The Committee,
- Having examined Document ITH/13/8.COM/5.c and its Annex II, ‘Audit of the Working Methods of Cultural Conventions’ (Document IOS/AUD/2013/06),
- Noting that the present audit complements the evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of the 2003 Convention and seeks to identify possible improvements and synergies in the working methods of all of UNESCO’s culture conventions,
- Takes note of the findings of the audit and the recommendations offered therein;
- Takes further note that the 2010 decision of the General Assembly to establish a sub-fund within the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund to ‘enhance the human capacities of the Secretariat on a lasting basis in order that it may better respond to the wishes and needs of States Parties’ (Resolution 3.GA 9) satisfies Recommendation 1 (a); recalls the invitation of the General Assembly to States Parties to provide voluntary supplementary contributions to the sub-fund in the amount of at least US$1,100,000 per year in total; thanks States Parties that have provided such support in the past, while noting that the contributions to date have totalled US$723,396; and invites all States Parties to contribute to the sub-fund in a sustainable manner;
- Also takes note that the established practice of the 2003 Convention with regard to translation and interpretation of statutory meetings – specifically, that costs of interpretation in languages other than English and French for Committee sessions are borne by extrabudgetary contributions – satisfies Recommendation 1 (d); thanks States Parties that have provided such support in the past; and invites future contributions from them and others;
- Welcomes the establishment by the Culture Sector of a Conventions Common Services Team that aims to support the work of all convention secretariats, as suggested in Recommendation 3, and anticipates that it will add value and provide cost-effective solutions to the challenges facing the 2003 Convention and other conventions;
- Acknowledges the increasing reliance of the Organization on extrabudgetary contributions; considers that Recommendation 4 aims to increase the coordination and effectiveness of the Culture Sector’s mobilization of such extrabudgetary resources and diversify the sources of such contributions; and requests the Secretariat to submit the proposed coordinated fund-raising strategy for its consideration at its ninth session;
- Further acknowledges the necessity to prioritize the workload of the Secretariat of the 2003 Convention to align it with available resources (Recommendation 1 (b)), while recalling that the Organization is confronting an unprecedented financial situation that demands creative solutions;
- Takes note that the biennial frequency of ordinary sessions of the General Assembly is stipulated in Article 4.2 of the Convention; and considers that the annual frequency of sessions of the Committee is appropriate, while welcoming the suggestion in Recommendation 1 (c) to reduce the duration and agenda of those sessions;
- Takes note that synchronizing the meetings of the States Parties to the conventions, as suggested in Recommendation 1 (c), offers both advantages and disadvantages to Member States that are party to several conventions; and encourages the Director-General to study those advantages and disadvantages, in close consultation with Member States, and to report to its ninth session on that study;
- Considers that the consolidation of evaluation of all nominations within a single body would produce significant economies, while offering other advantages; reaffirms its recommendation to the General Assembly along those lines (Decision 6.COM 15); and further considers that potential chargeback mechanisms to the nominating State Parties and/or earmarked funds, as suggested in Recommendation 2, would not therefore be needed.