26 July 1989

35th plenary meeting

Programme questions

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling rule 31 of the rules of procedure of the Economic and Social Council,

Noting the importance of the additional responsibilities in the budget process assigned to the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination by the General Assembly in its resolution 41/213 of 19 December 1986,

Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/77 of 29 July 1988, in which the Council decided that it would, inter alia, examine in depth the relevant sections of the proposed programme budget of the United Nations in the light of the recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination, with a view to submitting appropriate recommendations to the General Assembly on the overall and programme priorities of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on all aspects of priority-setting in future outlines of the proposed programme budget,

Emphasizing the importance of priority-setting in the planning and budget process,

Having considered the relevant sections of the report of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination on the work of its twenty-ninth session,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 42/211 of 21 December 1987, in which the Assembly decided that the date for the submission of the outline of the programme budget should be 15 August of the off-budget year,

1. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination on programme questions, in particular on sections 4 to 24 of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1990-1991;

2. Stresses the need for the sectoral, functional and regional intergovernmental bodies to consider in a timely manner the draft programmes of work within their areas of responsibility, in order that their recommendations may be taken into account by the Secretary-General when preparing his proposed programme budget;

3. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination regarding priority-setting;

4. Notes that the thirtieth session of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination will be of six weeks' duration, in accordance with paragraph 8 of the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 2008 (LX) of 14 May 1976, and will be held in two parts, the second part, to consider the outline of the programme budget for the biennium 1992-1993;

5. Endorses the recommendation of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination that the General Assembly consider the possibility of adjusting the calendar of meetings so that the sessions of the Committee would start later in May.