28 July 1983

Co-ordination of programmes within the United Nations system in the field of natural resources

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling the terms of reference of the Committee on Natural Resources, as set forth in Council resolution l535 (XLIX) of 27 July l970,

Bearing in mind the debates held in the Committee on the co-ordination of programmes within the United Nations system in the field of natural resources,

Reaffirming that one of the principal responsibilities of the Committee is to provide the Council with guidance in the programming and implementation of those programmes,

Recognizing that that guidance relates in part to the avoidance of duplication of effort by ensuring that the programmes of the many organizational units of the United Nations are co-ordinated,

Further recognizing the advantages of co-ordinating the efforts of the specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nations system which also carry out work in the natural resources field,

Affirming that the Committee on Natural Resources was again unable to discharge this responsibility on the basis of the report submitted by the Secretary-General for consideration at its eighth session,

1. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Committee on Natural Resources at its future sessions reports that contain an analysis of the level of co-operation and co-ordination among different organs of the United Nations system in the field of natural resources, in order to enable the Committee to identify existing problems, to assess the extent, if any, to which there is duplication of effort, and to formulate appropriate recommendations in this area;

2. Urges the organizations of the United Nations system to co-operate fully with the Secretary-General by providing him with the information needed for the elaboration of the reports referred to in paragraph l above;

3. Also requests the Secretary-General to take full account of the points made in the discussion of this question by the Committee on Natural Resources at its eighth session and, in particular, to consider how best to avoid duplication of responsibility and effort within the Secretariat.