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S-1928 · Series · 1948 - 1959
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

Records in S-1928 document the coordination of projects between the Bureau of Social Affairs of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The records date from 1948 to 1959 and include minutes and reports of conferences, meetings, and working groups on the subject of migration.

A small amount of records dates prior to the 1955 merger of the Department of Social Affairs and Department of Economic Affairs into DESA. Prior to the existence of DESA, the topic of migration was handled by the Division of Social Welfare, headed by Julia Henderson. In 1955, Henderson became the director of the Bureau of Social Affairs within DESA.

The bulk of the records in S-1928 document the International Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Interested in Migration from 1952 to 1959. First conceived in 1948, the goal of the conference was to coordinate efforts between NGOs and the UN to meet the needs of migrants. The Liaison Committee, made up of fifteen members, was responsible for planning future conferences and securing financing. Additionally, working parties were established to discuss and develop reports and resolutions for specific issues in the field of migration. Examples of working parties include: the Working Party on Migrants in Professional Categories; the Working Party on Non-European Migrants; and the Working Party on Simplification and Admissibility. The records include: minutes from conference sessions and planning meetings; minutes and reports of working parties; and correspondence and memoranda exchanged between NGOs, the Liaison Committee, UN agencies, such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the Bureau of Social Affairs.

S-1928 also includes minutes, reports, correspondence and memoranda of the Technical Working Group on Migration of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC); the Inter-Agency Regional Coordination Committee on Migration in Latin America; and the International Economic Association Round Table on International Migration.

S-1929 · Series · 1955 - 1965
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

Records in S-1929 document the coordination between the Bureau of Technical Assistance Operations (BTAO) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and United Nations Member States, United Nations regional economic commissions and United Nations specialized agencies. The bulk of the records dates from 1960 to 1965 and details the planning and implementation of the Development of Water Resources of the Lower Mekong Basin project in the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Records in S-1929 provide information on the collaboration between the BTAO and the Committee for Co-ordination of Investigations of the Lower Mekong Basin. The committee was first created in 1957, following a report issued by the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) that called for the close cooperation of the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam through a permanent committee. BTAO served as a cooperating agency on the project, along with the UN Special Fund, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), among others. The project aimed to improve flood control and develop the areas surrounding the Lower Mekong River through the construction of dams on the mainstream river and its tributaries. Records in S-1929 document: the Pa Mong, Tonle Sap, Sambor, Battambang, Nam Pong, and Upper Se San projects.

The records include correspondence and memoranda, meeting minutes, and reports. Correspondence and memoranda document preliminary surveys, project planning and implementation, and funding sources. The reports include: monthly progress reports, UN expert reports, investigative and feasibility reports issued by engineering consulting firms, and final reports of committee sessions.

S-1917 · Series · 1965 - 1979
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The records in S-1917 document the project files and training and study activities of the Office of Technical Co-operation (OTC) with United Nations member states, in the regions of Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe.. The bulk of the records dates from 1973 to 1978 and details the planning and implementation of fellowships and training programmes for developing countries. The function of S-1917 is derived from DESA.DEV.062 and DESA.DEV.063 of the retention schedule of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), dated 21 January 2013.

The records largely consist of country files documenting the Technical Assistance Fellowship Programme, in addition to records related to interregional seminars, as well as regional and interregional training centres.

Technical Assistance Fellowship Programme

The OTC’s Fellowship Section oversaw the Technical Assistance Fellowship Programme for developing countries. Nominated by country governments, individuals were awarded fellowships under the Technical Assistance and Regular Programmes of the OTC for study in academic institutions, participation in training courses, observation studies and seminars. The fellowship programme encompassed the following fields: economic development, environmental development, social development, demography, public administration, narcotics control and human rights. Following the completion of the fellowship, fellows were required to submit a final report evaluating the course to the OTC Fellowship Section. The records are arranged alphabetically by country and include memoranda, correspondence, project documents, and final reports.

S-1917 also documents fellows who attended the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Commercial Policy courses. The GATT Commercial Policy courses were established in 1955 and held twice a year, once for English-speaking fellows and once for French-speaking fellows. The principal aim of the courses was to give the participants a better understanding of trade policy matters and to provide them with full, up-to-date knowledge of the work undertaken by GATT and other international bodies to assist with their work within their own administrations. The records include schedules and programmes of the courses as well as the final reports written by fellows.

Interregional Seminars

The OTC’s Interregional and Regional Projects Section oversaw the planning and implementation of interregional seminars, symposiums, workshops, training courses, study tours and expert group meetings. Participants included fellows and experts intending to gain more experience in their field. The level of knowledge and ability of participants ranged from the novice to junior and senior levels and determined the type of meeting. For example, senior experts would participate in an expert group meeting, such as the meetings of the United Nations Group of Experts for the Establishment of an Investment Bank of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of Countries.

The records in S-1917 document interregional seminars in the fields of economic planning, public administration, finance, statistics, demographics, housing, natural resources, energy and water resources and include: the Interregional Seminar on Petroleum Refining in Developing Countries(New Delhi, India, 22 January-3 February 1973); United Nations Meeting on Co-operation among Developing Countries in Petroleum (Geneva, Switzerland, 10-21 November 1975); and the Interregional Seminar on Development and Management of Resources of Coastal Areas (Berlin, Hamburg, Kiel and Cuxhaven, Federal Republic of Germany, 31 May-14 June 1976). The files include correspondence and memoranda pertaining to implementation and planning of interregional seminars, country monographs and final reports.

Regional and Interregional Training Centres

The files contain documentation related to UN regional and interregional demographic training and research centres including: Institut de Formation et de Recherches Démographiques (IFORD), Yaoundé, Cameroon; Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Centre Demographique ONU-Roumanie (CEDOR), Bucharest, Romania; International Institute for Population Studies (IIPS), Bombay, India; and the Interregional Demographic Research and Training Centre, Cairo, Egypt where training courses and seminars were held.

In addition to documenting the recruitment of fellows, consultants, associate experts, professors and directors to training centres, the records include job descriptions; course syllabi; work programmes; project budgets and revisions; cables detailing travel arrangements; and reports.

These records contain correspondence and memoranda between the UN and the training centres’ country’s government addressing, for example, the agreement between the UN and the Government of Cameroon regarding continued support of IFORD as well as draft versions of the 1977 renewal of the agreement between the UN and the Government of Egypt for the Interregional Demographic Research and Training Centre. In addition to drafts and finalized agreements , these records document project and training activities, such as: Demographic Surveys to Estimate the Initial Population and Future Growth of Nigeria’s New Federal Capital City project document; a 1976 request for additional funding to RIPS submitted by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and the Government of Ghana; and correspondence and memoranda concerning fellowships for the IIPS course in demography.

S-1917 also contains files related to the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD), Nagoya Japan which was established in June 1971 under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Resolution 1086-C (XXXIX) through a Funds-in-Trust arrangement with the Government of Japan. UNCRD provided training in regional development to officials who were engaged in the planning, management and implementation of development activities in developing countries in the Asian region. Training and staffing of the UNCRD was provided by UN consultants and experts.

The UNCRD records include: budget plans and proposals; reports; job descriptions; correspondence and memoranda regarding the planning and implementation of advisory meetings, expert group meetings, and seminars; as well as administrative records regarding arrangements for UNCRD experts and consultants.

S-1913 · Series · 1975 - 1983
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The records in S-1913 document the project files and training and study activities of the Department for Technical Co-operation for Development (DTCD) with United Nations member states, in the regions of Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. The bulk of the records dates from 1979 to 1983 and details the planning and implementation of fellowships and training programmes for developing countries. The function of S-1913 is derived from DESA.DEV.062 and DESA.DEV.063 of the retention schedule of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), dated 21 January 2013. The records largely consist of country files documenting the Technical Assistance Fellowship Programme, in addition to records related to interregional seminars, and regional and interregional training centres.

Technical Assistance Fellowship Programme

The DTCD’s Fellowship Section within the Support Services Branch of the Division of Programme Support oversaw the Technical Assistance Fellowship Programme for developing countries. Nominated by country governments, individuals were awarded fellowships for study in academic institutions, participation in training courses, observation studies, and interregional seminars. Following the completion of the fellowship, fellows were required to submit a final report evaluating the course to the DTCD Fellowship Section.

These files, arranged alphabetically by country, include memoranda, correspondence, fellowship project documents, and final reports. S-1913 documents fellowships in the fields of: tax administration, customs, statistics, transport, development planning, public administration, computer processing, hydrology and mining.

Interregional Seminars

The Interregional and Regional Projects Section of the Middle East, Mediterranean, Europe and Interregional Projects Branch of DTCD oversaw the planning and implementation of interregional seminars, symposiums, workshops, study tours, and expert group meetings. Participants included fellows and experts intending to gain more experience in their field. The level of knowledge and ability of participants ranged from the novice to junior and senior levels and determined the type of meeting. For example, senior experts would participate in an expert group meeting, such as the Interregional Expert Group Meeting on Curricula Design for Management Development (Arusha, Tanzania, 20-24 July 1981).

The records in S-1913 document interregional seminars in the fields of economic planning, public administration, finance, demographics, community development, natural resources, energy and water resources and include seminars such as: the Interregional Symposium on Development Process and Technological Options in Developing Countries (Lome, Togo, 2-26 May 1979); United Nations Symposium on World Coal Prospects (Katowice, Poland, 15-23 October 1979); and the Interregional Meeting of International River Organizations (Dakar, Senegal, 5-14 May 1981). The files include correspondence and memoranda pertaining to the implementation and planning of interregional seminars; country monographs, technical papers, and reports such as rapporteurs’ reports and final reports of seminars.

Regional and Interregional Training Centres

The files contain documentation related to UN regional and interregional demographic training and research centres including: Institut de Formation et de Recherches Démographiques (IFORD), Yaoundé, Cameroon; Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Centre Demographique ONU-Roumanie (CEDOR), Bucharest, Romania; and the Interregional Demographic Research and Training Centre, Cairo, Egypt where training courses and seminars were held.

In addition to documenting the recruitment of fellows, consultants, associate experts, professors and directors to training centres, the records include job descriptions; work programmes; project budget revisions; requests for equipment; cables and memoranda detailing travel arrangements; reports; memoranda and correspondence.

These records contain agreements between the UN and the training centres’ country’s government addressing, for example, the extension of the agreement between the UN and the Government of Cameroon regarding continued support of IFORD; a project document, work plan and institutional framework containing short-term and long-term objectives for continued assistance to the Demographic Research and Training Centre in Cairo, Egypt; a project request for a Computer Facility at RIPS; correspondence and memoranda about the fellowship programme at CEDOR; and reports of RIPS experts and fellows.

S-1913 also contains files related to the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD), Nagoya Japan which was established in June 1971 under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Resolution 1086-C (XXXIX) through a Funds-in-Trust arrangement with the Government of Japan. UNCRD provided training in regional development to officials who were engaged in the planning, management and implementation of development activities in developing countries in the Asian region.. Training and staffing of the UNCRD was provided by UN consultants and experts.

The UNCRD records include: budget plans and proposals; reports; job descriptions; correspondence and memoranda related to the planning and implementation of advisory meetings, expert group meetings, and seminars; as well as administrative arrangements for UNCRD experts and consultants. These files also include a variety of reports on specific missions or topics, authored by UNCRD experts such as “Report of the Consultative Meeting of Experts on Training for Regional Development, 29 January - 4 February 1980.”

S-1913 also contains records of the Latin American Institute for Crime Prevention and Treatment of Offenders (ILANUD) in San Juan, Costa Rica, which carried out training programmes and seminars for policymakers, planners and administrators; produced guidelines; and provided advisory services to governments in the field of crime prevention and treatment of offenders. The records include: budget revisions; programmes of activities; job descriptions; memoranda and correspondence about workshops; administrative arrangements and travel arrangements for ILANUD personnel.

S-1913 also documents the coordination between DTCD and the Environnement et Développement du Tiers-Monde (ENDA) for the Joint Programme on Exchange of Experience and Training in Grass-Root Community Development and Appropriate Technologies (APTEC), a project to support technical co-operation by facilitating the exchange of experience at the local level. These records include: travel arrangements; reports by participants; job descriptions for consultants; and various publications issued by ENDA.

S-1907 · Series · 1951 - 1959
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The records in S-1907 document technical assistance projects administered to developing countries by the Technical Assistance Administration (TAA) for training and study activities. The records contain the administrative arrangements coordinated by the Programme Division of the TAA for projects, fellows and experts, and date primarily from 1956 through 1959. The function of S-1907 is derived from DESA.DEV.062 and DESA.DEV.063 of the retention schedule of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), dated 21 January 2013.

S-1907 records primarily consist of memoranda, correspondence, and reports by either experts or fellows documenting technical assistance projects administered by the TAA to developing countries for training and study activities through the provision of development and training institutions, conferences, seminars and training courses, which provided: expert advice, fellowships, scholarships, scientific and industrial research, pilot and demonstration projects, training of local technicians and officials through the establishment of regional or national training centres and the dissemination of technical information.

Development and Training Institutions and Training Courses

The records from the development and training institutions document the establishment of courses to support the activities of governments in research and applied research, planning, development, training and demonstration, or a combination of these disciplines. The records contain correspondence and memoranda on the planning of courses and development of training institutions such as the Instituto Cartografico, Montevideo, Uruguay; Centro de Estudios Monetarios Latinamericanos (CEMLA), Mexico City, Mexico; Centro Regional de Educación Fundamental para la América Latina (CREFAL), Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico; and the Instituto Centroamericano de Investigación y Tecnología Industrial (ICAITI), Guatemala City, Guatemala.

There are also annual project requests, and memoranda and correspondence which cover funding, annual budgets and the assignments of fellows and experts. Correspondence is generally between country governments, resident representatives and the Programme Division of TAA. The experts were responsible for teaching, advising or directing development and training at the institutions, and records indicate that experts were also responsible for writing reports.

Conferences and Seminars

S-1907 contains records that document the planning and execution of conferences such as the Latin American Conference on Steel Making and Transforming Industries, Sao Paulo, Brazil 15-28 October 1956. These conferences were established by request from at least one government, offering to act as a host, and with evidence of interest provided by countries willing to participate.

In addition, seminars were a type of conference that provided an opportunity for participants responsible for making policy, planning programmes or directing operations in social welfare to discuss among themselves the newest technical developments under the leadership of technical assistance experts provided by the United Nations. S-1907 contains records of seminars including: Urbanization in Latin America, Santiago, Chile, 6-18 July 1959; Rehabilitation Seminar for Latin America, Copenhagen, Denmark, 21 June - 24 July 1959; Participation of Women in Public Life, Bogota, Colombia, 18-29 May 1959 and a number of seminars on housing for Central America and Panama from 1954 to 1957. The records consist of memoranda, correspondence and reports such as the "Desarrollo Economico y Social de las Comunidades Indigenas de Guatemala," issued by the Guatemalan Delegation to the Seminar on Teaching Social Service in Latin America. Correspondence and memoranda address planning seminars and nominating or recruiting participants.

Fellowships and Scholarships

The TAA awarded fellowships to assist governments in sending qualified senior personnel to countries where appropriate facilities existed for higher training or advanced study. Fellowships were normally granted for a period of three to six months, and in-training fellowships were awarded for a period of three to twelve months and would advance the governments’ programme for economic development, public administration and social development on the return of the fellowship holder.

Scholarships were awarded to enable governments to send technical personnel or civil service members to study abroad in training schools, universities or other institutes of higher education and to provide appropriate training in fields needing development in the scholar’s country. Scholarships were usually granted for one academic year.

Host governments which offered facilities for training fellows and scholars arranged a suitable programme of observation and study in consultation with the UN. Reports from fellows and scholars were used to determine whether the programme developed satisfactorily, whether it concluded successfully, and whether good use was made of the training and experience gained abroad.

A large portion of S-1907 records document the TAA’s fellowship programme. The governments of Latin American countries made requests in consultation with their government ministries to the TAA for fellowships which became an integral part of the country’s programme for technical assistance. A request was required for a fellowship related to the government’s economic, social or public administration development programme. In addition, the Director-General had the authority to invite countries which were not included in the Technical Assistance Board (TAB) country programming procedure to submit applications for fellowships under Resolution 418(V). After a detailed process to gain approval, the fellow would be assigned a post in their field and deployed to the host country.

Fellowship posts were offered in fields such as industrial development, transport and communications, telecommunications, meteorology, public administration and social welfare. Fellowships were offered by development and training institutions such as CREFAL, CEMLA, ICAITI and the Instituto Cartografico, Montevideo, Uruguay. S-1907 records include requests for fellowships and scholarships, memoranda and correspondence addressing administrative arrangements for fellows, drafts of policies and procedures and reports written by fellows.

S-1925 · Series · 1972 - 1978
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

Records in S-1925 document the coordination of projects and partnerships between the Development Planning Advisory Services (DPAS) section of the Centre for Development Planning, Projections and Policies (CDPPP) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the United Nations regional economic commissions. The bulk of records dates from 1973 to 1976 and details the planning and placement of long-term advisers to interdisciplinary United Nations Development Advisory Teams (UNDAT) expert posts in developing countries and regions.

S-1925 consists of records from UNDATs in the regions of: the Caribbean, Central Africa, Central America, South East Africa, South America, the South Pacific, and West Africa. Assigned to a group of countries, the UNDATs advised individual governments in overall development planning and facilitated collaboration for multinational projects. Each UNDAT consisted of a team leader and five to eight technical advisers form various fields, including economic and social development planning, financial management, public administration and agriculture.

DPAS and the regional economic commissions, including the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA), and the Economic Commission for Asia and the Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), collaborated to recruit and arrange the placement of experts, conduct periodic reviews of UNDAT activities, and provide comments and recommendations on reports. UNDATs were originally funded from Part V of the regular UN budget and the UN Trust Fund for Development Planning and Projections. In 1976, following a decrease in funding, the responsibilities of the UNDATs were decentralized to the regional economic commissions and the UNDAT programme was dissolved.

Arranged alphabetically by region, the records include job descriptions and terms of reference, meeting minutes, and reports. S-1925 also includes correspondence and memoranda exchanged between DPAS, the regional economic commissions, and UNDAT advisers.
Correspondence and memoranda concern: UNDAT financing, programme development and activities, comments on reports, and the status of UNDAT advisers’ contracts. Reports include monthly activity reports, progress reports and mission reports authored by team leaders and UNDAT advisers.

S-1911 · Series · 1973 - 1995
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The records in S-1911 document the coordination of projects and partnerships between the Department of Technical Co-operation for Development (DTCD), United Nations Member States and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The bulk of the records date from 1979 to 1983 and detail the planning and implementation of technical assistance projects in developing countries. The function of S-1911 is derived from DESA.DEV.018 of the retention schedule of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), dated 21 January 2013.

The records primarily consist of country files containing draft project documents and related correspondence, regional and interregional technical assistance programme materials, project files, and records relating to Operational, Executive and Administrative Services (OPAS) expert posts.

Country Files
Arranged alphabetically, the country files include requests for technical assistance from developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe. Additionally, there are project proposals, draft project documents, and budgets prepared by country governments, and correspondence and memoranda exchanged between the DTCD and the UNDP, which served as the primary funding agency for technical assistance projects executed by the DTCD. Requests for technical assistance and project documents were issued by the UNDP Resident Representative in the developing country, prepared in consultation with the country government, and submitted to the DTCD for review. Project documents were official proposals that included project objectives, work plans, budgets, and other information relating to the implementation of project.

Country files also include draft and final versions of UNDP Country Programmes, comprehensive summaries detailing the economic and social priorities for each developing country, as well as a list of proposed and in-progress projects. These records also include country project files documenting specific projects where the DTCD served as the Executing Agency and consist of draft project documents, related correspondence and memoranda, and mission reports of United Nations Technical Advisers. Projects were implemented in the fields of natural resources and energy, statistics and public administration. Examples of country projects include a Population Census project in Algeria, the Development and Conservation of Water Resources in Malta, and Mineral Exploration of the Madhya Pradesh State in India.

Operational, Executive and Administrative Services (OPAS) Expert Files
S-1911 also documents the activities of OPAS experts. OPAS experts were recruited by the Technical Assistance Services (TARS) of the Programme Support Division of DTCD but were not considered UN employees. Fully accountable to the government of the developing country to which they were assigned, OPAS experts temporarily held existing civil service positions while their local counterparts received the appropriate education and training in order to assume the post. OPAS experts’ contracts were renewed annually, and, at the request of the government, they could be promoted to UN technical advisers. In some instances, large projects required the collaboration of UN technical advisers and OPAS experts. OPAS experts were assigned to posts in the fields of: public administration and finance, natural resources, social welfare, statistics, and economic planning. These files are arranged alphabetically by country.

The files also include records of Associate Experts, characterized as recent graduates and new professionals; and UN Volunteers (UNV), who were assigned to technical assistance projects. The records consist of job descriptions detailing expert responsibilities, project documents, correspondence and memoranda concerning the relationship between experts and country governments, funding of projects, and comments on experts’ reports. The files also contain progress reports authored by technical experts and submitted to the DTCD, which identify project objectives; the political, social and economic background of the country; and activities undertaken by experts during each phase of the project. Additional information found in the progress reports includes summaries of meetings with other experts in the field, lists of fellows in the field, and lists of titles of reports and papers, and other activities.

Regional and Interregional Technical Assistance Programme
Other records in S-1911 provide information on the regional and interregional technical assistance programme of the DTCD, which coordinated with country governments and the UN regional economic commissions to develop large-scale regional projects, interregional seminars and training programmes in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. Projects and seminars were held in the fields of economic and social development, natural resources and energy, public administration, and population. These files consist of requests for technical assistance, as well as project and seminar proposals, seminar reports, and related correspondence and memoranda. S-1911 also includes job descriptions for expert posts and advisory service reports prepared by UN technical experts. Regional projects documented in these files include a Water Resources Assessment, Development and Management project in the Caribbean, Project Identification in Energy Matters in Asia, and Research on the Impact on Women of Socio-Economic Changes in Africa South of the Sahara.

Records related to interregional seminars and training programmes also include agreements between the DTCD and country governments hosting the seminar, project documents explaining the objectives and timetables of the seminars, and memoranda detailing travel arrangements for lecturers. Seminars were held on a variety of topics, including population, public administration and finance, natural resources and energy, water resources, and rural development. Examples of interregional seminars and training courses include the UN Conference on Least Developed Countries, a Seminar on Topographic and Hydrographic Surveying, and a training course on the Use of Computers for Water Resources Development.

S-1911 contains a small group of records pertaining to administrative arrangements of DTCD staff. These files include memoranda and correspondence documenting travel arrangements of staff, DTCD participation in conferences, and the preparation and publication of the DTCD Handbook.

S-1906 · Series · 1968 - 1979
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

Records in S-1906 document the coordination of projects and partnerships between the Office of Technical Co-operation (OTC) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and DESA substantive offices, United Nations Member States, and United Nations agencies, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The substantive offices include: the Statistical Office, the Centre for Natural Resources, Energy and Transport (CNRET), the Division of Public Administration and Finance (DPAF), the Population Division, the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs (CSDHA), and the Centre for Development Planning, Projections and Policies (CDPPP). The bulk of the records date from 1973 to 1978 and detail planning and implementation of technical assistance projects in developing countries and regions. The function of S-1906 is derived from DESA.DEV.018 of the retention schedule of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), dated 21 January 2013.

The OTC, established in 1964, was headquartered in New York and had three regional branches: the Africa branch; the Asia and Middle East branch; and the Europe, Latin America and Interregional Projects branch. Each branch was headed by a deputy director and two section chiefs who oversaw projects focused on human resources, development planning, physical resources, transportation, and housing.

The records largely consist of country files with draft project documents and related correspondence, Country Programmes jointly prepared by the OTC and the UNDP, regional and interregional technical assistance programme materials, and UN technical expert and Operational, Executive and Administrative Services (OPAS) expert files.

Country Files
Arranged alphabetically, the country files contain information about requests for technical assistance received from developing countries in the regions of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America. In addition, there are project proposals, draft project documents, proposals and budgets prepared by country governments, and correspondence and memoranda exchanged between the OTC and the substantive offices of DESA. Project documents were official proposals that included project objectives, work plans, budgets, and other information relating to the implementation of project. UN representatives in developing countries submitted all requests and project documents, prepared in consultation with government ministries, to the OTC for review. The files also contain job descriptions for technical experts that detail project goals, details of travel logistics, and project reports compiled by experts. The OTC also acted as an executing agency for short-term projects, recruiting technical experts from the substantive offices of DESA to undertake advisory missions.

The OTC carried out a variety of projects in the fields of public administration and economic and social development. Technical experts were tasked with carrying out studies and surveys and compiling recommendations in reports distributed to the OTC, the substantive offices, and the country governments. Projects carried out by experts included the development of an unemployment insurance programme in Iran, studying the tourism industry in the Maldives, and surveys of mineral resources in Somalia. Projects were also executed in the fields of natural resources, low-income housing, family planning and population, and railroad and transportation infrastructures.

UNDP Country Programmes
S-1906 includes draft and final versions of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Programmes. The records consist of final UNDP Country Programmes as well as revisions and comments from OTC personnel, Country Background Papers and country programme management plans. The Country Programmes provide background on the economic and social priorities for the particular developing country, as well as a list of proposed and in-progress projects. The UNDP served as the funding source for a majority of the technical assistance projects executed by the OTC. The OTC did not have its own representatives in the field and relied on correspondence with the UNDP Resident Representatives for updates on project execution.

The UNDP Country Programmes were distributed for review to all UN agencies serving as an Executing Agency on a technical project in the country and then revised or amended by the UNDP Resident Representative based on feedback before final approval by the UNDP Governing Council. The UNDP Resident Representatives also produced annual reports with project updates, and annual and biannual Country Management Plans that included financial allocations and timelines for projects listed in the Country Programme.

Regional and Interregional Technical Assistance Programmes
Utilizing funds from the United Nations Regular Programme for technical assistance, the OTC coordinated with country governments and regional organizations to execute projects, regional and interregional seminars and training programmes in the fields of population and family planning, natural resources, public administration, housing, and social development. The files document the collaboration with the substantive offices of DESA as well as the regional economic commissions of the UN Economic and Social Council, including the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), to develop projects and seminars. The records include correspondence and memoranda, project documents, seminar proposals and requests, budgets, and reports. The development of a Trans-Asian railway, a study of geothermal resources in Central America, and the creation of a transnational regional aquifer in North Africa are examples of some of the documented regional projects.

Operational, Executive and Administrative Services (OPAS) Expert Files
This series also documents the activities of OPAS experts. OPAS experts were recruited by the Technical Assistance Services (TARS) of the Office of Personnel Services (OPS) but were not considered UN employees. Fully accountable to the government of the developing country to which they were assigned, OPAS experts temporarily held existing civil service positions while their local counterparts received the appropriate education and training in order to assume the post. OPAS experts’ contracts were renewed annually, and, at the request of the government, they could be promoted to UN technical advisers. OPAS experts were assigned to posts in the fields of: public administration and finance, natural resources, social welfare, statistics, and public works.

The files also include records of Associate Experts, characterized as recent graduates and new professionals; and UN Volunteers (UNV), who were assigned to technical assistance projects. The records include reports, correspondence and memoranda, project revision forms, and job descriptions.

A small group of records pertaining to Technical Co-operation Among Developing Countries (TCDC) are also included in S-1906. The files contain correspondence and memoranda related to the development of the TCDC process of technical assistance. TCDC promoted cooperation between developing countries to increase self-reliance and improve the effectiveness of development projects. The records contain correspondence and memoranda and planning documents for the UN Conference on TCDC held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1978.

S-1905 · Series · 1949 - 1966
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The records in S-1905 document regional project coordination and partnerships between the Technical Assistance Administration and United Nations Member States. The function of S-1905 is derived from DESA.DEV.018 of the retention schedule of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), dated 21 January 2013.

Included in S-1905 are records of the Office for Latin America (OLA) from the Programme Division of the Technical Assistance Administration (TAA). The OLA was located in Santiago, Chile and coordinated its activities with a branch office in Mexico City that was established in 1956. The TAA’s Programme Division was headquartered in New York.

S-1905 records date primarily from 1956 through 1959 when Mr. Bruno Leuschner served as the Director of the OLA. The Mexico City Office was staffed by Carlos S. Vegega during this period and coordinated technical assistance activities in countries throughout Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

The OLA coordinated projects through the employment of technical experts and consultants. The governments of Latin American countries made requests in consultation with their government ministries to the TAA. After a detailed process to gain approval, requests were funded under the Regular or Expanded Programme and a technical expert was recruited and deployed.

Experts undertook a wide variety of projects in social welfare, economic development and public administration and were tasked with conducting studies, making recommendations, and implementing specific advancements and reforms within the parameters of the project. For example, experts carried out community development among Andean Indians in South America; studies of refrigeration for slaughtered cattle and meat products; economic surveys; studies and recommendations for railroad construction and traction; the development of the pharmaceutical industry, including penicillin manufacturing in Chile, the management of natural resources; deep sea diving and shipwreck salvage operations; low-cost housing; rehabilitation of the physically handicapped; and training in hotel management.

Experts also advised Latin American countries on improving the efficiency of government functions in the fields of public administration, budget and tax administration, and fiscal policy. Some projects focused on updating and negotiating outdated government laws and industry regulations.

The records consist of: job descriptions outlining the project aims and the responsibilities of the technical expert; terms of reference letters sent to experts orienting them to the project once they arrived in the country; telegrams sent and received by the Office for Latin America; and draft legal agreements between the United Nations and governments of Latin American countries soliciting experts for country-specific studies and projects. Memoranda and correspondence document: the recruitment of technical experts; relations between experts and the government, industry professionals and professional organizations; comments on the expert’s progress and final reports; and the funding of projects.

The files also contain progress reports authored by technical experts and submitted to the Office for Latin America. The progress reports describe the objectives of the project; the political, social, economic climate of the country; activities undertaken during the phases of the project. They also cover experts’ tours of remote areas, observations of local populations, and the state of local manufacturing facilities, social service facilities, chemical plants, and mines. In addition, the progress reports served as an opportunity for experts to ask for advice on how to handle an unexpected situation, which would be received by a TAA official and passed along the appropriate channels.

The series also includes technical experts’ final reports of projects, as well as preliminary and draft reports. The final reports include discussions of: the state of a particular industry or professional field; the condition of machinery being used; the quality and type of raw materials; and deficiencies in administration. In addition, final reports provide recommendations such as the adoption or improvement of government laws and regulations, and improvements towards efficiency and productivity for industrial development. Final reports contain tables, graphs, statistics and other supporting data and, depending on the technical assistance offered, may include annexes and appendices of large-scale mechanical, engineering, and architectural designs. Maps and sketches of geographical areas under study are also included as annexes.

At the conclusion of a project, the final reports were required to be approved by the concerned substantive departments. For example, the final report on Chemical Industries in Peru, “Aspects of the Development of the Heavy Chemical Industry in Peru,” would need to be approved by the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) and the Bureau of Economic Affairs, Headquarters before it was produced and formally submitted to the Government.

Upon approval final reports were forwarded to United Nations headquarters and presented to the government. Sometimes reports were rejected by the TAA because they did not fall under the experts’ terms of reference in order to be accepted as a final report. Reasons for rejection include: inaccuracies; subjective recommendations; or statements that run against the U.N. policy or would be objectionable to the government.

Comprehensive Programme
S-1905 also contains records of the Office for Latin America’s Comprehensive Programme documenting coordination and management of technical experts’ active or proposed projects for a particular country or region in Latin America. The records primarily consist of project submission forms, correspondence, and job descriptions. These records include correspondence between Mr. Bruno Leuschner, Director of the Office for Latin America, and Mr. Carlos S. Vegega of the Mexico City Office; experts in the field; Resident Representatives; and representatives of governments throughout Latin America.

Correspondence also covers the recruitment of technical experts and the extension of their contracts; the development of project objectives; and the financing of projects. The files also include country requests for technical assistance and annual country-specific evaluations of technical assistance programmes.

S-1915 · Series · 1971 - 1979
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The records in S-1915 contain agency files which document the coordination of projects and partnerships between the Office of Technical Co-operation (OTC) and the United Nations regional economic commissions, funds and programmes, and specialized agencies. The bulk of the records date from 1973 to 1978 and detail the planning and execution of technical assistance projects in developing countries. The records are arranged alphabetically and include draft project documents, correspondence, memoranda, progress reports, and mission reports.

Regional Economic Commissions

The records of the UN regional economic commissions contain requests for large-scale technical assistance projects in the regions of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe and include draft project documents, correspondence, memoranda, and reports prepared by regional advisors. Project documents were official proposals that outline project objectives, work plans, budgets, and other information relating to project implementation. The files contain records of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE), Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), and the Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA).

The regional economic commissions served as the executing agency for regional projects financed by the Regular Programme, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) or the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA). Projects executed by regional economic commissions include a 1978 Workshop on Budget Reclassification and Budget-Plan Harmonization in Western Asia (ECWA) and the Regional Population Programme for Latin America (ECLA). While some projects were jointly executed, such as On-the-Job Training in Integrated Rural Development for Countries of the ESCAP Region (ESCAP/OTC) and a Training Workshop on Estimates of National Accounts at Constant Prices (ECWA and the Regional Institute for Training and Research in Statistics for the Near East, Baghdad), all regional projects executed independently by the OTC or the UN specialized agencies were also sent to the regional economic commissions for review.

S-1915 contains draft project documents, job descriptions for regional advisors, memoranda and correspondence between the geographic branches of the OTC and the Technical Assistance Units of the regional economic commissions on project funding, and comments on regional advisors’ reports. These records also include progress reports and mission reports prepared by regional advisors and submitted for review to the OTC and the regional economic commissions. The regional economic commissions were responsible for assigning regional advisors who participated in seminars, gave lectures at regional institutes and provided short-term advice to country governments on technical assistance projects in the field. Progress reports and mission reports identify project objectives and work plans, detail activities undertaken by regional advisors during each phase of the project, offer conclusions and make recommendations for the project’s future.

Funds, Programmes and Specialized Agencies

The records in S-1915 also provide information on the coordination between the OTC and the UN funds, programmes and specialized agencies to implement country and regional technical assistance projects. The files contain records of: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The OTC reviewed all project proposals for which a UN fund, programme or specialized agency served as an executing agency including: the Development of the Aguán Valley in Honduras (UNDP); an Agricultural Planning and Marketing project in Ecuador (FAO); the establishment of Technical Education, Vocational and Management Training in Indonesia (IBRD); a regional project on the Potential Contribution of Aviation to African Economies (ICAO); and a Maternal and Child Health and Family Planning project in Afghanistan (WHO). Projects were also executed in the fields of agricultural and rural development, population, transport, tourism, education, and health.

The records contain project documents, correspondence and memoranda exchanged between the OTC, UNDP Resident Representatives, the substantive offices of DESA, and the funds, programmes and specialized agencies. Memoranda and correspondence document the implementation of country and regional projects, project financing, and contain comments on project documents and reports. Other files contain progress reports and mission reports which were authored by technical experts and submitted to the OTC for review.