Draft introduction to the medium term plan beginning 1992

Abstract

The report of the Secretary-General entitled "Some perspectives on the work of the United Nations in the 1990s" was submitted to the general assembly through the committee for program and co-ordination and the advisory committee on administrative and budgetary questions. The perspectives paper was designed to serve as the basis for the introduction to the medium-term plan beginning in 1992. It was submitted pursuant to section II, paragraph (b), of resolution 41/213, in which the Assembly called for improvement in the consultative process for the formulation of the medium-term plan through, inter-alia, submission of the introduction to the medium-term plan to member states for wide consultations. The plan is to be dynamic instrument expressing strengthening of the essential functions of the United Nations, it must be simplified. First, the current division into political, legal humanitarian, public information, economic and social; lacks practical significance and unnecessarily complicates the structure. Secondly, major programs should be reduced in number and should adhere more closely to the goals of the charter. The plan would therefore comprise four major programs, instead of the 31 in the current medium-term plan, as follows: Peace, security, disarmament and the self-determination of peoples; International law, human rights and fundamental freedoms; Economic and social advancement of all peoples; Information and common services.