In progress at UNHQ

DEV/2269

PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR HIGH-LEVEL EVENT ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES FIRST SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

16 November 2000


Press Release
DEV/2269


PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR HIGH-LEVEL EVENT ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES FIRST SUBSTANTIVE SESSION

20001116

Six NGOs Provisionally Approved For Accreditation in Preparatory Process and Event Itself

As it continued its first substantive session, the Preparatory Committee for the High-level International Intergovernmental Event on Financing for Development this afternoon provisionally approved six non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for accreditation in the preparatory process and the Event itself.

Pending any objections received by 1 December, the NGOs that would be accredited, as set out in a note by the Secretary-General (A/AC.257/10/Add.1), are: International Centre for Enterprise and Sustainable Development, Foundation for Development Cooperation, Action for Economic Reform, Fundacion Intervida, and Sustainable Development Initiative, Columbia University. The Committee also extended the deadline for applications for accreditation for NGOs beyond January 2001.

Commenting on the hearings held with civil society on 6 and 7 November, Jorgen Bojer (Denmark), Co-Chairman of the Preparatory Committee, said that the hearings had strengthened the dialogue between governments and NGOs on many items on the Committee’s agenda. The hearings with the business sector were planned for 11 and 12 December.

The Committee decided to appoint Mauricio Escanero (Mexico) to facilitate consultations on the draft resolution, contained in document A/AC.257/L.4, on preparations for the substantive preparatory process and event. The text would have the Assembly decide that the Event should be held in the second half of March 2002, and that the Preparatory Committee should hold a fourth substantive session from 14 to 25 January 2002.

Further by the terms of the text, the Assembly would welcome the continuing progress made in the consultations with the major institutional stakeholders with regard to their involvement in the financing for development process. It would also express its appreciation to governments for their support of the Trust Fund for extrabudgetary contributions for the process, and take note with appreciation of the Preparatory Committee’s report from its organization and first sessions.

Preparatory Committee for High-level - 2 - Press Release DEV/2269 Event on Financing for Development 16 November 2000 12th Meeting (PM)

Committee Secretary Otto Gustafik informed delegations that, should the Assembly adopt the draft decision, the holding of the fourth session of the Preparatory Committee and of the Event in 2002 would result in additional costs for the extension of the conference servicing (estimated to amount to $666,000 at full cost), as well as for the operation of the Coordinating Secretariat beyond 31 December 2001.

The Preparatory Committee will meet again at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, 20 November, to take action on the draft resolution.

* *** *

For information media. Not an official record.