26 July 1985

52nd plenary meeting

Hiring and use of consultant services

The Economic and Social Council,

Taking note of the relevant parts of the general conclusions and recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination on the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1986-1987 as contained in its report on its twenty-fifth session,

Affirming that the use of consultant services is excessive and not conducive to an optimum utilization of regular staff resources,

Noting the importance of taking into account the appropriate competence, knowledge and expertise of the consultants,

Noting also the desirability of having as wide a geographical basis as possible in the hiring of consultants,

Recognizing the urgent need to address these and other related concerns regarding the hiring and use of consultant services by the United Nations and to take appropriate action,

1. Requests the Secretary-General to take into careful consideration the comments made on this question by Member States at the twenty-fifth session of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and at the second regular session of 1985 of the Council;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide adequate information to the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination on the reasons why particular tasks could not be carried out by existing regular staff;

3. Also requests the Secretary-General to submit, through the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and the Economic and Social Council, a detailed report on this question, including, inter alia, comments on the implementation of the existing guidelines on the hiring and use of consultant services by the United Nations, to the General Assembly at its forty-first session for consideration.