Institutional arrangements for international co-operation in the field of human settlements.

31. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE*
116. Institutional arrangements for international co-operation in the field of human settlements

The General Assembly, Having considered the report of Habitat: United Nations Conference on Human Settlements,[1] in particular the annex to Conference resolution 1 on programmes for international co-operation,[2] Taking note of Economic and Social Council resolution 2040 (LXI) of 5 August 1976, Recognizing that the Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of the Economic and Social Sectors of the United Nations System is considering proposals that would have implications for institutional arrangements for international co-operation in the field of human settlements, Considering that the most appropriate and effective action for dealing with human settlements problems is General Assembly Thirty-first Session action at the national level, but that action is also required at the regional and global levels with a view to improving the quality of life for all peoples, particularly in the developing countries, Recognizing also that the momentum of the Conference must be maintained through further action and decisions within the United Nations system, Considering also that co-operation in the field of human settlements is one of the important means of fostering the goals of over-all social and economic development, Taking into account that further consideration is required with respect to definitive institutional arrangements for human settlements activities within the United Nations system,

I RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION

1. Takes into account the paragraphs agreed to by Habitat: United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, as contained in the preamble and in sections I to IX of the annex to Conference resolution 1, with due respect to the foot-note to section X of that annex;

2. Decides to defer until its thirty-second session the decision on the type of definitive intergovernmental body for human settlements and on the organizational link and location of the human settlements secretariat, when the guidelines from the Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of the Economic and Social Sectors of the United Nations System will be in hand, the financial implications of alternative institutional arrangements will be worked out and studied in greater depth, and the regional consultations will have been completed;

II INTERGOVERNMENTAL BODY FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

1. Requests the Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of the Economic and Social Sectors of the United Nations System to make available to the Economic and Social Council at its sixty-third session any conclusions it has reached in the light of its over-all responsibilities which might have implications for institutional arrangements for human settlements;

2. Requests the Economic and Social Council to devote the necessary time at the outset of its sixty-third session to the examination of the developments in human settlements and the follow-up to Habitat: United Nations Conference on Human Settlements;

3. Recommends that those meetings of the Economic and Social Council should be at the expert or highest appropriate level and with the active participation of all interested delegations and that the Council at its organizational session for 1977 should arrange the necessary modalities to this end;

4. Requests the Economic and Social Council at its sixty-third session, as part of its agenda, to consider the report of the Secretary-General referred to in section III, paragraph 1 below, together with the views of the Ad Hoc Committee and of the regional commissions, with a view to taking action on the recommendations of the Conference regarding institutional arrangements, bearing in mind the terms of reference contained in paragraphs 29 to 31 of the annex to Conference resolution 1;

5. Further requests the Economic and Social Council at its sixty-third session to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-second session concrete recommendations on definitive institutional arrangements for human settlements within the United Nations;

6. Decides to take action on those recommendations, at the latest at its thirty-second session, taking into account the conclusions of the Ad Hoc Committee;

III SECRETARIAT ARRANGEMENTS

1. Requests the Secretary-General, as an interim arrangement, to ensure, through the appropriate machinery of the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination, the co-ordination of the work of all the United Nations bodies concerned with respect to their activities in the human settlements field and to report to the Economic and Social Council at its sixty-third session on the progress made;

2. Requests that, since definitive arrangements for human settlements are yet to be decided upon, the Secretary-General should take appropriate measures to ensure effective preparations for the discussions on human settlements questions at the sixty-third session of the Economic and Social Council, bearing in mind the contributions made by the relevant components of the United Nations system as represented in the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination;

3. Requests all the United Nations bodies concerned, particularly the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Centre for Housing, Building and Planning and the United Nations Habitat and Human Settlements Foundation, to ensure that the recommendations of Habitat: United Nations Conference on Human Settlements are taken into account in their respective programmes related to human settlements and within their respective terms of reference, and to make their consultative services and resources available, as appropriate, for the implementation of national programmes of action and in strengthening regional co-operation in the field of human settlements;

IV REGIONAL COMMISSIONS

Requests, in this regard, the United Nations bodies concerned, particularly the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme and the Centre for Housing, Building and Planning, to give all possible support to the regional commissions in the strengthening of regional co-operation in the field of human settlements and further requests the regional commissions to report to the Economic and Social Council at its sixty-third session on the results of regional co-operation in human settlements, including the progress made in the establishment of governmental regional committees on human settlements. 101st plenary meeting
16 December 1976

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[1] United Nations publication, Sales No. E/76.IV.7 and corrigendum. [2] Ibid., chap. III.