FAO - X2648e(6)

PC 82/6

Eighty-second Session of the Programme Committee

Rome, 13 - 17 September 1999

Progress Report on the Follow-up to Past Programme Committee Recommendations

1. As is now standing practice, this Progress Report is submitted in tabular format. The table provides a status report on Programme Committee items for which specific follow-up action was requested by the Committees.

2. The Committee is invited to note this Progress Report.

Schedule of the Programme Committee and Joint Meeting Recommendations and Status
of Follow-up Action

Reference
Recommendation Status

CL 116/4
paras. 8-12
CL 116/14
paras. 10-16
Strategic Framework (Version 3)
A number of improvements were recommended aimed at making the document more concise by further refining the strategy elements and the criteria in the context of FAO's comparative advantages.

Version 4 of this document will be presented at the Joint Meeting of the Eighty-second Programme Committee and the Ninety-third Session of the Finance Committee.

CL 116/4
paras. 19 and 21
Summary Programme of Work and Budget 2000-01
The Committees asked the Secretariat to prepare a preliminary outline document for the next Council addressing a ZNG scenario and to clarify which of the new priorities of the Membership had been reflected in the preparation of the ZRG scenario. The Committee also requested that the full PWB contain a programme and budgetary scenario based upon ZNG beside the two others presented at ZRG and RG level.

An outline document was provided to the Council as requested. The full Programme of Work and Budget 2000-01 will be presented to the Eighty-second Session of the Programme Committee and the Ninety-third Session of the Finance Committee, both separately and in their Joint Meeting.

CL 116/4
para. 30
Savings and Efficiencies
The Committees requested the Secretariat to prepare for presentation to the Council a document explaining the implications of setting aside half a day as early as possible in the Conference for Ministers to discuss a subject of common interest, in place of the General Debate in Plenary on that day only.

A paper on this subject was presented by the GI Department to the June Council.

CL 116/14
para. 21
Programme Evaluation Report 1998-1999
For Programme 2.1.4: Agricultural Support Systems, the Committee requested that proposals of the Secretariat regarding the handling of the semi-commercial products eventually developed under the FAO programmes be presented for the guidance of the Governing Bodies in due course.

Proposals of the Secretariat will be presented to the Governing Bodies in due course.

CL 116/14
paras 69 and 72
Review of FAO Language Policy
The Committee decided to forward document PC 81/6-FC 92/13 to the June session of the Council for information and requested that proposals in support of this be reflected, to the extent possible, in the various scenarios of the PWB 2000-2001 that would be developed for consideration by Council and Conference.

This paper was presented to the June Council. The full Programme of Work and Budget 2000-01 will be presented to the Eighty-second Session of the Programme Committee and the Ninety-third Session of the Finance Committee, both separately and in their Joint Meeting.

CL 116/14
para. 77

JIU Reports
The Committee requested that an information note on the fellowships programme, including a disaggregation by gender, be submitted to its next session.

This information note will be presented to the Eighty-second Programme Committee.

Reference

Recommendation

Status

CL 116/14
para. 80-81
Review of Working Methods of the Programme Committee
It was requested that the Secretariat;
· provide the Committee with an annual report indicating important programme changes that had occurred during the year;
· investigate whether the Programme and Finance Committees could meet in rooms adjacent to each other to facilitate informal communication between them; and
· further coordinate its agendas with those of the Finance Committee and the Joint Meeting in order to optimize the use of the time available.

· Annual report to be addressed in future programming documents.

· No adjacent rooms are available for this meeting as Lebanon Room is not large enough for the Joint Meeting.

· The discussion of the Strategic Framework will take place in the Joint Meeting only.

CL 115/8
para. 70
Evaluation of Training Activities In the light of JIU recommendations, the Secretariat was requested to undertake a review of training activities possibly in connection with forthcoming Programme Implementation or Evaluation Reports.
This item is included in PC 82/5 as one of several options for the PER 2001.

CL 115/8
paras. 78 and 81
Evaluation in the context of the Strategic Framework and the New Programme Model
The Secretariat was requested to prepare a document on Programme Evaluation in the context of the revised programme framework.

This item is addressed in PC 82/4.

CL 115/8
para. 34
Evaluation and Small Projects
The Secretariat was requested to consider the development of appropriate cost-effective evaluation methodologies given the move towards small size, short duration projects.

This item is addressed in the Annex to PC 82/4.

CL 115/8
para. 81
Mainstreaming Gender
The Secretariat was asked to prepare a document on the mainstreaming of gender, consistent with the Conference's request concerning the implementation of the Plan of Action for Women in Development.

A document has been submitted to the Eight-second Programme Committee (C 99/INF/21).

Schedule of the Programme Committee and Joint Meeting Recommendations and Status of Follow-up Action
Reference	Recommendation	Status
CL 116/4 paras. 8-12 CL 116/14 paras. 10-16	Strategic Framework (Version 3) A number of improvements were recommended aimed at making the document more concise by further refining the strategy elements and the criteria in the context of FAO's comparative advantages.	Version 4 of this document will be presented at the Joint Meeting of the Eighty-second Programme Committee and the Ninety-third Session of the Finance Committee.
CL 116/4 paras. 19 and 21	Summary Programme of Work and Budget 2000-01 The Committees asked the Secretariat to prepare a preliminary outline document for the next Council addressing a ZNG scenario and to clarify which of the new priorities of the Membership had been reflected in the preparation of the ZRG scenario. The Committee also requested that the full PWB contain a programme and budgetary scenario based upon ZNG beside the two others presented at ZRG and RG level.	An outline document was provided to the Council as requested. The full Programme of Work and Budget 2000-01 will be presented to the Eighty-second Session of the Programme Committee and the Ninety-third Session of the Finance Committee, both separately and in their Joint Meeting.
CL 116/4 para. 30	Savings and Efficiencies The Committees requested the Secretariat to prepare for presentation to the Council a document explaining the implications of setting aside half a day as early as possible in the Conference for Ministers to discuss a subject of common interest, in place of the General Debate in Plenary on that day only.	A paper on this subject was presented by the GI Department to the June Council.
CL 116/14 para. 21	Programme Evaluation Report 1998-1999 For Programme 2.1.4: Agricultural Support Systems, the Committee requested that proposals of the Secretariat regarding the handling of the semi-commercial products eventually developed under the FAO programmes be presented for the guidance of the Governing Bodies in due course.	Proposals of the Secretariat will be presented to the Governing Bodies in due course.
CL 116/14 paras 69 and 72	Review of FAO Language Policy The Committee decided to forward document PC 81/6-FC 92/13 to the June session of the Council for information and requested that proposals in support of this be reflected, to the extent possible, in the various scenarios of the PWB 2000-2001 that would be developed for consideration by Council and Conference.	This paper was presented to the June Council. The full Programme of Work and Budget 2000-01 will be presented to the Eighty-second Session of the Programme Committee and the Ninety-third Session of the Finance Committee, both separately and in their Joint Meeting.
CL 116/14 para. 77	JIU Reports The Committee requested that an information note on the fellowships programme, including a disaggregation by gender, be submitted to its next session.	This information note will be presented to the Eighty-second Programme Committee.