The General Assembly,
 
      Having considered the report of the Joint Inspection Unit entitled
"Communication for development programmes in the United Nations system", and
the comments of the Administrative Committee on Coordination on that report,
 
      Noting the need for the improvement of the development of communication
capacities within the United Nations system to ensure effective inter-agency
coordination and cooperation,
 
      Recognizing the pivotal role of communication in the successful
implementation of development programmes within the United Nations system and
in the improvement of the interaction among actors in development, namely, the
agencies, organizations, funds and programmes of the United Nations system,
Governments and non-governmental organizations,
 
      Recognizing also that the regional commissions can play a role, where
appropriate, in the development of communication capacities for the
development of developing countries,
 
      Recognizing further the need for transparent and system-wide
communication coordination within the United Nations system in order to
improve the planning, formulation and execution of development programmes to
benefit the international community, in particular the developing countries,
 
      Aware of the need to intensify the efforts aimed at further reducing
administrative and other related costs in various activities of agencies,
organizations, funds and programmes within the United Nations system and
improving the effectiveness of programme delivery as regards development
programmes of the United Nations system as a development partner in the
development of the developing countries,
 
      Noting that the Joint Inspection Unit will be preparing a separate study
entitled "A review of telecommunications and related information technologies
in the United Nations system",
 
      1.    Takes note of the report of the Joint Inspection Unit entitled
"Communication for development programmes in the United Nations system"  and
of the comments of the Administrative Committee on Coordination on that
report, and, in this context, invites the Joint Inspection Unit to take into
consideration the requirements of developing countries;
 
      2.    Recognizes the important role of communication for development
programmes in the United Nations system in enhancing the transparency of
system- wide coordination within the United Nations system, inter alia, for
the development of the developing countries;
 
      3.    Invites the Committee on Information, in accordance with its
mandate, and where appropriate, to consider this question at its forthcoming
session; 
 
      4.    Recognizes the need further to facilitate inter-agency cooperation
and to maximize the impact of the development programmes of the entities
concerned;
 
      5.    Also recognizes the role of effective communication in
disseminating the outcome and follow-up of major United Nations conferences
and in ensuring the effective flow of such information to various
non-governmental organizations, including grass-roots-level organizations;
 
      6.    Encourages the relevant agencies, organizations, funds and
programmes of the United Nations system, including the regional commissions,
as appropriate, to use informal mechanisms such as round-table conferences to
improve communication for development programmes in the United Nations system;
 
      7.    Emphasizes the need for the relevant agencies, organizations,
funds and programmes of the United Nations system to develop a systematic
approach to capacity-building in the development of communication capacities,
particularly with respect to the training of field workers and development
workers and technicians as well as communication planners and specialists,
especially in the developing countries;
 
      8.    Invites the relevant agencies, organizations, funds and programmes
of the United Nations system, as well as Governments and the regional
commissions, to consider identifying focal points for the purpose of
facilitating dialogue in the exchange of information on communication on
issues related to development so as to strengthen coordination and
international cooperation in this area;
 
      9.    Invites all countries, in particular the donor community, to
provide resources, as appropriate, to support initiatives on development of
capacities for developing countries;
 
      10.   Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Director-
General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, in accordance with that agency's mandate in the field of
communication and with resolution 4.1, adopted by the General Conference at
its twenty-eighth session, to report to the General Assembly at its
fifty-first session on the implementation of the present resolution and on a
biennial basis thereafter.