Problem of the proliferation and overlapping of the programmes of the United Nations and of the specialized agencies

IV. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SECOND AND THIRD COMMITTEE AND FIFTH COMMITTEE, MEETING JOINTLY
310 Problem of the proliferation and overlapping of the programmes of the United Nations and of the specialized agencies

The General Assembly, Considering that the proliferation of activities and the multiplicity of projects and programmes may impair the effectiveness of the United Nations and the specialized agencies, impeding the necessary concentration on projects and programmes of primary importance, Considering, further, that the resulting excessive number of sessions and meetings, as well as the creation of subsidiary organs, is placing a severe burden on the technical and personnel resources of Member States, rendering difficult an adequate participation and representation of their Governments in international work, Noting with concern that the majority of Member States are encountering increasing difficulties in meeting the contributions and other indirect expenses incidental to their membership in the various international organizations, Bearing in mind that the co-ordination of the increasing activities of the international organizations already constitutes a very complex problem, which would be further aggravated by a too rapid growth of those activities, Considering the desirability of concentrating the limited technical, administrative and financial resources of Member States for the effective implementation of projects already approved or under consideration, which cover a wide variety of fields, and of limiting new initiatives, in so far as possible, to those which are of an urgent nature or deemed necessary to achieve the objectives of plans already initiated, Resolves therefore

1. To urge Member States to refrain from initiating new projects other than those which are urgently required and which can be effectively carried out;

2. To draw the attention of the competent organs of the United Nations and of the specialized agencies to the recommendations contained in the annex to resolution 259 (IX)[1] of the Economic and Social Council of 9 August 1949, with special attention to paragraph 2 of section I relating to a greater concentration of effort and available resources;

3. To request the Secretary-General, through the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination, to assist the Economic and Social Council in the discharge of its responsibility in this regard by putting before it any relevant recommendations;

4. To request the Secretary-General to supplement the Catalogue of Economic and Social Projects with such information on costs and duration of projects described therein as may be available;

5. To request the Economic and Social Council to review the Catalogue referred to above in terms of categories of priorities and to report thereon to the fifth regular session of the General Assembly;

6. To commend the Economic and Social Council for the initial action it has taken looking towards the termination, absorption and integration of certain inter-governmental organizations and the establishment of relationships between other such organizations and the United Nations or the specialized agencies, and to urge the Members of the United Nations concerned to take such action as may be necessary to give effect to the recommendations of the Council; and further

7. To request the Council to pursue its work on this matter with a view to simplifying the structure of the inter-governmental organizations and reducing the over-all cost of participation therein.

255th plenary meeting,
24 November 1949.

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[1] Ibid., page 68.