EU Presidency Statement - The Report of the coordination bodies - ECOSOC

Madame Chairperson,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union under item 07 (a) - Coordination, programme and other questions: Reports of the coordination bodies and in particular on the annual overview report of the CEB.

The Acceding Countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the Associated Countries Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey, declare that they align themselves with this statement (n.b. after alignment).

Madame Chairperson,

The EU has taken note with great interest of the Annual overview report of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination for 2002.

The EU supports strengthened UN coordination and is convinced that inter-agency cooperation and coordination are crucial, in particular in promoting an integrated follow-up to the outcomes of the major UN conferences and, in broader terms, in fostering the effective implementation of the development goals contained in the Millennium Declaration. Coordination between the UN System and other relevant institutional stakeholders like the BWIs is also of paramount importance.

Within the UN System, we strongly support the cooperation within the UNDG, and invite close coordination with CEB activities. Concerted efforts are needed to implement the related agendas of Monterrey, Johannesburg and the Millennium Declaration.

Madame Chairperson,

Only a few weeks ago, the General Assembly adopted an important resolution on the report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the General Assembly on the Integrated and Coordinated Implementation of and Follow-up to the outcomes of the Major United Nations Conferences and Summits in the Economic and Social Fields. The resolution underlines that the work of the CEB should reflect the agreements and commitments reached at the major UN Conferences and reiterates its role and functions in the promotion of system-wide inter-agency coordination and cooperation, in consistency and coherence with the Monterrey Consensus and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

This increased attention to the CEB gives a welcome opportunity to assess its activities.

The report provides an overview of inter-agency coordination in 2002, showing the multiplicity of areas where guidance was necessary. In this context the EU welcomes the priority given by the CEB to the system's contribution to a comprehensive and effective follow-up to the Millennium Declaration, focusing on the themes selected by the Secretary-General in his report to the 57th session of General Assembly. We also appreciate the consideration given to conflict prevention related issues, acknowledging the system's responsibility to support national efforts to integrate a prevention perspective into development programmes at the country level.

Furthermore, the EU wishes to express its appreciation for the work of the High-Level Committee on Management and the High- Level Committee on Programmes on, respectively, inter-agency collaboration in management areas (ICT, staff and security), and collaboration on conferences (World Food Summit and World Summit on the Information Society) .

Madame Chairperson,

The pro-active role that CEB has played until now, inspired by a perspective that combines a unified vision of agreed goals, deserves to be supported since it indicates the system's capacity, through its coordination body, to be receptive to indications from the membership. In this regard, the European Union looks forward to stepping up the dialogue between ECOSOC and CEB. At the same time, our understanding and support of the complex activities developed in the context of the Board will be enhanced by an improved flow of information on the activities that CEB undertakes in the future and we encourage the CEB in this direction.

Madame Chairperson,

Regarding future activities, the report indicates that the CEB will revert on the issues related to the Monterrey and the WSSD follow-up during 2003. We understand that the CEB's work in these areas will be reflected in the preparation of the high-level dialogue on FFD and in the report of the Secretary-General to the Assembly on the follow-up to the Millennium Declaration. So far the CEB has been very receptive to moving towards implementation of these two conferences and we expect this attitude to continue in the future. From our perspective it will be useful for CEB members to show their support for all the initiatives aimed at reinforcing the effectiveness and coherence of the multilateral system's action, with specific attention to the follow-up to the Monterrey Consensus. For World Summit for Sustainable Development, we follow with interest the implementation of the activities related to WEHAB.

Thank you, Madame Chairperson,

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