A/RES/55/42 and Improving Quality of Reproductive Health Programmes, held in Istanbul in May 2000, and calls upon the Fund and other relevant United Nations entities, in cooperation with the Economic Cooperation Organization, to continue activities in the field of public health and social development in the future; 9. Notes the increasing problem of the production, transit and abuse of narcotic drugs and their ill effects in the region, expresses its appreciation for the operations of the joint Economic Cooperation Organization and United Nations International Drug Control Programme project on a drug control coordination unit established within the secretariat of the Economic Cooperation Organization in July 1999, and calls upon the other international and regional organizations to assist, as appropriate, the Economic Cooperation Organization in its efforts against the drug menace in the region of that organization; 10. Also notes the expansion of cultural ties in the region under the aegis of the Cultural Institute of the Economic Cooperation Organization, and requests support for efforts to promote, and promote awareness of, the rich cultural and literary heritage of the region of the Economic Cooperation Organization through the launching of appropriate projects and programmes dealing with, inter alia, the issues regarding the initiative of President Khatami on dialogue among civilizations, with possible assistance from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and other relevant entities; 11. Invites the United Nations system, its relevant bodies and the international community to continue to provide technical assistance, as appropriate, to the States members of the Economic Cooperation Organization and its secretariat in strengthening their early warning system, preparedness, capacity for timely response and rehabilitation with a view to reducing the incidence of human casualties and mitigating the socio-economic impact of natural disasters; 12. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution; 13. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-sixth session the item entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Economic Cooperation Organization”. 70th plenary meeting 21 November 2000 3