Until October 2001, inter agency coordination on substantive questions related to operational and programmatic issues was carried out by CCPOQ which had been established in 1993, as a merger of two formerly separate consultative committees which addressed these issues.

CCPOQ's main function was:

"to act as an inter-secretariat coordinating body which advised and assisted ACC on a wide range of issues with a view to promoting complementarities and mobilizing the United Nations system's analytical, normative and operational capacities for economic and social development in support of common goals and agreed strategies."

Some of the issues dealt with by CCPOQ were matters such as the coordinated follow-up, within the system, to major UN conferences and summits, common approaches at the field level, including the overall functioning of the Resident Coordinator System and enhanced system-wide collaboration in the development and application of common programming instruments.

To that end, it in particular:

• Ensured an ongoing dialogue regarding major strategies, approaches and issues relevant to the development activities of the United Nations system and considered modalities for the system to respond to socio-economic challenges facing the international community;
• Considered issues related to enhancing the responsiveness of the system to national objectives and priorities, taking into account global and regional goals and strategies; promoted programme coordination and collaborative arrangements among organizations of the system around substantive priority themes and reviewed their progress periodically;
• Considered and monitored progress on measures to enhance the programming, implementation and cost effectiveness of the operational activities of the United Nations system, in accordance with national plans and priorities, as well as the impact of such measures on strengthening national capacities;
• Considered matters relating to improved cooperation and coordination of action and effective harmonization of activities at the field level;
• Prepared recommendations and/or policy options for consideration by ACC, inter alia, in response to requests by intergovernmental bodies;
• Recommended, where appropriate, measures for the implementation of policy guidance emanating from intergovernmental bodies and periodically reviews progress in this regard;
• Reviewed the reports of designated subsidiary bodies and, as appropriate, makes specific recommendations for consideration by ACC.

In performing its functions, the Committee drew on the expertise of its member organizations and designated, as necessary, task managers or convened task-oriented working groups to assist it in addressing specialized subjects within its mandate.

• Bodies reported to ACC through CCPOQ

Participating organizations included all ACC members and a number of other entities such as the United Nations University, the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Staff College, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Economic Commissions, the United Nations Office for Project Services, the United Nations Volunteers programme, the Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

Since October 2001, inter-agency coordination on substantive questions related to operational and programmatic issues is being carried out by the High-Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) which has subsumed the functions of CCPOQ.