Bangladesh envoy named as co-chair

She made the announcement at the final session of the UN General Assembly for the current year before it went into recess for Christmas holidays, an official message said yesterday.

The Working Group on UN Mandates is a key body for the UN reforms process, set up following a decision of the Heads of State and Government Summit in 2005. Its role is to examine the 9,000 or so mandates that have accumulated in the United Nations since its inception in 1946, and to determine those that are still valid.

The process is politically both important and sensitive. The Western countries are generally favourable to drastically reducing the number, the message said.

The Non-Aligned, G-77 and developing countries insist on retaining traditional mandates like Palestine and those dealing with development issues, demanding that the process must not be a cost-cutting exercise. The other co-chair is Ambassador David Cooney of Ireland.

"It is a great honour for both Bangladesh and myself", said Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury while addressing the media people after the announcement.

"It is an important acknowledgement of our past contribution to the UN, and recognition of our potential to contribute further in a very significant area as mandates are central to the functioning of the UN," he observed.

Dr Iftekhar Ahmed is already serving as chairman of the Committee on Population and Development, and vice-president of Unicef Executive Board.