LIST OF DECISIONS, DIRECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COUNCIL

WORLD FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SITUATION

State of Food and Agriculture, 1976

Recommended that, in its future analyses of the world food and agricultural situation, FAO should attempt to distinguish the effects of the weather and of government policies (para. 8).

Called upon all Governments in a position to do so to adopt the forward planning of food aid called for by the World Food Conference (para. 14).

Urged all donors to increase the level and improve the terms of their official development assistance to agriculture (para. 15).

Suggested a number of improvements to the documentation on the state of food and agriculture that should be attempted in future years (para. 16).

– Review of Measures Being Taken to Reduce Post-Harvest Losses

Requested that further prompt action be taken, concurred that COAG should consider this subject in depth at its 4th Session in April 1977, and requested the Secretariat to present a working document on the subject (para. 19).

Concurred with the Director-General that COAG should study the feasibility of establishing a US $ 20 million fund to finance an assistance programme to reduce pre- and post-harvest food losses and report further to the Council (para. 20).

Authorized the Director-General to prepare a specific proposal for consideration by COAG and the Programme and Finance Committees (para. 20).

Commodity and Trade Problems

Welcomed the close teamwork which had been developed between the FAO and UNCTAD Secretariats (para. 23).

Asked for a greater and more effective involvement of FAO's Intergovernmental Groups in the follow-up action for individual commodities (para. 23).

Laid stress on FAO's continuing role in the field of commodities, and on its leading position on work on several agricultural products (para. 24).

Welcomed the adoption by consensus of the Guidelines for International Cooperation in the Livestock and Meat Sector (para. 25).

Welcomed the successful efforts in the Intergovernmental Groups on Jute and on Hard Fibres to reactivate the informal commodity arrangements for these commodities, as well as the active work on possible international agreements taking place in the Intergovernmental Groups on Tea and Bananas (para. 25).

Requested the Director-General to keep further developments in international fora under continuing review (para. 26).

Report of the First Session of the Committee on World Food Security- Rome, 5–9 April 1976

Expressed agreement with the conclusions and recommendations and future programme of work formulated by CFS (para. 27).

Laid stress on the recommendation that donors should endeavour to increase their assistance on soft terms or in grant form to support the national food production and stock programmes of developing countries (para. 27).

Agreed that the statement of the Group of 77, together with the question of the safe level of world stocks, should be considered by the next session of the Committee (para. 32).

Stressed the importance of additional assistance being provided to developing countries in implementing their national food security policies, particularly as a means of strengthening their self-reliance … (para. 34)

– Review of the Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture

Agreed on the importance of further strengthening the Global Information and Early Warning System (para. 35).

Endorsed the proposal of CFS to carry out a detailed evaluation of the operation of the System at its 2nd Session (para. 36).

ACTIVITIES OF FAO AND WFP

Report of the Ad Hoc Consultation on the Establishment of a Scheme for Agricultural Credit Development (SACRED) - Rome, 3–4 June 1976

Agreed that the small Agricultural Banking and Credit Group should concentrate its efforts under the Scheme on matching the needs of agricultural credit institutions in developing countries with the resources provided by developed countries and the corresponding institutions in these countries (para. 38).

Recommended that FAO should make a positive contribution in project formulation and policy direction, and invited the Director-General to give attention to making this possible within the existing overall programme commitment (para. 38).

Called upon FAO to make special efforts to integrate agricultural credit with activities in allied fields (para. 38).

Agreed that an in-depth analysis of the various ways in which financial institutions in developing countries could gear their operations to mobilizing domestic resources and stepping up investment was a subject which fell within the purview and scope of COAG (para. 39).

Requested the Director-General to examine the administrative and financial implications of the proposal that COAG should appoint, under Rule 7 of its Rules of Procedure, a special Ad Hoc subsidiary body (para. 39).

Report of the Third Session of the Commission on Fertilizers - Rome, 7–11 June 1976

Requested the Secretariat to further improve the economic intelligence system and its methodology for forecasting demand, supply and price developments (of fertilizers) (para. 40).

Agreed that the Commission on Fertilizers should continue its study of international commodity agreements with respect to fertilizer raw materials, and that this work should be undertaken in close cooperation with UNCTAD (para. 41).

Agreed that the Commission continue its study on long-term contracts, for consideration at its next session (para. 42).

Requested the Commission to place greater emphasis in its future work on the development of fertilizer production in developing countries in continued close cooperation with UNIDO and the World Bank (para. 43).

Stressed the need to accelerate the efficient use of fertilizers in developing countries (para. 44).

Agreed that the activities of the FAO Fertilizer Programme should be continued and strengthened, and stressed the importance of closely coordinating its activities with IFS (para. 44).

Requested the Commission to review the future of IFS at its next session, and report to the Council (para. 47).

Concurred in the Commission's view that it would be desirable to have one central point within FAO to deal with all aspects of fertilizers (para. 48).

World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development

Approved the progress report on preparations for holding the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, and the changed date of the Conference to July 1979 (para. 52).

Agreed that an outline for country reports should be prepared, taking into account the various suggestions made on its content (para. 52).

Requested regular reporting on progress in dealing with the problems of agrarian reform and rural development, and supported the view that regional and sub-regional aspects could be handled by the 1978 FAO Regional Conferences (para. 52).

Supported the view that member countries should provide an evaluation of their programmes of agrarian reform and rural development to be used as background documentation for the Conference, and that these should be distributed in advance to the extent possible (para. 52).

Expressed its gratitude to the Government of Peru for the offer to host the Conference in Lima (para. 52).

World Food Programme

– Fourteenth Annual Report of the Governing Bodies of the World Food Programme

Expressed satisfaction on the achievements of WFP outlined in the Executive Director's report (para. 55).

Agreed that special consideration should be given to providing further emergency assistance to Lebanon (para. 56).

– Election of Five Members of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes

Elected Egypt, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Guinea, Trinidad and Tobago to the WFP Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes, for a term of office of three years (1 January 1977 to 31 December 1979) (para. 58).

Inter-Agency Relations and Consultations on Matters of Common Interest

– Relations with the World Food Council, IFAD and CGFPI

– World Food Council

Welcomed the Director-General's intention to continue to develop cooperative relationships with the WFC at secretariat level (para. 61).

– International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Welcomed the arrangements being made by the Director-General in support of the Preparatory Commission and its interim secretariat (para. 64).

– Consultative Group on Food Production and Investment (CGFPI)

Endorsed the Director-General's recommendation in the sense that the CGFPI should proceed with the work programme along the lines indicated at the Manila meeting, and that the future position of the Group and its relations with FAO would be reassessed in about one year's time (para. 65).

– Relations with the UNDP

Emphasized the need for close and continuous monitoring of the situation (para. 67).

Welcomed the close working relations between UNDP and the Agencies (para. 68).

Noted the declining relative importance of UNDP as a financing source for the FAO programme in the agricultural sector, and in this regard noted with satisfaction the increase of other extrabudgetary resources (para. 68).

Expressed the wish that FAO continue to be the major executing agency in the agricultural field (para. 68).

Emphasized the need for clear and concise criteria for UNDP execution (para. 69).

Agreed that direct execution by the Governments themselves should be encouraged, provided that technical competence and efficiency were maintained with assistance and collaboration from the UN Specialized Agencies, as required (para. 70).

– UN Joint Inspection Unit (JIU)

– JIU Report - Office Accommodation Provided for Extra-Budgetary Staff in the United Nations System (JIU/REP/75/6)

Endorsed the report of the 38th Finance Committee Session concerning utilization of office accommodation at FAO Headquarters, as reported by the JIU (para. 72).

Welcomed the statement by the Delegate of Italy which gave up-to-date information on the situation (including the financial aspects) regarding Building D, and noted that it was expected that this building, which required internal restructuring to meet FAO's requirements, would probably be completed within 3 years (para. 74).

Noted that the Director-General would probably have to take a decision on the wish of the Banca Commerciale Italiana to discontinue its services at FAO, in the absence of a suitable understanding, before the next meeting of the Finance Committee (para. 77).

– JIU Report - Latin American Integration: Technical Cooperation Provided by the United Nations System (JIU/REP/76/3)

Endorsed the Director-General's comments as well as the views expressed on this report by the Programme and Finance Committees, and supported the general conclusions and recommendations of the Report (para.80).

– JIU Report - The Regional Structures of the United Nations System (JIU/REP/75/2)

Endorsed the views expressed by the Programme and Finance Committees on the report (para. 81).

– JIU Report - Eighth Report on the Activities of the Joint Inspection Unit (July 1975 - June 1976)

Stressed that, were the JIU to be continued, arrangements should be made with the Unit to ensure that visits of Inspectors and requests for information were planned in such a way as to avoid undue burdens being placed upon the Secretariat (para. 83).

Confirmed its support in principle of the JIU (para. 85).

Requested the Programme and Finance Committees to examine the future Statute of the JIU, the implications of its acceptance by FAO, and the proposals of the Director-General regarding future relations between FAO and the JIU, and to submit their recommendations to its 71st Session (para. 86).

PROGRAMME, BUDGETARY, FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

Review of Programmes

Supported the intention of the Director-General to establish a greater degree of equality among the working languages of the Organization (para. 89).

Agreed with the recommendation of the Programme Committee that further consideration of the continuation of the regular four-year cycle of programme reviews by the Committee should be deferred until the autumn 1977 session of the Council (para. 90).

Level and Format of the 1978–79 Programme of Work and Budget

– Level of the Budget

Agreed with the Director-General that its first discussion of the budget level for 1978–79 should be deferred until it considered the Summary Budget at its 71st Session (para. 93).

Supported the overall approach of the Director-General which was pragmatic, cautious and realistic (para. 95).

– Format of Programme of Work and Budget, 1978–79

Agreed with the Director-General that it was most important to:

1. facilitate discussions in the Governing Bodies and help them focus on the essential issues and priorities, and
2. provide the best possible tool for management of the Organization (para. 97).

Endorsed , of the three options presented by the Director-General, the one chosen by him as set out in CL 70/28-Corr.3 (para. 97).

Agreed that the concept of a lead division/department was an appropriate means of linking programmes to organizational units while allowing for inter-disciplinary programmes (para. 98).

Agreed with the recommendations of the Programme and Finance Committees that a further section should be added in the narratives concerning progress achieved in the previous biennium, and welcomed the provision of integrated information on extra-budgetary programmes (para. 100).

Agreed that the main narratives should be at the programme rather than sub- programme level (para. 101).

Welcomed the planned reduction in the size of the document as facilitating dialogue and concensus on the main issues and priorities by Governing Bodies (para. 101).

Regular Programme Evaluation

Fully supported the Director-General's proposal in CL 70/29 not only to meet the recommendations of the 18th Conference Session but also to develop an approach to evaluation which, together with the new programme structure and the management information system, would improve internal programme formulation and management control on a continuing basis (para. 103).

Approved the proposal of the Director-General to place the Evaluation Service as a separate service in the Office of Programme and Budget (para. 104).

Agreed with the proposals to keep separate the reports on the Field and Regular Programmes, and to be pragmatic and flexible in the type of system to be developed (para. 105).

Agreed that there should be a biennial report to the Conference, similar to the Review of Field Programmes (para. 105).

Agreed , with respect to the timing and coverage of the biennial report to the Conference, that the Council should cover the just-concluding biennium (e.g. the 1979 Conference would consider the report for 1978–79) (para. 107).

Progress Report on Decentralization to the Country Level

Noted with satisfaction the Director-General's rapid and pragmatic approach to the question of decentralization along the lines agreed upon at its 69th Session (para. 114).

The Use of National Institutions

Welcomed the Director-General's pragmatic and flexible approach which it hoped would contribute to a further increase in the use of such institutions in 1977 and the next biennium (para. 115).

Supported the Director-General's conclusion that the use of national institutions, especially in developing countries, was an important element in the strategy of decentralization to the country level and implementation of the Technical Cooperation Programme, and shared his hope that the use of such institutions for the TCP would act as a catalyst for similar initiatives in the extra- budgetary programmes (para. 115).

Recognized the importance of using national institutions in the context of promoting Technical Cooperation among developing countries (para. 117).

Expressed the hope that periodic reviews of the work undertaken would become part of the proposed arrangements for the evaluation of the Regular Programme activities of the Organization (para. 118).

Agreed that more work should be done in the immediate future on the inventory of institutions specialized in agriculture, forestry and fisheries (para. 119).

Calendar of Sessions for 1976–77 of the Council and of Those Bodies which Report to the Council

Approved the revised calendar given in Appendix E to this report, on the understanding that the 51st CCP Session would consider whether it was necessary to hold a brief session in autumn 1977 as well, in which case the CCP would submit a proposal to this effect to the 71st Council Session (para. 121).

Financial Matters

– Financial Position of the Organization

– Status of Contributions

Appealed to Member Nations to make adjustments, as necessary, to their appropriation patterns so that the Organization might receive contributions when due (para. 125).

Called on all Member Nations and especially those in arrears, to pay amounts presently outstanding at the earliest possible moment (para. 126).

– Audited Accounts

– Regular Programme 1974–75

Endorsed the Finance Committee's view that there was need for improvement in internal control in some areas, and that the presentation of issues and recommendations in the External Auditors' Report should be sharpened (para. 128).

Agreed with the Committee's request for a report on progress on various items under "Regular Programme Accounts'' at its next Session (para. 128).

Agreed that the Director-General's action in reserving the unspent balance in the UNDP Agency Cost Account as of 31 December 1975 ($ 5.4 million) was appropriate, and noted that the Finance Committee was keeping the matter under review (para. 129).

Approved the Director-General's proposal that in view of the element in the savings under UNDP Agency Costs that had accrued in 1976 on account of favourable exchange rate developments, the remaining four annual instalments due to UNDP in 1977–1980, in respect of Agency Cost over-drawings made prior to 31 December 1971, be repaid immediately in full (para. 130).

–UNDP, 1975

Endorsed the need for improvement in the present project management system, and noted that the Finance Committee would be watching developments on this (para. 131).

Noted that a consolidated draft resolution to cover the adoption by the Conference of the Audited Accounts of the Regular Programme (1974–75), the UNDP (1975), and the WFP (1975), together with the Accounts to be examined by the Council at its 1977 pre-Conference Session, would be submitted by the Council to the 19th Conference Session (para. 133).

– Cost Measurement System

Agreed with the Finance Committee that with regard to UNDP and WFP, everything possible should be done to keep support costs within the level of reimbursement provided by those Programmes, either through increased reimbursements or through operational efficiency or both (para. 135).

Concurred in the Finance Committee's recommendation that the Director-General be authorized to continue using his discretion in accepting Trust Funds and that support costs incurred in excess of Project Servicing Cost Earnings should continue to be paid from the Regular Programme, subject to annual review by the Finance Committee of the results of the Cost Measurement System (para. 136).

Concurred with the Finance Committee that there was a continuing need for selectivity in the acceptance of Trust Funds, particularly in regard to small Trust Funds (para. 136).

Concurred also that the Cost Measurement System should be continued at least until the results of the UNDP Governing Council's review of the present reimbursement formula in June 1977 were known (para. 137).

– Use of Working Capital Fund

– Foot-and-Mouth Disease Emergency Operations in South-East Europe

Endorsed the Finance Committee's recommendation that the Working Capital Fund be reimbursed from the 1974–75 cash surplus, but stressed that this should not be considered to constitute a precedent (para. 139).

Adopted a resolution to withhold $ 112 854 from allocation among Member Nations under Financial Regulation 6.1(b), and recommended to the Conference that the Working Capital Fund be reimbursed in respect of the expenditure of $ 112 854, from the 1974–75 cash surplus, and directed the Director-General to postpone allocation of $ 112 854 of the 1974–75 cash surplus until the Conference had an opportunity to consider the matter (para. 140, Res. 1/70 ).

Recommended a draft resolution for adoption by the Conference on the Reimbursement of the Working Capital Fund from Cash Surplus in 1974–75, for Withdrawals made in 1974–75 (para. 141).

– Emergency Actions to Control Livestock Diseases and Initial Control Activities against Desert Locust

Decided that a decision on this matter be deferred until 1978–79, pending experience in the concurrent operations of the provision for emergencies in the Technical Cooperation Programme and the existing provision in the Working Capital Fund (para. 142).

– Separation Payments Scheme - Report on the Financial Implications

Concurred in the Finance Committee's conclusions that a Separation Payments Scheme Fund be established (para. 146).

Agreed that the amount of $ 120 000 estimated to be required for the funding of the Scheme for Regular Programme funded staff, over and above the amount provided for separation payments in the Regular Programme Budget for 1976–77, be met from savings and, failing this, from any cash surplus remaining at the end of the 1976–77 biennium (para. 146).

Agreed that the Finance Committee, in the event that a cash surplus should not arise, should give the matter further consideration at its 1977 Autumn session (para. 146).

Agreed that the Separation Payments Scheme be amended to fall in line with local practice (para. 148).

– Emoluments of the Deputy Director-General

Adopted a Resolution on the Salary of the Deputy Director-General (para. 150, Res 2/70 )

– Allowance for the Chairman of the Appeals Committee

Approved the proposal of the Director-General that the Chairman of the Appeals Committee be paid an amount of $ 2 500 per annum with effect from 1 January 1977, to be found from savings in the Regular Programme (para. 151).

Other Programme, Budgetary, Financial and Administrative Matters: Work of Thirtieth and Thirty-First Sessions of the Programme Committee, and Thirty- Seventh and Thirty-Eighth Sessions of the Finance Committee

– Associate Expert Scheme Overhead Costs

Concluded that, in the light of all the factors and in view of the recommendations of both the Programme and Finance Committees, the present levy of 12 percent should be maintained (para. 156).

– Classification of Posts

Noted that the Director-General had completed the classification, taking into account the programme re-directions (para. 158).

Assured him of its support in resisting any pressures tending to counteract the abolishing of activities and vacant posts which were no longer truly effective (para. 158).

– Amendments to Staff Regulations

– Amendment to Staff Regulation 301.136 - Part-Time Staff

Approved an amendment to this Staff Regulation effective 1 January 1977 (para. 160).

– Report on the Fourth Session of the International Civil Service Commission

Authorized the Director-General to amend the FAO Staff Regulations to give effect to the recommendations of the Commission as approved and/or amended by the UN General Assembly and with the same effective date (para. 163).

CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL MATTERS

Reports of the Thirty-Second and Thirty-Third Sessions of the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters

– Amendments to the Agreement Establishing the General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean

Adopted a Resolution amending the Agreement for the establishment of GFCM (para. 165, Res. 3/70 )

– Membership Status of Viet Nam in Relation to FAO

Decided to accept the conclusion of the CCLM that it was correct for FAO to recognize the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam as succeeding the Republic of South Viet-Nam with respect to membership in FAO (paras. 168–169).

– Amendments to Financial Regulations

Decided to recommend for adoption by the Conference the revised text of Financial Regulation 4.3 (para. 170).

Decided to recommend to the Conference for adoption an amendment to Financial Regulation 10.1 (para. 171).

Noted that an appropriate draft resolution to cover the adoption by the Conference of the amendments recommended by the Council would be submitted to the 1977 pre-Conference Council Session (para. 172).

– Amendment of Statutes of Article VI Bodies to Give Effect to Conference Resolution 10/73

Authorized the Director-General, as recommended by the CCLM to amend the Statutes of Article VI Bodies in line with Conference Resolution 10/73 (para. 175).

Report of the Working Party on the Composition and Terms of Reference of the Council, the Programme Committee, the Finance Committee and the CCLM

Noted the first conclusions of the Working Party, and agreed that the verbatim records of the Council's discussion be one of the documents to be placed at the disposal of the Working Party (paras. 176 and 177).

Decided that the Working Party should submit a report with its recommendations to the June 1977 Council Session (para. 178).

Applications for Membership : Democratic Republic of S&acap;o Tomé and Principe, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Comoros

Authorized the Director-General to invite the applicants to participate in an observer capacity at appropriate Council meetings, as well as at regional and technical meetings of the Organization of interest to them (para. 180).

Other Constitutional and Legal Matters

– Participation of Member Nations at FAO Regional Conferences

Agreed that the desirability of preparing appropriate rules regarding the right of Member Nations to participate in Regional Conferences as full members or as observers should be further studied (para. 188).

Decided to refer the task to its Working Party on the Composition and Terms of Reference of the Council, the Programme Committee, the Finance Committee and the CCLM which had included on its work schedule an item relating to Regional Conferences, their composition and rules of procedure, and requested the Working Party to take into consideration the views expressed in the Council (para. 189).

Decided that appropriate arrangements should be made to permit Member Nations directly concerned to make their views known to the Working Party, and that the Working Party should submit its report on the particular question to the 71st Council Session (para. 189).

– Establishment of a Regional Commission for the Inland Fisheries of Latin America

Adopted a Resolution on establishing a Commission for Inland Fisheries for Latin America, open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of the Organization serviced by the Regional Office for Latin America (para. 192, Res. 4/70 and Annex).

– Amendments to the Statutes of the Committee on Forest Development in the Tropics

Agreed to increase membership of this Committee to a maximum of 45 countries, and to authorize the Director-General to review its membership from time to time (para. 196).

Agreed that a criterion for assessing the interest of a country would be the absence of any Member from two successive sessions of the Committee (para. 196).

Adopted Resolution 5/70 on the Membership of the Committee on Forest Development in the Tropics (para. 197).

– Invitations to Non-Member Nations to Attend FAO Sessions

Agreed to the request from the U.S.S.R. to attend in an observer capacity the11th Session of COFI (19–26 April 1977) (para. 199).

OTHER MATTERS

Appointments

– Appointment of a Second Alternate Chairman to the FAO Appeals Committee

Appointed H.E. Samba Mademba-Sy, Ambassador of Senegal and Permanent Representative to FAO, as the second Alternate Chairman of the FAO Appeals Committee (para. 200).

– Appointment of Member Government Representatives to the FAO Staff Pension Committee

Appointed H.E. Carlos J. Valdes, Ambassador of the Philippines and Permanent Representative to FAO, as Member of the FAO Staff Pension Committee representing the Conference, and Mr. H. Adji Ismet Hakim, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to FAO, as Alternate, for the unexpired term ending 31 December 1977 (paras. 201 and 202).

Date and Place of Seventy-First Session of the Council

Decided that its 71st Session should be convened in Rome from 6 to 17 June 1977(para. 204).