EL PRESIDENTE: Si no hay objeciones, respecto del 18.2 les recuerdo que los temas más destacados son el examen tradicional por el Comité de Finanzas del Informe Anual que se ofrece en el apéndice al Informe del Comité de Finanzas. Como ustedes observan, la respuesta del Comité de Finanzas fue satisfactoria respecto del examen de la ejecución del Presupuesto de 1994. El bienio se ha caracterizado por la necesidad de medidas de austeridad, y la intervención del Director General para contener los gastos fue, sin duda, prudente. Me refiero aquí a los párrafos 3.5 a 3.10 del documento CL 108/4.
En lo que se refiere al Tema 18.3, Escala de Cuotas para el 1996-97, documento CL 108/14 y los párrafos 3.52 al 3.55 del Informe del 81° período de sesiones del Comité de Finanzas, se recordará que la Organización suele basar su escala de cuotas en la correspondiente de las Naciones Unidas, a partir de la decisión en ese sentido adoptada por la Conferencia en su 8 o período de sesiones del 55. Tanto en el 18° período de sesiones del noviembre del 75, como en el vigesimosegundo período de sesiones de la Conferencia de noviembre del 83 se llegó a la conclusión de que sería conveniente que la escala de cuotas se siguiera basando directamente en la escala correspondiente de las Naciones Unidas. Las razones aducidas para ello fueron las siguientes. Se consideró que la Comisión de Cuotas de las Naciones Unidas era el órgano más cualificado para determinar la capacidad real de los Estados Miembros para pagar sus contribuciones; además, el apartarse de la práctica habitual de basar directamente la escala de la FAO en la correspondiente de las Naciones Unidas constituiría una duplicación de la labor realizada por la Comisión de Cuotas de las Naciones Unidas, tendría repercusiones negativas en todo el sistema de Naciones Unidas y haría que los Órganos Rectores de la FAO dedicaran una cantidad excesiva de tiempo a esta cuestión administrativa, en su esfuerzo por encontrar una alternativa idónea.
En el Apéndice C del Informe del Comité de Finanzas figuran las cuotas para los años 1996 y 1997, basadas directamente en la escala de cuotas de las Naciones Unidas aprobadas para esos años, según lo establecido en la Resolución 49/19 Β de la Asamblea General, el 23 de diciembre de 1994. A fines de comparación, se consigna también la escala de la FAO correspondiente a 1994 y 1995. Las cuotas fijadas para los Estados Miembros en la escala de Naciones Unidas son más bajas que las de la escala de la FAO, ya que existe una diferencia en el número de Miembros, que requiere un aumento por prorrateo en las cuotas fijadas por las Naciones Unidas, a fin de llegar a una escala de la FAO de un cien por cien completo. Para el actual trienio, las Naciones Unidas han aprobado una escala distinta de cuotas para cada año, con el fin de facilitar la eliminación gradual del sistema de los límites. En consecuencia, y a fin de adaptarse en la mayor medida posible a la práctica seguida en las Naciones Unidas, la Organización propone, por primera vez, fijar escalas separadas para el 96 y el 97. El Consejo, por tanto, podría recomendar a la Conferencia que aprobara la escala tal como ha sido propuesta. En el párrafo 3.55 del Informe del Comité de Finanzas figura un proyecto de resolución en la que se autoriza a proceder en este sentido.
El punto 18.4 es explícito en sí mismo, de manera que, distinguidos delegados, tienen ustedes a su consideración estos tres puntos del Tema 18.
A estas alturas abro, por tanto, la lista de oradores. ¿Hay alguna delegación que desee hacer uso de la palabra? Tiene la palabra la distinguida delegación de Francia.
Olivier MARGUERITTE (France): Je souhaite intervenir uniquement sur le point 18 point 3 de l'ordre du jour: Barème des contributions 1996-97.
La délégation française prend acte du barème des contributions pour 1996-97 présenté à l'annexe C du document CL 108/14. Nous comprenons que ce barème découle de celui adopté aux Nations Unies, à New York, avec certaines adaptations pour l'ΟΑΑ. Certains pays verront la part relative de leur contribution baisser; d'autres, comme la France, la verront augmenter. Pour le presque néophyte que je suis, la logique voudrait qu'un Etat Membre dont la part de contribution augmente à New York voit sa part de contribution augmenter également à Rome, et inversement. En est-il bien ainsi?
Je serais reconnaissant au Secrétariat de bien vouloir donner des éclaircissements sur la méthodologie d'adaptation du barème new-yorkais au cas de l'ΟΑΑ.
Saleh Sadiq OSMAN (Tanzania): The Tanzanian Delegation wishes to endorse the recommendation of the Finance Committee in terms of the resolutions proposed in paragraph 3.55 of document CL 108/14 regarding the scale of contribution for use in 1996/97. My delegation notes that the FAO scale of contribution has in the past been derived directly from the United Nations scale of assessment since 1955, when the Eighth Session of the Council adopted a resolution to that effect.
We also note that the FAO Conference in 1975 as well as in 1983 considered the practice in depth and concluded that it was still appropriate to continue to derive the FAO scale directly from that of the United Nations. My delegation thinks that it is still appropriate to continue deriving the scale of contribution for FAO from the United Nations, as this Organization is a member of the UN System and we consider it inappropriate to deviate from the norm at this stage.
The Tanzanian Delegation therefore strongly supports the proposed resolution on scale of contributions and enjoins the Finance Committee to urge Council to endorse this proposed resolution and submit it for the approval of Conference for use in 1996 and 1997 as detailed in Appendix C of the document.
Toivo PALM (Estonia): Mr Chairman, I should briefly like to refer to the situation of the payments of contributions as stated in document CL 108/14. I can comment only on my country's situation, but I note that the situation is the same for nearly all the other countries of the Eastern and Central European Region, although to varying degrees.
I wish to assure you, Mr Chairman, that our tardiness in payment of our dues to the Organization does not depend on bad will or calculation of the nature referred to by Mr Hjort. It is a question of our countries at this time passing a difficult stage in the restructuring of our economy and the privatization of our agriculture, with many of the aspects connected with this still in uncertain and inevitably inexperienced hands. However, I wish to assure you, Mr Chairman, that we have already included payment in full in our current year's budget and we hope that funds should reach FAO by the end of the year 1995.
I should also like to stress that we are naturally relieved over the results of the deliberations in New York which have led to a substantial reduction in all our contribution levels. Although we are aware that this is not a matter of FAO's decision, this reduction nevertheless reflects the fact that the earlier contribution levels assigned to us were based on false reflections of our national economic situations and these high levels of contributions were placed on us at a most delicate time in our development, that is, the earliest period of our regained independence.
I would also like to point out that the situation mentioned above was a heritage of the USSR situation which dissolved years ago. This was a country with political ambitions much higher than its economic possibilities and this became reflected in the fees payable to international organizations and also created the excessive charges to our countries as stated above.
In this context, I should further like to stress the importance to the three Baltic countries of advice in the area of economic policy in the form of forward-looking prognoses or scenarios which will guide us in our national deliberations as to which direction to follow in the times to come. It is our concern that the Organization's staffing in this area might require strengthening, for example, in the Regional Office, the Investment Centre, etc. As has been stated on earlier occasions we look to the FAO for impaniai and expert advice among the myriad of proposals, suggestions and plans which arrive on our governmental desks.
We have, in the meantime, also begun more intensive consultations with FAO Technical Units to elaborate an increased reaction on the part of FAO in response to our contribution.
EL PRESIDENTE: Si ningún otro delegado desea intervenir, le pido al señor Hjort que haga uso de la palabra.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: I just want to make a follow-up to the comments from Estonia. The revised UN formula takes into account some of the concerns that have been expressed. You will note that for countries such as Estonia and others in similar circumstances, the percentage contribution will decrease significantly over the next few years.
Mr Owens is prepared to explain how the scale of contributions is adopted, in response to the question from France.
E. OWENS (Director, Financial Services Division): In response to the question asked by the delegate from France, the UN scale is adjusted by the difference in membership between the two organizations. At this date there are 18 members of the United Nations who are not members of FAO and there are three members of FAO who are not members of the United Nations. Therefore, by taking the UN scale for those 18 members and obtaining from the UN a probable scale for the three members who are not members of the United Nations, we distribute that amount of contribution over the remaining members of the Organization who are either not at the maximum contribution level of 25 percent or the minimum contribution level of 0.01 percent. It is a very simple formula and I will be glad to sit down and go over it with you at any time.
EL PRESIDENTE: Gracias señor Owens ¿Alguna otra observación por parte de los delegados? Si no desean intervenir podríamos concluir diciendo, respecto del Tema 18.2, que el Consejo tomó nota del informe del Comité de Finanzas en sus párrafos 3.5-3.10, como aparece en el documento CL 108/14 y ratificó el enfoque prudente del Director General en la gestión de los recursos durante el bienio 1994-95.
En lo que se refiere al Tema 18.3: Escala de Cuotas para 1996-97, el Consejo tomó nota del documento CL 108/14, párrafos 3.52-3.55 y que la FAO había seguido desde 1955 la escala de cuotas correspondiente a las Naciones Unidas, ratificada en 1955 y luego en 1975 y en 1983.
Finalmente que el Consejo tomó nota de que la Escala de Cuotas de la FAO propuesta para los años 1996-97, se había basado directamente en aquella correspondiente a las Naciones Unidas, vigente durante el año 1995 y tal como había establecido la Asamblea General.
El Consejo recomendó que la Resolución que aparece en el párrafo 3.55 del informe del 81° periodo de sesiones del Comité de Finanzas se envíe a la Conferencia de octubre para decisión.
Bien, señores delegados, con esto concluye la discusión del Tema 18 y como yo les había advertido esta mañana era mi intención pasar de inmediato al tratamiento del Tema 12 de nuestra agenda que es: Colaboración dentro del Sistema de las Naciones Unidas y con otras organizaciones, incluido los resultados de la tercera sesión de la Comisión de Desarrollo Sostenible, que es un tema para información, documento CL 108/17, Sup. 1 y Sup.2.
J.S. CAMARA (Director, Office for External Relations, ODG): Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates, Members of the Council. This is a standing item on the Agenda of the Council, as well as the Conference, and its main purpose is to keep us, the Members of the Council, informed of those developments, both within the UN System and outside, which have implications on the work of FAO.
FAO collaboration with the UN System and with other organizations covers a very broad spectrum of activities and subjects, and some of these have been dealt with in separate items on our Agenda, such as those items read to the last meeting of COAG, COFO and COFI. For your consideration of this item, you have available three documents, CL 108/17, Sup. 1 and Sup. 2, the information of the relation between FAO and WTO is contained in Sup. 1, as it will be reported that the WTO only became operational in January 1995. Information on the outcome of the Third Session of the Commission on Southern Development was issued in Sup. 2, given that the decision took place after the submission of the document CL 108/17 for processing and printing.
Mr Chairman, cooperation among the three Rome-based agencies, in view of its breadth, could not be covered exhaustively in the document. Similarly, updating on this subject is necessarily selective. New initiatives include an FAO-IFAD meeting to discuss the preparation of National Action Programmes to combat desertification and drought, and to explore operational modalities for the implementation of the International Convention to Combat Desertification.
With regard to FAO Global Information and Early Warning System missions fielded jointly with WFP, eight missions have been undertaken in 1995 as of the end of May.
On the issue of African Economic Recovery and Development, I am pleased to inform the Council that, since the preparation of the document, the Steering Committee of the ACC, established under the Secretary-General's Special Initiative on Africa, held two sessions on 20 April and 31 May 1995, in New York.
Following the first meeting of the Steering Committee, a meeting of Working Group II on Sustainable Food Security was convened under the Chairmanship of FAO on 5 May 1995 at FAO Headquarters. A draft paper on Food Security and Sustainability Issues in Africa was prepared by the Working Group at that time and was subsequently reviewed by the Steering Committee at its second session. A second meeting of this Working Group is scheduled to be held on 20 June 1995, again in Rome, to revise the first draft of the aforementioned paper based on the recommendations of the Steering Committee.
A proposed timetable was endorsed by the Steering Committee at its second session and it is envisaged that the final report on the Initiative would be submitted to the Administrative Committee on Coordination in October of this year.
On the Agenda for Development: Turning from Rome to New York, the ad hoc open-ended Working Group of the General Assembly on an Agenda for Development met from 5 to 26 May. The Working Group had before it a compendium summarizing the outcome of major UN Conferences and other international agreements concluded since 1990. Its work focused on a structure or outline for the Agenda. Development of agriculture, industry and the services sector is currently included in the section entitled "Economic Development" under the heading "Policy Framework including Means of Implementation". The Working Group is due to meet again from 28 August to 8 September. The UN Secretariat is to prepare a compilation of all views received by governments and work groups as well as a synthesis text. FAO hopes that its input will be sought on that part of the Agenda dealing with the development of agriculture.
Coming to the International Conferences, I will state that the follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development and the World Summit for Social Development will be discussed at ECOSOC during the Coordination Segment and the High-Level Segment on Operational Activities. The Coordination Segment will focus on coordinated follow-up by the UN System and more integrated implementation of the results of the major international conferences. The High-Level Segment, concerned with operational activities, will concentrate on implementation of the action programmes adopted by these two conferences. ECOSOC is expected to provide guidance regarding cross-sectoral coordination.
FAO has been fully involved in UNFPA-organized initiatives for follow-up to the Cairo Conference on Population and Development, including workshops for the preparation of guidelines for Resident Coordinators on implementation of the Programme of Action.
With regard to preparations for UN 4th World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing, FAO continues to seek to ensure that the issues and concerns regarding women in rural areas are taken fully into account in the final output of the Conference: the Platform for Action. It has now been agreed that a special event on rural women will be coordinated by FAO with participation of 11 other UN organizations, including IFAD, WFP and the World Bank, as well as several NGOs.
At the regional and sub-regional level, I would like to state that, with regard to the cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean, this is a wide-ranging and dynamic process which continues to evolve. It will undoubtedly be facilitated in the Caribbean area by the establishment of the new FAO Sub-Regional Office.
While it would be impossible to provide a complete update on cooperative activities in the region in my introductory statement, I am pleased to provide several examples of activities which are additional to those mentioned in the document.
The Joint Programme on Eradication of Amblyomma Variegatum, commonly known as "bont tick" in CARICOM member countries, is still on-going. FAO-IICA joint activities were also undertaken in the areas of market development, and women in development. Regarding the latter, national training courses and a sub-regional workshop were jointly organized. I am also pleased to announce that FAO and IICA will co-finance a Directory of Colleges of Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean. Yesterday, I had the chance to discuss cooperation with my counterpart, the Director of External Relations of IICA, who I hope is in the room. Cooperation thus continues to advance, though further advances are sought.
Exchange of information, with the aim of establishing a regional programme on plant germplasm and a project on biotechnology and food security, is being pursued with the Latin American Economic System's Action Committee on Latin American Cooperation and Consultation on Plant Genetic Resources. Activities on genetic resources and agro-industrial development are also to be initiated with the Amazon Cooperation Treaty.
Mr Chairman, FAO-WTO relations are still in an embryonic state. FAO has attended a number of meetings convened by various WTO Committees on an ad hoc basis, as a matter of observership of international intergovernmental organizations with WTO is pending a decision by the WTO General Council. The FAO Conference will be informed of any further developments at its next Session.
Finally, concerning the Third Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, I would like to inform the Council that ECOSOC at its resumed organizational Session in New York on 1 June, formally approved the establishment of an open-ended ad hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests. The Council also authorized its bureau to decide on a date, late in June, for a brief organizational meeting of the Panel in order to set the dates for its first session. I understand that the Council addressed the matter of the Panel and there is a discussion of the report of COFO.
Mr Chairman, I, of course, stand ready to provide to Members of the Council any additional information and answer any questions which they may have.
EL PRESIDENTE: Muchas gracias señor Camara por su información amplia que nos ha proporcionado al introducir este tema. A propósito, quiero felicitarle a usted, también, por esta nueva posición como director de la Oficina de Relaciones Externas de la FAO, una vez que dejó usted la Dirección de la Oficina de Enlace de la FAO ante las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York.
Bien, distinguidos delegados, aunque el tema es para información, desde luego ustedes están invitados a hacer observaciones al respecto. Les pregunto, ¿hay alguna delegación que desea hacer uso de la palabra?
Canadá, Reino Unido, Japón, México, Bangladesh, Francia, Alemania y Chile.
Comenzamos con la distinguida delegación de Canadá. Canadá tiene la palabra.
Alan AMEY (Canada): After many years of addressing this issue at FAO meetings, Canada has been very pleased at the last two Council meetings to welcome the Director-General's intention to expand FAO's partnership within and outside the United Nations System. His conception of the FAO as part of a larger and integrated multilateral effort, to which each participant contributes according to its particular comparative advantages, is one with which Canada can strongly associate.
It is in this context that we welcome the further evidence in this document of cooperation with regional organizations in the Americas, including IICA. Canada strongly supports this sort of collaboration as do we appreciate the support and the range of initiatives for cooperation, harmonization and mutual assistance within the region itself. The FAO-IICA model of partnership, in particular, merits emulation elsewhere. We believe it is an expression of the recognition that in an area of down-sizing and resource constraints it is wasteful and counterproductive for agencies to be working independently on the same issues.
Mr Chairman, we find the extent of FAO involvement in the preparations for and follow-up to several international conferences most impressive. This is indeed the role we would expect of a Specialized UN Agency in meetings of very comprehensive and cross-sectoral subject matters. This leads us to wonder, however, to what extent the proposed World Food Summit, only 18 months away, is already on the world map. Are the UN and other multi-lateral organizations gearing up to participate in a manner similar to what FAO is doing as described in this document? Is the World Food Summit already on the agenda of ECOSOC, the General Assembly, the World Health Assembly, the World Trade Organization and government bodies of the UN operational programmes? Have any of these bodies expressed their support or views regarding the World Food Summit? Mr Chairman, it would be useful to have a section of the document for the next Council devoted to this aspect of inter-agency collaboration.
We welcome the interest of FAO in the work of the new World Trade Organization.There will be a need for close cooperation between FAO and WTO, especially where this is specifically referenced in the WTO agreements, as is the case with the role of CODEX in setting international standards for food products. The issue of formal observer status for the various organizations requesting such status in the WTO is still being discussed informally among delegations. Canada is confident that the guidelines and criteria for observers that will be adopted by the WTO General Council will allow the FAO to be an observer in the relevant WTO bodies and committees.
Ms M. McCOWAN (United Kingdom): The United Kingdom would like to confine itself to four aspects of this paper: cooperation with the World Food Programme, Emergencies, the Agenda for Development and the Cairo Population Conference. Turning to cooperation with the Word Food Programme, we welcome continuing collaboration between FAO and WFP, as set out in paragraphs 6, 7, 8 and 9, and particularly joint food supply assessment missions. Also, the joint FAO/IFAD/WFP activity set out in paragraphs 22 and 24. We note the proposed WFP paper for the World Food Summit in paragraph 10 on the use of food aid for the promotion of food security. However, it is important to recognize the lack of access to food linked to poverty and that food security, i.e., lack of access to food, should be addressed primarily through poverty reduction programmes. This point is relevant also in connection with the Director-General's Special Programme on Food Production, as outlined in paragraph 11. The proposed IFAD paper for the World Food Summit on agricultural investment should provide welcome additional focus. The paper also includes numbers of separate references to work on food security: the ad hoc working group on Household Food Security (paragraph 22), the Working Group on Sustainable Food Security (paragraph 38), the ad hoc Working Group on the Agenda for Development (paragraphs 46 to 49). We think it is important to ensure that adequate coordination, avoiding all duplication, applies, and that bodies mentioned take account of parallel multi-disciplinary World Bank studies.
In relation to the work done by FAO and the World Food Programme on emergencies, we would like to see more concentration by FAO on an input into consideration of the relief-rehabilitation continuum in emergencies. FAO frequently complains that it is unable through the DHA Coordinated Appeal process to raise funds or to be high on the list for attracting funds during emergencies. We feel that FAO has a greater case to make in explaining the impact of emergencies on the agricultural sector and we would like to see more work done on this in partnership with the World Food Programme.
Turning to the Agenda for Development, it is now being considered by a Working Group of the General Assembly. They will call on whatever sources of information or advice they require. We see no need for FAO Council or any other part of the UN System to lobby the Working Group. The Working Group should be left to reach its own conclusions without being distracted by special pleading. As it is part of the General Assembly, there is no need to remind the Working Group of the contents of its own resolutions. For example, 49/103.
Finally, turning to the follow-up to the Cairo Conference, we welcome FAO's recognition of the importance of the International Conference on Population and Development and the close relationship between population and sustainable development. FAO should concentrate on its areas of comparative advantage, however, and we do not favour an expansion of FAO's work in areas where other UN Organizations lead, nor any increased access to UNFPA funds.
K. SHIMIZU (Japan): My delegation is of the view that the UN System is performing many activities in various fields in order to respond to extensive requests from its member countries, and requests to the UN System will in future increase and become more varied. In this context, cooperation between UN Organizations is an important area to be developed further in light of the importance of avoiding duplication and of using its limited resources most effectively. Japan wishes this Organization to further promote cooperation with other organizations in response to the extensive requests to FAO. My delegation appreciates the efforts FAO is making in cooperation with the international development agencies, which should be further developed with a view to making effective use of FAO's accumulated expertise. In particular, Mr Chairman, the close cooperation with the Rome-based organizations, such as WFP and IFAD, is important for the development of food and agriculture, through collaboration on agricultural development projects and FAO Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS).
Mr Chairman, I would like to touch briefly upon a couple of points in relation to WTO. My delegation feels that food security at global and national levels is becoming a more and more important issue in the midst of apprehension over the rapid increase in the world's population, and environmental degradation and intense regional conflicts. In the light of the said growing importance of food security, liberalization of agricultural trade will not necessarily ensure food security and may be a threat to the food security of food importing countries, developed or developing. In this regard, I must stress the following two points as crucial when considering the issue of agricultural trade and food security: first, that Article 12 of the Agricultural Agreement reached in the Uruguay Round negotiations be respected; second, that food exporting countries should avoid actions which prohibit or limit food exports, which otherwise demerit the food security of food importing countries. There are, of course, other areas in which FAO can play an important role, for example, agriculture and environment, sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
Finally, I would like to turn to cooperation with CSD, in particular, the Inter-Governmental Panel on Forests established as a result of the third CSD Session. The Panel needs personnel and financial support from UN Organizations, including FAO. The work of the Panel is important and relevant to FAO and will have a great impact on FAO's future forestry-related activities. My delegation therefore considers it important for FAO to now take the necessary actions to contribute to the Panel by budgeting for support measures even in the current budget and also in the next Programme of Work and Budget.
José ROBLES AGUDLAR (México): Gracias señor Presidente, queremos comentar de manera breve cuatro puntos del Informe. Primeramente, deseamos expresar nuestra satisfacción por la información que se incluye en el documento en relación con las relaciones con las organizaciones regionales y subregionales de América Latina; creemos que ello refleja un incremento en el dinamismo en estas relaciones. Por otro lado, nos gustaría comentar el hecho de que nos hubiera agradado ver en la parte relativa a las conferencias, información concerniente a la Cumbre mundial sobre la alimentación que también mencionara la distinguida Representación de Canadá, así como en relación a la Conferencia internacional sobre los recursos fitogenéticos.
Por otra parte, estimamos que tal vez sería conveniente considerar la posibilidad de que estos informes incluyeran un apartado y una sección en relación con las relaciones de la Organización con las organizaciones no gubernamentales a la luz de la creciente importancia que esas organizaciones han tomado en los últimos años.
Finalmente, también queremos expresar nuestra satisfacción por la información que incluye el documento en lo concerniente a las relaciones de la FAO con las instituciones financieras internacionales. Muchas gracias señor Presidente.
M. Akhtar ALI (Bangladesh): Mr Chairman, the Council document prepared for this item on the Agenda is, as usual, very informative and presents some important developments within the UN System, particularly those relevant to the work of FAO. FAO, as expected, has been actively participating in various initiatives of the UN System aimed at alleviating rural poverty and hunger.
The document provides for the first time a substantial coverage of activities and initiatives relating to FAO's cooperation with WFP and IFAD under a separate section, as requested by the Council at its last Session. We have noted with interest the variety of administrative, financial and technical services provided by FAO to the World Food Programme. In this connection, we would like to emphasize that the costs of providing such services should be maintained at a competitive level so that the WFP management can take full advantage of the required services available in FAO. We are pleased to note the increasing collaboration between FAO and WFP in activities concerning enhancement of food production and promoting food security in the food-insecure developing countries. WFP has the potential to play a significant role in the implementation of FAO's Special Programme on Food Production in Support of Food Security in low-income food-deficit countries and we hope that a strengthened collaboration in this respect will be pursued.
We are encouraged to note a significant growth in cooperative activities between FAO and IFAD in 1994, which is reflected, among others, in the increase of 33 percent over the previous year in the number of operations undertaken during 1994. We are happy to see the expanding range of collaborative efforts these
two specialized agencies have initiated by drawing on each other's expertise and area of comparative advantage towards achieving the shared objective of improving food security. We hope IFAD will also be fruitfully associated in the implementation of the Director-General's Special Programme on Food Production in LIFDC. Both IFAD and WFP are well placed to provide substantial inputs to the ongoing preparations for the World Food Summit. Given their complementary mandates, we hope cooperation among FAO, WFP and IFAD will continue to grow in the coming years.
At the last Session of the Council, we welcomed the process of setting an Agenda for Development initiated in pursuance of the UN General Assembly Resolution 48/166 and the Director-General's statement at ECOSOC highlighting the key imperatives in international cooperation and development, with rural poor people being major beneficiaries. We are pleased to note that, following the decision of the General Assembly at its 49th Session to establish an ad hoc Open-ended Working Group to "elaborate further an action-oriented comprehensive Agenda for Development", the Working Group has already held its first meeting in February 1995 to consider appropriate modalities for finalizing the agenda.
We agree, as set out in paragraphs 48-49 of the document under discussion, that agricultural development and food security must be recognized as the foremost elements in the formulation of an Agenda for Development. We hope the Working Group during its subsequent deliberations will also recognize these priority elements and take them into account when preparing the agenda.
FAO has taken a number of important steps as a follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo in September 1994 and the World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen in March 1995. We hope that it will continue to collaborate closely with the United Nations Agencies towards implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action at the World Summit for Social Development. We are also pleased to note that there have been some concrete initiatives of FAO's in the preparatory work for the 4th World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing in September 1995. These initiatives, Mr Chairman, include assistance to 47 Member Nations and we hope it will continue to assist the national preparatory activities of the member countries for the Summit.
Regarding FAO's collaboration with the World Trade Organization, both the FAO and WTO are involved in international trade and furthering development of the world economy. The FAO Conference at its last session expressed its appreciation for the support given by the Organization to developing countries throughout the Uruguay Round of multi-level trade negotiations and expressed cooperation with other international organizations in the area of commodities and trade. We hope that FAO will play its due part in supporting the new international trade regime brought about by the completion of the Uruguay Round and by extending cooperation to the WTO.
Regarding FAO's future relations with the World Trade Organization we fully support the Director-General's efforts to obtain observer status for FAO in various bodies of the WTO and we hope the ongoing consultations in Geneva in this regard will lead to a satisfactory outcome.
Jean-Paul RTVAUD (France): Ma délégation fera sur ce point de l'ordre du jour une déclaration très brève principalement relative aux suites de la troisième session de la Commission du développement durable. Comme d'autres au sein de ce Conseil, mais aussi dans d'autres enceintes, nous avons à maintes reprises répété que la coopération entre les organisations est une nécessité absolue. A défaut de relations et d'échanges, aucun organisme ne reste vivant bien longtemps. Il est clair qu'aucune organisation ne détient à elle seule la solution de problèmes aussi complexes et de nature aussi multidisciplinaire que les questions d'environnement et de développement durable.
Nous avons un exemple de ce qui doit être fait dans ce domaine avec la mise en place du Groupe intergouvernemental sur les forêts. Nous avons indiqué hier, lors de la discussion sur le rapport du COFO, que nous attendions des indications sur les dispositions que l'Organisation allait prendre au plus vite pour participer très activement à ce Groupe intergouvernemental. Le Secrétariat nous a donné un début de réponse sur ce point mais je souhaite dire ici que le type de solution établi dans le domaine forestier pourrait être une solution à utiliser également dans d'autres domaines.
Ma délégation, comme beaucoup d'autres ici, considère que les débats relatifs à la question de savoir quelle organisation doit, dans tel ou tel domaine, occuper une position de chef de file ne sont pas les débats que nous devons avoir aujourd'hui. La coordination est indispensable; elle doit conduire à l'action en commun et au plus vite.
Comme l'ont indiqué avant moi plusieurs délégations - et notamment celles du Canada, du Mexique et du Bangladesh - nous attendons de voir ce qui sera entrepris sur ce plan dans le cadre de la préparation du Sommet mondial de l'alimentation en 1996, notamment dans les relations avec le PAM, avec le FIDA, mais aussi au-delà du système des Nations Unies avec, par exemple, le groupe consultatif pour la recherche agricole internationale. Nous encourageons vivement le Directeur général à aller de l'avant dans cette direction.
Ms Gönke ROSCHER (Germany): My delegation has only a few remarks to make on Document CL 108/17. First of all we wish to thank the Secretariat for having included in the documents a specific section on cooperation among the Rome-based organizations as requested by Member States at the 107th Session of the Council.
We regret, however, that the section of this document about FAO's cooperation with WFP focuses more on well known legal and constitutional aspects rather than on matters of substance and their cooperation, for instance, or progress achieved in ensuring greater collaboration in relief operations or joint assessments of emergency needs.
With regard to the constitutional framework of the relationship between FAO and WFP in paragraph 4 of the document, WFP is described by the FAO Secretariat as "a joint subsidiary body of the United Nations and FAO". This might not be incorrect per se; however this does not quite reflect the actual situation. WFP's new General Regulations since 1991 state that the Programme is undertaken, and I quote "jointly by the United Nations and FAO in cooperation with other interested UN Agencies and appropriate intergovernmental bodies".
More recently the General Assembly in its Resolution 48/162 speaks of an "autonomous joint organ" of both. In our view, the latter terms reflect more appropriately WFP's newly defined role in the United Nation's System.
Document CL 108/17 states that many of the services which FAO provides to WFP (as described in paragraph 5/11) are services against payment by WFP and that there is a 40 percent fall in the reimbursements by WFP to FAO in 1994.
Referring, for example, to the last point listed in paragraph 5, "documentation services including translation and production", I wonder whether this fall is not due to the lack of competitiveness of FAO's services, or could the Secretariat give us any other explanation for the decision of WFP to rely more on the private sector?
Mr Chairman, my delegation trusts that the Secretariat will provide us with more substantial information about the joint activities of FAO and WFP especially on those to which each party provides its own resources. In this context, however, we welcome the section of the document on FAO's cooperation with IFAD which gives us a very substantial picture on the content of their relationship.
Pedro MEDRANO ROJAS (Chile): Mi delegación desea, igualmente, hacer unos breves comentarios al documento que ha tenido a bien someternos la Secretaría y, en términos generales, quisiéramos señalar nuestra conformidad por este documento, en cuanto refleja un esfuerzo de coordinación, especialmente en Roma, con los organismos del Sistema de Naciones Unidas que se ocupan de la agricultura y de la alimentación.
Quisiera someter una consideración para ser tomada en cuenta por los responsables de estas organizaciones, y que apunta a una mejor coordinación y trabajo complementario en el caso de Roma, no sólo en lo que se refiere a aspectos formales, legales, reglamentarios o de servicio, sino también a un esquema de
complementatión en ténninos de compartir enfoques comunes en lo que afecta a políticas y estrategias de desarrollo a nivel de país, a nivel de subregión, y a nivel de región. En otras palabras, señor Presidente, se trata de llegar a un esquema de coordinación o complementación de actividades o de proyectos y dirigir el esfuerzo a compartir estrategias y políticas de desarrollo a nivel de cada país. Creo que eso requiere, ciertamente, ciertos arreglos institucionales como, por ejemplo, identificar claramente en cada institución los responsables de los países y de las regiones o las unidades responsables de países y regiones, y al mismo tiempo, dar un enfoque programático de asistencia técnica a nivel de cada país, subregión y/o región.
Al hacer esta propuesta o consideración, señor Presidente, distinguidos delegados, la formulamos en el entendido de que existe una experiencia acumulada por cada uno de estos organismos que se puede compartir y, ciertamente, ayudaría a una mayor eficiencia del trabajo de cada una de estas organizaciones. Sin embargo, Señor Presidente, a nivel local, queremos insistir en la necesidad de fortalecer los esquemas de coordinación entre estas tres agencias que están ubicadas en Roma, así como con otros organismos del Sistema de Naciones Unidas y de la Cooperación Internacional.
En segundo lugar, señor Presidente, nuestra delegación quisiera expresar su conformidad con el planteamiento que se hace en el párrafo 50 y que se relaciona con los elementos que podría tener el Programa de Desarrollo para ser considerados por el grupo de trabajo.
Creemos, señor Presidente, que las consideraciones planteadas en los números 48 y 49 son pertinentes, y si esta Organización se ha propuesto, y sus Estados Miembros así lo hemos acordado, celebrar una Cumbre Mundial de la Alimentación a nivel de Jefes de Estado justamente para resaltar la importancia de la agricultura y la alimentación en las estrategias de desarrollo para mitigar y aliviar la pobreza, creemos, señor Presidente, que el hecho de que se puedan incluir también este tipo de consideraciones en documentos oficiales o programas oficiales del sistema de Naciones Unidas, le da más fuerza a este propósito común que hemos acordado.
Por último, señor Presidente, quisiera resaltar la importancia que nuestra Delegación asigna a la estrechacolaboración entre las agencias del Sistema de Naciones Unidas, particularmente las que se encuentran en Roma, en los preparativos de la Cumbre Mundial de la Alimentación, como ha sido señalado por distintas delegaciones. De la misma forma resaltamos la especial prioridad que nuestra delegación asigna a la estrecha colaboración entre la FAO y la Organización Mundial de Comercio.
Ms Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES (United States of America): Thank you, Mr Chairman. The United States Delegation welcomes such a comprehensive overview of FAO's collaborative activities. We especially appreciate such a full report of FAO cooperation with fellow Rome-based food agencies, the World Food Programme, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
Regarding the FAO contribution to the agenda for development, however, as referred to paragraphs 48 and 49 of the document submitted for our information, the United States must express some reservations. While we recognize that rural agricultural people, especially the rural poor, should be major beneficiaries of an agenda for development and that agricultural development and food security should be an important step in the development process, we cannot agree with FAO that it should in all instances be the predominant first step. In some countries, for example, sustainable management of mega-cities may be of equal importance to sustainable agricultural development.
It is our understanding that the agenda for development is not sector-specific but more holistic in its approach. At national levels we believe the agenda should promote bottom-up, environmentally sound, country-driven, market-oriented, democratic development planning and implementation that encompasses all relevant sectors. Thank you, Mr Chairman.
My apologies Mr Chairman and fellow delegations. I merely wish to add that finally, the United States Delegation would like to endorse the comments of the Delegation of Germany as regards WFP, and I thank you for your indulgence.
Suharyo HUSEN (Indonesia): Thank you, Mr Chairman. First of all, on behalf of the Indonesian delegation I would like to express our appreciation and thanks for such information on FAO collaboration within the UN Agencies and other organizations including the outcome of the third session of the CSD contained in document CL 108/17. We welcome the efforts made by FAO for the close cooperation with WTO in order to support the interest of each Member's participation in the work of WTO in the future, thus to give more benefit to the Members.
Mr Chairman, while we are happy to note the good progress made by FAO in cooperation with UN Agencies and other organizations, including NGOs, we also request FAO to make close cooperation with the Non-Aligned Movement and Group 77, in order to support the southside cooperation as well as to cooperate with Group 7 of the industrial countries in order to support the south-north cooperation.
Finally, Mr Chairman, I would be pleased also to get some information on the cooperation between FAO and IPEC and ASEAN as well as other regional and sub-regional organizations in the Asia and Pacific regions. Thank you very much.
John Bruce SHARPE (Australia): Thank you, Mr Chairman. Australia has strongly supported collaboration within the UN System and has registered this a number of times in FAO fora. This time, Mr Chairman, we would like to confine our comments to some brief remarks concerning the Commission on Sustainable Development.
Australia thanks FAO for its comprehensive input to the Third Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development. We consider that that Commission made considerable progress on a number of key issues at its third session and the Commission has consolidated its role as a predominant UN body for encouraging international support for the implementation of Agenda 21 on Sustainable Development.
In particular, my delegation considers that the Commission on Sustainable Development's decisions in relation to the establishment of an open-ended intergovernmental panel on forests and the link between sustainable development and liberalizing international trade in agriculture will be particularly important. We look forward to a substantive contribution by FAO to the work of the intergovernmental panel.
Mme. Régine DE CLERC (Belgique): Je voudrais au sujet de ce point ne dire que deux mots.
Tout d'abord, la collaboration au sein du système des Nations Unies ne doit pas se limiter à des accords de coopération et à des déclarations de bonnes intentions. Au moment où le problème des ressources devient crucial pour la majeure partie des organisations des Nations Unies, cette collaboration doit être effective sur le terrain. Cela permettrait de faire de sérieuses économies et cela éviterait les doubles emplois. Nous pensons que les bureaux régionaux du PNUD pourraient jouer un rôle pour assurer cette coopération sur le terrain.
Au sujet de la documentation qui nous a été soumise, je voudrais relever un point particulier. Dans le document CL 108/17, et notamment au paragraphe 48, on dit que ce sont les plus pauvres des pauvres qui devraient être les principaux bénéficiaires d'un agenda de développement.
Nous souscrivons totalement à ce concept et nous voudrions aussi que la FAO le mette en pratique, notamment au moment de l'élaboration des programmes spéciaux qui sont en discussion maintenant et que nous discuterons encore.
Prabhu Dayal MEENA (India): Thank you, Mr Chairman. My delegation is pleased to note that since the inception of WFP, FAO Nutrition Division has developed a close cooperation with the World Food Programme in providing nutritional advice on food rations, mainly in the context of development projects and emergency situations.
My delegation welcomes the increasing assistance extended by FAO and WFP for closer linkages between food aid and technical assistance and investment. The document mentions that an area where cooperation between FAO and WFP could be further strengthened in the Director General's special programme on food production in support of food security in low-income food-deficit countries. My delegation supports this idea.
My delegation appreciates FAO's joint efforts with IFAD in assisting member countries to formulate investment projects for IFAD financing. As a result, during 1994 we are happy to note, Sir, that nine investment projects were approved for financing by ÏFAD. Finally, my delegation supports the white helmet initiative in the area of emergency humanitarian assistance as mentioned in the document.
EL PRESIDENTE: ¿Algún otro delegado u observador desea hacer uso de la palabra? Entonces, me voy a permitir pasar la voz a los observadores. Tiene la palabra el observador de Rumania.
Gheorghe APOSTOIU (Observateur de la Roumanie): Je vous remercie, Monsieur le Président, d'avoir bien voulu m'accorder la parole et je voudrais aussi vous adresser nos félicitations pour votre manière de conduire nos travaux.
Je voudrais exprimer l'accord de la Roumanie pour l'initiative de notre Organisation concernant les futures relations avec l'Organisation mondiale du commerce.
Mon pays, qui a participé activement aux négociations d'Uruguay, a beaucoup apprécié l'activité prodigieuse de la FAO pendant ces négociations. C'est pourquoi la Roumanie appuie l'initiative de notre Organisation pour obtenir le statut d'observateur auprès de la nouvelle Organisation mondiale du commerce.
Partageant des connaissances pratiquement analogues, les deux organisations seront en mesure, nous en sommes sûrs, de collaborer de manière positive. Nous espérons que l'initiative au niveau du Sous-Comité des questions institutionnelles, procédurales et juridiques concernant l'octroi de statut d'observateur aux organisations intergouvernementales connaîtra une issue heureuse et que le conseil général va adopter bientôt une décision favorable à la FAO à cet égard.
Moussa Bocar LY (Observateur du Sénégal): Monsieur le Président, permettez-moi à travers vous de féliciter le nouveau Directeur des relations extérieures, Monsieur Camara. Nous sommes sûrs que son expérience onusienne ne manquera pas de se traduire efficacement dans le travail qui est d'ailleurs sous nos yeux.
Nous nous félicitons de la coopération de la FAO avec les organisations des Nations Unies et d'autres organisations, notamment les organisations basées à Rome, et nous relevons avec satisfaction les mentions qui sont faites de notre continent africain, car le ler juin dernier était célébrée, ici, la journée de l'Afrique auprès des organisations internationales à vocation alimentaire et agricole.
Il n'a échappé à personne que l'Afrique mérite l'appui de la communauté internationale pour sortir de la crise qu'elle traverse, malgré les efforts qu'elle ne cesse de consentir dans le domaine de la libéralisation et de l'ajustement. Donc nous voyons avec intérêt les mentions au nouvel ordre du jour des Nations Unies, pour le développement de l'Afrique dans les années 90.
Nous souhaiterions toutefois mettre en garde contre les erreurs du passé qui ont fait que le premier programme pour l'Afrique 1986-1990 n'a pas eu le succès escompté parce que la Communauté internationale dans ses différentes composantes n'a pas apporté l'appui concret qu'il fallait, et nous espérons que la FAO de son côté ne tombera pas dans cet écueil.
S'agissant du Fonds de diversification pour les produits africains, nous nous demandons si ce n'était pas le lieu de parler de la CNUCED. Nous pensons que c'est là une organisation des Nations Unies avec laquelle la FAO gagnerait à renforcer sa collaboration.
Egalement, nous appuyons les efforts de la FAO pour obtenir le statut d'observateur au niveau de l'OMC, et je crois que les différents comités dont les rapports ont été examinés ont montré combien était nécessaire le statut d'observateur pour permettre à la FAO d'apporter l'assistance aux pays membres, notamment les pays importateurs de produits alimentaires. Nous avons vu que lors du Comité des produits, le représentant de l'OMC était présent parmi nous et a beaucoup contribué aux débats. Nous pensons que la réciprocité devait conduire à ce que la FAO puisse le plus rapidement possible obtenir ce statut d'observateur. Je crois que notre Conseil pourrait à ce sujet lancer un appel pour appuyer les démarches de la FAO pour obtenir ce statut d'observateur auprès de l'OMC.
Nous pensons que les initiatives du Directeur général de la FAO sont bien plus amples que ce qui nous est fourni dans ce document, car nous savons les efforts qu'il ne cesse de déployer dans le cadre du partenariat avec la Banque mondiale, la Banque islamique de développement, la Banque africaine de développement, et d'autres encore. Donc nous pensons qu'il serait bon de refléter ces efforts dans le cadre des documents qui nous sont présentés.
EL PRESIDENTE: Le voy a pedir al señor Hjort que haga las aclaraciones necesarias.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: I will cover several of the points but will rely upon my colleagues to elaborate and fill in on any points that I do not cover.
First, with respect to the comments about the World Food Summit, I recall that you have already had your debate on that Item. I would invite review of Council document CL 108/12 in order to see the list of organizations that have been formally contacted to collaborate in the preparation of the technical papers. In summary, that of course includes all the main financing organizations, the World Food Programme, IFAD, UNEP, WHO, UNFPA and maybe others that I have forgotten. I do not have the list in front of me at the moment but I believe that when you look at it you will see that it is a rather comprehensive list of those that would and should be involved and who have a contribution to make to the documentation for the Summit.
I would point out also, in response to the comments made, that I believe the Council has agreed to recommend that the Conference adopt a resolution with respect to the World Food Summit, and that will, of course, be the official confirmation of the Summit.
With respect to comments about the World Food Programme, and in particular those that referred to parenthood, I would note that you have Agenda item 11.3 to take up which, of course, calls for changes in the General Regulations of the World Food Programme to implement the General Assembly Resolution.
I would also note, though, that we do in fact have a special relationship with the World Food Programme; we have since it was established. Today, for any large-scale emergency food operation, joint approval between the Executive Director and the Director-General of FAO is required. If I remember the statistics correctly, of the total amount of emergency operations in 1994, the joint operations accounted for 96 percent of the total value. The document mentions our close collaboration on food supply and food needs assessments; this programme works very well. A few years ago, not many, WFP was formally invited to become partners and make this a joint assessment activity.
The part that perhaps has not been mentioned and is not too well known, except to those who participate in meetings here in Rome, is with respect to humanitarian matters. We also collaborate in connection with our relief activities and we both collaborate with the non-governmental organizations in those activities. In our case, our main activities are the purchasing and delivery or moving on to the country and on to distribution points, seeds, essential inputs, vaccines and so forth, almost always with funds that you make available to us. The actual distribution of those items to the producers themselves is almost always in the hands of our NGO partners. The moving of the commodities frequently is by WFP. As you well know, the World Food Programme has the reputation in the entire UN System as being the leader on logistics. It is advisable for us to seek to capitalize at every opportunity on this expertise that they have, and they have been quite willing to make available space in their trucks and transport to move essential inputs.
We also of course have for years worked very actively with them on their projects. We lead a very significant number of their formulation missions for projects and we participate in all those that cover matters which fall within our mandate. There was reference to the fact that there had been a 40 percent decrease. Those of you who have been following the WFP very carefully recently will know that they have had a devastating reduction in projects as emergencies have crowded out development. This is in large part the reason for that substantial decrease in assistance.
There was a specific question about publications and why they are no longer using FAO's Publications and Translations Services. The fact is that they did find a cheaper source on the outside.
There was a question about World Bank studies. I just want to note for the record that it is the normal practice that when the World Bank engages in studies of matters that fall within the mandate of FAO, they usually send to us drafts for review and comment. We tend to do the same thing for matters that fall within our mandate where we are doing the study and where we know that they have certain expertise. This, of course, is a continuing process which covers the range of activities in which we are involved.
There was a comment about the continuum. This is a matter very close and dear to my own heart, having overall responsibility for humanitarian activities and being a member of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee for Humanitarian Affairs. I would simply recall a most recent meeting with the donors here in Rome when we addressed the issue and received very positive comments from the representatives of the donor community on how we might improve assessments and the appeal documents. Just last night I signed letters to those who participated, and some others who were not here but are in the humanitarian community of interest, to give them a summary record of that meeting.
There was a comment suggesting that there should have been deeper coverage of the NGOs. You will recall that in previous such documents there was in fact greater coverage of NGOs. We, at your guidance, have been trying to make these documents as brief, succinct and to the point as possible, but I am sure that Mr Camara has listened carefully to this point.
There was a comment about UNFPA. Here I simply want to point out that essentially all our capability on population matters is funded by UNFPA. That is so with respect to the Regional Offices for which we provide technical back-stopping support as well as all but one or maybe two officers here at Headquarters.
The only other comment that I would make on UNFPA is that, as you know, the Cairo Conference was on Population and Development, so now UNFPA has to deal with the question of the linkages between population and development. They have been in contact and we are working with them to try to think through the implications of that significant modification and what it means for organizations such as FAO. It is obvious that it means an increase in resources, so we will look forward for your support tomorrow for additional resources to implement that programme.
There were several comments about the Forestry Panel and Mr Harcharik can respond to those. There seemed to be an impression that maybe we were not doing anything in response to that decision. I simply want to assure you that we are moving. We have been in contact with the embryo Secretariat, we are taking action now and we wish to find the most cost-effective way of providing support to that Secretariat. You will have noted in the document before you that there is a very substantial overlap between the work of the Panel and the Programme of Work under the four major programmes of Forestry. That, of course, is to the advantage of both FAO and the Panel, and we will seek to capitalize on those advantages.
There were some comments with respect to IFAD, I will simply note again for the record that we do have a good collaborative relationship in terms of preparing investment projects for them. We worked with them in very great detail this last year as they have been revising their approach and re-looking at the entire project cycle. I have mentioned earlier that we are in communication with them in terms of participation in the preparation of documents for the World Food Summit.
WTO was mentioned by several. I want to start by expressing appreciation for the many letters that we have received in response to the Director-General's letter. Although his letter did not call for a response, a large number of you have written to assure him of support. I have not seen a single one of those responses that said
other than they would support the efforts to have observer status and I am pleased to report that it appears those efforts are starting to bear fruit.
There was a mention of the CGIAR system and its involvement, I believe, in the preparations of the World Food Summit. Mr Carsalade is very familiar with that system and represents the Organization in our partnership role with the CGIAR system. I would just recall that as recently as three hours ago the Director-General mentioned that he had a document from the TAC Secretariat where it was looking forward to research needs and was contemplating seeing if that could be up-dated to become another one of the supporting documents for the WFS.
Comments about the Agenda for Development and, in particular, paragraphs 48 and 49 attracted comments that in some ways were somewhat surprising. I wonder if the United States fully read the whole sentence or the last phrase of 49, "Agriculture development and food security must be recognized as the first step in the development process of the poorest countries". It was not saying everywhere irrespective of development status but I thought that would not be a sentence that would lead to anything other than very widespread support from the Council. Maybe we should have separated the key words and said that food security must be recognized as the priorities of priorities for all countries and that agricultural development must be recognized as the first step in the development process of the poorest countries.
There was a mention about white helmets. I would note that in connection with our humanitarian activities, relief activities, we are in contact. I do not believe we have used the first one yet, but we are in contact and hope to be able to make use of that programme. Those are the main points that I caught and I invite my colleagues to amplify and comment.
EL PRESIDENTE: Muchas gracias señor Hjort por sus amplias e interesantes aclaraciones.
Primero va a hablar el señor Harcharik. Por favor tiene usted la palabra.
David HARCHARIK (Assistant Director-General, Forestry Department): I would like to try to respond to the points raised about FAO's cooperation with the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests. Basically I can reiterate what I said yesterday and also reinforce what our Deputy Director-General has just said now, perhaps putting his remarks in my own words.
I think that we should understand that the FAO Committee on Forestry, the Ministerial Meeting on Forestry both very strongly urged FAO to cooperate with and support the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests. This Council itself yesterday gave us very clear guidance on that and you have reiterated that again today. Even the CSD itself requested our collaboration. So I would like to assure you that we will support and collaborate with the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests. We have an obligation to do so but beyond that we are Task Managers in the United Nations System on Forest so we have a responsibility to support the Panel and we will do so.
Now the UN has, as most of you know, a Department of Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development in New York, that is assisting the work of the Commission on sustainable development. It is that office, that department, that is trying to assist the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests. We are in very close dialogue with that office. We have written to them and talked to them many times on the phone and we will be visiting with them personally again next week. We are trying very carefully to look at precisely how we can be helpful. As Mr Hjort has mentioned, many of the aspects of the terms of reference of the Intergovernmental Panel tie-in very closely with the work of FAO. We have done work on criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management and that is one of the terms of reference of the Panel. The Panel will work on forest resources assessment which as you know we have been doing for many years. There are other aspects of our work that are also complementary to the work of the Panel. So, we will work very closely with them to avoid duplication of effort and instead to develop the complementarity of our work, and we will try to reflect this in the Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium which we will be amending.
There are a number of things that we can do. We can organize meetings, we can produce technical studies and other things and we will be discussing this very closely with the UN. I think it is important that we understand that we would like the Panel to be successful. Its work must be professionally done and it must be cost-effective. This is an opportunity to build better partnerships in the UN System and an opportunity to speed the implementation of sustainable forest management, so we are anxious to work in a very collaborative way with the Panel and help it become successful.
J.S. CAMARA (Directeur, Bureau des relations extérieures): Je vais être assez bref car M. Hjort a déjà donné des informations complémentaires et a répondu à certaines questions.
Je voudrais tout d'abord remercier les membres du Conseil et les observateurs qui ont fait des commentaires et également des suggestions dont nous avons pris bonne note. Nous continuerons à faire un rapport au Conseil sur notre coopération avec les organisations basées à Rome, à savoir le FIDA et le Programme alimentaire mondial. Nous présenterons à l'avenir dans notre rapport une section sur la coopération avec les organisations régionales qui se trouvent en Asie et au Pacifique et également en Afrique. Nous ferons rapport également, comme je l'ai déjà dit, à la Conférence de la FAO, de l'état d'avancement de nos opérations avec la nouvelle organisation, à savoir l'Organisation mondiale du commerce.
Avant de terminer et pour éviter tout malentendu, je vais évoquer le nouvel ordre du jour du développement en préparation actuellement à New York sur proposition du Secrétaire général des Nations Unies et qui fait suite au premier document qu'il avait présenté et qui a été approuvé par l'Assemblée générale, à savoir le nouvel ordre du jour pour la paix. Ce document est un document global qui va regrouper les priorités et les stratégies pour les années à venir. Nous estimons que le problème de l'alimentation et de la culture, comme M. Hjort l'a souligné, est une des priorités pour les pays, notamment les pays en développement, et comme ce document va concerner des programmes sectoriels, on va parler de l'éducation, de la santé, de la nutrition et également du commerce, c'est pourquoi nous pensons que l'agriculture et l'alimentation ont le bon droit d'être présentes dans ce document qui sera un document important et qui sera adopté dans le cadre du. cinquantième anniversaire des Nations Unies s'il est prêt à temps. Et pour donner de l'importance à cela c'est le président de l'Assemblée générale lui-même qui préside le groupe de travail assisté par deux autres ambassadeurs, à savoir celui du Bénin et de la Suède. Comme tenu de l'importance que les pays en développement attachent à l'alimentation nous avons estimé que les membres du Conseil pouvaient appuyer cette initiative de la FAO qui cadre bien avec la Conférence sur le sommet mondial. Nous pensons que les Etats Membres devraient prendre en considération, surtout au niveau global, les questions prioritaires qui concernent les activités de notre Organisation.
EL PRESIDENTE: Muchas gracias señor Camara por sus aclaraciones.
Distinguidos delegados, si no hay ninguna otra observación por parte de ustedes, podríamos concluir este tema, que como he informado, lo era para información. No obstante, ustedes destacaron varios aspectos de las relaciones y enlaces de la FAO con otras organizaciones, los mismos que me voy a permitir resumir de la siguiente manera.
En primer lugar, el Consejo tomó nota con satisfacción de la gran variedad de actividades cooperativas que sostiene la FAO en diversos organismos internacionales como se describe en el documento CL 108/17. Se subrayó, en particular, la importancia de fomentar e intensificar dicha cooperación entre las organizaciones que tratan y se ocupan de los temas de agricultura y alimentación, con base en Roma; los sugirieron sobre una base de complementariedad de sus competencias. Se hizo referencia, en particular, al PMA y al FIDA y, se destacó que las actividades de asistencia técnica, inversión y ayuda alimentaria, respectivamente, que tratan estas organizaciones con sede en Roma, deben compatibilizarse y tal cooperación podría coadyuvar a resaltar la función en Roma como un centro de excelencia en la esfera de la alimentación y la agricultura. Resultó también importante la cooperación con el Instituto Internacional de Recursos Fitogenéticos, en Roma, que forma parte del Grupo Consultivo de Investigaciones Agrícolas Internacionales.
Haciendo un comentario general, se subrayó la importancia de que la FAO establezca una plena colaboración y cooperación a todos los niveles de tal suerte que se vayan perfeccionando estas correlaciones y se evite la duplicación o yuxtaposición de funciones y actividades y que la Organización vaya afinándose hacia la selección de actividades en las que tenía una ventaja comparativa.
Se acogió con satisfacción que la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas reconociera la labor de la FAO, en cuanto que ésta considerara el tema relacionado con el desarrollo de la agricultura y la alimentación en su Resolución 49/103, titulada alimentación y desarrollo de la agricultura. El Consejo recomendó que se pusieran a disposición de la Asamblea General las opiniones de los órganos intergubernamentales de la FAO para el examen que se presenta a la Asamblea, a fin de garantizar, entre otras cosas, la coherencia de la orientación intergubernamental. Se acogió con beneplácito el llamamiento de la Asamblea General a la comunidad internacional para dar prioridad a la alimentación y la agricultura en el Programa de Desarrollo y para que se movilicen recursos a todos los niveles, nacional, bilateral y multilateral, en apoyo de una agricultura productiva sostenible y del logro de la seguridad alimentaria, principalmente en países en desarrollo. Se pidió que se mantuviera también informada a la Asamblea General sobre la gama de actividades a las que contribuye la FAO relacionadas con el Acta Final de la Ronda Uruguay. Se invitó a la Secretaría de las Naciones Unidas a que utilizara los conocimientos técnicos de la FAO en relación al informe del Secretariado sobre la aplicación de la Resolución 49/103, entre otras cosas, sobre los efectos y los resultados de la Ronda Uruguay y principalmente sobre la seguridad alimentaria en países en desarrollo.
Se tomó nota también de la ayuda humanitaria, que continua siendo un aspecto importante en el programa de acción de la comunidad internacional, en vista de que persisten aún graves situaciones de emergencia crónicas, prolongadas y complejas. Se hizo mención, por tanto, a la importancia de abordar las causas estructurales, como se destaca en el informe.
En cuanto al continente africano, se mencionaron también las distintas iniciativas entre organismos dedicados a la recuperación de la economía y el desarrollo de Africa y que se ha designado a la FAO como organismo principal para coordinar el Grupo de Trabajo sobre Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial. Se expresó la esperanza en este sentido de que dichas iniciativas no sustituyeran las acciones concretas a nivel nacional.
Sobre el Programa de Desarrollo, el Consejo adoptó las medidas que se proponen en el párrafo 50 del Informe CL 108/17, aunque en relación a los párrafos 48 y 49 no hubo consenso en cuanto al enfoque sobre el proceso de desarrollo.
Se destacaron las aportaciones de la FAO a la Conferencia Internacional sobre Población y Desarrollo, a la Cumbre Mundial de Desarrollo Social y también a las que están en curso en relación a la 4 a Conferencia Mundial para la Mujer. Se pidió, desde luego, a la FAO por que velara para que en estas actividades complementarias se abordaran las cuestiones relacionadas con la seguridad alimentaria, la agricultura sostenible y el desarrollo rural.
Se insistió de nuevo en la importancia de una participación plena de la FAO en las actividades de la Comisión de Desarrollo Social, y, en particular, la presencia activa en el Panel de Expertos Forestales. Se recordó el avance importante que se había tenido en el 3 o período de sesiones de dicha Comisión. Se tomó nota también de que había una amplia gama de actividades de organizaciones regionales y subregionales, y se señalaron algunas de ellas de importancia que contribuyen a una cooperación continuada en ese sentido.
En lo que se refiere a las relaciones entre la FAO y la Organización Mundial del Comercio, se recordaron los beneficios mutuos que se derivarán de una cooperación plena entre la FAO y la Organización Mundial del Comercio; se recomendó que se reconociera a la FAO como observador en los órganos de la OMC en los que la FAO puede hacer una aportación, una contribución concreta, en particular, los Consejos y los Comités de dicha Organización.
Se solicitó también que para la próxima reunión del Consejo se incluya un capítulo respecto a la cooperación, apoyo y participación de otras organizaciones en la preparación y celebración de la Cumbre Mundial de la Alimentación. Se hizo referencia, en ese sentido, al PMA y al FIDA, así como a otras organizaciones y organismos. También hubo menciones a la importancia de que la FAO colaborara activamente con organizaciones no gubernamentales, y algunas delegaciones mencionaron también al movimiento de países no alineados y a otras reuniones y organismos de carácter regional.
Bien, señores delegados, aunque este tema era de información tuvo un nutrido debate; espero que esto se refleje en el Informe. Si no hay ninguna otra cuestión yo levantaré esta 8a sesión y recuerdo a los miembros del Comité de Redacción que se reunirán a las 18.00 horas en la Sala México. Pido también a aquellas delegaciones que no han recogido el borrador del informe que se discutirá esta tarde que lo hagan, que está en sus respectivos casilleros, y si no tienen ustedes ninguna otra sugerencia levantamos la sesión y nos veremos mañana para el tratamiento del Tema 16, Resumen del Programa de Labores y Presupuesto 1996-97.
The meeting rose at 17.40 hours.
La séance est levée à 17 h 40.
Se levanta la sesión a las 17.40 horas.
