The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) today adopted a series of resolutions and decisions under its agenda items on social and human rights questions and coordination, programme and other questions. These included a decision by the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti after holding a discussion on long-term aid for Haiti. After a debate on social and human rights questions, the Council adopted a series of texts proposed to it by its subsidiary organs. Two resolutions on implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations, and on economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, were adopted after a vote.

In a resolution on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, adopted with a vote of 43 in favour, 3 against and 3 abstentions, the Council called for the full opening of the border crossings of the Gaza Strip, in line with Security Council resolution 1860 (2009) of 8 January 2009, to ensure humanitarian access as well as the sustained and regular flow of persons and goods and the lifting of all movement restrictions imposed on the Palestinian people, including those restrictions arising from ongoing Israeli military operations and the multilayered closures system, and for other urgent measures to be taken to alleviate the serious humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which is critical in the Gaza Strip, and calls for compliance by Israel, the occupying Power, with all of its legal obligations under international humanitarian law and United Nations resolutions in that regard.

In a resolution on support to non-self-governing territories by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations, adopted with a vote of 27 in favour, none against and 22 abstentions, the Council requested the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and international and regional organizations to examine and review conditions in each Non-Self-Governing Territory so that they may take appropriate measures to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors of those Territories and urged those specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nations system that had not yet provided assistance to Non-Self-Governing Territories to do so as soon as possible.

On Haiti, the Council, recalling its resolution 2010/28 of 23 July 2010, welcomed the report of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti and its recommendations, and requested the Group to report on its activities in support of the recovery, reconstruction and development of the country with recommendations, as appropriate, to the Economic and Social Council for its consideration at its substantive session of 2012. In the discussion before the adoption of the resolution, delegations welcomed the report of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Group and appreciated its efforts for supporting long-term development in Haiti. Speakers attached importance to the process of stabilization carried out by the Haitian Government with support from the United Nations and the international community. Job creation, education, the environment and the rule of law had been established as priorities by the Haitian Government. In order to achieve these goals the Government could count on the support of the United Nations and as it had been pointed out, it was fundamental to have continuity in activities aimed at strengthening capacity, including on issues of women and youth and concerning the involvement of the private sector. Efforts should also be made to ensure the permanency of this national capacity. The Government of Haiti should lead at every stage and on every level on development programming.

Speaking in the discussion on Haiti were Canada on behalf of the Council’s Ah Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, Nigel Fisher, Depute Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, and the delegations of Peru, the United States, Argentina, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, France, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago on behalf of the Caribbean Community and Common Market, Chile, Haiti, Mexico as a member of the Group of Friends of Haiti, Israel and World Vision.

The Council also adopted texts contained in the report of the Commission for Social Development at its forty-ninth session on the social dimensions of the new partnership for Africa’s development; further promotion of equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities and mainstreaming disability in the development agenda; modalities for the second review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002; and preparation for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family. The Council also adopted a decision in which it took note of the report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-ninth session and approved the provisional agenda and documentation for the fiftieth session of the Commission.

From the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the Council adopted texts on the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its reconvened nineteenth session; follow-up to the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and preparations for the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice; technical assistance for implementing the international conventions and protocols related to counter-terrorism; strengthening international cooperation in combating the harmful effects of illicit financial flows resulting from criminal activities; prevention, protection and international cooperation against the use of new information technologies to abuse and/or exploit children; support for the development and implementation of an integrated approach to programme development at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; international cooperation in the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of economic fraud and identity related crime; crime prevention and criminal justice responses against illicit trafficking in endangered species of wild fauna and flora; the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its twentieth session, provisional agenda for its twenty-first session and organization of work of its future session; on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: extension of the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; and on the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened fifty-third session and provisional agenda for its fifty-fourth session. A number of texts were adopted from the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

Regarding the enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Council recommended that the General Assembly, at its sixty-sixth session, decide on the question of enlarging the membership of the Executive Committee from 85 to 87 States. Rwanda and Azerbaijan took the floor with requests to join the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Speaking in the discussion on social and human rights questions were Poland on behalf of the European Union, Argentina, Russian Federation, Republic of Korea, Ukraine, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Chile, Venezuela, Canada, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,

The Council also adopted texts on the international expert group meeting on the theme “combating violence against indigenous women and girls”; venues and dates of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; recovering from the world financial and economic crisis: a Global Jobs Pact; follow-up to the International conference on Financing for Development; and follow-up to the outcome of the conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development: consideration of the possible establishment of an ad hoc panel of experts.

Speaking while the Council was taking action on social and human rights questions were Argentina on behalf of the G77 and China, the International Labour Organization, Brazil, Poland on behalf of the European Union, Ecuador, Argentina, Slovakia, the United States, Australia, Palestine and Israel.


ECOSOC will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Friday 29 July to take action on texts on coordination, programme and other questions: African countries emerging from conflict; non-governmental organizations; economic and environmental questions: sustainable development and cartography; application of the International Anti-Corruption Academy for observer status with the Economic and Social Council; and a proposed amendment to the General Regulations of the World Food Programme. The Council will then suspend its substantive session for 2011.



Social and human rights questions: Social development, Crime prevention and criminal justice, Narcotic drugs, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Comprehensive implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, Human Rights, Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Documentation

The Council has before it the Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its Reconvened fifty-third Session (E/2010/28/Add.1) which details events and activities undertaken by the Commission in December 2010.

The Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its reconvened 19th session (E/2010/30/Add.1) details events and activities undertaken by the Commission in December 2010.

The Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth: United Nations system coordination and collaboration related to youth (E/2011/3) describes the mechanisms for coordination and collaboration of relevant United Nations entities in their work related to youth. The report highlights examples of effective United Nations system collaboration on youth at the global, regional and country levels and discusses steps to further strengthen coordination among relevant United Nations entities.

The Report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up to the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and Beyond (E/2011/4) is divided into four sections. Section II highlights the issues addressed by the above-mentioned resolution, including confronting family poverty; promoting intergenerational solidarity; reconciling work and family life; and collecting national and regional data on family well-being. Section III focuses on the preparations for the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family. The report briefly reviews human rights instruments and outcomes of major United Nations conferences and summits as they relate to the family, it examines their relevance and importance for maintaining focus on the family, and it identifies the issues in need of renewed attention and action to guide preparations for the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family. Section III also offers suggestions on the preparations for the observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family at the international, regional and national levels. The last section puts forward conclusions and recommendations.

(E/2011/22) is under embargo

The Report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-ninth session (E/2011/26) details events and activities undertaken by the Commission in February 2010 and February 2011.

The Corrigendum (E/2011/26/Corr.1) corrects chapter I, section C and chapter III, section B, paragraph 58.

The Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-fourth Session (E/2011/28) details events and activities undertaken by the Commission in December 2010 and March 2011.

The Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its twentieth session (E/2011/30) details events and activities undertaken by the Commission in December 2010 and April 2011.

The Report of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on its tenth session (E/2011/43) details events and activities undertaken by the Forum in May 2011.

The Corrigendum (E/2011/43/Corr.1) corrects paragraph 129 which should read: The Permanent Forum recommends to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session the appointment of a facilitator to conduct open-ended consultations with Member States and representatives of indigenous peoples within the framework of the Permanent Forum, as well as with the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, in order to determine the modalities for the meeting, including the participation of indigenous peoples in the Conference.

The Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (E/2011/90) focuses on the use of indicators in realizing economic, social and cultural rights. The analysis is built on the conceptual and methodological framework for human rights indicators developed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations treaty bodies. Chapter II describes the notion of human rights indicators. Chapter III addresses the rationale for the use of indicators for implementing and monitoring economic, social and cultural rights. Chapter IV summarizes some methodological, institutional and practical considerations necessary for the effective use of human rights indicators. Chapter V illustrates the role of indicators in the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights. Chapter VI highlights recent practice of the United Nations human rights mechanisms in using indicators in the area of economic, social and cultural rights. Chapter VII suggests ways in which to advance the work in this area.

Introduction of Reports

DANIELA BRAS, Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said the report of the Secretary-General on the “Implementation of the World Programme of Action of Youth: United Nations system coordination and collaboration related to youth” reviewed the mechanisms for coordination and collaboration of relevant United Nations in their work related to youth. The report found that collaboration within the United Nations system on youth-related matters had expanded significantly in recent years. The increased collaboration had resulted in the adoption of more strategic approaches to promoting youth development and an increase in joint programme delivery by the United Nations system. To fully reap the benefits of inter-agency cooperation, much needed to be done. The report reviewed information at the global and regional levels and provided information about efforts at the national level. The report provided several recommendations for the General Assembly. It called for further coordination and cooperation on work related to youth. Regional agencies should adopt inter-regional and regional plans to support State efforts to develop and integrate youth issues in policies. It called on the United Nations system to develop inclusive youth mechanisms for inter-agency cooperation.

The second report of the Secretary-General on “Follow-up to the tenth anniversary of the International year of the Family and beyond” highlighted family-oriented social policies, including cash transfers, work-life balance provisions and others. Not withstanding national efforts, at the international level the role of the family was appreciated but not prioritized. The report also provided an overview of commitments related to the family made by the international community over the years, including human rights mechanisms and outcomes of United Nations conferences and summits. The International Year of Families and its follow-up processes continued to guide national and international activities to benefit families worldwide. The report proposed the major themes to guide the preparations for the twentieth anniversary. The report concluded that the overall objectives of the twentieth anniversary needed to focus on how best to support families in their functions, share good practices on family policies, review challenges faced by families and to recommend solutions. The report suggested that regional meetings be convened to support and facilitate the achievement of these objectives. The note by the Secretariat highlighted the importance of social protection and its affordability and it discussed the impacts of the crisis on social protection programmes. Countries had cut income poverty, reduced inequality and improved social conditions. The noted ended by proposing some questions for the discussion.

HAMID GHODSE, President of the International Narcotics Control Board, introducing the report of the International Narcotics Control Board, noted that drug-related corruption undermined global efforts to combat illicit drug production and trafficking. High levels of violence and corruption and high levels of drug trafficking were often concurrent. In some locations, the financial assets of illicit drug trafficking may be significantly high enough to pose a risk to local stability and rule of law. In the report, the Board set out a series of recommendations for addressing drug-related corruption, and welcomed the efforts already being undertaken by governments and the international community. The Board remained gravely concerned about the situation in Afghanistan while it noted in particular efforts to strengthen cooperation between Afghanistan and neighboring countries and to improve the drug control situation in the county. South Asia had become one of the main regions used by drug traffickers to source ephedrine and pseudoephedrine for illicit manufacture of methamphetamine. In East and South-East Asia, illicit opium poppy cultivation increased in 2009, and the manufacture of, trafficking in and use of synthetic drugs had increased significantly since 2008. In South America the total area of coca bush cultivation decreased for a second consecutive year. Drug trafficking through Central America and the Caribbean, and the associated violence and corruption, remained a concern. Illicit drug trafficking and abuse were a major concern in North America.

In the context of the fiftieth anniversary of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, it was important to recall that its aims were to prevent the diversion of narcotic drugs to illicit uses and at the same time ensure that there was adequate availability of narcotic drugs for medical purposes for the relief of pain and suffering. The Commission on Narcotic Drugs also reiterated the importance of the issue of availability and called for action by the international community to ensure the adequate availability of internationally controlled drugs for medical and scientific purposes. The Board was concerned with the intention of Bolivia to re-accede the Convention on Narcotic Drugs with a reservation regarding specific treaty traditions. If the international community was to adopt an approach whereby governments used the mechanism of denunciation and re-accession with reservation to deal with problems in implementation, this would undermine the integrity of the global drug control system. In the context of the high level meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases to be held in September, it was important to remember that the international drug control system was designed to prevent drug abuse, which was considered a disease, and to ensure the availability of international controlled substances for illicit purposes.

MARCIA V.J. KRAN, Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the Council had before it the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The report focused on the use of human rights indicators and benchmarks in the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights and highlighted practices and methods developed at the national and international levels. It also built upon the conceptual and methodological framework on human rights indicators developed by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and endorsed by human rights treaty bodies. This work was referred to as the science of human dignity and it was an essential element of professional human rights work. The use of indicators was required by a number of international human rights instruments. The systematic use of human rights indicators brought greater transparency to human rights assessments and made human rights monitoring evidence-based. It made the implementation of human rights more accessible to policymakers and improved the effectiveness of public policies necessary for the realization of human rights. The report illustrated the practices of international human rights monitoring mechanisms. The research showed that national and international stakeholders were increasingly relying on human rights indicators and taking initiatives to integrate human rights indicators into their work.

The report suggested ways to further advance the effective use of human rights indicators in protecting and promoting economic, social and cultural rights. It suggested capacity strengthening for a wide range of stakeholders, including development practitioners and statisticians. The report encouraged more systematic use of human rights indicators in human rights assessments, policymaking and policy implementation. The Council also had before it the report of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Committee was the expert body that monitored the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Committee requested additional meeting time, which remained pending and was contained in the report. The report offered an account of the meetings of the Committee. Of particular interest, the Committee held a day of general discussion to advance its work on the formulation of a general comment on the right to sexual and reproductive health, canvassing the content of the right and the corresponding obligations of States. The Committee also adopted a statement on the right to sanitation, recognizing that sanitation was fundamental for human survival and leading a life of dignity. The right to sanitation was reaffirmed as an essential component of the right to an adequate standard of living.

ARIRANGA G. PILLAY, Chair of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, presenting the report of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, commended the recommendation of the Committee endorsed by the Council in 1999, enabling the Committee to hold extraordinary sessions in 2000 and 2001 which contributed to the backlog of reports pending consideration. Already in 2008 the Committee began expressing concern about its ability to consider reports without undue delay. A long term solution to managing the workloads of all treaty bodies was being sought with the participation of all relevant stakeholders. The Committee had reached a point at which it was no longer able to operate in an acceptable way. Reports submitted in 2011 were tentatively scheduled for consideration in 2015. While the request for additional sessions had not received support, Mr. Pillay recommended granting additional time to the Committee in another way, for example, with additional weeks instead of additional sessions. Committee members were aware that additional meeting time alone would not address the problem satisfactorily, and had agreed in 2011 to reduce the number of meetings over which periodic reports were considered to contribute to alleviate the problem.

Furthermore, States had expressed concerns about the limited opportunity of dialogue with the treaty body chairs and members of treaty bodies. The Committee agreed that the time available was too limited and they could not hold regular meetings with States parties. The Committee continued to participate actively in the process of harmonizing working methods among treaty bodies; however, it would not be able to carry out its mandate if the members could not be given the minimum resources to perform efficiently. The greatest expenditure for meetings consisted of translation and interpretation costs; therefore reducing the length of reports submitted by States parties could significantly reduce the costs. The Committee remained committed to fulfilling the mandate entrusted to it by the Council in an efficient and dedicated manner. Mr. Pillay looked forward for the day when the Committee would be given the same resources that were allotted to other committees focusing on different substantive issues, notably civil and political rights, as they strove to demonstrate in the course of their work that all human rights were universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated and should be treated in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing and with the same emphasis.

JANET LIM, Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees, said she would provide a summary update on the partnerships that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had forged and continued to develop. The world in which the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees endeavoured to protect and assist refugees, stateless persons, internally displaced persons and other persons of concern was a dangerous one. While threats to these persons and staff of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees were on the rise, the humanitarian space in which the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees could operate continued to shrink. Complex challenges were often interconnected. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ objective steadfastly remained the enhancement of protection capacity and improvement of emergency response through solid partnerships and coordination. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was actively contributing to discussions led by the Emergency Relief Coordinator to review and improve humanitarian responses and to look in particular at issues of leadership and accountability for performance as well as accountability to beneficiaries. In refugee situations and in the inter-agency context, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was promoting a leadership model that provided more predictability and better served partners’ needs and expectations. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ expertise and knowledge of emergency preparedness and response was a solid asset stemming from long experiences, and it wanted to share this knowledge with humanitarian partners, but also remained ready to learn from them.

The search for durable solutions was a permanent preoccupation. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees strongly believed that engagement with development organizations was needed as early as possible to achieve sustainable solutions for the displaced and to establish the foundations for further development. This year was the sixtieth anniversary of the 1951 Convention related to the status of Refugees and the fiftieth anniversary of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was working with States, non-governmental organizations, regional organizations and the academic community in preparing for the commemorations. The main outcome of the ministerial event would be to solicit practical pledges to improve and increase protection by States, hopefully resulting in action-oriented and forward-looking strategies that improved the situation of refugees and stateless people. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees would continue to develop partnerships to meet the protection and assistance needs of populations under care. Alliances, partnerships and effective coordination were critical components of effective humanitarian responses.

General Discussion

ANDRZEJ SADOS (Poland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that many countries in the world remained engaged in addressing the negative consequences of the financial crisis, which continued to threaten social development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Social security was a means to ensure a more balanced globalization by linking social and economic development with each other; it constituted an investment for social and economic development and helped both individual women and men and societies to be resilient in times of economic crises. The European Union recognized the crucial importance of the Commission on Social Development to enhance global dialogue on social issues and reaffirmed its determination to contribute to place social integration in the global agenda for development. Poverty reduction remained a worldwide challenge. In the framework of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, the European Union had agreed for the first time on a target to reduce the number of people living at risk of poverty and social exclusion. Another key challenge was to get young people into jobs. The European Union had put forward initiatives to bolster work on poverty reduction and protection, employment and education. It was important to identify innovative sources of financing at the global level as well as mobilizing developing countries’ own domestic resources. The promotion of decent work, social protection and gender equality policies played an essential role in reducing poverty and enhancing social inclusion. Great importance was attached to the International Labour Organization International Labour Conference held in June 2011, which noted the need for a new recommendation which would provide a non-binding guideline to Member States on the implementation of national social protection floors as means to reducing poverty and promoting sustainable economic and social development.

GONZALO JORDAN (Argentina) said that the world’s population faced a constant and swift problem of aging, including in the developed world. This was a process without precedent in human history: the number of older people in the world would exceed the number of children by 2045. The elderly often suffered from discrimination and stigmatization. In many cases social security services did not adequately provide for the needs of older persons. Contrary to the case of other vulnerable groups, older people did not benefit from international instruments providing protection. Therefore, Argentina emphasized the importance of the open ended group established by General Assembly resolution 65/182 to strengthen the human rights of older people and to consider the possible adoption of instruments and measures. Argentina supported the creation of an international, legally binding, convention on the rights of older people. Such an instrument was a desirable goal and could establish and specify States’ commitments in areas such as discrimination based on age, international cooperation on the rights of older people, and its monitoring and implementation.

NIKOLAY S. RAKOVSKIY (Russian Federation) said, on the issue of social development, the Russian Federation supported the United Nations objective of eradicating poverty and other social objectives. The Commission for Social Development was the main coordinator on these issues. As to human rights, the Russia Federation said a renewed, collective approach was required, bearing in mind the views of all States. The Russian Federation was against any revision of the results of World War II which could justify acts of Nazis and their minions. Freedom of speech and assembly could not serve as justification for acts committed by these groups. The Russian Federation called on all parties to the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to cease to use the principle of freedom of assembly for justifying violations of international law. The 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol were the basis for the protection of refugees. The Russian Federation was in favour of maintaining the role of the Executive Body of the United Nations Commissioner on Refugees. Regarding the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, combating discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance were basic elements in the United Nations’ human rights work. The Russian Federation attached great importance to the Forum on Indigenous People and expressed its support for the protection of indigenous people’s rights. The Russian Federation was deeply concerned about the growth of drug trafficking and narco-business in Afghanistan, and saw the United Nations as a key actor in this fight. Transnational organised crime was developing faster than the international mechanisms to combat it. The United Nations should step up efforts to combat cyber crime by establishing a convention on the subject.

YEONJOO CHAE (Republic of Korea) said it could not be more opportune that the forty-ninth session of the Commission for Social Development had selected the priority theme of poverty eradication and the emerging issue of social protection in the development agenda. Recent challenges to the global economy greatly aggravated governmental efforts to reduce poverty. The Government of the Republic of Korea would host the fourth High-level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan in 2011 November. The Forum would present a valuable opportunity for further discussion on a comprehensive development paradigm. The Republic of Korea welcomed the reports of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Transnational organized crime knew no boundaries and required regional and global counter-crime cooperation. Strengthening security and promoting the rule of law were necessary to tackle transitional organized crime. The Korean Government highly appreciated the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ dedicated efforts to protect refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and other persons of concern. However, the refugee situation was unabated and protracted; the international community fell short of reaching durable solutions to refugee problems. The Republic of Korea believed the principle of non-refoulement of refugees should be upheld. The Republic of Korea reiterated that one of the most important objectives of social and economic policies on protecting and promoting human rights should be the integration of society as a whole.

PETRO BESHTA (Ukraine) said Ukraine attached great importance to the promotion and protection of human rights. The rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms were enshrined in Ukraine’s domestic and foreign policy. State policy envisioned constant improvement of monitoring mechanisms regarding compliance of the national legislation with international norms and standards on human rights. The Special Procedures and the Universal Periodic Review mechanisms of the Human Rights Council were important tools and could improve to the situation of human rights globally. Ukraine had issued a standing invitation to all the Special Procedures and had received a number of visits. Ukraine went through the Universal Periodic Review process in 2008 and in 2010 it voluntarily presented a progress report on the implementation of the recommendations. Ukraine urged countries to cooperate with the Special Procedures and to commit to voluntary reporting on recommendations. The prevention of human rights violations was important for the full enjoyment of all human rights and Ukraine underscored the importance of the Council’s resolution on the role of prevention in promoting and protecting human rights. Ukraine hoped that a follow up resolution on this issue would enjoy full support at the upcoming session of the Council. Ukraine’s Chairmanship of the Council of Europe paid special attention to the prevention of human rights violations. An international conference on this topic would be held in Kyiv in September 2001 and would focus on the mandate of human rights organizations and national and international judicial institutions in preventing violations.

ANDREI POPOV (Belarus) expressed support for activities of the Council in promoting human rights including those related to development. There was no balanced consideration of all human rights; often civil and political rights were given more attention than economic, social and cultural rights. There was a serious imbalance in the recent reports by the High Commissioner to the Human Rights Council. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, rather than focusing on monitoring country situations, which was what the Council and Special Procedures did, should instead assist States to promote and protect human rights in relation with its own needs by providing assistance, and increasing their capacity on issues such as gender balance and human trafficking. Belarus noted with concern the dependence of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on donors and the importance of avoiding the politicization of human rights considerations. The Global plan of action for combating human trafficking was important concerning issues of crime prevention and criminal justice. The decision of this session of the Council could facilitate an effective and comprehensive implementation of the plan to combat human trafficking. Belarus had contributed to the fund for victims of human trafficking, in particular women and children, and called upon other countries to also make contributions.

Action on Draft Resolutions

ANGELICA C. NAVARRO LLANOS (Bolivia) said, as was known, the chewing of cocoa leaf was an ancestral practice that went back to 3,000 B.C. The mastication of the cocoa leaf was closely related to history, identity, culture and tradition in Bolivia. There was no evidence of adverse impacts on human health due to this practice. It was in no way consuming cocaine. The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 never took into consideration the practices of indigenous peoples and advancements of human rights law. The Convention on the Rights of Indigenous People recognized the rights of indigenous peoples to continue traditional practices. Other international conventions recognized the use of cocoa leaf in traditional practices. Since 2009, Bolivia had urged the rescinding of the prohibition of chewing of cocoa leaf in the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, but 17n countries had rejected the amendment. The Bolivia Government had thus renounced Article 49, 1c and 2e of the 1961 Vienna Convention. There would be no change of the text of the 1961 Convention and its Protocol. It would not be necessary to convene an international convention on the mastication of the cocoa leaf. There would not be a single day it would not be part of the convention. The reservation did not affect any other members of the convention.

YUMIRKA FERNANDEZ (Cuba) said Cuba supported the report on social development and reiterated the importance of the forum for developing countries. The prevention of crime and combating illegal drugs were extremely important tasks. It was related to combating underdevelopment and establishing an international economic order that was fairer. Countries with limited resources were less able to fight these scourges. No country, on its own, could combat drug trafficking, terrorism and other transnational issues. Cuba supported what was said by Bolivia and the right of the people of Bolivia to chew the coco leaf. Cuba supported the end of the prohibition of the chewing of the cocoa leaf because it held traditional and cultural value. Cuba worked to reduce organized crime and drug trafficking through domestic legislation. The cornerstone, however, was providing access to education to the youth and the general population. Cuba reiterated its unswerving commitment to fighting these scourges and strengthening links on these issues through international cooperation. Ten years after the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action the full implementation of this had not been achieved. Cuba called on all States to end discrimination, racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance.

ELLEONORA TAMBUNAN (Indonesia) said that concerning the protection of human rights it was important to recognize that rights were universal, interrelated, interdependent and should be treated fairly, on a same footing and with the same emphasis. Indonesia aimed at strengthening the State’s capacity for upholding human rights obligations and noted the importance of objectivity, impartiality, non-selectivity, and the elimination of double standards and politicization in this context. Indonesia had been one of the first countries to be examined under the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council. Indonesia was a State party to many international human rights instruments and to the core human rights conventions of the International Labour Organization. Indonesia recently signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Its recent election to a third term in the Human Rights Council underlined the recognition and support for the work of Indonesia in the context of the United Nations human rights mechanisms. With regards to the review process of the Human Rights Council, Indonesia would continue to work as a bridge builder in order to contribute to its effectiveness in the protection of human rights.

PEDRO OYARCE (Chile) said that the principle of universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights was fundamental. This should be reflected politically but also in terms of resources. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights played an important role and indicators were important to ensure protection. As part of strengthening treaty bodies, Chile understood the request to increase the number of sessions for the work of the Committee and hoped this would be approved in the meeting in January. Concerning the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, there should be guides for consent; the expert group on indigenous people could play a role in this exercise and the International Labour Organization should be included in the consultations. With respect to the implementation of the Durban Plan of Action, it was time to evaluate progress achieved. This was central to the work of the United Nations, including identifying and sharing good practices; accelerating efforts to eradicate poverty underdevelopment and exclusion which promoted discrimination; and to combating impunity through adequate legislation, strengthening access to justice.

SUZANY GONZALEZ (Venezuela) recalled that the chewing of cocoa leaf was a cultural heritage that went back a long time. The cocoa leaf was not a narcotic. Regional foras had supported this. Venezuela was convinced that the position of Bolivia would not have any negative impacts.

KEITH MORILL (Canada) asked that the adoption of resolution section A, draft decision III of E/2011/30 be postponed until the afternoon, which would permit delegations to complete consultations on the matter, including with capital.

LASHA GOGUADZE, of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies took the issue of narcotic drugs and related harm very seriously. The work was mainly conducted by community volunteers drawn from the worldwide network. The equal access to health and humanitarian rights of individual and communities was of paramount importance. The programme addressing the issue of drug use included prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. The Federation’s advocacy activities were focused on the reduction of the negative health and social consequences of drug abuse and addressed public health and humanitarian impacts that the problems caused on individual drug users, families and communities. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies drew attention to the particular needs of young people with respect to drug abuse. Marginalised and socially excluded groups often fell through the cracks. Drug treatment services should be expanded and policies and services that addressed the negative health and social consequences of drug abuse, including stigma, discrimination and criminalization, should be developed.

ALPHONSE KAYITAYIRE (Rwanda), introducing draft resolution E/2011/L.17/Rev.1 on the enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said that following the genocide in Rwanda, the repatriation of refugees in neighboring countries and around the world had been a priority. Out of more than four million refugees after the genocide, only about 75,000 refugees remained outside the country. Measures towards national reconciliation, the restoration of the rule of law and the promotion of protection of human rights and good governance had contributed to the return of refugees. Rwanda would like to strengthen its international cooperation on the area and would like to become a member of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, along with Azerbaijan, which would take the number of members of the Executive Committee from 85 to 87 members.

RASHAD SHIRINOV (Azerbaijan) said Azerbaijan had always adhered to the aims of the Programme of the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, had participated in the Standing Committee as an observer, and was involved in international cooperation and actions at the national level, promoting self-reliance of refugees and displaced persons. Azerbaijan aimed to reduce difficulties through bilateral and multilateral levels and to address challenges facing this programme. Azerbaijan hoped that the Council would look favorably upon its request to join the Executive Committee of the Programme of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission for Social Development at its forty-ninth session (E/2011/26) on the Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, in which it encourages the international community to support African countries in addressing the challenges of climate change by providing the financial and technological resources and capacity-building needed to support adaptation and mitigation action; requests the Commission for Social Development to discuss in its annual programme of work those regional programmes that promote social development; and requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, to be tabled during the fiftieth session of the Commission for Social Development.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission for Social Development at its forty-ninth session (E/2011/26) on the Further promotion of equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities and mainstreaming disability in the development agenda, in which it calls upon Member States and United Nations bodies and agencies to include disability issues and persons with disabilities in reviewing progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal; decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on disability of the Commission for Social Development for the period from 2012 to 2014; and requests the Special Rapporteur to further collaborate with all relevant stakeholders.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission for Social Development at its forty-ninth session (E/2011/26) on the Modalities for the second review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002, in which it endorses the timeline for carrying out the second review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action as outlined in the report of the Secretary-General; encourages Member States to establish or strengthen a national coordinating body or mechanism to, inter alia, facilitate the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002; and requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Commission for Social Development at its fiftieth session a report including the analysis of the preliminary findings of the second review and appraisal exercise.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission for Social Development at its forty-ninth session (E/2011/26) on the Preparation for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, in which it urges Member States to view 2014 as a target year by which concrete efforts will be taken to improve family well-being through the implementation of effective national policies, strategies and programmes, and requests the Commission for Social Development to review annually the preparations for the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a decision contained in the report of the Commission for Social Development at its forty-ninth session (E/2011/26) on the Report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-ninth session and provisional agenda and documentation for the fiftieth session, in which it takes note of the report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-ninth session and approves the provisional agenda and documentation for the fiftieth session of the Commission.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2010/30/Add.1) on the Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its reconvened nineteenth session, in which it takes note of the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its reconvened nineteenth session.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30) on the Follow-up to the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and preparations for the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, in which the Council invites Member States to provide their suggestions in relation to the overall theme, the agenda items and the topics for the workshops of the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice; and requests the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to approve at its twenty-first session the overall theme, the agenda items and the topics for the workshops.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30) on Technical assistance for implementing the international conventions and protocols related to counter-terrorism, in which the Council urges Member States that have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the existing international conventions and protocols related to terrorism; and urges the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to strengthen its cooperation with international organizations and relevant entities of the United Nations system, as well as with regional and sub regional organizations and arrangements.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in report (E/2011/30) on Strengthening international cooperation in combating the harmful effects of illicit financial flows resulting from criminal activities, in which the Council encourages Member States to cooperate in confiscation-related investigations and proceedings; urges Member States to establish or strengthen national institutions specializing in financial intelligence; and calls upon the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to strengthen the Global Programme against Money-Laundering.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30) on the Prevention, protection and international cooperation against the use of new information technologies to abuse and/or exploit children, in which the Council encourages Member States to promote the creation and application of adequate verification measures to protect children online; urges Member States to cooperate closely with Internet service providers, mobile telephone companies and other key actors; and urges Member States to increase their coordination and cooperation and to exchange information regarding good practices and successful experiences.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30) on Support for the development and implementation of an integrated approach to programme development at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in which the Council requests that all regional and thematic programmes include provisions for evaluation; welcomes the launch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Quality Control and Oversight Unit; and encourages Member States to continue to support the regional and thematic programmes of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime through unearmarked voluntary contributions.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30) on International cooperation in the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of economic fraud and identity related crime, in which the Council urges Member States to cooperate effectively at the bilateral, regional and international levels; and encourages Member States to study the specific short- and long-term effects of economic fraud and identity-related crime on society and on victims of such forms of crime.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30) on Crime prevention and criminal justice responses against illicit trafficking in endangered species of wild fauna and flora, in which the Council calls on Member States to fully utilize the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; invites them to consider making illicit trafficking in endangered species of wild fauna and flora a serious crime; and encourages them to identify opportunities to enhance law enforcement cooperation and information-sharing.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a decision contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30) on the Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its twentieth session, provisional agenda for its twenty-first session and organization of work of its future session, in which the Council decides that, for the future sessions of the Commission, starting with its twenty-first session, the part of the session held in the first half of the year will commence after a sufficient period of time has elapsed, if possible at least two months, following the closure of the part of the session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs held in the first half of the year.

The Council adopted, with out a vote, a decision contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30) on Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: extension of the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in which the Council reaffirms Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolution 52/13, and decides to renew the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime until the part of the session of the Commission to be held in the first half of 2013; and decides that the working group shall hold at least two formal meetings, one in the first quarter of 2012 and one in the first quarter of 2013.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a decision contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (E/2010/28/Add.1) on the Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened fifty-third session and provisional agenda for its fifty-fourth session, in which it takes note of the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened fifty-third session; and approves the provisional agenda for the fifty-fourth session of the Commission.

The Council decided, without a vote, to merge the resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (E/2011/28) on Support for the development and implementation of an integrated approach to programme development at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime with the resolution in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30), which is identical, in which it requests the Secretariat to promote a culture of evaluation throughout the organization; requests that all regional and thematic programmes include provisions for evaluation; and encourages increased joint activities among entities of the United Nations system, development agencies and regional organization.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a decision contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (E/2011/28) on the Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-fourth session and provisional agenda for its fifty-fifth session, in which it takes note of the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-fourth session and approves the provisional agenda for the fifty-fifth session of the Commission.

The Council decided, without a vote, to merge the decision contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (E/2011/28) on Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: extension of the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with the decision contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30), which is identical, in which the Council reaffirms Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolution 52/13, and decides to renew the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime until the part of the session of the Commission to be held in the first half of 2013; and decides that the working group shall hold at least two formal meetings, one in the first quarter of 2012 and one in the first quarter of 2013.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a decision contained in the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (E/2011/28) on the Report of the International Narcotics Control Board, in which it takes note of the report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2010.

The Council adopted, without a vote, resolution (E/2011/L.50) on the Joint meetings of the reconvened sessions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, in which the Council takes note of Commission of Narcotic Drugs resolution 54/10 of 25 March 2011 and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice resolution 20/1 of 13 April 2011, and decides that: (a) Starting in 2011, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice shall hold joint meetings during their reconvened sessions for the sole purpose of considering agenda items included in the operational segment of the agendas of both Commissions, with a view to providing integrated policy directives to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on administrative, budgetary and strategic management issues; (b) The practice of holding back-to-back reconvened sessions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice shall be continued to enable each Commission to consider, in separate meetings, agenda items included in the normative segment of its agenda.

The Council adopted, without a vote, resolution (E/2011/L.17/Rev.1) on the Enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in which the Council takes note of the requests to enlarge the membership of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees contained in the letter dated 1 March 2011 from the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the letter dated 11 July 2011 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Nations Office and other international organs in Geneva addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council; and recommends that the General Assembly, at its sixty-sixth session, decide on the question of enlarging the membership of the Executive Committee from 85 to 87 States.

FEDOR ROSOCHA, Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council, said in view of the fact that the oral report by the Chair of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was presented to the Council, in accordance with resolution 2010/37, only in the morning, the Council did not have sufficient time to reflect on Recommendations contained in the report of the committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/2011/22)

In an oral decision, the Council decided to defer consideration of item 14(g) Human rights, to a resumed 2011 substantive session of the Council to be held before the end of 2011.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a decision contained in the report of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (E/2011/43) on the International expert group meeting on the theme “Combating violence against indigenous women and girls: article 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in which the Council decides to authorize a three-day international expert group meeting on the theme “Combating violence against indigenous women and girls: article 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” and requests that the results of the meeting be reported to the Permanent Forum at its eleventh session, to the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session and to the Commission on the Status of Women at its fifty-sixth session in 2012.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a decision contained in the report of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (E/2011/43) on the Venue and dates of the eleventh session of the Permanent Forum, in which the Council decides that the eleventh session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues shall be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York, from 7 to 18 May 2012.

ABULKALAM ABDUL MOMEN (Bangladesh) requested the postponement of consideration of draft decision III, entitled “Report of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues” until tomorrow morning in order to carry out further consultations.

The Council took note of the following documents: the Note by the Secretariat transmitting the outcomes of the forty-sixth, forty-seventh and forty-eight sessions of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination (E/2011/105); the Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth: United Nations system coordination and collaboration related to youth (E/2011/3); the Report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up to the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and Beyond (E/2011/4); the Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2010 (E/INCB/2010/1); and the Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (E/2011/90).

Coordination, programme and other questions: long term programme of support for Haiti

Documentation

The Report of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti (E/2011/133) is based on the visit to Haiti of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti in June 2011 and on the meetings of the Group with Haiti’s development partners and describes progress made in the recovery process of the country and the challenges that continue to hinder it, which are mainly linked to the absence of clear lines of authority. In the light of the complexity of the situation on the ground, including the number of actors involved, both national and international, the Group could not provide an extensive overview of the activities undertaken and has highlighted the main points related to aid effectiveness and development policy options for strengthening recovery and reconstruction and establishing a highly needed, long-term economic plan for the country. The report concludes with recommendations addressed to the Haitian authorities and their development partners.

Action on Resolution on Haiti

KEITH MORRILL (Canada), speaking on behalf of the Council’s Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, presented draft resolution E/2011/L.49. The report gave an overview of noticeable progress made in the country’s recovery process and the challenges that continued to hinder it, mainly linked to the absence of clear authorities. Even with a newly elected President, the situation on the ground remained precarious, and the number of actors involved, both national and international, further complicated a clear understanding of the way forward in terms of development and reconstruction. Progress in the clearing operation and in rebuilding the city of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding communities were obvious and indicated that the Haitian society was mobilized and that help provided by the international community was useful. The recommendations made were primarily addressed to Haiti’s main implementing partners, and were aimed at facilitating the coordination of aid and recovery. In this view, the Ad Hoc Advisory Group recognized and welcomed the increased capacity of the United Nations presence in Haiti to play a leadership role on humanitarian and development issues. Much progress had been made to sustain recovery efforts and the group recommended that the United Nations made all necessary efforts to lead coordination and donor support, and to build on existing plans, structures and programmes.

At the political level, the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti recommended the promotion of constructive interaction between the legislative and the executive actors and, secondly, at the economic level, where the implementation of a national policy for job creation among all partners was seen as an important step for long term development. Cross cutting those two areas was the issue of the rule of law, which was fundamental for the reconstruction of the country. In order to create a framework that would enable the Haitian private sector and foreign investments, including the banking sector, the country required a solid rule of law framework. The international community needed to keep assisting Haiti and to work in coordination with the government. Partners complained that funding was not aligned to real needs on the ground and thus the group called for the financing of long-term projects identified by the Government as priority areas, such as debris management and education. Civil society and non-governmental organizations needed to continue working in coordination with the different partners to improve implementation of recovery and reconstruction activities. Haiti needed a long-term development vision, a crucial step in translating recent successes into sustainable progress. This should start with a fully functioning Government, a reality which at this critical juncture still remained elusive; meanwhile a continued mobilization of the donor community in support of Haiti remained crucial for short and long term stability at the political, social and economic level.

NIGEL FISHER, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, said the report of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti provided a comprehensive review of the situation and challenges in Haiti and the efforts to ensure full recovery and generate development. On the political front, stalemate continued between the Parliament and the President on the confirmation of a Prime Minister. This delay meant that the priorities in development cooperation and sustainable governmental reforms were significantly behind schedule. President Martelly had made significant commitments in his first 100 days in office. There were concerns about this delay in terms of security once these first 100 days were up in August. One of his top priorities was education, specifically the increased enrollment of children at the primary level. The United Nations and other international partners were engaged with the President’s office on this priority. The President’s other main priority was the $ 97 million reconstruction project in 16 neighborhoods in Port-au-prince, which would provide viable options for resettlement and return for many of the people that continued to live in camps. President Martelly had requested a 12 month extension of the mandate of the Inter-governmental Commission, which would ensure a smooth transition to a more stable entity. The United Nations Country Team had a key role to play in fostering inter-governmental institutional initiatives. The United Nations has already committed to a coordinated approach.

Mr. Fisher said that the President had called on the Inter-governmental Commission to convene a working group on how to revamp the work of the Commission. During the period of transition, significant cooperation between Ministers and the Commission was ongoing. The project review process had been revised to provide more authority to governmental ministers. Funding-specific priority sectors were as yet insufficiently funded. The priority sectors were housing and resettlement, debris removal and education. The closure of six of camps was a positive step in the right direction. The Haiti Reconstruction Board had been requested to put aside significant funds for the priorities of the Government and 87 projects had been approved. Housing and health care constituted the largest number of projects, but employment creation and education had received the most funding. One of the key priorities was to strengthen government institutions at the national and sub-national levels. The United Nations team as a whole had contributed over 500 experts to these efforts, which were seconded to national ministries on the local, regional and national levels. There were ongoing efforts to assure coordinated efforts among the United Nations Country Team and ministerial bodies. Mr. Fisher had referred extensively to institution-building, which should be a shared priority for all development partners. National development frameworks and strategies aimed to enhance security and rule of law, generate economic growth, provide universal access to education, and attack entrenched poverty to assure the human rights of all Haitians. Such a shared priority required sustained, long-term commitments to funding, cooperation and comprehensive coordination across all government departments and economic sectors. Without sustained commitment, the goal of supporting Haitian ownership of the development and recovery process would fall short.

KEITH MORRILL (Canada), introducing draft decision E/2011/L.49, said the decision requested the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to report on its activities to the Economic and Social Council for its consideration at its substantive session of 2012.

FERNANDO ROJAS (Peru) said that Peru attached importance to the process of stabilization carried out by the Haitian Government with support from the United Nations and the international community. Peru noted the importance of the consolidation of political stability as part of the efforts in reconstruction. The earthquake and the cholera epidemic had affected the Haitian population. It was necessary to strengthen the State’s capacity and programmes to promote social development. Job creation, education, the environment and the rule of law had been established as priorities by the Haitian Government. In order to achieve these goals the Government could count on the support of the United Nations and as it had been pointed out, it was fundamental to have continuity in activities aimed at strengthening capacity, including on issues of women and youth and concerning the involvement of the private sector. Efforts should also be made to ensure the permanency of this national capacity. Coordination on the basis of national priorities and the principles of national ownership, rule of law, and respect for human rights was necessary. This was an example where delivering as one should be more than a catch word.

Concerning participation of non-governmental organizations, in order to make cooperation more efficient it would be convenient to request the cooperation of their countries of origin so that along with the Haitian Government they could serve as catalyzers of cooperation. The interdependence between security and development was indispensable to address the needs through a constructive dynamic, as recently underlined by a World Bank report. The challenge of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti consisted of fulfilling its mandate in the context of the transition from recovery to reconstruction with the urgency demanded by the situation. Peru reiterated its support to Haiti and the international community with the objective of ensuring sustainable economic, political and cultural development in Haiti.

COURTNEY NEMROFF (United States) welcomed the report of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Group and appreciated its efforts for supporting long-term development in Haiti. Implementing a fact-finding mission at this time was difficult because of the situation on the ground. Fundamental changes were required on the ground in Haiti. Despite the $ 10 billion pledged to Haiti in 2010, changes were required to ensure its long-term growth and development. Haiti had released its own requests for project proposals, a wise step on the part of the Government in taking up leadership in development and recovery. The Government of Haiti should lead at every stage and on every level of development programming. Focusing on the urgent task of accord between Parliament and the President on creating a Government was required. Land registration, civil registration, energy policy and the urgent need for Haiti to investigate and create new sites for debris removal were key priorities. The United States had provided $ 1.2 billion in aid after the earthquake and an additional $ 66 million dollars to combat cholera. The United States was committed to Haiti’s long-term development and recovery. It was important to identify the institutions needed to ensure that the recovery process and long-term development were successful. Infrastructure and energy, education and security, health and basic services and governance and rule of law were areas funded by the United States. The United States was proud to be funding debris removal, one of the priorities of the Haitian Government and an area not popular in donor circles. There was ample room for growth in Haiti. The World Bank expected growth throughout the next fiscal year.

GONZALO JORDAN (Argentina) said Argentina had contributed 700 police personnel, a military hospital and other aid to the recovery and development efforts in Haiti. Argentina believed it was essential to respect the priorities of the Haitian Government and work within its priorities to guide for support to Haiti. Argentina believed the United Nations had an important role to play in Haiti’s recovery and development. Argentina had actively participated in the Union of South American Nations in setting up a fund of $ 100 million for recovery in Haiti. Argentina had taken on support of specific activities, in supplying humanitarian aid through the deployment of white helmets and the promotion of production of fresh food in family, school and community gardens, with the objective of food security. It was necessary to coordinate international efforts and there was a central role for the United Nations in this regard.

CARMEN ELENA CASTILLO (El Salvador) said the situation faced by Haiti was not easy, however the Government had worked openly and positively, collaborating with international organizations and States to find a way out of political uncertainty and to contribute to the elaboration of conclusions and recommendations contained in the report presented to the Council. The international community should continue to work in key areas for development, such as education, employment, the environment and the rule of law, to strengthen recovery and reconstructions in the long term and to guarantee an efficient use of assistance. El Salvador endorsed the conclusions of the report and considered it necessary to maintain Haiti on the international agenda and to address its needs and challenges appropriately. The United Nations should remain present in Haiti and the international community should continue to support the transition towards a sustainable and lasting development.

PABLO MIGUEL MEDINA JIMENEZ (Dominican Republic) said that the recent history of Haiti was full of ambitious development projects which had not been implemented due to the lack of capacity. Therefore, the Government and its partners should make efforts to guarantee the functioning of the reconstruction commission and fund, ensuring that funds would be employed to obtain concrete results. The presence of the United Nations was necessary and it contributed to important projects of reconstruction and the provision of technical support. The Dominican Republic was ready to continue to cooperate with governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure the reconstruction of Haiti. The reconstruction of Haiti was a priority for both peoples given that, beyond a common destiny, they also shared similar problems akin to those of the developing world. Setting aside past differences, the two peoples were embarked on improving living conditions in the shared island.

RAFAEL LEME (Brazil) said the report contained a clear message as to the importance of national ownership and leadership in the reconstruction efforts in Haiti. It presented valuable insights from different perspectives on how to improve the partnership between Haiti and the international community. The election of President Michel Martelly presented an opportunity for further consolidating democracy and advancing the reconstruction efforts in Haiti. Over the last few months, the situation on the ground had showed improvements, as debris was cleared and reconstruction was stepped up. But much more had to be done to meet the needs and expectations of the Haitian people. Emphasis should be placed on projects that promoted job creation and capacity building, while helping people to move out of temporary shelters and improving services and infrastructure in the new resettlement sites. Brazil considered the Artibonite 4C hydroelectric power plant a valuable initiative. The active involvement of the international community remained essential for the reconstruction, recovery and development of Haiti. Brazil urged donors to fulfill their pledges and implement partnerships to accelerate the execution of projects. The Haiti Reconstruction Fund had a key role to play in financing projects. In order for international and national efforts to produce effective results that could be sustained in the long run, the rule of law in Haiti had to be strengthened. The challenges in Haiti remained manifold. Brazil was confident that the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti would continue to play an important role in supporting Haiti in its reconstruction and development.

JACQUES PELLET (France) considered that more than ever, the United Nations should provide assistance to the Haitian authorities. Many challenges remained, despite the dynamism of the population and the involvement of the international community. Political renewal and infrastructure reconstruction should be completed as soon as possible and constructive dialogue should be pursued between the President and Parliament. Recovery in Haiti could only take place with the improvement of the rule of law. It was essential, in the transition period, for the population and the political elites to come together to dialogue. The international community should assure that political institutions were strengthened.

PAPA DIOP. (Senegal) welcomed the report on Haiti and the recommendations put forward by the report, and commended Canada for its chairmanship of the Ad Hoc Group on Haiti. Senegal remained sensitive about developments in Haiti and the efforts of the international community to ensure a rapid recovery. Senegal was one of the first countries to support the Government of Haiti after the earthquake stroke and had devoted a million CFA, hosted a number of students from Haiti, and proposed a resolution for the hosting and reintegration of Haitians in Africa.

DENNIS FRANCIS (Trinidad and Tobago), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICUM), said the positioning of Haiti within the community of nations as a democratic, stable and economically viable country, continued to be matter of utmost priority. A significant number of those displaced by the earthquake continued to live in camps, and the situation of women and girls and other vulnerable groups within those camps was precarious at best. Planning an implementation of development programmes must respond to the priorities articulated by the Government of Haiti. The Caribbean Community and Common Market had undertaken a number of key initiatives to provide a sustainable future for the Haitian people. CARICUM through its Council on Trade and Economic Development granted a three-year, one-way, duty-free concession to goods entering the single market from Haiti. Triangular cooperation could facilitate exchanges such as cultural exchanges and transfers of technical expertise within the framework of South-South and North-South cooperation.

The Caribbean Community and Common Market supported the recommendations by the advisory group and would call for a review of the working methods of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission to ensure that the priorities of the Haitian Government were met with urgency. Greater financial contributions were needed to the Haitian Recovery Fund by the international donor community and bilateral activities should be synchronized and coordinated with the Government set priorities. The international community must also make good on the long-overdue pledges made in the wake of the earthquakes, considering the dire and basic needs of Haiti and its people. The goals for Haiti’s recovery and development could not be achieve by MINUSTAH acting without the support and cooperation of the United Nations system. Coordinated action, within the United Nations system, by regional actors and the international donor community, based on governmental priorities, was the only means of achieving tangible and lasting success on the ground.

PEDRO OYARCE (Chile) said Chile hoped to contribute to recovery and development as defined by the Haitian Government. The dividends of social stability had to be consolidated. The new scenario that had occurred since the earthquake in 2010 had to be taken in consideration. Projects in Haiti had to be guided by Haitian counterparts, ensuring appropriation by local officials and capacity building. A fluid dialogue should be maintained and priority should be placed on projects that could be implemented through government institutions, ensuring capacity strengthening. The priorities established by President Martelly should be the axis on which development cooperation was based. Chile shared the opinions of Mr. Fisher on capacity building, which was key to rule of law and security. Chile reiterated its commitment and solidarity with the Haitian people.

JEAN-CLAUDE PIERRE (Haiti) said the earthquake of 2010 led a wide-scale disaster. Many homeless people were living in precarious conditions in camps where there was little access to basic services. Damage was still visible. Parts of Port-au-Prince were still in ruins. Displaced people continued to live in difficult conditions. The reconstruction of the country was an immense challenge. The $ 1.2 billion provided by the international community were being used for capacity building, providing temporary and permanent housing, rebuilding schools and other faculties, creating employment and providing the country with a democratic transition. The Haitian delegation commended the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti for its recommendations, which were very pertinent. Haiti called on the international community to strengthen efforts and enhance coordination in the field to ensure full recovery and generate long-term development.

JUDITH ARRIETA (Mexico), speaking as a member of the Group of Friends of Haiti, said Mexico had and would continue to work closely with Haiti. Mexico recently hosted a regional meeting to ensure that efforts by donors would not be duplicated and believed that the work of the United Nations in coordinating efforts by different actors should be made on the basis of the needs of Haiti and concern for national ownership. In this respect and the movement from the initial stages of recovery, a strong ally was found in private foundations and actors. The fragility of Haiti was structural and was aggravated by the difficult climatic situation of the area. The international community should maintain a coordinated and efficient presence so that the emergency stage led to early recovery and reconstruction.

TIFERET UNTERMAN (Israel) said Israel appreciated the report produced. Capacity building was crucial for long-term recovery. Israel in partnerships with the office of the President of Haiti had worked to provide support and had contributed to the establishment of a medical facility that offered high quality medical care for trauma and other needs. This joint venture contributed to the long-term capacity building in the case of future emergencies. Plans were being laid out for a project on agricultural capacity building. Israel remained committed to contributing to the long-term recovery of Haiti.

HEATHER MACLEOD, of World Vision, said 18 months after the devastating earthquake that had affected the country and afflicted its people, Haiti continued to be in dire need of support. A unified architecture was key for continued donor support. The Ad Hoc Group’s report provided important insight into how this unified aid architecture could be built between the work of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission and the sectoral tables. World Vision strongly believed that there needed to be institutional alignment between the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission and the revitalized sector tables to avoid the emergence of a parallel process for planning, coordination and oversight. Such linkage and integration would empower the Government of Haiti to lead on strategy, development, policy dialogue and coordination. World Vision believed that multiple stakeholders sector tables would strengthen the work of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission as evolving sector strategies would be brought to the board. World Vision believed that there was a strong opportunity for advancing on decentralisation of resources and services that, among other things, enabled active community participation.

NIGEL FISHER, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, said much had been said about coordination; this was a necessary, but not sufficient condition. Considering the Paris Principles was important at this juncture, as the issue of national ownership was key. Trust, risk-taking and long-term commitment were required. The international community did not have a good history of building institutions and providing support over the long term. The interaction between the United Nations Country Team and the team of President Michel Martelly was encouraging. It harboured the ability to be decisive and action-oriented. Being decisive was important in the post-recovery context. For example, there had been discussions about debris management which was linked to incredible public health risks, but no action had been taken. There were increasing risks in the forced evictions going on in camps. The investment environment on a whole range of fronts needed to be enhanced. The United Nations Country Team and the office of President Michel Martelly were working in collaboration to prepare for the hurricane system and for long-term risk reduction. These were just examples of areas that were important for capacity building and long-term cooperation.

The Council adopted, without a vote, resolution (E/2011/L.49) on the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, in which the Economic and Social Council, recalling its resolution 2010/28 of 23 July 2010, welcomes the report of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti and its recommendations, and requests the Group to report on its activities in support of the recovery, reconstruction and development of the country with recommendations, as appropriate, to the Economic and Social Council for its consideration at its substantive session of 2012.

Action on Resolution on Social and Human Rights Questions

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2011/30) on Crime prevention and criminal justice responses against illicit trafficking in endangered species of wild fauna and flora, in which the Council calls on Member States to fully utilize the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; invites them to consider making illicit trafficking in endangered species of wild fauna and flora a serious crime; and encourages them to identify opportunities to enhance law enforcement cooperation and information-sharing.

Action on Resolutions under Coordination Segment: follow-up to International Conference on Financing for Development; Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples; and Repercussions of Israeli Occupation on Palestinian People and Arab Populations

NATALIA HANDRUJOVICZ (Argentina), introducing draft resolution E/2011/L.21/Rev.1 on behalf of the G77 and China, said that the draft resolution took into consideration that unemployment and underemployment levels remained persistently high in many countries, particularly among the younger generations, and that there was a need to promote sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth that generated employment that led to poverty eradication, fostered sustainable development and strengthened social cohesion. The draft resolution reiterated that the Global Jobs Pact was a general framework within which each country could formulate policy packages specific to its situation and priorities. It also recognized the need to universally respect, promote and realize fundamental principles and rights at work, in accordance with the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. It recognized the need to promote and realize at least basic social protection in order to achieve decent work and nationally designed social protection floors in all countries in line with national priorities and circumstances. The resolution requested the Secretary-General, in coordination to the International Labour Organization, to assess and review job intensive investments and strategies and report to the Council at its 2012 substantive session; and also required the Secretary-General in his report to the Annual Ministerial Review of the Council at its substantive session of 2012, to report on the use of the Global Jobs Pact by the United Nations system and further progress made in the implementation of the resolution.

JUAN HUNT, of the International Labour Organization, thanked the G77 for the presentation, negotiation and facilitation of this important resolution on the Global Jobs Pact and thanked the European Union for co-sponsoring the resolution as well as all the other delegations that joined this effort. The International Labour Organization stood ready to support Member States to accomplish the mandate herby requested. The International Labour Organization would work together with sister agencies in the United Nations system in order to honour this commitment.

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution (E/2011/L.21/Rev.1) on Recovering from the world financial and economic crisis: a Global Jobs Pact in which, the Council requests the United Nations funds and programmes and the specialized agencies to continue to take into account the Global Jobs Pact in their respective policies and programmes, through their appropriate decision-making processes, and invites them to integrate, as appropriate, information on progress achieved to date into their regular reporting; reiterates that the agenda contained in the Global Jobs Pact requires policy coherence and international coordination; requests the Secretary-General, in coordination with the International Labour Organization, to assess and review job-intensive investment and strategies and to report to the Council at its substantive session of 2012, with a view to supporting job creation and promoting sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth; also requests the Secretary-General, in his report to the Annual Ministerial Review of the Economic an Social Council at its substantive session of 2012, to report on the use of the Global Jobs Pact by the United Nations system and on progress made in implementing the present resolution; and encourages the High-level Committee on Programmes of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination to consider further measures to promote system-wide policy coherence in the area of decent work and sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth.

MARIA LUISA ESCOREL DE MORAES (Brazil) said that according to the International Labour Organization the world had reached the highest level of unemployment in history, 215 million people did not have a job. The Global Jobs Pact remained a key source of inspiration in efforts to overcome common challenges. For far too long, social implications of economic and financial policies had been neglected. The International Labour Organization, however, had been an important exception. With its tripartite constituency, representing the real economy, it had striven to establish a social foundation for the international economy. Social dimensions of economic development should be examined as part of strategies promoting economic development, job creation and social inclusion. The adoption of the Global Jobs Pact represented a particularly important step in this direction. As a portfolio of measures which could be adapted to national circumstances and needs, the Pact could assist governments to create national models of social and economic development and help lay the foundation for a fair and more prosperous future; it remained an important point of reference for United Nations agencies and programmes.

NATALIA HANDRUJOVICZ (Argentina), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, welcomed the adoption of the draft resolution. The Global Jobs Pact was designed to enable each country to apply its recommendations according to its own needs, as adopted by representatives of governments, employers and business at the International Labour Organization in June 2009. The resolution reaffirmed that employment creation was essential to recovery efforts and recognized that the Global Jobs Pact was an important instrument to promote job-intensive growth. Despite efforts undertaken at the national and international levels, the Group of 77 and China believed the impact of the world financial and economic crisis on human social development remained significant. It was therefore incumbent on the Council to maintain on its agenda the issue of the recovery of the crisis, in particular with respect to the implementation of the Global Jobs Pact. It was well known that employment was a lagging indictor, rebounding only months or years after the economy as a whole had recovered. Finally, the Group of 77 and China expressed its interest to work together with all partners to implement the text.

REMIGIUSZ A. HENCZEL (Poland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said with five years until the Millennium Development Goals came due, sustainable and inclusive growth, strengthened social measures and job creation were all the more important. The European Union welcomed the reference to social protection floors and international coherence and cooperation, which were key to tackling job creation. The European Union welcomed the resolution on the Global Jobs Pact and wished to be added as a co-sponsor.

The Council adopted, without a vote, resolution (E/2011/L.40) on Follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development, in which the Council stresses the need to further improve the dialogue between Member States and representatives of the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development during the Council’s special high-level meeting, as part of a forum for multi-stakeholder dialogue, and requests the President of the Council to seek a more interactive, dynamic and substantive discussion on key issues related to the financing for development framework; encourages all relevant stakeholders to consider organizing seminars, panel discussions and briefings as part of the preparations for and contribution to the above-mentioned events in order to raise visibility, attract interest and participation and promote substantive discussions on a continuing basis; and reiterates its appeal to Member States and other potential donors to consider contributing generously to the Trust Fund for the Follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development, which would facilitate the implementation of a strengthened and more effective intergovernmental inclusive process to carry out the financing for development follow-up.

MARCELO SUAREZ SALVIA. (Argentina), speaking on behalf of the G77 and China, said that the G77 and China welcomed the efforts undertaken to give more prominence to the consideration of the agenda item on financing for development. The G77 and China reaffirmed that the United Nations was the organization with the central role and legitimacy to deal with development and related issues, and reiterated that the United Nations was the appropriate venue to discuss economic and financial affairs and decide on the best follow-up and alternatives to meet needs and challenges. The G77 and China called for strengthening of the United Nations role in international and financial affairs, including its coordinating role in global economic governance. It was important to promote greater cooperation between the United Nations and the international financial institutions. There was a need to further improve the dialogue between Member States and representatives of the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development during the Council’s special high-level meeting and the resolution requested the Council’s President to seek a more interactive, dynamic and substantive discussion on key issues related to the financing for development framework. The G77 and China reaffirmed that each country should take responsibility for its own development and recognized that national efforts should be complemented by supportive global programmes, measures and policies aimed at expanding the development, while taking into account national conditions and ensuring respect for national ownership, strategies and sovereignty.

The Council adopted, without a vote, resolution (E/2011/L.41) on Follow-up to the Outcome of the Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development: consideration of the possible establishment of an ad hoc panel of experts, in which the Council affirms the need to examine the most efficient modalities to provide independent technical expertise and analysis on issues relating to the world financial and economic crisis and its impact on development, to be made available to the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, which could contribute to informing international action and political decision-making and to fostering constructive dialogue and exchanges among policymakers, academics, institutions and civil society; recommends that the possible establishment of an ad hoc panel of experts on the world economic and financial crisis and its impact on development should be further considered by the General Assembly, taking into account the outcomes of the various related processes, including the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group of the General Assembly to follow up on the issues contained in the Outcome of the Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development, as well as the forthcoming deliberations in the Assembly on the role of the United Nations in global economic governance and development, and on the modalities of the financing for development follow-up process; and requests the Secretary-General to explore options in that respect, taking into account the need to make full use of existing United Nations bodies, including the regional commissions, and to report to the General Assembly through existing reporting mechanisms.

WALTER SCHULDT (Ecuador), speaking after the adoption of the resolution E/2011/L.41, expressed appreciation for the work of the Vice-President and reiterated the commitment of Ecuador to reach consensus documents like these which represented an important part of the work of the Council.

MARCELO SUAREZ SALVIA (Argentina) thanked the Vice-President and delegations for their work on the resolution.

PETER SELEPEC (Slovakia), speaking in explanation of vote before the vote, said that throughout the years, the United Nations system had been working on providing long-standing support and assistance to the non self-governing territories. The Council itself had adopted resolutions focusing on the promotion of various measures of development assistance for such territories. Regrettably, the content of the submitted draft resolution diverted the attention from this objective. The issues dealt with the resolution did not fall within the competence of the Council. Therefore, the European Union was obliged to abstain.

COURTNEY NEMROFF (United States) the resolution was virtually identical to those considered by the Council over the past several years. The United States regretted that the sponsor introduced the proposal without prior consultations with all parties or sufficient time for dialogue; in previous very years, however, the idea of working towards a consensus document had been brought up. United States regretted that this idea was not followed on this occasion. This resolution infringed upon its Constitutional arrangements and thus the United States could not support it.

The Council adopted, with a vote of 27 in favour, none against and 22 abstentions, resolution (E/2011/L.45) on Support to Non-Self-Governing Territories by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations, in which the Council requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and international and regional organizations to examine and review conditions in each Non-Self-Governing Territory so that they may take appropriate measures to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors of those Territories; urges those specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nations system that have not yet provided assistance to Non-Self-Governing Territories to do so as soon as possible; requests those specialized agencies and other organizations and bodies of the United Nations system and regional organizations to strengthen existing measures of support and to formulate appropriate programmes of assistance to the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories; requests the administering Powers concerned to facilitate the participation of appointed and elected representatives of Non-Self-Governing Territories in the relevant meetings and conferences of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system so they may benefit from the related activities of those agencies and organizations; recommends that all Governments intensify their efforts within the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system of which they are members to accord priority to the question of providing assistance to the peoples of the Non-Self–Governing Territories; requests the President of the Economic and Social Council to continue to maintain close contact on those matters with the Chair of the Special Committee and to report thereon to the Council; and requests the Secretary-General to follow-up on the implementation of the present resolution and to report thereon to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session in 2012.

The result of the vote was as follows:

In favour (27): Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chile, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iraq, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Venezuela, and Zambia.

Against (0):

Abstentions (22): Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Norway, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and United States.


ALEXIS AM (Argentina) speaking in a general statement, said Argentina would like to indicate the resolution just adopted had to be implemented in accordance with United Nations General Assembly resolutions.

JOHN SAMMIS (United States), speaking in explanation of the vote before the vote on E/2011/L.47, said the United States would vote against this deeply biased resolution. It was identical to those considered by the Economic and Social Council over the past several years. The United States regretted that the sponsors introduced the proposal without prior consultation with all parties or sufficient time for dialogue. The United States had been working with parties and the international community to make progress toward a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace, including a two-State solution to the conflict. All should be working to create an environment conducive to renewed peace talks, not taking steps that further undermined them. The resolution remained fundamentally unbalanced. The United States actively and whole-heartedly supported improving the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people and remained deeply committed to a dual track strategy: vigorous political negotiations alongside equally vigorous institution-building efforts. Since the Council last considered the issue, Israel had taken some significant steps, including establishing freedom of movement between the north and the south of the West Bank with limited remaining checkpoints had contributed to a growing West Bank economy. More needed to be done, but biased and unfair resolutions did nothing to encourage progress and prosperity. United Nations Member States should do everything in their power to promote an atmosphere of cooperation to encourage these trends. The United States also noted that the resolution referred to possible Palestinian efforts in September in New York. But core issues could only be negotiated in direct talks between the parties. The United States would continue to stand up against efforts to single out Israel. Only through serious and responsible negotiations could the parties achieve the goal shared by all: two States of two peoples, with a secure, Jewish State of Israel living side by side in peace and security with an independent, contiguous and viable State of Palestine. As a friend to both parties working to improve conditions on the ground, the United States had no choice but to vote against the resolution.

The Council adopted, with a vote of 43 in favour, 3 against and 3 abstentions, resolution (E/2011/L.47) on the Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, in which the Council calls for the full opening of the border crossings of the Gaza Strip, in line with Security Council resolution 1860 (2009) of 8 January 2009, to ensure humanitarian access as well as the sustained and regular flow of persons and goods and the lifting of all movement restrictions imposed on the Palestinian people, including those restrictions arising from ongoing Israeli military operations and the multilayered closures system, and for other urgent measures to be taken to alleviate the serious humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which is critical in the Gaza Strip, and calls for compliance by Israel, the occupying Power, with all of its legal obligations under international humanitarian law and United Nations resolutions in that regard; calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to cease its destruction of homes and properties, economic institutions and agricultural lands and orchards in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as well as in the occupied Syrian Golan; also calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to end immediately its exploitation of natural resources, including water and mining resources, and to cease the dumping of all kinds of waste materials in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, which gravely threaten their natural resources, namely, the water, land and energy resources, and present a serious environmental hazard and health threat to the civilian populations, and also calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to remove all obstacles that obstruct implementation of critical environmental projects, including the sewage treatment plants in the Gaza Strip; requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session, through the Economic and Social Council, a report on the implementation of the present resolution and to continue to include in the report of the United Nations Special Coordinator an update on the living conditions of the Palestinian people, in collaboration with relevant United Nations agencies; decides to include the item entitled “Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan” on the agenda of its substantive session of 2012.


The result of the vote was as follows:

In favour (43): Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Chile, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Venezuela and Zambia.

Against (3): Australia, Canada, and United States.

Abstentions (3): Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Rwanda.


KATY LIN. (Australia) said Australia remained concerned about the economic and social situation in the Palestinian territories. Australia had been a strong, consistent supporter of the peace process and had contributed almost $ 170 million in humanitarian and institution-building assistance to the Palestinian people since 2007 and was finalizing a five-year development partnership with the Palestinian Authority to provide ongoing, predictable financial assistance and budgetary support. Australia welcomed recent improvements in the economic and security conditions in the Palestinian territories and urged both parties to work together to ensure these gains continued. The decision to oppose this resolution reflected the strong concern that this resolution unnecessarily introduced political issues into this forum and did not reflect the responsibilities of all parties to address a situation of concern and did not contribute constructively to the goal of a negotiated solution to the conflict or to improving the situation on the ground. Australia urged both parties to achieve a comprehensive and enduring peace based on a negotiated two-state solution and to return to direct negotiations on final status issues and to refrain from action with undermined trust and a foundation for negotiations.

IMAD ZUHAIRI (Palestine) reiterated the willingness of Palestine to continue to work and engage with those members of the Council who were not able to support the resolution and expressed gratitude to Argentina and the members of G77 for their support to the resolution. It was time for recognition of Palestine’s right to self determination and borders, leading to full membership in the United Nations.

RON ADAM (Israel) said Israel wished to reiterate that the Economic and Social Council was being politicized and misused. This was a conflict-related resolution introduced for self-serving, political motives. It was not only thematically inappropriate, the resolution was factually misguided. The Palestinian economy had accelerated in 2009. Sustainability of growth appeared to be driven by donor assistance. In the first half of the year, output was estimated to be six per cent higher than 2009. This was far greater growth than that of developed countries. This resolution was ill-placed in the Council and far from the economic reality.


For use of the information media; not an official record

ECOSOC11/027E