A/RES/55/157 development trends, issues and policies, and global approaches to social and microeconomic issues and policies, and the corresponding subprogrammes in the regional commissions, 13 in particular recommendation 3 contained therein, as approved by the Committee for Programme and Coordination, at its fortieth session, 14 Recalling that the question of assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions has been addressed recently in several forums, including the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and their subsidiary organs, Recalling also the measures taken by the Security Council, in accordance with the statement by the President of the Security Council of 16 December 1994, 15 that, as part of the effort of the Council to improve the flow of information and the exchange of ideas between members of the Council and other States Members of the United Nations, there should be increased recourse to open meetings, in particular at an early stage in its consideration of a subject, Recalling further the measures taken by the Security Council in accordance with the note by the President of the Security Council of 29 January 1999 16 aimed at improving the work of the sanctions committees, including increasing the effectiveness and transparency of the those committees, Stressing that, in the formulation of sanctions regimes, due account should be taken of the potential effects of sanctions on third States, Stressing also, in this context, the powers of the Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter and the primary responsibility of the Council under Article 24 of the Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security in order to ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations, Recalling that, under Article 31 of the Charter, any Member of the United Nations that is not a member of the Security Council may participate, without vote, in the discussion of any question brought before the Council whenever the latter considers that the interests of that Member are specially affected, Recognizing that the imposition of sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter has been causing special economic problems in third States and that it is necessary to intensify efforts to address those problems effectively, Taking into consideration the views of third States which could be affected by the imposition of sanctions, Recognizing that assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions would further contribute to an effective and comprehensive approach by the international community to sanctions imposed by the Security Council, Recognizing also that the international community at large and, in particular, international institutions involved in providing economic and financial assistance should continue to take into account and address in a more effective manner the special economic problems of affected third States arising from the carrying out of 13 E/AC.51/2000/2. See Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-fifth Session, Supplement No. 16 and corrigendum (A/55/16 and Corr.1), chap. II.C.1, para. 243. 15 See PRST/1994/81; see Resolutions and Decisions of the Security Council, 1994. 16 S/1999/92; see Resolutions and Decisions of the Security Council, 1999. 14 3