A/RES/52/203 Page 2 Expressing serious concern at the persistent insufficiency of resources for operational activities for development of the United Nations system, in particular the decline in contributions to core resources, Recognizing the need for priority allocation for scarce grant resources to programmes and projects in low-income countries, in particular the least developed countries, Recognizing also that the United Nations development system should take into account the specific needs and requirements of the countries with economies in transition, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on funding modalities of operational activities,1 as requested by the Economic and Social Council; 2. Strongly reaffirms the need for a substantial increase in resources for operational activities for development on a predictable, continuous and assured basis, commensurate with the increasing needs of developing countries; 3. Stresses the need for a continuous overall improvement in the effectiveness, efficiency and impact of the United Nations system in delivering its development assistance, and welcomes steps that have been taken towards that end; 4. Also stresses that other countries that are in a position to do so should strive to augment their assistance in the framework of development cooperation; 5. Recalls that the executive boards of the United Nations funds and programmes, in accordance with resolution 50/227, should initiate work on reviewing their funding policies and strategies with a view to meeting their agreed targets, particularly of core resources as the main source of funding of operational activities; 6. Calls upon the governing bodies of the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Population Fund and the World Food Programme to adopt a specific and achievable target for core resources for the period 1999-2001, taking into account the relationship between their programme arrangements and financial plans; 7. Urges the executive boards to complete the review as soon as possible and to report thereon to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1998; 8. Acknowledges the supplementary role of non-core resources in enhancing the financing of the United Nations operational activities for development; 9. Requests the Secretary-General, when presenting his comprehensive report on the triennial policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system at the fifty-third session of the General Assembly, to consider the implications of steps adopted by the United Nations system to implement reform initiatives on operational activities, and to make recommendations for their effective and expeditious implementation, bearing in mind the views of Member States; 10. Also requests the funds and programmes, in their regular reporting on the triennial policy review to the General Assembly through the Economic and Social Council, to include in their reports, to the extent possible and in a clearly identifiable way, actions taken to implement adopted reform measures of the Secretary-General, including an analysis of the implications of those reforms for operational activities as well as for inter-agency coordination; 1 A/52/431. /...