J. Review of the organization's general structure

J. Review of the organization's general structure

388. The Council, in Resolution No. 11/44 of its Forty-Fourth Session placed on the agenda of the Conference a proposal for the review of the organizational structure of FAO, and invited the Director-General to prepare the framework of such a review for consideration by the Forty-Fifth Session of the Council and by the Conference.

389. In Resolution No. 2/45 of its Forty-Fifth Session, the Council set forth its recommendations regarding the major procedural aspects of the proposed review on the basis of the Director General's proposals in para. 29 of C 65/2 8 Rev. 2. In this document the Director-General put forward his personal assessment of the factors which he felt merited priority consideration in determining the future structure of the Organization.

390. The Conference considered the comprehensive framework presented by the Director General and concurred with the Director-General's view that the basic objective of the review should be not a survey of detailed management procedures and operating efficiency, but on the contrary a broad forward-looking evaluation of the structure and of the employment of resources which the Organization will require in order to meet the growing demands upon its program and staff foreseen in the critical period ahead.

391. The Conference agreed that the Twentieth Anniversary of the Organization provided a timely occasion for a review of the organizational structure of FAO, particularly in the light of Its recent rapid growth, and the unavoidable changing emphasis of its activities in order to confront adequately the pressures of current and future developments. It therefore directed the Council to arrange for such a review to be conducted under the guidance of the Director General in consultation with an ad hoe review committee of the Council.

392. The Conference approved the Council's proposals for the conduct of the review, which were designed, in view of the broad scope and far-reaching objectives, to recognize, clearly and realistically, the inter-related and complementary responsibilities of both the Director-General and the Member Governments.

393. The Conference discussed the various phases of the review which appeared particularly pertinent to consideration by the expert review team, of the type of organizational structure that would contribute most effectively to the achievement of the Organization's objectives, within foreseeable resources. Delegates referred to the different aspects of the relationship between Headquarters co-ordination and. field operations, taking into account the special needs of developing nations; the extent to which the execution of operational functions could be delegated to regional offices within the basic centralized structure of the Organization; the strengthening of the role of regional offices through both additional posts and systematic rotation of Headquarters staff to regional and field activities; the role of fun-time country representatives.

394. Delegates also emphasized the need for relating structure to program priorities; the phasing of action designed to strengthen the structure so as to anticipate the gaps which could develop as new functions were assumed; the ensuring of balance between expanding technical activities and the essential operational and administrative support; the mechanism required to ensure co-ordinated programing relations with other United Nations agencies and regional bodies, and the most effective execution of technical assistance programs; the most suitable organizational status for certain major program activities; and the means of ensuring the effective exchange of information and effective working relations between the Member Governments and the Director-General and his staff.

395. It was recognized that, while the Organization might well need to be streamlined to facilitate operational effectiveness, this process of rationalizing its structure should not be regarded as synonymous with "pruning" in view of the inevitable increase in scope, complexity and urgency of the tasks falling to FAO.

396. The Conference requested the Director-General to invite Member Governments to submit their comments in writing. It agreed that the review, while taking Into account the points made by Member Governments at the Conference or subsequently in writing, as well as the analysis presented by the Director-General, should have a completely objective point of departure, and also reaffirmed that the conduct of the review was not do be regarded as affecting the Director General's authority for administering the work of the Organization.

397. The Conference adopted the following resolution:

Resolution No. 11/65

Review of the Organization's General Structure

THE CONFERENCE

In recognition of Resolution No. 11/44 of the Forty-Fourth Session and 2/46 of the Forty-Fifth Session of the Council,

And after considering the paper presented by the Director-General (C 65/28 Rev. 2) in -response to Resolution No. 11/44,

Affirms the need for a Review of the organizational structure of FAO in terms of evaluating its potential to meet the urgent responsibilities of the years ahead, with the view that a final report together with recommendations by the Director-General will be submitted to the Council at Its next pre-Conference session for consideration and submission to the Fourteenth Session of the Conference;

Directs the Council to arrange for such a Review, to be conducted under the guidance of the Director-General in consultation with an Ad Hoc Review Committee, along the following lines;

1. The Review should concentrate on a broad study of the organization and top structure of FAO and become involved in the lower structure only to the extent necessary to resolve Issues that might develop;

2. Members of the Ad Hoc Review Committee should be selected by the Council with due regard to geographic factors and to that end It should consist of one Member Government's representative from each of the seven FAO regions. In order to insure that the Ad Hoc Review Committee to made up of highly competent individuals with deep Interest in and substantial acquaintance with FAO, it should consist of individuals who normally serve as senior members of delegations to the Council;

3. The Ad Hoc Review Committee should be. charged with the following responsibilities:

(a) it should consult with the Director-General with regard to his appointment of a Review Team to actually carry out the Review - such Team to be composed of three to five members, selected from among persons from various countries who have the essential management and/or substantive backgrounds and an understanding of the problems to be tackled. This Team should represent an appropriate balance between persons with management and substantive experience;

(b) the Ad Hoc Review Committee should further, in consultation with the Director-General, formulate the terms of reference within which the Review Team should make its study. In formulating such terms of reference account should be taken of the paper presented by the Director-General (C 65/28 Rev. 2) as well as of the views of Member Governments on the principal future responsibilities of FAO as expressed in the Thirteenth Session of the Conference and as communicated in writing through the Director-General to the Ad Hoc Review Committee. These terms of reference as well as the make-up of the Review Team should be reported to the Forty-Seventh Session of the Council (Autumn 1966);

(c) the Ad Hoc Review Committee should then continue to represent the Council in an advisory- liaison capacity with the Director-General with respect to the activities of the Review Team;

4. The expert Review Team should give consideration to the accepted goals of FAO and to the kind of organizational structure that would contribute to the achievement of those goals in the most effective, economical and appropriate manner,

5. A senior Secretariat official should be designated as the Team's liaison with the Organization

6. Since the actual work of the Review Team may not get under way until late 1966, the Director-General, in consultation with the Ad Hoc Committee, should develop estimates of probable costs and present them to the Forty-Seventh Session of the Council for consideration.

(Adopted 7.12.65)

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