The founding states of the UN drew up guidelines in the Charter for a body that would have the capacity to coordinate the economic and social activities of the entire UN system. But the Economic and Social Council, or ECOSOC by Abbreviationfinder, has long played a hidden role.
ECOSOC is subordinate to the General Assembly. The 54 members of the Council cannot finally adopt declarations or conventions, but the General Assembly always has the last word. Ecosoc may, however, form its own sub-bodies and new specialized bodies within the UN system. Since the creation of the UN, Ecosoc has established a number of commissions, subcommittees and other sub-bodies. The council also has special commissions that deal with, among other things, statistics, population issues, social development, the status of women, the environment, crime issues and drugs.
ECOSOC also has regional economic commissions: ECA in Africa (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), ESCAP in Asia Pacific (Bangkok, Thailand), ECE in Europe (Geneva, Switzerland), ECLAC in Latin America (Santiago, Chile) and finally ESCWA in West Asia (Beirut, Lebanon). The Secretariat of the Regional Commissions assists Member States with statistics and analyzes.
For decades, there have been discussions about how the council can be strengthened. One proposal has been to give the UN greater authority in the world economy by extending the Economic and Social Council to an Economic Security Council. Today, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund IMF and the World Trade Organization WTO, where in turn the United States has great power, have the dominant economic influence in the world together with the rich countries within the G8 group. It has been difficult for developing countries to influence international economic decision-making.
In 2006, the General Assembly decided to give ECOSOC a more influential role by holding annual meetings at ministerial level to monitor the fulfillment of international development goals.
Economic and Social Council
Economic and Social Council, English Economic and Social Council [i ː k ɔ n ɔ m ɪ k ənd sə ʊ ʃ l ka ʊ nsl], acronym ECOSOC, one of the principal organs of the United Nations (UN) as well as the central steering and coordination body for international cooperation to create better living conditions, to promote economic and social progress, to solve economic, social and health problems, to protect and realize human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as for cooperation on the Areas of culture and education. UN special bodies assigned to ECOSOC include: the World Trade Conference (UNCTAD), the UN Environment Program (UNEP), the World Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Development Program (UNDP) and the UN Aid for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA). He also maintains close ties to specialized agencies such as the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank Group (World Bank) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
For the ongoing work there are different types of expert bodies, coordination committees, functional commissions (e.g. Commission on Population and Development, Human Rights Commission, Commission on Social Development, Commission on the Status of Women), meeting and standing committees (e.g. Committee on Programs and Coordination, Commission on Housing and Settlements, Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations) and five regional economic commissions: 1) Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), founded in 1947, seat: Geneva; 2) Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), founded in 1958, seat: Addis Ababa; 3) Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, Spanish Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, CEPAL), founded in 1948 only for Latin America (ECLA or CEPAL), expanded since 1984, seat: Santiago de Chile; 4) Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), founded in 1973 as ECWA, current name since 1985, seat: Beirut; 5) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), founded in 1947 as Economic Commission for Asia and Far East (ECAFE), since 1974 Name, seat: Bangkok. 4) Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), founded in 1973 as ECWA, current name since 1985, seat: Beirut; 5) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), founded in 1947 as Economic Commission for Asia and Far East (ECAFE), since 1974 Name, seat: Bangkok. 4) Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), founded in 1973 as ECWA, current name since 1985, seat: Beirut; 5) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), founded in 1947 as Economic Commission for Asia and Far East (ECAFE), since 1974 Name, seat: Bangkok.
