations - non-governmental, intergovernmental and otherwise - will be accelerated and more rapid progress
made toward the elimination of hunger. We shall not, however, find that hunger has been eliminated during the days that the Conference was taking place.
This brings me to another point, since I am in a somewhat philosophical mood tonight. In listening to the responses of Mr Regnier and Ms Killingsworth and to comments that were made by the Council, I believe it is fair to ask the question: is FAO leading the reform process or is it a follower? The point has been made that we had a fundamental and careful review. We have been implementing those recommendations. There has been UNCED. Think of the UNCED package that you reviewed today, that you reviewed at the last Conference. Has the UN yet moved to the point where FAO has long since been? Is there a commission on sustainable development yet? There is certainly a programme of action here on sustainable agriculture and rural development.
Changes in this Organization take place every day. The management struggles with change all the time. It is a continuous process. It is not something that comes and goes. You manage change. You try to deal with change. You react to it. We make changes when a new department of Humanitarian Affairs is created, as Mr Regnier has said. It does take some changes. We are playing a leadership role in that whole matter, too, I can assure you. It is this Organization which provides the assessment of food needs. This is the lead agency. Somebody used the terminology that we "participate in it". FAO has been, is and will be the lead agency in which WFP and other people, too, cooperate with us. We are involved. It has, as I say, taken some changes, and those are being made. Mr Regnier has gone through the changes which are consequent to the Resolution 44/211. These changes take place every day. We are sitting here struggling with how to deal with a shortfall between support-cost income and support-cost expenditure today, tonight, tomorrow. We have had to cut posts. We shall have to reduce staff further. This is one of the consequences of continual change. How many hundreds of field posts have been cancelled in the last 18 months that this process has been under way? You, member countries, are losing much of that capability because it is not being picked up by OPS, which is moving in to take over where it can. But it is not moving that aggressively.
We talked about SAPs today. What is that all about? That is a process of change. We have a set of SAPs. We are trying to restructure, to clean out the ones that are no longer relevant, which are no longer a priority, no longer at the forefront, and so on. Enough said. There are plenty of these places and instances which could be used to raise the question if this is really the lead agency on change or if it is elsewhere.
I do not know the nature of the problems about which you speak concerning the need for reform at the UN and in the programmes and funds. It may be as bad as you say. If it is, then you certainly have started in the right place, but, if you start with the worst first and end up with the ones that need attention least, it will be a long time before you have to visit us on reform matters.
As far as implications are concerned, you have talked about changes in the World Food Council. That is a matter which is pending in another body. All I will say about that is that, if this is another change which impacts upon us - there have been comments about strengthening the Committee on Food Security, there have been comments about the fact that more ministers come to FAO's conferences than to any other place that we seem to know of - one can be assured that FAO would take on those responsibilities also if we were asked to do so. It is not our decision, but we shall adjust to change.
There were several comments about Women in Development. I put this in the same category. You will recall that you endorsed a plan of action for Women in Development in this Organization some time ago - in 1989, I believe You will be interested to know, I am sure, that this year the World Bank and the UNDP have sought out FAO and asked us to collaborate and work with them and help them to prepare a plan of action or work together in training on this matter, the point being, I think it is fair to say, that there was recognition that we are the lead agency on that matter also.
There is still a lot to do, there is a long way to go, but we will make it. I might also add in this context that part of the reason why we could be ahead of the game is because we had strong support from one of the member countries which happened to mention the importance of women in development in our early efforts in structuring the plan.
LE PRESIDENT: Nous arrivons au terme de notre débat sur ce point important et vaste. Je n'essaierai pas de faire une synthèse mais je me permettrai de vous faire part de quelques réflexions.
On parle beaucoup de réformes. Les intervenants précédents se sont référés au discours du Directeur général et je pense que le Directeur général a profondément raison lorsqu'il dit que, dans la construction du monde, on peut difficilement envisager de commencer par le toit sans avoir des fondations solides. Dans la vie des hommes et des femmes, dans la vie des familles, dans la vie des nations, des peuples, de la communauté internationale, il est nécessaire et indispensable dans un certain nombre de domaines-clé, notamment ceux de l'alimentation, de l'agriculture, de la santé, de la science, de l'industrie - en fait, tout ce qui est du ressort des activités des grandes agences opérationnelles des Nations Unies - d'essayer d'avoir le maximum de cohérence et de construire la maison par la base et non pas par le sommet, en essayant de renforcer les points d'ancrage des grands domaines. C'est là la responsabilité de tous les Etats Membres de l'Organisation et de vous, membres du Conseil, que d'essayer d'arriver à la meilleure coordination possible dans les activités relatives à l'alimentation et l'agriculture.
Je me rends parfaitement compte que c'est une chose difficile à aborder dans les réunions et les débats presque informels de certains groupes. On parle de la coordination entre l'Organisation pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture et des fonds, tels que le Fonds international de développement agricole, le Programme alimentaire mondial, le Groupe consultatif de la recherche agronomique internationale, le Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement et dans le secteur de l'agriculture les activités de la Banque mondiale. Pour éviter une cacophonie, il faut qu'il y ait un chef d'orchestre. Une coordination peut difficilement se réaliser sans que quelqu'un la dirige. Il faut que quelqu'un dirige les activités qui, pour le moment, relèvent parfois d'organes différents, de conseils de gouverneurs différents, de tout un fatras d'éléments décisionnels. Je ne suis pas convaincu qu'un grand conseil qui s'occuperait de tout - à la fois de la démographie, de l'agriculture, de la santé, du SIDA, du transfert des techniques, de la coopération Sud-Sud - serait un élément positif.
Je crois davantage à la possibilité de renforcer les piliers de l'Organisation des Nations Unies. Or, incontestablement, notre Organisation est un pilier important de la famille des Nations Unies. Je me souviens, lors de la dernière Conférence,d'avoir modestement prononcé une petite allocution donnant un
compte rendu des activités du Conseil et émettant le voeu que cette symbiose puisse être assurée entre les organisations qui s'occupent d'agriculture à Rome. Nonobstant les efforts de certains pour dissocier parfois le Programme alimentaire mondial de la FAO, la situation s'est heureusement améliorée sensiblement, et je m'en réjouis. Je crois qu'il existe une articulation étroite entre les activités de la grande agence opérationnelle des Nations Unies et le Programme alimentaire mondial.
Nous souhaitons qu'il en soit de même à l'avenir en ce qui concerne le Fonds international de développement agricole, qui dispose des ressources nécessaires mais n'a pas les capacités techniques d'assurer le suivi des opérations qu'il mène.
De même, tous les pays, y compris les pays en développement, doivent définir et déterminer leurs priorités. Ces priorités doivent-elles être définies au sein de toute une série de conseils différents, sans chef d'orchestre et sans coordination? Je ne le crois pas.
Le voeu que j'émets - et je crois que c'est important - c'est que, dans la réforme des Nations Unies, la construction se fasse par la base, sur des piliers solides, en renonçant à certains mythes, à certains dogmes, en donnant aux organisations le moyen de fonctionner correctement et en redéfinissant un certain nombre de programmes.
J'ai entendu ce que viennent de dire Mme Killingsworth et M. Regnier, notamment en ce qui concerne le programme des Nations Unies pour le développement. J'ai eu l'occasion, il y a de nombreuses années déjà, de suivre certains conseils d'administration du PNUD. Je crois qu'il s'est produit un certain nombre de glissements dans la tendance qu'ont certains programmes à devenir indépendants, à devenir de grands programmes. Il me semble anormal qu'un programme des Nations Unies devienne sa propre agence d'exécution. On détruira fatalement l'ensemble de la famille des Nations Unies si l'on ne renforce pas les agences opérationnelles des Nations Unies. C'est là un point essentiel. Lorsque l'on parle de la FAO, il ne s'agit pas du Secrétariat. Le Secrétariat doit être souple et s'adapter aux réalités du monde de demain, mais en définitive, c'est votre responsabilité, en tant qu'Etats Membres de la FAO.
Il me reste à vous remercier de la contribution que vous avez apportée à cet important débat. Celui-ci n'est pas clos. Il ne sera jamais clos. On peut parler à perte de vue des réformes; on est appelé constamment à s'adapter, à s'améliorer, à progresser. mais pour s'adapter, s'améliorer et progresser il faut respecter un certain nombre de principes qu'il faut clairement définir. On parle de réforme. On a examiné longuement les Textes fondamentaux et il est parfois bon, je l'ai dit tout à l'heure, de les relire. Deux ans de processus de réforme ont quand même permis de faire le point sur nos activités. Alors, donnons-nous les moyens de réaliser nos objectifs. Des erreurs seront encore commises à l'avenir mais la coordination des programmes est souhaitable.
Je vais prendre un petit exemple concret: la trypanosomiase animale en Afrique. Comment peut-on imaginer un vaste programme de lutte contre la mouche tsé-tsé si l'on ne dispose pas d'un certain nombre de points d'ancrage, d'expérience de terrain précise et concrète? C'est sur la base de cette expérience que l'on pourra construire des programmes qui nécessitent une véritable solidarité. Là encore, on parle de la souveraineté des pays. Elle est importante mais la collaboration entre les pays est également importante,
que ce soit dans le cadre de la coopération Sud-Sud ou dans celui des relations entre le Nord et le Sud. La dimension régionale des problèmes est un aspect extrêmement important et les échanges d'expérience entre pays en développement sont importants. Cette expérience se base parfois sur un certain nombre d'erreurs mais les erreurs peuvent être utiles pour la construction progressive d'un monde meilleur dans les conditions difficiles que nous connaissons à l'heure actuelle.
Nous n'aborderons pas aujourd'hui le point 8, qui traite du Troisième rapport intérimaire sur le Programme d'action de la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural. Nous reprendrons nos travaux demain, à 9 heures 30, avec ce point de l'ordre du jour, étant entendu que la séance de demain après-midi sera prolongée, comme j'ai déjà eu l'occasion de le signaler.
La séance de cet après-midi a été plus longue que prévu mais je crois qu'elle a été extrêmement utile et votre présence nombreuse en cette heure tardive est le signe de votre appui au Secrétariat, qui en a le plus grand besoin.
The meeting rose at 18.30 hours.
La séance est levée à 18 h 30.
Se levanta la sesión a las 18.30 horas.
