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UN Assembly President accelerates work on development, management reform

UN Assembly President accelerates work on development, management reform

Assembly President Jan Eliasson
Seeking to carry out decisions made at the September World Summit, the President of the United Nations General Assembly has accelerated work in the areas of development and management reform, his spokesman said today.

Pragati Pascale told reporters in New York that Assembly President Jan Eliasson has received support for his proposals to appoint lead negotiators on those issues.

The proposals are contained in a letter sent by the President to the 191 Member States late last week. In it, he assesses progress achieved so far in implementing the Summit's "Outcome Document" and charts a course for future action.

Talks on the Peacebuilding Commission, which would aim to help post-conflict countries, have been "constructive," he wrote, predicting that the new body would be operational by the end of the year.

Negotiations on the new Human Rights Council, slated to replace the Commission on Human Rights, will intensify at the end of this month, according to the letter. "We must aim to reach an agreement before the end of the year, also for budgetary and practical reasons," the President wrote. "The earlier we have a decision establishing the Council, the earlier we can start working on the necessary transitional arrangements with the present Commission on Human Rights."

Also expected to be ready by the end of this year is a comprehensive convention against terrorism. "In the wake of recent terrorist atrocities, we must redouble our efforts to bring this about," he urged.

On humanitarian issues, he said that the need for the Central Emergency Revolving Fund to finance relief efforts has been "dramatically underlined by recent natural disasters."

In order to achieve "balanced and comprehensive progress," he called for work on development – specifically aimed at meeting international targets for cutting poverty – and management reform. Towards that end, he proposed a consultation process geared towards advancing agreement.

The General Assembly President said the very credibility of the body he now leads is at stake. "As we continue our work, we must not lose sight of this unique opportunity to reassert the relevance of the General Assembly to the major international issues of our age," he wrote to the members.