Implementation of section V of the annex to General Assembly resolution 32/197 on the restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the United Nations system.

34. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE
213. Implementation of section V of the annex to General Assembly resolution 32/197 on the restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the United Nations system

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, containing the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, and 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, containing the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, Recalling also its resolution 3362 (S-VII) of 16 September 1975, by which it, inter alia, established the Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of the Economic and Social Sectors of the United Nations System for the purpose of preparing detailed action proposals with a view to initiating the process of restructuring the United Nations system so as to make it more fully capable of dealing with problems of international economic cooperation and development in a comprehensive and effective manner, and to make it more responsive to the requirements of the provisions of the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order as well as those of the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, Recalling also its resolution 32/197 of 20 December 1977, by which it, inter alia, endorsed the conclusions and recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee, Recalling further its resolutions 33/ 202 of 29 January 1979, in which it, inter alia, requested certain actions and measures within the framework of the implementation of the conclusions and recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee, Reaffirming that the process of restructuring the economic and social sectors of the United Nations system is an integral part of the efforts required to ensure the equitable, full and effective participation of the developing countries in the formulation and application of all decisions within the United Nations system in the field of development and international economic co-operation, Taking note of Economic and Social Council decision 1979/66 of 3 August 1979, in particular subparagraph (c) thereof, Taking note also of decision 79/ 30 of 2 July 1979 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme [1] Having considered the progress report of the Secretary-General for 1979 on the restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the United Nations system[2] as well as the annual report of the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination for 1978/1979,[3]

1. Regrets that the major premise underlying the integration measures proposed in section V of the annex to General Assembly resolution 32/197, namely that it would stimulate substantially higher levels of voluntary contributions to operational activities for development, is yet to be fulfilled;

2. Decides, therefore, in the context of the comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development, called for under General Assembly resolution 33/201 of 29 January 1979, to pay special attention to the question of increased levels of voluntary contributions for operational activities for development without prejudice to paragraph 2 of the said resolution;

3. Takes note of the text of the proposed standard letter of designation of the resident co-ordinator of the operational activities for development of the United Nations system [4]5to be signed in each case by the Secretary-General, affirms in this context that the resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme would normally be designated as resident coordinator and draws attention to the fact that paragraph 2 of the standard letter may not be applicable to those exceptional cases in which the resident co-ordinator is not the resident representative of the Programme;

4. Reaffirms the principle that the assistance provided by the United Nations system should be in conformity with the national objectives and priorities of the recipient countries and that, therefore, the co-ordination of various assistance inputs at the national level is the prerogative of the Government concerned, while reaffirming also that over-all responsibility for, and co-ordination of, operational activities for development of the United Nations system carried out at the country level is entrusted to the resident co-ordinator;

5. Reaffirms further that the tasks of the resident co-ordinator should be carried out in conformity with the criteria and priorities established by the competent national authorities and that they, including the reporting arrangements, should pertain exclusively to operational activities of the United Nations system;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure, in consultation with the Governments and the executive heads of the organizations concerned, that in the exercise of his functions the resident co-ordinator shall be enabled:

(a) To take adequately into account the objectives set forth in paragraphs 28 (b) to (d) of the annex to resolution 32/197;

(b) To assist Governments in achieving the objectives and priorities set by them by ensuring the coherence of action and effective integration of the various sectoral inputs from the United Nations system, as defined in paragraph 33 of the annex to resolution 32/197;

(c) To assume over-all responsibility for, and coordination of, operational activities for development of the United Nations system carried out at the country level, in conformity with paragraph 34 of the annex to resolution 32/197;

(d) To be responsible, in accordance with the policies and priorities of the Government concerned, for evolving at the country level a multidisciplinary dimension in the programming, implementation and evaluation of sectoral development assistance programmes, as set forth in paragraph 34 of the annex to resolution 32/197;

(e) To help in the implementation at the country level of the objective stated in paragraph 32 of the annex to resolution 32/197, namely the achievement of maximum uniformity in administrative, financial, procurement and other procedures;

7. Decides that the guidelines set forth in paragraph 6 above do not affect relations between Governments and individual organizations of the United Nations system or the direct lines of authority and communication between the representatives of those organizations at the country level and their own executive heads;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to proceed with the designation of resident co-ordinators, with the consent of the Governments concerned, taking fully into account the provisions of paragraphs 3 to 7 above, and in accordance with Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, and to report to the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1980 on the implementation of paragraph 34 of the annex to resolution 32/197;

9. Decides, in the context of progress made in the implementation of section V of the annex to resolution 32/197, to give consideration to the establishment of a single governing body responsible for the management and control, at the intergovernmental level, of United Nations operational activities for development, which would replace the existing governing bodies as envisaged in paragraph 35 of the annex to resolution 32/197, and requests the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1980 to formulate recommendations to this end and submit them to the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session.

109th plenary meeting
19 December 1979

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[1] See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1979, Supplement No. 10 (E/1979/40 and Corr.1), chap. XXI, sect. B. [2] E/1979/81. [3] E/1979/34 and Add. 1/Rev. 1. [4] E/1979/34, annex.