30 July 1992

41st plenary meeting

Review of the conditions necessary for the effective functioning of the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the Department of Economic and Social Development

The Economic and Social Council,

Having regard to Article 71 of the Charter of the United Nations which provides that the Economic and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence,

Recalling General Assembly decision 46/431 of 17 December 1991,

Bearing in mind Council resolution 1296 (XLIV) of 23 May 1968 containing arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations, of which paragraph 43 provides that the Secretariat should be so organized as to enable it to carry out the duties assigned to it concerning the consultative arrangements,

Considering the unique role played by the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the Department of Economic and Social Development of the Secretariat as the focal point for cooperation between the United Nations and the non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council,

Considering further the increasing importance of the role and activities of the non-governmental organizations in consultative status, particularly with regard to United Nations conferences and their related preparatory activities,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the review of the conditions necessary for the effective functioning of the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the United Nations Secretariat,

1. Notes with appreciation the report of the Secretary-General, prepared in pursuance of General Assembly decision 46/431;

2. Notes with concern that, as documented in the report of the Secretary-General, the workload of the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the Department of Economic and Social Development of the Secretariat has consistently increased over the years, while resources have remained at the same level since 1947, when the Unit was established;

3. Invites the Secretary-General to respond to the needs of the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit and to adopt appropriate measures, to the extent possible within existing resourses during the biennium 1992-1993 to address the problems posed by the situation, in particular relating to the resources required for the Unit to carry out its functions effectively;

4. Further invites the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session a brief report on actions taken in 1992 and those planned for 1993 as short-term solutions to improve the situation of the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to consider, to the extent possible within existing resources, increasing the human and financial resources of the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit in order to enable it to fulfil its mandate under Economic and Social Council resolution 1296 (XLIV) within the framework of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1994-1995;

6. Further requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1993, through the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations.