29 July 1983

Promotion of interregional economic and technical co-operation among developing countries

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its decision 1982/174 of 30 July 1982 concerning interregional co-operation, by which it requested the executive secretaries of the regional commissions to submit to the Council at its annual organizational session their joint recommendations for the identification of a subject relating to interregional co-operation of common interest to all regions,

Recalling also that, in its resolution 2043 (LXI) of 5 August 1976 concerning the strengthening of the regional commissions, it recognized, without prejudice to the special needs and conditions of each region, that the regional commissions, with their expeience in promoting regional and subregional co-operation, were the appropriate institutions within the United Nations to act as centres for the formulation, co-ordination and implementation of programmes for the promotion of interregional co-operation also,

Recalling further the mandate provided for the regional commissions by the General Assembly in section IV of the annex to its resolution 32/197 of 20 December 1977 on the restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the United Nations system, relating to structures for regional co-operation, in which it stated that the regional commissions should be enabled to play their role fully as the main general economic and social development centres within the United Nations system for their respective regions and, as a consequence of that role, inter alia, urged the commissions, taking fully into account the relevant global policy decisions of the competent United Nations organs, to intensify their efforts, with the assistance of the competent organizations of the United Nations system and at the request of Governments concerned, to strengthen and enlarge economic co-operation among developing countries at the subregional, regional and interregional levels,

Bearing in mind the special responsibilities of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development for economic co-operation among developing countries and of the United Nations Development Programme for technical co-operation among developing countries,

Reaffirming the role of the Director-General for Development and International Economic Co-operation as stipulated in General Assembly resolution 32/197,

Having due regard to the Caracas Programme of Action adopted by the High-level Conference on Economic Co-operation among Developing Countries, held at Caracas from 13 to 19 May 1981, which provides the objectives, priorities and framework for activity relating to economic co-operation among developing countries,

Conscious of the fact that the regional commissions, by virtue of their location and multidisciplinary approach, have been called upon to initiate and implement a rapidly expanding range of projects and programmes involving co-operation among developing countries in all regions,

Noting that the Secretary-General, at the Joint Meetings of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination, held on 4 and 5 July 1983, stated that the regional commissions had an important role in promoting co-operation among countries at the regional and interregional levels and reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations bodies and programmes involved to supporting the efforts of developing countries to strengthen and implement their programmes of economic and technical co-operation,

Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the promotion of programmes of interregional economic and technical co-operation among developing countries by the regional commissions, prepared pursuant to Council decision 1982/174,

1. Reaffirms the important role of the regional commissions in the promotion of economic and technical co-operation among developing countries at the subregional, regional and interregional levels, including the identification of areas for practical co-operation and the initiation, co-ordination and implementation of co-operative programmes and projects, as appropriate;

2. Calls upon States Members of the United Nations to provide their support to the regional commissions to meet those responsibilities effectively;

3. Further calls upon the executive secretaries of the regional commissions, in the light of the responsibility of the commissions for the exercise of team leadership at the regional level, as stipulated by the General Assembly in resolution 32/197, to organize periodic consultations between their respective commissions and United Nations organizations and entities and specialized agencies active at the regional and interregional levels, with a view to ensuring the effective co-ordination of projects and programmes carried out under the auspices of the bodies involved for the promotion of co-operation among developing countries at the subregional, regional and interregional levels, those periodic consultations to take place on the occasion of meetings already scheduled within the United Nations system;

4. Takes note of the conclusion in the report of the Secretary-General on the promotion of programmes of interregional economic and technical co-operation among developing countries by the regional commissions that urgent action should be taken, in particular with regard to the areas of immediate concern to the developing countries;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to take appropriate steps to ensure co-ordination and co-operation in the preparation and implementation of relevant programmes and activities of the regional commissions for interregional co-operation among developing countries;

6. Recommends the General Assembly:

(a) To continue to provide appropriate resources to enable the regional commissions to mobilize and to ensure their existing capability effectively to meet their responsibility for programme formulation, implementation and co-ordination in regard to subregional, regional and interregional economic and technical co-operation among developing countries;

(b) To request the Secretary-General to keep the Assembly informed, through the Economic and Social Council, on an ongoing and continuing basis, of progress made by the Organization in the promotion of subregional, regional and interregional economic and technical co-operation among developing countries.