8 July 1987

36th plenary meeting

Development of human resources

The Economic and Social Council,

Reaffirming the crucial role of human resources in the socio-economic development process,

Bearing in mind that the long-term development process of developing countries is one of the main objectives of international co-operation and the development activities of the United Nations system and that human resources development is essential to the attainment of that objective,

Recognizing that the training of qualified national personnel is an important and integral part of human resources development,

Recalling the importance attached to the development of human resources in the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade,

Recalling also General Assembly resolution 40/213 of 17 December 1985 on the role of qualified national personnel in the social and economic development of developing countries and Economic and Social Council resolution 1986/73 of 23 July 1986 on the development of human resources,

Noting decision 87/15 on human resources development, adopted by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme on 18 June 1987,

Considering that it is for each developing country to decide the possible content of a national programme for the development of human resources,

Taking into account the considerable experience and technical capacity acquired by the organizations of the United Nations system in human resources development in their respective fields of competence, and convinced of the need for greater co-ordination of such activities,

Noting the note by the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination on co-ordination of the activities of the United Nations system in human resources development and its contribution to meeting the economic and social objectives of the developing countries and the views expressed in the summing-up by the Chairmen of the Joint Meetings of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination,

Emphasizing its central role in co-ordinating the activities of the United Nations system in human resources development,

1. Takes note of the note by the Secretary-General on human resources development;

2. Takes note also of the report of the Secretary-General on the role of qualified national personnel in the social and economic development of developing countries;

3. Reaffirms the need for an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to all aspects of the development of human resources in the programme of work of the United Nations and the other organizations of the United Nations system;

4. Requests the Secretary-General, taking into account earlier studies and the discussions held at the twenty-second series of Joint Meetings of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination, as well as the comprehensive report to be submitted to the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme at its thirty-fifth session, to submit, after consultation with the organs and organizations of the United Nations system, a comprehensive report on human resources development and the activities of the system as a whole in that field, containing conclusions and recommendations, to the General Assembly at its forty-fourth session, through the Economic and Social Council, for consideration and appropriate action;

5. Invites Governments of Member States to provide the Secretary-General with information on their experience in the development of human resources, including qualified national personnel, to be reflected in his report;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to take the present resolution duly into account in preparing the medium-term plan for the period 1990-1995;

7. Calls upon all organs and organizations of the United Nations system to implement the present resolution and to convey their views on the question to the Secretary-General.