A/RES/53/59 Page 3 (f) To provide full support for the International Programme for the Development of Communication3 of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which should support both public and private media. 78th plenary meeting 3 December 1998 B UNITED NATIONS PUBLIC INFORMATION POLICIES AND ACTIVITIES The General Assembly, Reiterating its decision to consolidate the role of the Committee on Information as its main subsidiary body mandated to make recommendations to it relating to the work of the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat, Welcoming the fact that the Secretary-General has established a post of Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, with the appointee to that post to head the Department of Public Information, and noting that the Secretary-General concurs with the view expressed in the report of the Task Force on the Reorientation of United Nations Public Information Activities entitled “Global vision, local voice: a strategic communications programme for the United Nations”4 that the information and communications function should be placed at the heart of the strategic management of the Organization, 1. Reaffirms its resolution 13 (I) of 13 February 1946, in which it established the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat; 2. Calls upon the Secretary-General, in respect of the public information policies and activities of the United Nations, to implement fully the recommendations contained in paragraph 2 of its resolution 48/44 B of 10 December 1993; 3. Expresses its concern about the trend to reduce the resources allocated to the Department of Public Information, and reiterates that all changes or reductions must be in accordance with the existing budgetary rules as consistent with Article 17 of the Charter of the United Nations; 4. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to implement fully the mandates as established by the General Assembly; 5. Takes note of the conceptual framework outlined by the Secretary-General on the reorientation of United Nations public information activities as contained in his report on implementation of the 3 See United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Records of the General Conference, Twenty-first Session, Belgrade, 23 September to 28 October 1980, vol. 1, Resolutions, sect. III.4, resolution 4/21. 4 A/AC.198/1997/CRP.1, annex. /...