You are viewing our old site. See the new one here

ENB:10:44 [Next] . [Previous] . [Contents]

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WSSD

In December 1992, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 47/92, "Convening of a world summit for social development," and set the process in motion for organizing a meeting of Heads of State or Government to tackle the critical problems of poverty, unemployment and social integration.

The WSSD PrepCom held its organizational session in New York from 12-16 April 1993. Amb. Juan Somav¡a (Chile) was elected Chair and representatives from the following nine countries were elected to the Bureau as Vice-Chairs: Australia, Cameroon, India, Indonesia, Latvia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland and Zimbabwe. Denmark, the host country, served as an ex officio member of the Bureau and as a Vice-Chair. The PrepCom also adopted decisions on the working methods of the Bureau, the participation of NGOs, national preparations for the WSSD, mobilization of resources for the Trust Fund, a public information programme, the tasks of the PrepCom, expert group meetings, and the dates for the Summit and the PrepCom sessions.