News Note
Executive Board Update
First regular session for 2001
Read Opening Statement on 22
January by Carol Bellamy, Executive Director, UNICEF
Wednesday, 24 January 2001: Yesterday, the UNICEF Executive Board continued
discussion of country notes. Board members began with consideration
of programmes in West and Central Africa. They heard statements by the
following regional directors: Per Engebek, Latin America and
the Caribbean; Mehr Khan, East Asia and the Pacific; Nigel
Fisher, South Asia; Philip O'Brien, Central and Eastern Europe,
the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Baltic States; and Ibrahima
Fall, Middle East and North Africa.
The Board commented on programmes from these regions and then turned
to consideration of the Maurice Pate Award, which has traditionally
been given for extraordinary and exemplary leadership in, and contribution
to, the advancement of the survival, protection and development of children.
It was proposed that a working group be formed to retool the award and
present a proposal to the first regular session of 2002. This proposal
was accepted by Board members.
Executive Director Carol Bellamy gave an oral report on preparations
for the General Assembly Special Session on Children, which will be
held 19-21 September of this year. She outlined activities that would
take place from 29 January to 2 February at the second substantive session
of the Preparatory Committee.
The Board then considered a report that was prepared by UNICEF in response
to the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and
Budgetary Questions to review the advantages and disadvantages of establishing
an operational reserve for regular and other resources. The Board decided
to defer adoption of a decision until further deliberations were held.
Today, the Board will begin by considering the work plan and proposed
budget for 2001 of the Private Sector Division. This will be followed
by a discussion of financial matters (the UNICEF financial report and
audited financial statements for the biennium ended 31 December 1999;
and a report to the Board of Auditors and Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions on steps taken in response to recommendations
of the Board of Auditors on the UNICEF accounts for the biennium 1998-1999).
The next order of business will be the pledging event, which is held
at the first regular session of the Board each year, during which Governments
in a position to do so announce their voluntary contributions to UNICEF
regular resources, as well as payment schedules.
Update on UNICEF Executive Board meeting
: Thursday, 25 January 2001
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