recalled with satisfaction the meeting held in Tripoli in April 1981 and its concrete recollllrend&tions, some of which were already being illl'lemented. Moreover, he un&rscored the close connexion between controlling desertification, detorestation, and increasinq food production.
179. A number of participant~ from the affected countries explained what measures ti,eir
own
countries were taking to combat desertification.It was pou1ted out that the document by the secretariat should have Laid Dlore emp11.... is on the conczol of environmental pollution which could have far-read.iog ecological consequences. '!be representative of Senegal informed the meeting that r.is country was conveninq a conference of donors to finance anti-desertification projects which included environmental protection.
180. Th..:! obae.rvez for ua.";O:;0 said the~e was need to bear in mind constraints imposed by i"",titutio"",l iactor" which had not been emphasized in the
secrei:arici"C~S pc;.~r. .l.\~orl:over:i co-ordination at the national lev..;l was by no me~1S less irnporcant "C{j,.G.;.1 i.r.n...~r-agency oo-ordination at the multinational
level.
181. Other poin~s ~ig~lightedinclu6ed the need to sensitize the general
popu1atic~
to
~n~ i~~or~arjceor anti-desertification measures, and to
secure theiL co-operatio~and involvement in tree-planting for soil preservation. :n CO{!C::;'US~0i~ ccncezn was expressed that, despite the massive effo~~s made ~y ~~eintergovernmental and
unitedNations
organizatiol~~ to cc.ril.:.~.::c ci~sGrc~:':':Lcation, the deserts
continued
to creep forwardat an
al£rrr~ns ~~t~ ~ve~J· year.182.
h. r~~J£2ser.n:'ci.tiv~ u ...~-.: .;;;~c:ceta:.ciatintroduced
the report ofthe
Regional :rnte:c,;ove~-n:men",,:"oE>.. dng on Aging(E/ECA/Cr-'.a/24l.
held in Addis Ababa fro", 1 to 5 '·,a::c." 1962. in compliance with General Asseooly resolution 35/129 on'cr,e
pxooLems of the elderly And the aging. The Meeting had considered trie general situation, existing policies and programmes relating to "9~ng in Africa; humanitarian issues such ashousingI health. social ana incoIre security; delllOgr~hicaspects of aging, regional co-operation and Qevelopment issues in the field of aging. The Meeting had also reached various conclusions and reCOlIllllendations, and
E/ECA/TPCW.3/l0 Page 51
adopted a Regional Plan of Action for the aging. The main conclusion was that, although aging was not yet a major problem in Afric~, the traditional family structure was becoming less and less able to cope with the needs of the elde:dy. Memer States were urged to attend the World Assembly on AginS to be held L, Vienna from 26 Ju:y to
6 August 1982 and to ensure recognition for the African Plan of Act.ion for the Aging.
183. In the discussion which followed, participants noted that the thrust of the report was long term which was in part because of the
diem:>graphic structure of the African region. Some participants, however, felt that, <leapi te the :;'ong -tel;1ll nature of the problem, there were
adequate reasons for taking short:- term measures. The strengthening of the traditional family ~tructuxewas identified as an important aspect in ensuring the welfare oi the aging. In addition, i t was felt that there was need for a co..mtunity-oriented approach aiming at increasing the awareness of the population about the problems of aging and ensuring that the elderly did not :reel rejected. One participant suggested that there should be an international year for the aging. On the de'mographic aspects of the pzooLem, i t W<IS believed useful to compile facta about the QOndition of the elderly. In that regard, one representative pointed out that his oountry was undercaJdng a demographic survey. It wa" noted that with regard to income security very few African cDuntries had schemes which adequately dealt with 'the p~"Oblems of the self-employed iCl the
rural areas. Participants are... attention to tJ."1.e ne~d f'oz exchanging experience on
:,ow
1:."e " ..-ob'-",,,, of education for the elderly "as being-tackled in the different African countries. A rrellber of the Conun.1.ttee also suggested \::.llatJ i.n vit-:"""" 02 tnt! l;l~"1:POWe:: sho~:tages in tile )\"'::.::icat', region, qualifieci elderly p~pj"..a could rnakt! valu&'):'e contriDutio'1S if engaged for shore periocs i~ i~elds li~e·teechingand medicine.164. It was emphasizedch"" the Regional Plan of Action for the Aging should not be viewed ~n i30~ation from
oti1er
programmes designed to promote the quality anc, ciignity o~ life of the masses but shou Lo fonoart of an integrated cievelopment progranune.
· E/ECA/TPCW. 3/10 Page 52
United Nations Trus-o
"'"",.1
Zor Af:::ican Development: Progru. report on pledges and payJ'1ent::: ;,y m"".oer States and institutions, pro1 ectisplement~tion ~d expenaituLe, 1977-1981 (item 24)
185. A representative oz' the secretariat introduced document B/ECA/CM.8/5 and Ada.l, ind~catingthat contributions from member States were fallinc;- consta'ltly at an average rate of 25 per cent every biennium ana tnat when contributions were actually paid in, they were usually late. ~';1.e ian-oil' in contributions made i t difficult not only to carry out the Fund'S wCl:k prograJl1ll>!l on time but also to attract resources from j;.ul',:il".:t.er~lana bilateral sources since tJ'N'IYAD was recogniioea as
'cr,,"
provici",," 0'; "seed IlIOney" for proj acts. Bence, he appealed to countria> w:,;.cr, i,ad ~10t yet done so to pay in their contributions proU?~ly.186. In LespV:r.~l2 to .;:~e~·~i.,Jns ::e.ised, participants were informed that
general
contributioi~ w~:e ~~~begiven to UNTFAD WiU10ut any precise
indication as to their future use wt~le specific ontributions were.those given for 8p0ciZi", ?:"oject activities. In that connexion, one Iilen~er ~h.:atrC was ;;'nfor5~a t:'lat the secretariat was awaiting a
reply to its inquill' as ·,:0 til" specific projects that should be financed
by that
illf<l;:"""
State'u CO.l-G'Wuti on •187e 'l"';,€ ~~·ep~·~':)\::;'1ta:c':"vc 0-':" titliDP introduced document E/BCA/eM.8/18 and
described the a.6;tdn~strc."o:.~ve structure of UNDP as i.t related '1:0 the
responsiOi:~~y io~ ~~e ?c~;~rationof a regional programwe for Africa.
He po~:..~teo. o.....l:c. ";.;.[tdC -:':''':~0 ~-~:,,::,~':"';~"1 ::egion was covered by two bureaux, the Regional ~uz~a~ ~v~ Ai~~c~ ~0r countries south of the Sahara and the
Western Asia. he i~~lG.J...c(;;:ted-Cl1b:':' he had no mar~date to speak on the regional prog"""",,,, oi "';'"c 3ureau for Arab States, which was the subject of a note pre&ented in document; E/ECA/CM.8/18/Add.1.
188. He described the ;:>reparo.tory process leading up to the formulation of the UNDP regional programme for Africa for the period 1982-1986 and referred in particular to the meeting of the UNDP resident representatives
EIr.t:.A/T?CW •3/10 P&ge 51
in the region, which had been held at Mbabane) Swaziland in Jan,uary 1980, at which th" prelil1linazy concepts on the strategy and pr'-0c'.:bco"
of the progranm.e had been developed, Papers on the pre;our"tcry l'~-ccess had been thoroughly discussed at the sixth meeting of the Conferen(~of
Ministers where certain changes in priorities had been suggested :1'1.
corder to bring the progr$l1lre ful::'y into line with the Lagcs Pl<>.-_ af Action. A further note had been submitted to the Conference f):f
Ministers at itlj ,",ven-::;' meeting on progress in the preparatimoJf t..'1e regional programme. ':Cnat note referred inter alia to all co",,":tations and meetings with Goverrur.ents, intergovernmental organization", ,;"d Un! ted Nations agenci.... ,
wh:ecn
had been deemed necesaary for thepreparation of ti,e prc'JLaml.e document. Subsequently the draft prog;:alllll'e document had also been suoJrdt.teci to them as well as to OAU and SCA for their co~nts. Many replies had ;'een received and most of til-"" had been favourable.
189. The document b"fora the COTiOidttee (E/ECA/CM.8/18) c1etlrly Briowed the review of the 1977-1981 r"gi,jna1 progranune as well as the Htrategy, priority actions, resource distribution and execution mod~lities for the 1982-1986 programme.
190. The Executive Secretary introduced document E/ECA/CM.8/18/Add.1 on the regional progri<lllll\e which came under the responsibi1it'j of the Regional Bureau for Arab States, and which would affect the courrtzi es of North Africa. He explaiood that there had been a delay in. preparing the programme because th~ :~gionalBureau fo~ Arab Stetes had ~een
without a Director i'or so"", t:L'.Je. Now that the :lew Di:rec'Lor hOl<i assumed duty, he hopt::d t::,(~cl.t the programme would be quickly dev,;',' ope,~
and finalized and tha:..:. .:;, ~:)erl:.inen·": documant; would ::>e pres~ntc':; ':!".O ,'·-Ie
ninth meetiug of the Co~~e.~nce of Ministers in 1983.
warm appreciation to uND? tor its efforts to &ssist in the i'~~eoklntation
of the Laqas ?:"'an o'l Ac·tio"ll. as substantiated by priority ~ctiOf.lB set out in the progr~ aocUlllent. They expressed their satisfaction at: the
&ubstantial ~~crease in the African regional IPF for the 1962-l~86 cycle as cOllpared with the preceding cycle. However, they strongly appealed to UNDP to increase tile region's allocation in view of the tremendous wor!< involved in the Transport Decade, the Industrial Decade and other progrlllllllles. It was also suggested that, in view of the enonnous need of the African continent, the 20 per cent unprogrlllDllled portion of the
E/ECA/TPCW.3/10 Page 54
IPF mic;ht also be effectively released for progrlllllllling as soon as possiJ:>le. Several delegations expressed the hope that there would be a better balance in the funds allocated to the various .ubregions.
A suggestion WElS also made mat, at its forthcoming session in June, the UNDP Governing Council should be requested to include assistance to the PTA for Ea8te~n
ana
Southern Africa in the 1982-1986 programme as well as financing of the operational activities of the MULPOCs.UNDP w"",, ,,::..so ur9°ec \:0 lllllke more use of expertise from within the region rather than incurring- heavy expenditure under the regional proqramme fer expatriai:e services.
192. The
ulmp
representative -gave explanations regarding the programming procedure. He e",,1ai,."<1, in particular, tiny only 90 per cent of the IPF was prograJt1lll£Q a:;: pr.,o;er.t, w"ich was because of a possible shortfall in resource.. dun.a" t.;,e :;'982-1906 cycle. In that regard, he felt that African countric.:; ~h0U::"c:. '.IT'oiU€ more efforts to sensitize donors to their needs so that they wouid incr"ase their contributions as schedUled, thus permitting the fii"lancing or cia-litional project" such as t..'le I?TA and the operatio,ial activiti"s of i:.'le l'iiJL?OCs which anyhCM could not bean
appropriate itc.n for d:..scussions at the June 1982 session of the Governing Council.
193. ·wi'::.il res~a~:d co t:·..€ i't:.'I..n.:'P0Cs" Ul~DP was ready to finance operational
proj~ct~. ~oweverJ 0eca'~e of its tight financial situation" i t could not con·~in·-.le ';:0 iinill1ce post.~ wrdch could more appropriately be financed under thE :,:-.;;glila:.: ~>l;,.i(j·.;:t of t':H: Ur.:i.ted Nations. He stressec1 that" at the rEK.1UB.::.';;' 0:': l.tl.·;;i::L\;OV~:i:'n;ni;.ata.:" or9~""tization::i whict1. had an unprograIllmed ea:Cir.a:i",":':"':\.'; "':·:':0";:l '...: ...;. ::\.;S·~(";'·~""'" :~2:;';') u,,-iD? W01.lJ..Q. $UPPOl."t che exe cut.Lon 012
(it~1lI 261
194. ft ;cepreb.:~..t.at.:: ve 0:': 'c{~e :::ecretariat introduced document E/ECA!CM.8/27 on the expansion of ECA conference facilities. The need to t=~,,)anC: fo.cll1.t~b:;II ana particularly the conference area"
had been approved in priLciple by the General Asselllbly in its resolution 36/176. Since the firs';: part of the feasibility study had already been completec, the conclusions of the Conference of Ministers in that regard would be annexed to the study.
1.95.. "1', -:-:':~,f\ ,,~st"" ':,'i:..'l'(): -\.,:,.1". ir, ... ~:---"Y'ec5. part.l,.;i;O.:.rt;G& .c~(;Ogr•.lMrl 1::na'( t,,'E:-expansion of the facilit,ies was a matter of the utmost illlPortllnce and