Meeting to focus on regional co-operation
By Zhang Yong (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-04-19 09:07

The 60th session of the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is scheduled to be held from Thursday until next Wednesday in Shanghai.

It will have the theme of "Meeting the Challenges in an Era of Globalization by Strengthening Regional Development Co-operation."

High-level delegations from the 62 members and associate members of ESCAP, mostly at ministerial levels, will gather in the eastern city - the birthplace of the organization - to discuss current regional economic and social situations, poverty alleviation, globalization and some other social issues, according to the event's organizing committee.

The session will be held in two parts. The Senior Officials' Session will run from Thursday until Saturday and a Ministerial Session will last for three days from next Monday.

ESCAP's forerunner, the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East, was founded in Shanghai in 1947. ESCAP is the only and longest-standing inter-governmental economic and social development organization under the UN in the Asia-Pacific.

During the past decades, it has made positive contributions to regional and sub-regional co-operation, according to the committee.

China's Assistant Foreign Minister, Shen Guofang, said yesterday that "it is of special significance for ESCAP to have this session at its birthplace more than half-a-century later."

This ESCAP session is expected to achieve three goals: increase exchanges and friendship among Asia-Pacific members, to further expand and deepen regional co-operation; further demonstrate the support for multilateralism with the UN at the core, to strengthen the role of the UN in regional co-operation; and introduce China's success in reform and opening-up, Shen said at a press conference.

The Shanghai Declaration, which will become a major guiding document for co-operation in the Asia-Pacific region, is also expected to be adopted during the event, said Shen.

Other activities scheduled for the session include the High-level Visionary Meeting for Asia-Pacific 2020 and the Briefing on the United Nations High-level Panel on Threats.

Close