UN General Assembly
1972

31. The United Nations and its affiliated organizations have in recent years assumed new tasks and new activities and, as a result, the United Nations structure and the co-ordination between its different organs have become increasingly complicated. It therefore seems desirable to us that, parallel to the review and appraisal of the basic concepts and objectives of the International Development Strategy, a review should be undertaken of the institutional structure of the United Nations. This review should be carried out against the background of the provisions of the Charter which have assigned to the Economic and Social Council a central, policy-making and co-ordinating role as well as against the background of subsequent General Assembly decisions setting up new organs like UNCTAD, the United Nations Development Program and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.