LEADERS OF ASIA-PACIFIC’S SUBREGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, UNESCAP LOOK TO HARNESS SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION

LEADERS OF ASIA-PACIFIC’S SUBREGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, UNESCAP

LOOK TO HARNESS SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION

(Reissued as received.)

BANGKOK, 2 September (UN Information Services) -- The leaders of Asia-Pacific’s most esteemed subregional organizations and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) will meet for two days in Kathmandu, Nepal to discuss ways to increase cooperation among the agencies.

Kim Hak-Su, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNESCAP Executive Secretary, will meet with the Secretary-General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Chenkyab Dorji; Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary-General, Ong Keng Yong; the Secretary-General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Askat Orazbay; and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Deputy Secretary-General, Iosefa Maiava.  Kittipan Kanjanapipatkul, Secretary-General of the Colombo Plan, will attend the meeting as an observer.

“The time has come for us to go beyond words and give concrete shape to the possibilities that exist in harnessing cooperation between these esteemed organizations and UNESCAP”, said Mr. Kim.

“Collectively, we should look at ways of harnessing further the great potential of South-South cooperation as an effective contribution to development and as a means to share and transfer best practices and appropriate technologies.”

The tenth Consultative Meeting of the Executive Heads of Subregional Organizations and UNESCAP will take place from 5 to 6 September at the Radisson Hotel in Kathmandu, and is hosted by SAARC.  The leaders will discuss regional progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, trade and investment, preparation for and mitigation of natural disasters, and energy infrastructure development, among other topics.  On Tuesday, 6 September, bilateral meetings between the organizations will be held.

The key benefit of the meetings has been the exchange of information and experiences in a range of areas in furthering regional cooperation.  The underlying principal has been that regional organizations should play complementary roles in facing the challenges of globalization and economic development.  The meeting hopes to formalize some joint initiatives in the economic and social areas for implementation.

For more information, please contact:  David Lazarus, Chief, United Nations Information Services Bangkok, tel.:  +(66-2) 288-1861-66; fax:  +(66-2) 288-1052, e-mail:  unisbkk.unescap@un.org.

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