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S-0151 · Series · 1967 - 1975
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The series consists of records which deal with the origination, formulation, execution and evaluation of the relevant projects. The types of records include any of the following: proposals, preparatory documentation, agreements, plans of operation and various reports such as progress, technical, mission, evaluation, etc. There are also departmental supporting documents which comprise background data, guidelines, studies, terms of reference and other relevant papers that bear elements further elucidating project activities. The department which is responsible for providing the necessary advisory services and assistance to the governments of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to strengthen their national capacities has been re-organized several times under the following names:
Dept. of Economic Affairs, ca 1946-1954
Dept. of Economic and Social Council, ca 1955
Technical Assistance Administration, ca 1955-1958
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1955-1978
Office of Technical Co-operation, ca 1967-1977
Dept. of International Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1979-1993
Dept. of Technical Co-operation for Development, ca 1979-1993
United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations, ca 1985-1993
Dept. for Policy Co-ordination and Sustainable Development, ca1994-1997
Dept. for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, ca 1994-1997
Dept. for Development Support and Management Services, ca 1994-1997
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1998 up to present.
To preserve their identity, the records of the various technical assistance projects are maintained according to their provenance, i.e. the actual name of the organizational element which originated the records forms a part of the series title.Accession number - 76/2

S-0136 · Series · 1951 - 1977
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The series consists of records which deal with the origination, formulation, execution and evaluation of the relevant projects. The types of records include any of the following: proposals, preparatory documentation, agreements, plans of operation and various reports such as progress, technical, mission, evaluation, etc. There are also departmental supporting documents which comprise background data, guidelines, studies, terms of reference and other relevant papers that bear elements further elucidating project activities. The department which is responsible for providing the necessary advisory services and assistance to the governments of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to strengthen their national capacities has been re-organized several times under the following names:
Dept. of Economic Affairs, ca 1946-1954
Dept. of Economic and Social Council, ca 1955
Technical Assistance Administration, ca 1955-1958
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1955-1978
Office of Technical Co-operation, ca 1967-1977
Dept. of International Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1979-1993
Dept. of Technical Co-operation for Development, ca 1979-1993
United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations, ca 1985-1993
Dept. for Policy Co-ordination and Sustainable Development, ca1994-1997
Dept. for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, ca 1994-1997
Dept. for Development Support and Management Services, ca 1994-1997
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1998 up to present.
To preserve their identity, the records of the various technical assistance projects are maintained according to their provenance, i.e. the actual name of the organizational element which originated the records forms a part of the series title.

The series consists of records which deal with the origination, formulation, execution and evaluation of the relevant projects. The types of records include any of the following: proposals, preparatory documentation, agreements, plans of operation and various reports such as progress, technical, mission, evaluation, etc. There are also departmental supporting documents which comprise background data, guidelines, studies, terms of reference and other relevant papers that bear elements further elucidating project activities. The department which is responsible for providing the necessary advisory services and assistance to the governments of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to strengthen their national capacities has been re-organized several times under the following names:
Dept. of Economic Affairs, ca 1946-1954
Dept. of Economic and Social Council, ca 1955
Technical Assistance Administration, ca 1955-1958
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1955-1978
Office of Technical Co-operation, ca 1967-1977
Dept. of International Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1979-1993
Dept. of Technical Co-operation for Development, ca 1979-1993
United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations, ca 1985-1993
Dept. for Policy Co-ordination and Sustainable Development, ca1994-1997
Dept. for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, ca 1994-1997
Dept. for Development Support and Management Services, ca 1994-1997
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1998 up to present.
To preserve their identity, the records of the various technical assistance projects are maintained according to their provenance, i.e. the actual name of the organizational element which originated the records forms a part of the series title.

S-0146 · Series · 1966 - 1978
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The series consists of records which deal with the origination, formulation, execution and evaluation of the relevant projects. The types of records include any of the following: proposals, preparatory documentation, agreements, plans of operation and various reports such as progress, technical, mission, evaluation, etc. There are also departmental supporting documents which comprise background data, guidelines, studies, terms of reference and other relevant papers that bear elements further elucidating project activities. The department which is responsible for providing the necessary advisory services and assistance to the governments of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to strengthen their national capacities has been re-organized several times under the following names:
Dept. of Economic Affairs, ca 1946-1954
Dept. of Economic and Social Council, ca 1955
Technical Assistance Administration, ca 1955-1958
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1955-1978
Office of Technical Co-operation, ca 1967-1977
Dept. of International Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1979-1993
Dept. of Technical Co-operation for Development, ca 1979-1993
United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations, ca 1985-1993
Dept. for Policy Co-ordination and Sustainable Development, ca1994-1997
Dept. for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, ca 1994-1997
Dept. for Development Support and Management Services, ca 1994-1997
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1998 up to present.
To preserve their identity, the records of the various technical assistance projects are maintained according to their provenance, i.e. the actual name of the organizational element which originated the records forms a part of the series title.Accession numbers - 74/17; 75/14

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-1003 · Series · 1923 - 1979
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The Office of Inter-Agency Affairs and Coordination was established in 1967 as a division of the Department of Social and Economic Affairs and became a separate department in 1970. It was dissolved at the end of 1978. The primary functions of the Office were: to represent the Secretary-General in communication with specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); to assist departments and related bodies in matters of coordination with these inter-organizational bodies; to assist with coordination and resolving of differences between these inter-organizational bodies; to assist the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, their subsidiary organs and intergovernmental organizations in the formulation of decisions involving system-wide activities; and to serve as the secretariat for the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC).

S-1003 includes records of the Under-Secretary-General of the Office, the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), the Division of Narcotic Drugs, the Office of the Disaster Relief Coordinator, and the Chief of the Representation and Liaison Unit.

Under-Secretary-General

The files include an assortment of administrative and substantive records of Under-Secretary-General for Inter-Agency Affairs and Coordination C. V. Narasimhan. Records relate to decision-making assistance for the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, to communication between Secretariat Headquarters and the specialized agencies, inter-governmental organizations, international conferences, as well as organization of special events and support to yearbook information requirements.

In addition, Mr. Narasimhan’s files contain information about resource development in the lower Mekong River Basin in Southeast Asia. There is correspondence with members of the Mekong Committee and its Advisory Board; a report dated 8 April 1975 by the Review Mission of the Mekong program; and several issues of “Mekong Secretariat Notes,” a newsletter with information about flood forecasting, aid to the Mekong area, and fishery studies.

Other records document the work of Ismat T. Kittani, Mr. Narasimhan’s predecessor. Mr. Kittani’s files contain press releases and correspondence about foreign aid for Pakistani refugees in India following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. There are also reports from missions to India prepared by the High Commissioner for Refugees, and a draft resolution on human rights and national development education for youth.

Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC)

The Administrative Committee on Coordination was established per the Economic and Social Council’s resolution 13 (III) of 21 September 1946 “for the purpose of taking all appropriate steps, under the leadership of the Secretary-General, to ensure the fullest and most effective implementation of the agreements entered into between the United Nations and the specialized agencies.” The Secretary-General acted as Chairman of the ACC. Other members were the executive heads of the specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Included is correspondence between the Chief of Specialized Agencies and ACC Affairs, the Secretary of the ACC, and the Special Representative in Europe for Coordination and ACC Affairs. These were secondary positions held by UN Secretariat staff. The correspondence covers common interests of the specialized agencies, such as family planning, oceanography, atomic energy, and the peaceful uses of outer space. It also discusses relationships with non-UN intergovernmental agencies (IGOs), the role of the ACC, whether the specialized agencies should use individual flags or the UN flag, and the biological aspects of race.

The summaries for ACC meetings detail a variety of issues such as the Vietnam War, negotiations for peace in the Middle East, and methods of birth control in developing countries. They also contain information about activities of specialized agencies, reviews of UN personnel policy, and the proposal for the creation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The records of the Preparatory Committee primarily consist of conference speeches, descriptions of UN programs, and draft reports about the administration of the ACC, computer usage, rural development, aid for the handicapped, and other subjects.

The records of the Consultative Committee on Administrative Questions (CCAQ) contain information about personnel policies, reforms to the ECOSOC and ACC, the relationship between the ACC and the CCAQ, and the establishment of the CCAQ. They are comprised of working papers, correspondence, agenda, and reports.

Other ACC consultative committees, sub-committees, and ad hoc working groups represented are the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, the Committee on Programme Appraisals, the Enlarged Committee for Program Coordination, the International Civil Service Advisory Board, the Committee for Industrial Development, the Green Revolution Working Group (concerned with agricultural advances such as high-yielding crops), the Meeting on Social and Related Economic Questions, the Consultative Committee for Public Information, and the Sub-Committee on Science and Technology. Their records include: correspondence; meeting minutes; working papers on issues such as housing, juvenile delinquency, and urbanization; reports on topics including technical assistance and inter-agency cooperation on outer space matters; and reviews of UN programs.

Additionally, there is one file documenting the UN’s participation in world’s fairs. It contains: blueprints of the UN pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair and maps of the Fair grounds; an architectural drawing for the 1964 New York World’s Fair; correspondence and reports detailing ACC coordination of UN participation in these fairs; and information about the League of Nations’ participation in the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

Division of Narcotic Drugs

The Division of Narcotic Drugs served as the secretariat for the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Additionally, it assisted governments with the implementation of drug treaties and provided training in drug control. The Division also assisted the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council in drug matters, collaborated with UN organs and agencies, and executed projects of the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control.

A set of chronological files primarily contains the correspondence of Frederick K. Lister, Jr., a member of the IAAC and the Liaison Officer for the Division of Narcotic Drugs. Correspondence of Mr. Lister and that of the Director concerns elections for the International Narcotics Control Board, the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, a UN-commissioned television special “The Poppy is Also a Flower,” the Gracie Mansion Narcotics Conference held on 3-5 February 1965, and other subjects. The correspondence also includes requests for copies of UN publications on drug abuse.

In addition, records of the Division of Narcotic Drugs contain periodic bulletins on international drug control activities and drug-related research, and a “Report of the UN Survey Team on the Economic and Social Needs of the Opium-Producing Areas in Thailand” dated 1967.

Office of the Disaster Relief Coordinator

Martin Hill served as the Disaster Relief Coordinator. The records document the work of voluntary agencies, non-governmental organizations and the United Nations in disaster relief. Records include correspondence, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council Sessions documents, administrative bulletins, reports, and memoranda. The correspondence is between Hill, the Committee for Program Coordination, the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East's (ECAFE) Typhoon Committee, and various voluntary and non-governmental agencies. It concerns aid in response to natural disasters. The reports concern meetings of voluntary and non-governmental agencies and the role of science and technology in disaster relief.

There are also records originating with the United Nations Development Program, including the UNDP Field Directory for June 1971, a paper about the Yemen Arab Republic, and summary records of four meetings of the UNDP's Inter-Agency Consultative Board.

Representation and Liaison Unit, Chief

The Representation and Liaison Unit of the Office for Inter-Agency Affairs and Coordination organized United Nations participation at international meetings and was responsible for liaison at Headquarters with the Division of Narcotic Drugs (located in Geneva), the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control (located in Geneva), and the International Narcotics Control Board. It also liaised with: other UN programs; specialized agencies; and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Alexander Messing-Mierzejewski served as Chief of the Representation Unit.

Records for the International Narcotics Control Board include correspondence exchanged between Messing-Mierzejewski, the Director of the Division of Narcotic Drugs, and representatives of the Member States. The correspondence pertains to Board elections, fundraising, drug-control treaties, representation at conferences, proposals for regional narcotics centers, and the organization of UN narcotics control structures and activities. There are also annual reports of the International Narcotics Control Board.

United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control records include: correspondence about the operation of the fund and coordination with UNDP; reports on projects; briefing packets; and requests for funding. There are also reports, plans, discussion papers, and correspondence about missions to various countries to investigate or implement projects such as reducing cultivation of the poppy by replacing it with other crops.

A wide variety of records document the Unit’s work on the control of narcotic drugs. These include protocols from conventions on narcotics; reports from sessions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Inter-Agency Advisory Committee on Drug Abuse Control; Division of Narcotic Drugs strategic plans; correspondence about UN participation in conferences on drug abuse control; General Assembly and Economic and Social Council documents pertaining to narcotics; a presentation titled “The UN Fights Drug Abuse” in 35 millimetre slide format with an accompanying audio tape reel; and master copies of the Division’s “Information Letter”.

Messing-Mierzejewski’s records from his position as the Outposted Officer in South East Asia from 1963 to 1965 include reports addressed to the Director of the Division of Narcotic Drugs. There is also correspondence exchanged between Messing-Mierzejewski, the Director of the Division of Narcotic Drugs, Thai officials, and representatives of organizations and Member States working in South East Asia on narcotics control. The records contain surveys with information about the opium-growing hill tribes of Thailand, visits to South East Asian countries and diplomats, and rehabilitation options for individuals afflicted with narcotics addiction in South East Asian countries.

There are also records pertaining to Messing-Mierzejewski’s speaking engagements.

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-0392 · Series · 1970 - 1979
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The series consists of records which deal with the origination, formulation, execution and evaluation of the relevant projects. The types of records include any of the following: proposals, preparatory documentation, agreements, plans of operation and various reports such as progress, technical, mission, evaluation, etc. There are also departmental supporting documents which comprise background data, guidelines, studies, terms of reference and other relevant papers that bear elements further elucidating project activities. The department which is responsible for providing the necessary advisory services and assistance to the governments of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to strengthen their national capacities has been re-organized several times under the following names:
Dept. of Economic Affairs, ca 1946-1954
Dept. of Economic and Social Council, ca 1955
Technical Assistance Administration, ca 1955-1958
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1955-1978
Office of Technical Co-operation, ca 1967-1977
Dept. of International Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1979-1993
Dept. of Technical Co-operation for Development, ca 1979-1993
United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations, ca 1985-1993
Dept. for Policy Co-ordination and Sustainable Development, ca1994-1997
Dept. for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, ca 1994-1997
Dept. for Development Support and Management Services, ca 1994-1997
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1998 up to present.
To preserve their identity, the records of the various technical assistance projects are maintained according to their provenance, i.e. the actual name of the organizational element which originated the records forms a part of the series title.Accession numbers - 78/22; 79/32

S-0391 · Series · 1970 - 1979
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

The series consists of records which deal with the origination, formulation, execution and evaluation of the relevant projects. The types of records include any of the following: proposals, preparatory documentation, agreements, plans of operation and various reports such as progress, technical, mission, evaluation, etc. There are also departmental supporting documents which comprise background data, guidelines, studies, terms of reference and other relevant papers that bear elements further elucidating project activities. The department which is responsible for providing the necessary advisory services and assistance to the governments of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to strengthen their national capacities has been re-organized several times under the following names:
Dept. of Economic Affairs, ca 1946-1954
Dept. of Economic and Social Council, ca 1955
Technical Assistance Administration, ca 1955-1958
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1955-1978
Office of Technical Co-operation, ca 1967-1977
Dept. of International Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1979-1993
Dept. of Technical Co-operation for Development, ca 1979-1993
United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations, ca 1985-1993
Dept. for Policy Co-ordination and Sustainable Development, ca1994-1997
Dept. for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, ca 1994-1997
Dept. for Development Support and Management Services, ca 1994-1997
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs, ca 1998 up to present.
To preserve their identity, the records of the various technical assistance projects are maintained according to their provenance, i.e. the actual name of the organizational element which originated the records forms a part of the series title.Accession numbers - 85/0212; 85/0213; 85/0214

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.

S-1935 · Series · 1969 - 1979
Part of Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (1955-present)

Records in S-1935 document the planning and implementation of the 1974 World Population Conference by Ralph Townley and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations. Mr. Townley served as the Director of the Office of the Secretary-General of the World Population Conference. Antonio Carillo-Flores served as the Secretary-General of the conference.

The 1974 World Population Conference was held in Bucharest, Romania from 19 to 30 August 1974 and was the first world-wide intergovernmental conference to be held on the subject of population. Two population conferences were previously held in 1954 and 1964, but the 1974 conference was the first to include representatives of member states’ governments in addition to experts in the field of population.

Ralph Townley joined the United Nations in 1951 as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs before moving to the Special Fund as a Project Officer in 1959. Mr. Townley held various positions in the Special Fund and its successor, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 1959 to 1972. In January 1973, Mr. Townley was appointed as the Acting Director of the Office of the Secretary-General of the World Population Conference. His title changed to Director in January 1974.

Records in S-1935 include Mr. Townley’s chronological files, which contain correspondence and memoranda, reports, and cables documenting the planning and financing of the conference. A small amount of records are Mr. Townley’s personal files, which include correspondence and memoranda from his friends and family and relate to his other positions within the United Nations. S-1935 also contains subject files that are arranged alphabetically by topic and include: conference facilities, cultural activities; population policies of Brazil and the United States of America; public relations; and publications. These records include correspondence and memoranda, reports, cables, agendas and meeting minutes, and drafts of the official conference pamphlet and the World Population Plan of Action (WPPA). The records also document coordination with the United Nations regional economic commissions and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).