Title Items-In-United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

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Title items-in-United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Date Created 17/01/1978

Record Type Archival Item

Container s-0990-0008: United Nations Emergency and Relief Operations

Print Name of Person Submit Image Signature of Person Submit JPB/HM CCi b/f a

March 1978

Dear Mr. Tolba, On behalf of the Secretary-General, I wish to acknowledge with thanks your letter of 1 February 1978, concerning the implementation of resolution 32/172, entitled "United Nations Conference on ^certification" by the General Assembly on 19 December Your thoughtftslness in reminding us of the General Assembly «s request to the Secretary- General to draw the attention of Menaber States and inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations to relevant parts of this resolution, was very much appreciated. However, as you may be aware, it nas been customary to use th© format of a note verbal© from the Secretary-General fof this kind of correspondence, therefore* £ am attaching the text of a note verbale, which follows the Maes of the letter %&ieh you were kind enough to prepare. Vour liaison office in Sew York could arrange to have it transmitted to all the Permanent Representatives to the United Nations.

• «•/ •/* » »

Mr. Kostafa Tolba "Lte '»!_d Nation' s Environment Programme As semeerns your draft letter to nont- governmental organisations, ' 1 would suggest that you might vish to send this in yous: otm name, on of the Secretary-General. With warm regards,

' . . Years siaeereiy,

Executive Assistant to the UNITED NATIONS WSJffl NATIONS UNIES

CAOL.E ADDRESS ADRKSSK T EL r.Qfl ATM IOU B UNATIONB N1.WYOHK

REFERENCE:

The Secretary-General of the United Nations presents his compliments to the Permanent Represen- tative of to the United Nations and has the honour to refer to resolution 32/172, entitled "United Nations Conference on Desertification", adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 1977.

The Secretary-General wishes to draw in particular, to the attention of His Excellency's Government operative paragraphs 4, 5, 9 and 14 of that resolution, which read as follows : "The General Assembly,

"4. Calls upon all Governments to consider, on a priority basis, the recommendations for national action contained in section IV of the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification and, where necessary, the desirability of establishing a national authority to co-ordinate, consolidate and implement national anti- desertification action programmes;

"5. Recommends that subregional co-operation be initiated or intensified, as considered necessary, among countries affected by desertification, with the required assistance from the United Nations Environment Programme and other organizations concerned, with a view to formulating specific joint programmes and requests for development assistance for implementation of the Plan of Action;"

• »•/•• UNITED NATIONS WSm NATIONS UNIES

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"9. Calls upon all countries, in particular developed countries, as well as multilateral financial institutions and non-governmental donors, to provide and increase their assistance to countries suffering from desertification, especially for the financing of their subregional and regional programmes and projects within appropriate consortium arrangements, such as those pertaining to the Sahel green belt, and urges developing countries to give due priority to desertification problems in their development assistance requests;"

"14. Requests the Secretary-General to approach Member states and competent organizations and bodies within the United Nations system, as well as the scientific institutions concerned outside the system, for further research, development and refinement of the data pertaining to desertification, in order to close any existing gaps in scientific knowledge and technology, and for further development of the world map of desertification on the basis of the relevant recommendations of the Conference;"

The Secretary-General hopes that, in accordance with the request, contained in paragraph 14 of the resolution, His Excellency's Government and the scientific institutions concerned in His Excellency's country will co-operate in this important task, in order that these activities may be co-ordinated within

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a world-wide programme, it would be useful that proposals in this respect that His Excellency's Government might have to offer be submitted to the Executive Director of United Nations Environ- ment Programme, who has been entrusted with such co-ordination. Contributions from Member States to the relevant programmes in the framework of regional co-operation, through the United Nations regional commissions or through other relevant regional organizations, would also be appreciated.

The Secretary-General wishes to take this opportunity to inform the Permanent Representative that in compliance with paragraph 8 of resolution 32/172, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme as well as the Environment Co-ordination Board have been entrusted with the responsibility of following up and co-ordinating the implementation of the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification. In compliance with recommendation 27 of the Plan of Action, the Executive Director is taking steps to establish a special unit of highly qualified staff clearly identifiable within the secretariat of the United Nations Environment Programme and to set up a working group on desertification within the framework of inter-agency co-ordination machinery. He is also conducting a study of additional measures and means of financing for the implementation of the plan of Action. UNITED NATIONS W%'^•s-^jy-ziWf NATIONS UNIES - 4 -

Furthermore, the Executive Director, as authorized in paragraph lo of resolution 32/172, is preparing to convene immediately a consultative group in order to assist in mobilizing resources for the activities undertaken within the framework of implementing the Plan of Action.

It will be appreciated if His Excellency will bring the contents of this note to the attention of His Government.

1 March 1978 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

Le Secretaire general des Nations Unies presente ses compliments au ReprSsentant permanent de aupres de 1'Organisation des Nations Unies, et a 1'honneur de se r^flrer a la Resolution 32/172, intitule1 e "Conference des Nations Unies sur la desertification11, adoptee par 1'Assembiee generale le 19 decembre 1977.

Le Secretaire general souhaite appeler lrattention du Gouvernement de Son Excellence en particulier sur les paragraphes 4, 5, 9 et 14 du dispositif de cette Resolution qui se lisent ainsi :

"L'Assembiee

"4. Demande a tous les gouvernements d'examiner en priorite les recommandations concernant 1'action nationale qui figurent a la section IV du Plan d'action pour lutter centre la desertification et, le cas echeant, 1'opportunite de cr€er un organisme national pour coordonner, consolider et executer les programmes nationaux visant a combattre la desertification;

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"5. Recommande que les pays touches par la desertification entreprennent de cooperer ou intensifient leur cooperation a 1'echelon sous- regional, selon les besoins, avec 1'assistance necessaire du Programme des Nations Unies pour 1'environnement et d'autres organismes s'occupant de cette question, en vue de formuler des programmes communs specifiques et des demandes d'aide au developpement pour executer le Plan d1action?"

"9. Demande a tous les pays, en particulier aux pays dSveloppSs, ainsi qu'aux institutions financieres multilaterales et aux donateurs non gouvernementaux, de fournir une assistance accrue aux pays gravement touches par la desertification, en vue specialement du financement de leurs programmes sous-regionaux et regionaux et des projets eiabores dans le cadre d1accords de consortium appropries, comme ceux qui interessent la ceinture verte du Sahel, et prie instamment les pays en developpement de donner la priorite qui s'impose aux problemes de la desertification dans leurs demandes d'assistance au developpement;"

"14. prie le Secretaire general de prendre contact avec les Etats Membres et les organisations et organismes competents des Nations Unies, ainsi qu'avec les institutions scientifiques travaillant

* • • / « UNITED NATIONS WmiS NATIONS UNIES

- 3 - dans ce domaine en dehors du cadre des Nations Unies, en vue d'avancer les recherches scientifiques sur la d^sertifiaation et le d£veloppement et raffinement des donne'es y relatives pour combler les lacunes actuelles des connaissances scientifiques et de la technologic, et en vue de poursuivre 1'Elaboration de la carte mondiale de la d^sertifi- cation sur la base des recommandations pertinentes de la Conference;"

Le Secretaire general souhaite que conformS- ment a cette demande, le gouvernement de Son Excellence et les institutions scientifiques interessees de Son pays apportent leur contribu- tion a cette tSche iiaportante. Afin de permettre une coordination de ces activity's dans le cadre d'un programme mondial, il serait utile que les propositions que le gouvernement de Son Excellence pourrait avoir a faire dans ce domaine, soient communiquees au Directeur exe\cutif du Programme des Nations Unies pour 1' environnement qui a Ste1 charge d1assurer une telle coordination. Les partici- pations des Etats Membres aux programmes correspondant etablis dans le cadre de la cooperation regionale qu'il s'agisse des commissions regionales des Nations Unies ou d'autres organisations regionales, seraient egalement appreciees.

• •*/•• UNITED NATIONS f|Pf NATIONS UNIES

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Le Secretaire general souhaite saisir cette occasion pour informer le Repre"sentant permanent que conformSment au paragraphe 8 de la Resolution 32/172, le Directeur executif du Programme des Nations Unies pour 1»environnement, de mime que le comite de coordination pour 1'environnement ont ete charges de suivre et de coordonner la mise en application du Plan d1action pour combattre la'desertification. En application de la Resolution 27 de ce Plan d1action, le Directeur executif a pris les mesures necessaires pour mettre en place un service special compose de personnels hautement qualifies, service qui a 1'interieur du secretariat du Programme des Nations Unies pour 1'environnement sera clairement identifiable et pour constituer parmi les organismes de coordination inter-agence, un groupe de travail sur la desertification. Le Directeur ex£cutif poursuit egalement une etude sur les mesures compiemen- taires et les moyens de financement correspondant destines a assurer I1execution du Plan d'action.

Enfin, le Directeur executif se prepare, comme 11 y a ete autorise au paragraphe 10 de la Resolution 32/172, a convoquer de maniere urgente un groupe consultatif en vue d1aider a mobiliser les ressources necessaires aux activites entreprises dans le cadre de 1»execution du Plan d'action.

Le Secretaire general souhaiterait que cette Resolution soit portee a 1'attention du gouvernement de Son Excellence.

Le ler mars 1978 ON£P oe* RA/MC/foVC cc. S£

Mr* Caarees

you

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•fc® *act5?&&S tfhsfc? iss to tlfS. tte Sa^afsfcarlat feas « Your atfc^sxtiou of i^@@: this f that the t oaaw^ve Director of Habitat ^ ^t^M S isiti^siiS to In t&a -near ce. SG ee* Mr bf. AR/JPB/PMG/MP/IL

ftaAt yew very Mttftt for year lafetar 1378 from you ^» SveriS^n, Chaixsasn

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Cable Address: UNITERRA, Nairobi P. O. Box 30552, Telex No. 22068 Nairobi. / Telephone: 33930

Rel. No. 18 May 1978

Dear Mr Secretary-General,

As you know, GA Resolution 32/162 in Section VI on "Concerted Action and Co-ordination" calls for bi-annual meetings_of_the Executive Director of the Habitat Centre and the Bureau of the Human Settlements Commission with the Executive Director of UNEP and the bureau of its Governing Council" to review together their respective priorities and 'programmes""for improving human settlements and to strengthen and extend co-operation between the two organizations".

As Chairmen of the Inter-Governmental Governing Bodies of the two Organizations named, we have met to consider how we can discharge our part of this action called for by the General Assembly and we have_cqns_ulted with Mr Tolba, the Executive Director o'fUNEP. Jin. the absence of an Executive Director for the Habitat_Centre we. thought ...it. might be., helpful if we send this expression of our views to you with the request that they be brought to the attention of the Executive Director of Habitat at such time as you appoint him. We would also appreciate your assistance in arranging the agenda and schedule presented for the 65th session of ECOSOC in order to make it possible for us to have a sequential debate at ECOSOC of the report.of the Governing Council of IMEP in the week of 10 July and the report of the Habitat Commission during the week beginning 17 July. Such scheduling would make it possible for us, as the two Chairmen of the Bureaux to meet on 17 and 18 July in Geneva with the Executive Director of UNEP and, we would hope, with the the,n-appointed Executive Director of Habitat, for a preliminary 'discussion.*

Mr Kurt Waldheim Secretary-General United Nations NEW YORK - 2 -

It is our intention to meet on these dates in Geneva in order to prepare for the first meeting of the two "bureaux with the two Executive Directors to be convened at an appropriate time.

We recognize that a newly-appointed Executive Director of Habitat might not be in a position in mid-July to give definitive suggestions with regard to the substance of the matters to be°discussed by the two bureaux, but we feel it necessary to have a preliminary exchange of views in order that the two respective secretariats come prepared with such material as would be appropriate for the first meeting of the two bureaux. The_scheduling of the work of ECOSOC.is, of course, a matter to be decided by ECOSOC itself, but we know tKatTdelegations greatly benefit by the advice given by the secretariat and we would therefore appreciate your assistance in having the schedule, which is presumably now being drawn up for the forthcoming session of the Council, reflect the above approach. We for our part are advising our colleagues on the bureaux concerned of our general intentions, indicating that if they are present in Geneva on these dates we would benefit from their participation in our consultations about the preparations for the first regular meeting.

„ We express the wish that you will find it possible to 'assist us to carry out our responsibilities to increase the concerted action and co-ordination called for by the Assembly.

Yours sincerely,

Gote Svenson Chairman • President, UKEP Habitat Commission Governing Council

* t CQPYi Hr* Soei Browa - TOES? Liaison MC/OM - cc- SG Mrs. M. Mitchell * OPI Files UHEP

21 Gefcefoer 197?

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Stihofield, On behalf of the See^tary~0snsral, I wish to thank you for your recent letter ecasaKning the status of psresecvaticsn IBMS and wilderness reservations for the retaining orangutans of South- East j&sia. ihe Secsretary-Gaaeral very sracft appo-ecdatss your thcaightfulness iji sharing your ocsicern ^Ath hist, sad has iKJted the interest in the coutinisai sarviwal of this aniqus and « fe you raay be s&racee,. csie of the ocKisCT^snoes of the tftitad OonfereiKre on the l&zmn. Environment ^hich tsodc place in in 1972, was the establishrasnt of the LMted ssations Smdrosaasnt PrcsgragBte (TJ3EP) tx> deal with sroiranmentaL iratters. IMS* has thus bees* closely involvsa3 in ©f fcsrts to safeguard and wisely saaage issnkindfs heritage of wild life said its habitat, and contact with many 3xsft-ca^rOTffi!rital organisatir ^our interest in this ssattsr. With kind regards,

sincerely,

Exeoitive to the

PMG/nrib bvf*

Dear Mr. Ambassador., . Kiajair i&tn&s £03? yotir lef^etf of 17 'J^rm&Ky 197 d« transmitting a letfeea? 'Sxm. the Secretasify 0^ State'for Ibctexnal Affairs, tlie Hem. &<3rt Jami^Bon to the Sescretasry-Oeneraljt concerning the appointment of the SKoautive Director of Habitat, Centre for Human Settlements. - ' .- . f wish to isulsti^e you tti&t this l^tte^ will JjefcEough tt o the attention of the Secretary-General taposa his retiirn to New on With- bM .xmgMii* • • • • Yours sincerely,

Mr. William K* Barton Permanent Representative of Caiiada to the United Nations ...... '-..•?.!.;; •-"-.-•" ' r&a-. ^j^-i-r..^ --'-'

January 17, 1978

i Dear Mr. Mayrhof fer,;.'" "*~ -.:: • ^- ••*•• _-;.,iu,_ jkirther to my letter'of January 13th, I am enclosi-ng the Tetter from the Secretary of State for External Af-fairs, The Honourable '* "", .. Don Jamieson, to the Secretary-General concerning the appointment of the Executive Director of the Commission on Human Settlements. I would appreciate if you would ensure that the Secretary-Genera? receives it. Yours sincerely,

W.H. Barton, Ambassador and Permanent Representative

Mr. Ferdinand Mayrhoffer-Grunbuhel Special Assistant to the Secretary-General Room 3802C United Nations Secretariat NEW. YORK RECEIVED 1 8 JAN 1978

for &"~E'hit cms Affectm* fetm

OTTAWA K1A OG2

.,„ .: ;_^, ::-£&., ---'"',-"»?«•«•-- ••- 12 , 1978

dear Secretary General, I am writing to you concerning the General Assembly's recent 'decision to establish new institutional arrangements for international cooperation in the field of humartTsettlements. Canada naturally attached a great deal of importance to that decision, both as the host country for, and a leading participant in, Habitat and as a major contributor to UN "TfiQman settlement programs. The decision provided the UN with the basic machinery necessary to.move ahead with the important substantive recommendations of the Vancouver Conference. During the past several years, Canada has actively supported the need to create a single integrated unit for UN human settlements "programs led by an official of the highest possible rank, preferably a rank equivalent to an Under-secretary General. We were very pleased, therefore, with the General Assembly's decision. The resources assigned to human settlements will always be limited relative to need, and we believe that those available can be most effectively deployed through the consolidation and regionalization provided for in the resolution. We/are also pleased that the new Centre will include the audio-visual program initiated by Habitat and to which Canada has committed $4.0 _'... million over four years.. We would hope, too, that the Executive. Director s&llsb.a^ggi^e-raak of Under-secretary General.. This would appear to be -necess-ary in order that-he may bring" about the .integrated management, and "agency relationships necessary for success. : :: '•• W_j-.. * - ^\ • i- ' - .."''"* * .* . •. - ~~s*' -With the new institution established, Canada'sprimaryj£oa1-^ in this area is now its future success, and 1 wislTto assure l" efforts to that end. : ••-•• 1r

"¥ % United Nattbls Plfza - .of _jew York, NY 10017

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One of your first tasks in this connection, I expect, will be to secure the early appointment of a top-flight person as Executive Director. In addition to a strong international background and an established record as a senior manager of good judgement, you will no doubt be looking for someone who is knowledgeable and well known in the area of human settlements and who would enjoy the confidence of government mimstdesBs " able to move ahelftf"cjVfcWy o7i;pthV"6iPgahi?al;io'n''"bT!thelientre and in the preparations for the first meeting of the new Commission slated for

Because of the importance that the Canadian Government attaches v to this endeavour, we have canvassed our own people with these qualities ^"in mind. We'wish to put forward for your consideration the name of Mr. .xJ.W^Jim) MacNeill. In my Government's view, there are few individuals .as well qualified for the position. You may recall meeting him in Vancouver"in May 1976. Nine months before the Conference, the Prime Minister named him Canadian Commissioner General for Habitat, with, full responsibility for Canada's preparations for the Conference". He was ,then, arid^gpnfinued to serve as, Deputy ..Minister of Urban Affairs. He has had extensive international experience"over the past decade. He has met and worked with most of the national and international figures in the field of human settlements over the past JFive years. He has had similar experience in environment having led Canada's substantive prepar- atio'ns for the Stockholm Conference and participated actively in the early founding years of UNEP. This background should be invaluable given the need to establish the closest cooperative relationships between ^he^itjewCentre.:and UNEP. We believe that he is exceptionally well qualified Tand would "f 111 the. role of Executi ve Di rector wi th di stinction. As

" r ; . - ^result of preliminary'soundings, we haye_reason to believe that Mr. candidacy, would have the support of many governments, and.I OnSuPjafitfidacy::wil 1 rece'iye your senous jnd sympathetic consider-

.V?-'-: ^"^KKr^frBy I appreciate thatTa^tjt.he"moment; ^Canada jnay be seen as well t. __^..ed 'in the senior ranks?...of the UNr However, it is my under- :: andijng^that at least one Canadian holding alsenior position on^your , Iff WitJiJje leaving at^;the end of the ^ear.£ -'2;*^•.-/., - :E~ •: - ^^. tl Would appVeciate an"early 6?pportunity?for^r."MacNeillJib'l see you and I have asked our Ambassador, Mr. Barton, to arrange a meeting as possible after your return to New.York. James William MacNeill (Jim MacNeill). .^ Born on April 22, 1928 in Saskatchewan, Canada. Married with"t!wo,;ehjjdren of school age. Education includes bachelors degrees in mathematics and economics (1949) and engineering (1958) from the University of Saskatchewan and a graduate diploma in political science and economics from the University of Stock- holm, Sweden (1951), all with very high standing.

Mother tongue English but a working knowledge of French and Swedish• -. --;•-- .. _ ^. Returning from Sweden in 1952, Mr. MacNeill joined the Government of Saskatchewan as an economist in the Cabinet's Planning Board. He rose quickly to become in 1959 a deputy minister with responsibility for managing a part, and then all, of the province's water and related resources. - ~ - _, „, Joining the Federal Government in 1965, he held a succession of senior policy and management positions. These have,included Director of Policy Planning, and then Assistant Deputy Minister in the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources; Special Adviser on the environment in the Prime Minister's Office (PCO); Director General for Intergovernmental Affairs in the Department of the Environment; and Assistant Deputy Minister for Policy and Research in the Ministry of State for Urban Affairs. During the latter three positions he gained extensive international experience, leading Environment's and Urban Affairs' participation in the Stockholm ,: Conference, acting as a special adviser to Maurice Strong, and leading the Canadian delegations to the United .Nations Preparatory Committee on •» Stockholm and to the Environment and Urban Affairs Committees of the OECD. 'fn September 1973. he was"appointed Deputy Minister of Urban Affairs and •l-ssi^pftfefe" in October 1976 he was appoilifted Canadian Commissioner General.for Habitat, with responsibility for Canada's national and international preparations

~ •and hosting arrangements. .*.-., .- ;,..,; ^ 1 - dliu M«--VJ•• '.- I • '...... — - .;•'"..- . --— v-. •;' • .'7.v^^^-Mf-rr-'•'-'••••'•";S •:•"••••'- -r" - 1 - "3SS • ~ •"*- • V, "*,. He-has just returned fr« a year's sabbatlca! ;1n France^ SS=.*J

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