ECOSOC 2009 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 GENEVA 000647

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR IO/EDA AND IO/RHS
USAID FOR OFDA AND ODP
ROME FOR FODAG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID ECIN PHUM UN
SUBJECT: ECOSOC 2009 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

REF: Geneva 582


1. SUMMARY: This cable reports the results of the coordination,
operational activities, and humanitarian affairs segments of the
2009 Substantive Session of the UN Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC),which followed the high-level segment (reftel). The
highlight of the three segments was the July 22 adoption, after
extensive negotiations, of a draft resolution entitled
"Strengthening the coordination of humanitarian assistance of the
United Nations". The resolution made important gains by including
language on humanitarian access and sexual and gender-based
violence, while avoiding unacceptable language on the occupied
territories. Also notable was the July 22 adoption by consensus of
the operational activities segment resolution entitled "Progress in
the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 62/208 on the
triennial comprehensive policy review of Operational Activities of
the United Nations System" (E/2009/L.18). For the first time, the
G77 agreed to language in this resolution acknowledging that
earmarked funding for operational activities can take various forms,
and may compliment non-earmarked funding. This positive development
should facilitate ongoing General Assembly negotiations on System
Wide Coherence. As in previous years, notwithstanding several
worthwhile panel discussions, the coordination segment remained
ECOSOC's weak link at the 2009 Substantive Session. Although
adopted by consensus, the two resolutions on agenda items discussed
during the coordination segment did little to advance the segment's
stated purpose of improving coordination of UN system activities.
END SUMMARY.

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Coordination Segment (July 10 - 14)
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2. The U.S. joined consensus on two coordination segment
resolutions, both adopted on July 31. They are entitled "The role of
the United Nations system in implementing the Ministerial
Declaration on the internationally agreed goals and commitments in
regard to sustainable development adopted at the high-level segment
of the 2008 substantive session of the Economic and Social Council"
(E/2009/L.44) and "Role of the Economic and Social Council in the
integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and
follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, in light
of relevant General Assembly resolutions, including resolution
61/16" (E/2009/L.32). The former resolution's stated purpose is to
offer policy guidance to the UN system on implementing the 2008
ECOSOC Ministerial Declaration, based on a Secretariat report.


3. The original draft of E/2009/L.32, contributed by the
Secretariat, proposed lengthening the periodicity of the annual
report on the topic of the resolution to four years, in order to
encourage a more in depth and substantive treatment of the issue.
However, the G77 was unwilling to endorse this idea, so the
resolution as adopted only decides to further review in 2010 the
periodicity of the Secretariat report on the role of ECOSOC in the
integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and
follow-up to major UN conferences and summits, and requests
Secretariat recommendations on the issue of periodicity.


4. As in previous years, the Coordination Segment featured several
worthwhile panel discussions or dialogues. On July 10, the Executive
Secretaries of ECOSOC's Regional Commissions provided a brief
overview on the economic situation in their respective regions in a
three-hour dialogue. The speakers focused on regional impacts of,
and solutions to, the global financial crisis, in particular related
to the health implications for different sectors of the population.
The Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for
Western Asia (ECOWAS) noted that unemployment in Arab countries
remains among the highest in the world, leading to an increased rate
of mental health problems, drug and alcohol abuse, and violence and
crime among youth. In the Asia Pacific region, the Executive
Secretary of the Economic Commission for Asian and the Pacific
(ESCAP) predicted up to 24.8 million people could lose their jobs as
result of the economic crisis. Large increases in budget deficits
and national debts threaten the future of health spending, while
putting maternal, infant and child mortality in danger.


5. At a July 13 panel discussion on the Role of the UN system in
implementing the 2008 ECOSOC Ministerial Declaration, which focused
on sustainable development, ILO Director General Juan Somavia noted
there has been a shift in the U.S. position on green growth,
pointing to the new administration's efforts in the reduction of
carbon emission. UNDP Administrator Helen Clark complimented the G8
for its recent reaffirmation of its commitment to increase aid to
Africa. Clark said the UNDP would mobilize resources on a
case-by-case basis in order to achieve the most effective
development impact. With respect to the issue of increasing the
coherence in the responses of UN bodies, the panelists conveyed a
hopeful message by emphasizing that UN organizations are coming

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together in ways never tried before. WTO Deputy Director-General
Harsha Vardhana Singh noted that both short and long-term
coordination are required between different sectors to find a
comprehensive solution to overcoming the crisis.

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Operational Activities Segment (July 15 - 17)
--------------


6. On July 22, the U.S. joined consensus on resolution entitled
"Progress in the implementation of General Assembly Resolution
62/208 on the triennial comprehensive policy review of Operational
Activities of the United Nations System" (E/2009/L.18). The
resolution is notable in that, for the first time, the G77 agreed to
language acknowledging that earmarked funding for operational
activities can take various forms, and may compliment non-earmarked
funding. This positive development should facilitate ongoing
General Assembly negotiations on System Wide Coherence, which are
addressing the issue of "appropriate proportional targets" for
earmarked vs. non-earmarked voluntary donor contributions. The
ECOSOC resolution also notes continuing efforts to strengthen the UN
resident coordinator system and implement "Delivering as One UN"
pilot projects in eight program countries and calls for future
progress reports and evaluations of the challenges and achievements
of both initiatives.


7. Also on July 22, the Council adopted by consensus a resolution
entitled "Appointment of the Executive Director of the United
Nations Population Fund" (E/2009/L.19),as well as a decision
submitted by the El Salvadoran Vice President of the Council
entitled "Operational activities for development" (E/2009/L.15).
The resolution, submitted by New Zealand and Norway, regularizes the
appointment of the Executive Director of the UNFPA in accordance
with a recommendation of the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board contained in
document E/2008/35. The decision recommends that the General
Assembly request the Secretary-General to postpone, to its
sixty-seventh session, the submission of the comprehensive analysis
of resolution 62/208, the triennial comprehensive policy review
(TCPR). The decision reflects General Assembly resolution 63/232,
which extended the periodicity of the TCPR to four years.


8. The U.S. delegation delivered a statement in the general
discussion of the operational activities segment noting the U.S.
commitment to working with the UN system to deliver assistance to
people in need throughout the world and reiterating the importance
of producing, measuring, and reporting results as a tool for
achieving greater effectiveness and efficiency.


9. The Council deferred consideration of the report on "South-South
Cooperation for Development" contained in document A/63/39 to its
2010 substantive session.

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Humanitarian Affairs Segment (July 20 - 22)
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10. Following extensive negotiations, the Council adopted an
informal text entitled "Strengthening the coordination of
humanitarian assistance of the United Nations" by consensus on July

22. The consensual adoption of the resolution came after last year's
divisive vote on the same resolution in which the U.S. joined the EU
and Moldova in abstaining. Despite the inclusion of language on
occupied territories, the resolution makes important gains by
including language on humanitarian access and sexual and
gender-based violence.


11. The two issues which brought the humanitarian resolution to a
vote last year, humanitarian access and occupied territories,
remained the main points of contention during this years
negotiations. The U.S., EU, CANZ group, Korea, Costa Rica and
Mexico led efforts to include strong language on access in this
year's resolution, arguing that access is a cornerstone of every
effective humanitarian response. Syria and Palestine also
championed the cause of humanitarian access, clearly intended as a
reference to Israeli policies vis-a-vis Gaza. These delegations
also argued for language on occupied territories to be included in
this year's resolution.


12. During the negotiations in New York, Syria introduced agreed
language on occupied territories from the 2004 ECOSOC humanitarian
resolution. The 2004 resolution had been adopted by consensus, but
the U.S., Israel, CANZ and EU argued that the language on occupied
territories was not balanced as it only focused on the obligations
of States and not other parties. Lengthy negotiations in New York
could not resolve this difficult issue or other matters including
humanitarian access, sexual/gender-based violence and the role of
regional organizations.


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13. The co-facilitators (Australia and Indonesia) issued a
facilitators' text on July 10 due to the inability of member states
to agree on a text in New York. Syria broke silence on the occupied
territories paragraph of the facilitators' text with the U.S. also
voicing objections. Intensive, last-minute negotiations in Geneva
between the U.S., Israeli and the Palestinian delegation finally led
to a compromise formulation of the occupied territories paragraph
acceptable to all sides, paving the way for the consensus adoption
of the text on July 22.


14. After adoption of the resolution, Syria gave an explanation of
position claiming it had been extremely flexible during
negotiations. Syria stated that it did not block adoption of the
resolution even though it had serious concerns about the
"politicization" of the document. Referring to paragraphs 13 and
14, Syria claimed that the agreed text "put the aggressor and the
victim on an equal footing" in the context of occupied territories
and undermined the main responsibility of the State to protect and
assist civilians in occupied territories. Terming Gaza a "big
prison", Syria called on the international community to pressure
Israel to allow unhindered access to the occupied Palestinian
territories. Israel did not respond to this statement.

Remarks by USG Holmes and U.S. Statement
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15. In his remarks to the opening session of the segment,
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency
Relief Coordinator John Holmes discussed chronic problems and new
challenges. In terms of chronic problems, he highlighted restricted
humanitarian access and attacks against humanitarian workers.
Holmes catalogued new threats generated by the combined effects of
what he termed "global mega-trends": climate change, chronic
poverty, the food and financial crises, water and energy scarcity,
migration, population growth, urbanization and pandemics. He stated
that these trends have exacerbated vulnerability on a massive scale,
requiring a robust response from the humanitarian community.


16. The U.S. delegation delivered a statement during the general
discussion of the humanitarian affairs segment emphasizing the U.S.
commitment to supporting humanitarian relief efforts, and the
importance of the UN in that process. The statement is available on
the USUN website.


17. Several panel discussions took place during the humanitarian
segment, including events on "Coordination in the transition phase
between emergency relief and sustainable recovery" and "Addressing
the impact of current global challenges and trends on the effective
delivery of humanitarian assistance". In addition, on July 21, the
Secretariat's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) conducted a mid-year briefing on OCHA's consolidated appeals.
According to OCHA, the 2009 consolidated appeal for all country
action plans is USD 9.5 billion, up from USD 6.5 billion in 2008.
However, there is a USD 4.8 billion gap between project funding need
and current funding provisions. Worldwide, OCHA reports there are 43
million people in need, compared to 28 million last year. Countries
with the largest unmet funding needs include Sudan (USD 916
million),the Democratic Republic of the Congo (USD 505 million),
Zimbabwe (USD 458 million),and Somalia (USD 428 million). The U.S.
government continues to be the largest donor to the CAP,
contributing over USD 3 billion in 2008.

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