Press Releases 1998

[Index]

UN/ECE: A REGIONAL OUTPOST OF THE UNITED NATIONS

1 July 1998

Questioning the relevance of the United Nations' Regional Commissions is a thing of the past: they have just received a renewed commitment from Member States, which have formally recognized their role and place within the United Nations. This commitment was made on 27 July 1998 and delivered by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which has reviewed the activities of the Regional Commissions. The major assets and functions of the Regional Commissions are highlighted in the ECOSOC resolution which was adopted on that date in conclusion of the review.

ECOSOC considered that one of the major roles of Regional Commissions is to be the United Nations outposts in their respective parts of the world, thus offering an important forum for articulating regional perspectives on global issues. At the same time, ECOSOC also recognized their important role in building consensus within their regions as the Regional Commissions are fully part of their regional institutional landscape. It was felt that this capacity should be more widely used by UN bodies, funds and programmes.

An important role is also the involvement of Regional Commissions in the preparation for and follow-up to major UN conferences. In the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) this has been demonstrated for the Rio Conference on Environment and Development, the Cairo Conference on Population and the Beijing Conference on Women.

Furthermore, ECOSOC welcomed the effort of reform undertaken and achieved by the Regional Commissions. Particular reference was made to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE).

The delegation of Austria, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said: "As to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, we welcome the good progress which has been made in the implementation of the Plan of Action, which contains a number of substantive and institutional reforms. The ECE has very well defined its niche in a complex institutional environment." Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia aligned themselves with this statement.

The delegation of the United States also stressed that: "We have followed the reform efforts in the five commissions with great interest. We are especially pleased with the work done so far in the ECE and ECLAC," ... "we think ECE and ECLAC have done good jobs at prioritisation." The Russian delegation stressed that "We commend the reform efforts of ESCAP and ECE, which allowed the commissions to rationalize their work." ... "In this context, we positively note the efforts by ECE and ESCAP secretariats, and in particular of the Executive Secretaries, in promoting reform".

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