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General Conference, Seventh session

Annotated Agenda, Item 20-27

Item 21. The regional dimension

(a) Africa (in particular the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa)

In resolution GC.6/Res.11, the Conference at its sixth session invited international, regional and subregional financial institutions to allocate substantial resources for the implementation of the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA). The Conference also requested the Director-General to take specific measures in implementing the programme for IDDA. Furthermore, the Conference requested the Director-General to provide progress reports to the sessions of the Board on the implementation of the programme for the Second IDDA, and to report on the implementation of resolution GC.6/Res.11.

In decision IDB.15/Dec.6, the Board, inter alia, requested the Director-General to elaborate further on the concept of the Alliance for Africa's Industrialization, and to submit a report to the sixteenth session of the Board. At its sixteenth session, the Board adopted decision IDB.16/Dec.13, which contained, inter alia, mandates relevant to the Alliance for Africa's Industrialization. In decision IDB.17/Dec.4, the Board endorsed the Plan of Action for the Alliance for Africa's Industrialization as the implementation mechanism for a refocused Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa programme, and requested the Director-General to ensure that the Plan of Action serves as a framework for the future activities of UNIDO in Africa, particularly for its least developed countries.

(b) Arab countries programme, including technical assistance to the Palestinian people

In resolution GC.6/Res.12 adopted at its sixth session, the Conference highlighted specific aspects of the programme for industrial development of the Arab countries, and requested the Director-General to report on the implementation of that resolution through the Board. Thus, the Conference will have before it a report by the Director- General on the implementation of the measures called for in resolution GC.6/Res.12. The Conference will have before it:

(c) Asia and the Pacific

In compliance with resolution GC.6/Res.13 on the Special Programme for the Industrial Development of Asia and the Pacific, the Conference will have before it a report by the Director-General on the implementation of the measures called for in that resolution. The report also provides information on other UNIDO activities in favour of countries in the region.

(d) Latin America and the Caribbean

At its sixth session, the General Conference adopted resolution GC.6/Res.14, which requested the Director-General to undertake a number of measures with respect to activities carried out for the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In compliance with that resolution, the Conference will have before it a report by the Director-General on the implementation of those measures.

Item 22. Geographical distribution of Managing Directors

In its consideration of agenda item 15 on preparations for the seventh session of the General Conference, the Board at its sixteenth session agreed to include an additional agenda item entitled "Geographical distribution of Managing Directors" in the list of items of the draft provisional agenda for the seventh session of the Conference (GC.7/3, para. 39).

Item 23. Personnel matters: United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund

The Conference will have to take action on the recommendation of the Board (IDB.17/Dec.6) concerning candidates for election to the UNIDO Staff Pension Committee for the years 1998 and 1999. The Conference may also wish to authorize the Board to proceed with the election for any Committee posts which might become vacant before the Conference holds its eighth session.

Item 24. Matters related to intergovernmental, non-governmental, governmental and other organizations

In accordance with rule 13 of the rules of procedure of the Conference, the provisional agenda for each regular session of the Conference shall include reports from specialized and related agencies and from other intergovernmental organizations with which UNIDO has concluded a relationship agreement pursuant to Article 19.1 (a) of the Constitution, and items proposed by them, where the agreement establishing the relationship with the organization concerned so provides.

Furthermore, in the guidelines for the relationship of UNIDO with intergovernmental, governmental, non- governmental and other organizations adopted by the General Conference at its first session (decision GC.1/Dec.41, annex), it is stipulated that the Director-General shall report to the Conference at each regular session on any agreements with intergovernmental and governmental organizations entered into by him on behalf of the Organization since the preceding regular session as well as on any consultative relations established with non-governmental organizations in the same period.

The Conference will thus have before it decisions IDB.15/Dec.10, IDB.15/Dec.11, IDB.17/Dec.7 and IDB.17/Dec.8 adopted by the Board on the subject at its fifteenth and seventeenth sessions and a note by the Director-General on developments that have taken place since the sixth session of the Conference.

Item 25. Appointment of the Director-General

In accordance with Article 11.2 of the Constitution, the Director-General shall be appointed by the Conference upon recommendation of the Board for a period of four years. Rule 103.4 of the rules of procedure of the Conference stipulates that the Conference shall also consider a draft contract, submitted to it at the same time by the Board for approval, establishing the terms and conditions of appointment of the Director-General, including the salary and other emoluments attached to the office. When approved by the Conference, the contract of appointment shall be signed by the new Director-General and by the President of the Conference, acting in the name of the Organization.

The procedure to be followed by the Conference for the appointment of the Director-General is contained in rule 104. At its eighteenth session, the Board decided to recommend to the Conference the appointment of Carlos Alfredo Magariños as Director-General of UNIDO for a period of four years from the eighth day of December 1997 or until the Director-General appointed at the ninth regular session of the Conference assumes office, whichever is later. The Board will consider at its resumed eighteenth session a draft contract establishing the terms and conditions of appointment of the Director-General.

Item 26. Date and place of the eighth session

Article 8.2 (a) of the Constitution stipulates that the Conference shall hold a regular session every two years, unless it decides otherwise. In the proposals of the Director-General for 1998-1999, provisions will be made for the holding of the eighth session of the General Conference for a duration of five working days. The dates of 22 to 26 November 1999 or 29 November to 3 December 1999 have been scheduled tentatively for the eighth session of the Conference.

Item 27. Closure of the session