Letter from the President of ECOSOC and revised ECOSOC meeting schedule

We have received the following email relating to the letter from the President of ECOSOC and the revised ECOSOC meeting schedule. Among the meetings that have been deferred are the ECOSOC Partnership Forum and the ECOSOC Multi-Stakeholder Forum on STI for the SDGs. 

The Commission on Population and Development will now take place on 30 – 31 March, with NY-based participation in a scaled-down format. The bureau is to communicate with Member States.

Subject: Letter from the President of ECOSOC and revised ECOSOC meeting schedule

Dear colleagues,

I would like to update you on the response by the ECOSOC Bureau to the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and its impact on the substantive session of ECOSOC and meetings of its subsidiary bodies.  Please see attached the letter of the President of ECOSOC to member states outlining the decisions taken by the Bureau with regard to which meetings will be postponed to later in the session and or to the next ECOSOC cycle.

As the situation is evolving rapidly, the President has again written to member states to update them on the decision not to convene physical meetings or informal consultations of the Council for the next two weeks. The meeting of ECOSOC that was expected to take place on Monday will be postponed to a later date.

As you know, a number of Commissions and Expert Bodies have already completed their sessions, namely, the Commission on Social Development (10-19 February); the Commission on Narcotics Drugs (2-6 March); and the Statistical Commission (3-6 March) and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (17 Feb – 6 March). However, a number of meetings were planned to take place beginning at the end of March with the Commission on Population and Development.  For the time being, the decisions remain in place until further notice. 

Kind regards, 

Irena Zubcevic
Chief, Intergovernmental Policy and Review Branch
Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development
Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Office: + 1 212 963 4528
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