<P> The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC; French: Conseil économique et social des Nations unies, CESNU) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic, social, and related work of 15 UN specialized agencies, their functional commissions and five regional commissions . The ECOSOC has 54 members . The General Assembly selects 18 new members for ECOSOC each year for the term of 3 years with a provision that a retiring member can be re-elected . It holds one seven - week session each year in July, and since 1998, it has also held an annual meeting in April with finance ministers heading key committees of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). </P> <P> ECOSOC serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues and formulating policy recommendations addressed to member states and the United Nations system . A number of non-governmental organisations have been granted consultative status to the Council to participate in the work of the United Nations . </P> <P> The president is elected for a one - year term and chosen from the small or mid-sized powers represented on the ECOSOC . Inga Rhonda King was elected seventy - fourth President of ECOSOC on 26 July 2018 . Ambassador King is currently the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the United Nations in New York . </P> <Table> Presidents <Tr> <Th> Term </Th> <Th> President </Th> <Th> From </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2019 </Td> <Td> Ms. Inga Rhonda King </Td> <Td> Saint Vincent and the Grenadines </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2018 </Td> <Td> Ms. Marie Chatardová </Td> <Td> Czech Republic </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2017 </Td> <Td> Mr. Marc Smith </Td> <Td> Switzerland </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> Mr. Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava </Td> <Td> Zimbabwe </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2015 </Td> <Td> Mr. Oh Joon </Td> <Td> Republic of Korea </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> Mr. Martin Sajdik </Td> <Td> Austria </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2013 </Td> <Td> Mr. Néstor Osorio Londoño </Td> <Td> Colombia </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2012 </Td> <Td> Mr. Miloš Koterec </Td> <Td> Slovakia </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2011 </Td> <Td> Mr. Lazarous Kapambwe </Td> <Td> Zambia </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Mr. Hamidon Ali </Td> <Td> Malaysia </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> Ms. Sylvie Lucas </Td> <Td> Luxembourg </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2008 </Td> <Td> Mr. Léo Mérorès </Td> <Td> Haiti </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2007 </Td> <Td> Mr. Dalius Čekuolis </Td> <Td> Lithuania </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> Mr. Ali Hachani </Td> <Td> Tunisia </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2005 </Td> <Td> Mr. Munir Akram </Td> <Td> Pakistan </Td> </Tr> </Table>

President of the united nations economic and social council