Library - International Organisations

International Organisations

The United Nations is central to global efforts to solve problems that challenge humanity. Cooperating in this effort are more than 30 affiliated organisations, known together as the UN system. Day in and day out, the UN and its family of organisations work to promote respect for human rights, protect the environment, fight disease and reduce poverty. UN agencies define the standards for safe and efficient air travel and help improve telecommunications and enhance consumer protection. The United Nations leads the international campaigns against drug trafficking and terrorism. Throughout the world, the UN and its agencies assist refugees, set up programmes to clear landmines, help expand food production and lead the fight against AIDS.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations. It is composed of representatives of all member states , each of which has one vote. Decisions on important questions, such of those on peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters, require a two-third majority. Decisions on other questions are by simple majority.

Reports concerned with Biosafety:

60th Session, Second Committee
Agenda item 54 (b), Globalisation
and interdependence: Science and
Technology for Development

59th Session, Second Committee
Agenda Item 85 (f), Sustainable
Development: Convention on
Biological Diversity, 2004

19h Special Session,
A/RES/S-19/2 Resolution Adopted
by the General Assembly, 1997.
Programme for the Further
Implementation of Agenda 21

51st Session, Environment and
Sustainable Development:
Implementation of the Convention
on Biological Diversity
A/51/605/Add.3, 1996

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

UNCTAD is the principal organ of the General Assembly in the field of trade and development, and it affirms the United Nations General Assembly's convintion that international cooperation in trade and development is vital for world economic growth and economic development of developing countries.

Reports concerned with Biosafety:

INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GMOs AND GM PRODUCTS: NATIONAL AND MULTILATERAL LEGAL FRAMEWORKS, Policy Issues in International Trade and Commodities, Study Series No. 29 UNCTAD/ITCD/TAB/30 - E.04.II.D.41	PARALLEL EVENT - INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS: TRENDS AND CAPACITY-BUILDING NEEDS, 2005	INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GMOs: LEGAL FRAMEWORKS, by Simonetta Zarrilli UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/2004/1, 2004	THE BIOTECHNOLOGY PROMISE: CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR PARTICIPATION OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE BIOECONOMY, UNCTAD/ITE/IPC/2004/2, 2004
TRADE, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, Background note by the UNCTAD Secretariat, TD/B/COM.1/63, 20003	PANEL ON LEGAL AND REGULATORY ISSUES ON BIOTECHNOLOGY, E/CN.16/2001/MISC.2, 2001	SYNTHESIS REPORT ON THE CSTD PANELS ON NATIONAL CAPACITY- BUILDING IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, CSTD, 5th session, 28 May - 1 June 2001 E/CN.16/2001/2, 2001	INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS AND MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS, A New Dilemma for Developing Countries, UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/1, 2000

United Nations Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC)

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is the principal organ to coordinate economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN specialised agencies, 10 functional commissions and five regional commissions. The Council also receives report from 11 UN funds and programmes. The Council serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues, and for formulating policy recommendations addressed to Member States and the United Nations system. It is responsible for promoting higher standards of living, full employment, and economic and social progress; identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems; facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation; and encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It has the power to make or initiate studies and reports on these issues.

Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD)

The Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) is a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It was established to provide the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council with high-level advice on relevant issues through analysis and appropriate policy recommendations or options in order to enable those organs to guide the future work of the United Nations, develop common policies and agree on appropriate actions. In this context, the Commission acts as a forum for a) the examination of science and technology questions and their implications for development; b) the advancement of understanding on science and technology policies, particularly in respect of developing countries and; c) the formulation of recommendations and guidelines on science and technology matters within the United Nations system.

Reports relating to Biotechnology:

KEY ISSUES IN
BIOTECHNOLOGY,
UNCTAD/ITE/TEB/10, 2002

Science and Technology
Diplomacy Initiative

UN Biotech

Economic and Social
Council, Commission on
Science and Technology for
Development, 5th session, 2001

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION
ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
FOR DEVELOPMENT (CSTD) ON
ITS 4th SESSION,
E/CN/16/1999/9, 1999

Commission on Sustainable Development

The Division for Sustainable Development provides leadership and is an authoritative source of expertise within the United Nations system on sustainable development. It promotes sustainable development as the substantive secretariat to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and through technical cooperation and capacity building at international, regional and national levels. The context for the Division’s work is the implementation of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the Barbados Programme of Action for Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

National information includes information submitted annually in national reports by member States to the Commission on Sustainable Development. Also included are 2002 Country Profiles and 2002 National Assessment Reports prepared for the Johannesburg World Summit, as well as 1997 Country Profiles prepared for the Five-Year Review of the Earth Summit.

Useful links

Earth Summit (LINK TO INDIVIDUAL PAGE OF ICGEB INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WEBPAGES)
Earth Summit +5 (LINK TO INDIVIDUAL PAGE OF ICGEB INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WEBPAGES)
Agenda 21 (LINK TO INDIVIDUAL PAGE OF ICGEB INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WEBPAGES)
Convention on Biological Diversity (LINK TO INDIVIDUAL PAGE OF ICGEB INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WEBPAGES)
Rio Declaration (LINK TO INDIVIDUAL PAGE OF ICGEB INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WEBPAGES)

Documents

Biotechnology: Decisions of the GA and CSD. United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, 3rd Session, New York. 11-28 April 1995
Environmentally sound management of Biotechnology

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

UNECE is a ECOSOC Regional Commission that strives to foster sustainable economic growth among its 55 member countries. To that end UNECE provides a forum for communication among States; brokers international legal instruments addressing trade, transport and the environment; and supplies statistics and economic and environmental analysis.

Aarhus Convention - Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, Aarhus 1998.

“Although regional in scope, the significance of the Aarhus Convention is global. It is by far the most impressive elaboration of principle 10 of the Rio Declaration, which stresses the need for citizen's participation in environmental issues and for access to information on the environment held by public authorities. As such it is the most ambitious venture in the area of environmental democracy so far undertaken under the auspices of the United Nations.” - Kofi Annan

Full text of the convention
Aarhus Clearinghouse for Environmental Democracy
Meetings of the Parties
Working Group on Genetically Modified Organisms

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

The work of ESCWA centres on the preparation of economic and social studies and reports, convening meetings and conducting training workshops, as well as a number of field projects.

Documents

Biotechnology and Biosafety: Priorities Setting in Yemen	The Secretariat for the National Biotechnology Committee	Consumer Decision-Making and Public Awareness of GMOs and their Products
Biosafety in the Islamic Republic of Iran	The Need of Effective Biosafety Regulations in the Arab Region	The Biosafety Regulatory System in Syria. Current status, Perspective and Challenges