SHANGHAI DECLARATION PROMOTES STRATEGIES TO FIGHT POVERTY, IMPROVE HEALTH

SHANGHAI DECLARATION PROMOTES STRATEGIES TO FIGHT POVERTY, IMPROVE HEALTH

Ministers Give Full Support to UN’s Work in Region

(Reissued as received.)

SHANGHAI, 28 April (UN Information Service) -- The historic sixtieth session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) ended today with unanimous adoption of the Shanghai Declaration, consisting of a wide range of future-oriented strategies to strengthen and sustain the progress of this vast region.

The Shanghai Declaration emphasizes ESCAP’s unique role as the most representative body for the Asian and Pacific region and its mandate as the main general economic and social development centre within the United Nations system for the region, particularly in the three thematic areas of poverty reduction, globalization and addressing emerging social issues.

It calls for the highest priority to be given to poverty reduction, and underscores the primacy of the multilateral trading system as set out in the United NationsMillennium Development Declaration, as well the successful conclusion of the Doha negotiations.

Asia and Pacific ministers also adopted another six resolutions covering a wide range of strategies to combat the economic and social ills that threaten to cloud the otherwise fast growing economic prospects of the region.

They are:  Regional call for action to enhance capacity-building in public health;Implementing ESCAP Technical Projects; Intergovernmental Agreement on theAsian Highway Network; Centre for Alleviating Poverty through secondary Crops Development;Revitalization of UNESCAP Pacific Operation Centre; and Pacific Urban Agenda.

“The Declaration also reaffirms that the United Nations has a central role in promoting international cooperation for development and in promoting policy coherence on global development issues, including in the context of globalization and interdependence”, said ESCAP’s Executive Secretary Kim Hak-Su.

The Commission also saw the landmark United Nations treaty –- the Asian Highway Agreement -- signed by 25 countries, with India and the Russian Federation signing the day after the signing ceremony on the 26th, marking a new era in communications and opening all sorts of opportunities for trade and tourism.  We like to call this “the new silk route”, and what better place than Shanghai to have marked this new phase in intergovernmental relations and cooperation among ESCAP countries.  The Highway is a multi-pronged 140,000-kilometre highway corridor connecting 32 countries and linking Europe to Asia.

Other new initiatives during the session was the inaugural sessions of Asia Business Forum and ESCAP Business Advisory Group to discuss the emerging trade and investment opportunities in the region, and establish sustainable mechanisms to engage the private sector at the institutional level in order to enhance the impact of ESCAP’s work in the region.  Over 250 business leaders participated in the two meetings.

Knowledge-based economy and disaster preparedness was also another key area discussed.  The ESCAP will try now to help in capacity-building and make sure the digital divide becomes a “dividend”.

“The High-Level Visionary Meeting Asia Pacific 2020 gave us some guidance for the coming challenges.  There were many issues discussed, some of which touched on ESCAP’s agenda, but one important item emerged:  A Vision for the Future must include poverty eradication, as this is the heart of all discontent and inequality in the world”, said Mr. Kim.

The Commission elected H.E. Mr. Zhaoxing, Minister for Foreign Affairs of China, as Chairman of the sixtieth Commission session.  The ESCAP began life as the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) in Shanghai in 1947.

The session was attended by 55 members and associate members of ESCAP.  The sixtieth session comprised of two segments:  The Senior Officials and the Ministerial segment.

For further information, please contact:  David Lazarus, Chief, United Nations Information Service, ESCAP, United Nations Building, Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand, tel: (+66) 02 288 1864-9; fax: (+66) 02 288 1052; e-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

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