Decentralization of the economic and social activities of the United Nations and strengthening of the regional economic commissions

XVII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORT OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE
1823. Decentralization of the economic and social activities of the United Nations and strengthening of the regional economic commissions

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 1518 (XV) of 15 December 1960 and 1709 (XVI) of 19 December 1961 on the decentralization of the economic and social activities of the United Nations and the strengthening of the regional economic commissions, Noting with appreciation the Secretary-General's re ports on the subject,[1] Recalling the principle that countries receiving aid should have a free choice of programmes and projects,[2]

1. Reaffirms the policy of decentralization as stated in its resolution 1709 (XVI);

2. Welcomes Economic and Social Council resolution 879 (XXXIV) of 6 July 1962, and the practical expression given to the policy of decentralization by means of the tasks assigned to the regional economic commissions, particularly in Council resolutions 891 (XXXIV) and 893 (XXXIV) of 26 July 1962, 903 (XXXIV) of 2 August 1962, and 916 (XXXIV), 917 (XXXIV) and 924 (XXXIV) of 3 August 1962;

3. Requests the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions to submit to the General Assembly, at the eighteenth session, its recommendations regarding the further steps that may be necessary to carry out the Assembly's decisions on the decentralization of the economic and social activities of the United Nations and the strengthening of the regional economic commissions, taking into account, inter alia, the views of the Economic and Social Council and of the executive secretaries of the regional economic commissions as transmitted through the Secretary-General, as well as the measures outlined in the Secretary-General's report to the Assembly at its sixteenth session; [3]

4. Requests the Secretary-General to proceed with the policy of decentralization of the economic and social activities of the United Nations and strengthening of the regional economic commissions, taking into consideration the interests of States which are not members of any regional commission by adopting such measures as may be necessary to ensure that they receive the same benefits as they would receive through membership in the regional commissions, and to submit to the Economic and Social Council at its thirty-sixth session and to the General Assembly at its eighteenth session a detailed report on the stage reached in the implementation of this policy and on the further steps required to achieve the intended results;

5. Recommends that the Secretary-General should continue to convene meetings of the executive secretaries of the regional economic commissions to discuss matters of common interest and to exchange experience, particularly regarding the operation of decentralized activities, with a view to promoting co-operation between the regions, and that he should make available an annual report on their meetings for consideration by the Economic and Social Council and by the General Assembly.

1197th plenary meeting,
18 December 1962.

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[1] Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventeenth Session, Annexes, agenda items 12, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39 and 84, document A/5196, and Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, Thirty-fourth Session, Annexes, agenda item 10, document E/3643. [2] Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, Thirty-fourth Session, Annexes, agenda item 10, document E/3643, para. 8. [3] Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixteenth Session, Annexes, agenda items 12, 28, 29 and 30, document A/4911.