Iran Regains ECOSOC Membership

Iran has once again become a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council by getting the necessary votes at the UN General Assembly after a 16-year hiatus. In the voting held for the Asian group, Turkmenistan won 181 votes, Islamic Republic 175 votes and Saudi Arabia 170 votes to attain seats in ECOSOC, IRNA reported on Wednesday.

Iran was a member of the council from 2001 to 2003 and has participated in its meetings as an observer.

ECOSOC is one of the five pillars of the United Nations and the 10th chapter of the UN Charter pertains to this body.

The council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic, social and related works of 15 UN specialized agencies, their functional commissions and five regional commissions.

ECOSOC has 54 members. The General Assembly selects 18 new members for ECOSOC each year for a three-year term with a provision that a retiring member can be reelected. It holds one seven-week session each year in July and since 1998, it has also held an annual meeting in April with finance ministers of the member states heading key committees of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

ECOSOC serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues, and formulating policy recommendations addressed to member states and the United Nations system.