The Economic and Social Council this morning elected Marjatta Rasi of Finland as its President for 2004, the first woman to hold that post.
Outlining the Councils work for 2004, Ms. Rasi said it would be crucial to further strengthen efforts to enhance the way the United Nations works on conference follow-up in the economic and social sectors. It was necessary to reinforce efforts and to seize the opportunities that recent United Nations conferences and summits had provided for the Council to fulfil the commitments assumed in the Millennium Declaration.
The General Assembly, at its fifty-seventh session, had called specifically for strengthening the role of the Council in promoting integrated and coordinated conference implementation, she said. It had requested the Council to establish a multi-year work programme for the coordination segment. The aim was to reach a decision before the substantive session of 2004 on the work programme.
Kilde: FN
