UNITED NATIONS	HS
	Commission on Human Settlements	Distr. LIMITED HS/C/17/L.16 12 May 1999 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

The Commission on Human Settlements,

Taking into account that the report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on environment and human settlements 1/ is under consideration by the General Assembly,

Acknowledging the ongoing revitalization process of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), carried out under the direction of the Acting Executive Director, and the linkages between this process, the recommendations of the Secretary-General's report and the wider United Nations reform,

Noting the distinction made by the Secretary-General between recommendations requiring actions at the Secretariat level and those requiring decisions and measures at the international level,

Further noting that a majority of the recommendations in the Secretary-General's report address environmental issues only,

1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on environment and human settlements submitted to the United Nations General Assembly at its fifty-third session, in which he sets forth the recommendations of the United Nations Task Force on Environment and Human Settlements on reforming and strengthening United Nations activities in the field of environment and human settlements, and expresses its appreciation for the comprehensive and forward-looking recommendations of the Task Force under the chairmanship of the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme;

2. Notes with appreciation the intention of the President of the General Assembly that the Assembly, at its current session, consider in a fully open and transparent manner the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on environment and human settlements;

3. Supports the proposal of the Secretary-General regarding the establishment of an Environmental Management Group for the coordination of the environmental and human settlements activities of the United Nations system, and encourages the Secretary-General to undertake consultations with members of the Administrative Committee on Coordination to develop its scope, appropriate criteria for membership and working methods in a flexible and cost-effective manner for its expeditious establishment;

4. Further supports the proposals for strengthening the Nairobi location, as the only United Nations headquarters located in a developing country, taking full advantage of the co-location of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and United Nations Environment Programme to maximize synergies, where appropriate, while maintaining the two organizations as separate United Nations organizations with separate Executive Directors, and the need to strengthen the United Nations Office at Nairobi, as an exceptional measure, with sufficient resources from the regular budget to fulfil its tasks;

5. Welcomes the proposal that the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) should strengthen its normative core activities consistent with the new strategic vision, 2/ that will allow it to develop into a centre of excellence on adequate shelter for all and sustainable urban development;

6. Recommends that the Centre, at the same time, maintain its operational support, particularly to developing countries, within the framework of the Habitat Agenda 3/ and the strategic vision of the Centre;

7. Agrees with the proposal that the Commission should devote particular attention to its own role in monitoring the implementation of the Habitat Agenda;

8. Welcomes the recommendations concerning the need constructively to engage non-governmental organizations and civil society in the work of the United Nations, particularly in the light of the experiences gained in the Habitat II Conference and the Commission on Sustainable Development;

9. Requests the Acting Executive Director to convey the views of the Commission on Human Settlements, as contained in the present resolution, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

2/    HS/C/17/2/Add.2, annex.

3/    Report of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), Istanbul, 3-14 June 1996, chap. I, resolution 1, annex II (A/CONF.165/14).
 
 
 
 

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