Declaration onNamibia andtheProgramme ofAction onNamibia of theInternational Conference inSupport oftheStruggle ofthe Namibian PeopleforIndependence (Paris, April1983)andthe Bangkok Declaration andProgramme ofActionoftheextraordinary meeting oftheUnitedNations Council forNamibia (Bangkok, 21-25May1984) 103.Inintroducing thereportonpublicinformation activities oftheDepartment intheimplementation ofrelevant provisipns oftheParisDeclaration onNamibia andtheProgramme ofActiononNamibia oftheInternational Conference inSupport oftheStruggle oftheNamibian PeopleforIndependence (Paris, April1983)andthe Bangkok Declaration andProgramme ofActionoftheextraordinary meeting ofthe UnitedNations Council forNamibia (Bangkok, 21-25May1984),theOfficer-in-Charge notedthatthereport (A/AC.198/92) wasprepared inresponse toGeneral Assembly resolution 39/98A.ThiswasthefirsttimethattheDepartment wasreporting -21-r r: h le f b crt l IlM",; it li l'directly totheCommittee onthequestion. TheDepartment's activities, onwhich itreported annually totheGeneral Assembly, included widecoverage oftheworkof theUnitedNations Council forNamibia, anextensive publication programme, the 1production ofspecial radioprogrammes andtheorganization ofaseriesof 1· l,encounters forjournalists. l ! t' '.'l'; l,,"104.Several delegations welcomed thereportonactivities todisseminate information onNamibia andsupported theDepartment's programme regarding Namibia. Onedelegation objected tothereportonthegroullds thattheCommittee wasnotthe proper forumforsuchadiscussion, sincepolitical issueswerenotonitsagenda. Item4(b)(x).Strengthening andexpansion oftheMiddleEastandArabie Radio Unit 105.Inhisoralreportonthequestion ofstrength~ning andexpanding theMiddle EastandArabie RadioUnit,theUnder-Secretary-General recalled thattheCommittee hadrecommended thatthefunction oftheMiddleEastandArabieUnitasthe producer ofArabieradioandtelevisicn programmes bemaintained, andcalled onthe Department tostrengthen andexpandtheUnitwithinexisting resources toenableit tofunction inaneffective manner. Hereported thattheMiddleEastandArabie Unithadcontinued toexpandthescopeofitsprogrammes andtoincrease their variety andthattheDepartment wascontinuing tounderline theimportance ofthe Arabie programmes produced bytheRadioandVisualServices, andeveryeffort was beingmadetoexpandtheservices intheArabielanguage, withinthelimitations imposed bytheresources available. 106.Several delegations calledforthestrengthening andexpansion oftheMiddle EastandArabie RadioUnit. Sornedelegations expressed concern thattherehadbeen noincrease intheexpansion ofArabie programmes. Onedelegation, whilestressing theneedforaudioandvisualmaterial intheArabworld,saidthatprogrammes should beexpanded, bathinnumberandduration. Hesaidthatthefigures givenby theSecretariat didnotsupport theideathattheprogrammes hadbeenexpanded. He askedtheOfficeofPersonnel Services toshowmoreflexibility inhiringpersonnel onspecial service agreements andurgedtheDepartment, amongotheractions, to increase itscontacts withArabaudioandvisualorganizations andtomakeuseof ARABSAT, whichhadbeenlaunched inJune. 107.R2sponding toquestions ra~sed, theOfficer-in-Charge reviewed thenumberand lengthofprogrammes produced, andsaidtheseactivities compared favourably in term~ofduration withotherradiobroadcasts inotherlanguages. TheDepartment intended toexpanditsliaison withArabbroadcasting organizations, andthe possibility ofcollaboration withARABSAT wasbeingexplored. Item4(b)(xi).Evaluation of9ai1yshort-wave radiobroadcasts fromHeadquarters 108.Inhisintroduction tothereportontheevaluation ofdailyshort-wave radio broadcasts fromHeadquarters (A/AC.198/8S), theUnder-Secretary-General saidthat theDepartment wasconducting asix-month experlment todetermine whether short-wave bro~dcasts byUnitedNations radiocouldattract asignificant audience between theGeneral Assembly sessions. Theexperiment consisted ofadaily one-hour transmission inEnglish andFrench, primarily toeast,west,central and northAfrica. Theexperiment wasduetoendinAugust. 109.Theevaluation wouldbeundertaken byoutside mediaresearch organizations.
**Analysis**
This text appears to be a report from the United Nations on its activities and programs related to public information, media, and communication. It discusses various initiatives and projects aimed at disseminating information, promoting understanding, and strengthening communication networks. The report also touches on the evaluation of radio broadcasts and the expansion of the Middle East and Arabie Radio Unit.

**Category**
Transport and communication, International relations