The DESA NGO Branch is the focal point within the UN Secretariat for non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and for NGOs seeking status. Our aims are the following:

• Support to NGOs: Informing you in a timely fashion on events and opportunities to collaborate with the United Nations.
• Intergovernmental Support: We service the Committee on NGOs, which meets twice a year to discuss accreditation of NGOs to the UN Economic and Social Council.
• Conference registration: Through CSONet, we facilitate participation of NGOs to most of the intergovernmental processes taking place at United Nations headquarters and beyond. Each year, some 7,000 NGO representatives participate in those events in New York alone.
• Technical assistance: With support from the UN Development Account, we carry out limited capacity-building activities with civil society organizations.