PC 86/6


PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

Eighty-sixth Session

Rome, 17 - 21 September 2001

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 Committee, or jointly with the Finance Committee.

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 119/11
paras. 7, 8 and 12		 Medium Term Plan 2002-2007
The Committee
  • considered that there was room to identify more precise and measurable indicators, particularly in the case of technical projects;
  • encouraged a more appropriate choice in the use of the three types of programme entitiy; and
    encouraged the refinement of the PAIAs in order to sharpen their focus.
 These comments will be taken into account in the preparation of the next Medium Term Plan.
CL 120/14
paras. 21 and 28 		Programme of Work and Budget 2002-2003
The Committee
  • was informed of the urgent need to modernise the Corporate Database for Substantive Statistical Data (FAOSTAT) to bring it up to current "state-of-the-art" technical software standards, and recommended that this need be more explicitly stated in the full Programme of Work and Budget;
  • recommended that the important contributions of forestry to food security be better explained in future Programme of Work and Budget documents.
 The comment on forestry has been taken into account in the Programme of Work and Budget 2002-2003 .
The FAOSTAT issue requires substantial in-house consultations among all concerned (not only the ESS division) to determine the appropriate technical solutions and long-term commitments, dialogue which is underway.
CL 117/3
para. 62		 The Evaluation of FAO's Training Activities
The Committee requested that this report be submitted at its Eighty-fifth Session.		 This evaluation will be presented to the Eighty-sixth Session of the Programme Committee in September 2001.
CL 120/14
para. 70		 The Evaluation of the Special Programme for Food Security
The Committee requested that this evaluation be submitted at its May 2002 meeting.		 This evaluation will be presented to the Eighty-seventh Session of the Programme Committee in May 2002.
CL 120/14
para. 50		 Synthesis of Recent Field Project Evaluations
The Committee agreed the need to return to the question of progress made in updating guidelines regarding project formulation and design, further training of FAO staff and the strengthening of existing project proposal review, once the appropriate mechanisms were in place and the reorganisation of the TC Department was completed. 		A progress report on these matters will be included in the item on the Evolution of FAO's Field Programme, to be presented to the Joint Meeting of the Programme and Finance Committees at the September 2001 session.
CL 120/14
para. 45		 Evaluation of FAO's Policy Assistance
Regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the evaluation, the Committee requested a follow-up report be prepared for its attention in about two years time. 		A progress report on the implementation will be submitted to the Programme Committee in 2003.
CL 120/14
Paras. 57 and 58		 The Level of FAO's Field Programme
In connection with this progress report, the Committee
  • recommended that ways and means be explored to increase the allocation of Regular Programme funds to project preparation, in addition to those already available for the Special Programme for Food Security and through TCP in particular for emergency operations; and
  • recommended fuller disclosure and dissemination of project data and information and increased availability of project documents through electronic networks and that criteria be developed to this end.
 An update on these matters will be included in the item on the Evolution of FAO's Field Programme, to be presented to the Joint Meeting of the Programme and Finance Committees at the September 2001 session.
CL 120/14
paras. 59 and 70		 Decentralisation of Operational Activities to the Country Level
The Committee requested that it be kept informed of future developments in the field programme and the restructuring of the Technical Cooperation Department including an update on the decentralisation of operational activities to country level, to be presented to the Joint Meeting of the Programme and Finance Committees at the September 2001 session.		 A progress report on the decentralisation of operational activities to country level will be included in the item on the Evolution of FAO's Field Programme, to be presented to the Joint Meeting of the Programme and Finance Committees at the September 2001 session.
CL 120/14
para. 67		 Report on Important Programme Developments
The Committee requested that a document be prepared for its next session describing the existing mechanisms designed to enable FAO to deal in a flexible manner with urgent additional demands while protecting the implementation of the approved Programme of Work.		 This paper will be presented to the Eighty-sixth Session of the Programme Committee.
CL 119/9
para. 27		 FAO's presence at Country Level
It was requested that the Secretariat provide the Committees with a progress report based on an evaluation of the new arrangements for enhancing FAO's presence at country level.		 A paper reviewing the implementation of the new arrangements will be presented to the Joint Meeting at its May 2002 session.
CL 120/14
paras. 69 and 74		 Human Resources Management Policy and Practices
The Committee decided to defer consideration of the JIU Report on "Young Professionals in Selected Organizations of the UN System: Recruitment, Management and Retention" to its September 2001 session, when it could possibly be examined jointly with the Finance Committee in a broader context.		 This JIU Report appears on the agenda of the Joint Meeting of the Programme and Finance Committees at the September 2001 session, for discussion.
CL 120/4
para. 13		 Savings and Efficiencies in Governance
The Committees decided to defer further discussion on the Reform of the General Debate at Conference until their May 2002 Joint Meeting, by which time Members would be in a position to draw lessons from experience gained at the Thirty-first Session of the Conference.		 A paper discussing possible new arrangements will be presented to the Joint Meeting in May 2002.