Conference bulletin No. 1

General Information

1.  The fifty-eighth session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will be held at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC), Bangkok, from 16 to 22 May 2002.  The session is structured in two segments: a Senior Officials Segment from 16 to 18 May 2002 covering the Committees of the Whole I, II, III and the Working Group on Draft Resolutions, and a Ministerial Segment from 20 to 22 May 2002.

Registration and Identification Badges

2.  Participants are required to register and obtain meeting badges in advance of the opening of the session.  In this connection, registration will be open on Tuesday and Wednesday, 14 and 15 May 2002, between 0900 to 1600 hours and also on Thursday, 16 May 2002, from 0730 to 0845 hours at the Registration Counter, ground floor, UNCC, which can be reached through tel. nos. 0-2288-1282, 0-2288-1284, 0-2288-1298 and 0-2288-2111; for in-house connection, these are extension nos. 1282, 1284, 1298 and 2111.  Participants missing the registration at the times specified are requested to contact the Conference Services and Mail Operations Unit, located on the ground floor, behind the Registration Counter.

3. To facilitate the process of registration, a member of a delegation can register on behalf of all members of that delegation.  It is, however, essential that full information be provided in the registration cards.  Only the names of participants duly registered will be included in the list of participants.

4. For security and identification purposes, all participants including press/mass media correspondents are requested to wear meeting badges at all times while in the conference area, whether attending meetings or social functions.

5. For security purposes, participants are asked not to leave any luggage or parcels in the meeting rooms.  Items left unattended will be removed and carried to the Security Control Room for safe keeping.  Should any participants encounter any security problem, they should immediately notify the nearest security officer on duty or call telephone ext. 1102, which is the Security Control Centre.

6. Meeting badges are issued in the following colours:

Credentials

7. Delegations of members and associate members of ESCAP are requested to submit their credentials to the ESCAP Conference Officer at the time of registration.

List of Participants

8. A provisional list of participants based on information received by the secretariat will be available on the morning of Thursday, 16 May 2002. It is, therefore, essential that registration be completed as soon as possible, preferably not later than 1200 hours on Wednesday, 15 May 2002. A revised list will be issued as soon as possible based on information given at the time of registration. Names of participants without formal registration will not be included in the revised list of participants. A final list of participants will be issued on Wednesday, 22 May 2002.

9. For matters relating to registration, meeting badges and list of participants, please contact the Conference Services and Mail Operations Unit, ground floor, UNCC, tel. nos. 0-2288-1174, 0-2288-2313, 0-2288-1811 and 0-2288-1350.

Inaugural Sessions

10. The opening of the Senior Officials Segment will be held on Thursday, 16 May 2002, at 0900 hours, in the ESCAP Hall, level 2, UNCC.

11. It is expected that the inaugural session of the Ministerial Segment will be presided over by HE the Prime Minister of the Royal Thai Government at 0900 hours, on Monday 20 May 2002, in the ESCAP Hall, level 2, UNCC. Delegates are kindly requested to be seated by 0845 hours at the latest.

Meeting Hours

12. Subject to the approval of the Commission, the daily meeting hours are scheduled as follows:

There will be no meeting on Sunday, 19 May 2002.

Venue for Events

14.  Delegations wishing to use UNCC space for matters having direct relevance to the 58th session are requested to contact, in advance, Mr. Chingchai Likitnukul, Chief, Conference Services and Mail Operations Unit (Tel: 0-2288-1174 or 0-2288-2313).

Discussion Items

15 Discussion agenda items and other relevant issues in the respective meetings are scheduled as follows:

Senior Officials Segment

A.     Opening of the session

(1)   Agenda item 2: Election of officers for Committees of the Whole I, II and III and the Working Group on Draft Resolutions

(2)   Agenda item 3: Adoption of the agenda

(3)   Informal Consultations: Least developed and Land-locked Developing Countries, Economies in Transition

B.     Committee of the Whole I

(1)   Agenda item 5 (a): Management issues: Implementation of Commission resolution 53/1 on restructuring the conference structure of the Commission

(2)   Agenda item 5 (b): Programme planning:

 

(a)   Proposed revisions to the medium-term plan for the period 2002-2005;

(b)   Implementation of the programme of work for the biennium 2000-2001;

(c)   Proposed programme changes for 2002-2003;

(d)   Programme planning: tentative calendar of meetings and training programmes, April 2002-March 2003

(3)   Agenda item 7: Resource mobilization: Technical cooperation activities of ESCAP and announcement of intended contributions

(4)   Agenda item 8: Reports of regional intergovernmental bodies

(5)   Agenda item 9: Activities of the Advisory Committee of Permanent

Representatives and Other Representatives Designated by Members of the Commission

(6)   Agenda item 10: Date, venue and theme topic for the fifty-ninth session of the Commission.

(7)   Consideration of the draft reports of items discussed in the Committee.

C.     Committee of the Whole II

(1)   Agenda item 6: Emerging issues and developments at the regional level:

(a)   Item 6 (a): Regional economic cooperation;

(b)   Item 6 (e): Statistics;

(c)   Item 6 (d): Transport, communications, tourism and infrastructure

development.

(2)   Consideration of draft reports of items discussed in the Committee.

D.     Committee of the Whole III

(1)   Agenda item 6: Emerging issues and developments at the regional level:

 

(a)   Item 6 (b): Environment and natural resources development;

(b)   Item 6 (c): Socio-economic measures to alleviate poverty in rural and urban areas;

(c)   Item 6 (f): Least developed, landlocked and island developing countries.

(2)   Consideration of draft reports of items discussed in the Committee.

E. Working Group on Draft Resolutions

Consideration of draft resolutions.

Ministerial Segment

(1)   Agenda item 1: Opening of the Ministerial Segment

(2)   Agenda item 2: Election of Officers; (Chairperson and Vice-chairpersons of the 58th session)

(3)   Agenda item 4: Policy issues for the ESCAP region:

 

(a)   Implications of recent economic and social developments;

(b)   Sustainable social development in a period of rapid globalization: challenges, opportunities and policy option;

(c)   Regional preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

(4)   HRD award ceremony

(5)   Ministerial Roundtable

(6)   Agenda item 11: Other matters (Election of new Governing Board of APCTT)

(7)   Agenda item 12: Adoption of the Report of the Commission

(8)  Final press conference

Working Hours

16. The normal working hours of ESCAP are generally from 0700 to 1600 hours with a lunch break of 45 minutes, Monday through Friday. However, the working hours of the Conference Servicing Secretariat will be from 0700 hours till the completion of the official business of the day.

Conference Secretariat and Services

17. The Office of the Executive Secretary is located on the 15^th floor of the Secretariat Building, Room No. 1501 (extension 1910). The Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary is also located on the same floor of the Secretariat Building, Room No. 1504 (extension 1911). The Principal Officer and Secretary of the Commission may be contacted at extension 1912 and 1916. For better contact of delegates during the Commission session, their offices will be established in the Executive Office Suite and the Chairperson’s Office Suite, located behind the ESCAP Hall, and Conference Rooms 1 and 2, level 2, UNCC, respectively.

18. The Division of Administrative Services is responsible for the administrative and logistic arrangements of all conference services. The Office of the Chief is located on the 3^rd floor, Service Building, Room No. S-0322A, (extension 1913). The daily conference services are the responsibility of the Chief, Conference and General Services Section, Room No. S-0312 (extension 1919), who is assisted by the Chief, Conference Services and Mail Operations Unit, ground floor, UNCC Room No. G090 (extension 1174 and 2313).

19. The office of the Language Services Section which is responsible for providing interpretation and translation services, is located on the 2^nd floor, Secretariat Building. The office of the Chief is located in Room No. 0201 (extension 1110).

20. The office of the United Nations Information Services and press working area are located in the Press Suite, ground floor, UNCC, (extension 2426).

Banking Facilities

21. Foreign currency exchange services are available at the Siam Commercial Bank, United Nations Building Branch, first floor, Service Building, from 0830 through 1730 hours during weekdays. The bank is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Postal Services

22. A full range of postal services is available at the Post Office on the ground floor, UNCC, which is open from 0800 to 1600 hours during weekdays. Facilities include letter-posting stamps, facsimile transmission, Internet and international telephone services. Phone cards to be used with public overseas/local phones installed at UNCC are also on sale at the Post Office.

Communications Facilities

23. Coin- and card-operated public telephones for domestic and international calls are available on level 1 and on the ground floor of the UNCC.

Medical Services

24. First-aid services are available at the First Aid Room, located on the ground floor, next to the Post Office, UNCC, from 0830 to 1730 hours. Additionally, first aid and medical services are also available at the UN Medical Service, 4^th floor, Service Building, from 0730 to 1730 hours, Monday through Friday. Medical consultations can be held with the ESCAP Doctor (extension 1353) or Nurse (extension 1352) at the UN Medical Service. For emergency cases, an ambulance will be on stand-by outside the main entrance of UNCC from 20 to 22 May 2002.

Catering Services

25. Food and beverage are served at the Delegates Dining Room, level 1, UNCC from 1130 to 1400 hours. In addition, a snack bar serving sandwiches, pastries, coffee/tea and soft drinks, located at the Delegates Lounge, level 1, UNCC, is open from 0800 to 1730 hours. No outside catering services will be allowed in UNCC.

26. For arrangements of reception and catering services in the UNCC, please contact the Conference Services and Mail Operations Unit, extension 2008.

Travel Arrangements

27. A travel counter will be in operation on the ground floor, UNCC, from 0830 to 1730 hours, Monday through Saturday.

Interpretation and Sound System

28. Simultaneous interpretation facilities in Chinese, English, French and Russian languages will be provided at the sessions of the Ministerial Segment including the Ministerial Roundtable, meetings of the Committees of the Whole I, II and III and the Working Group on Draft Resolutions. No interpretation facilities will be provided for other group meetings/discussions.

Statements of Delegations

29. In order to assist the interpreters and for the preparation of the draft reports and press releases, the secretariat wishes to receive before delivery, the text of all prepared statements by delegations. It would, therefore, be very much appreciated if 14 copies of such statements could be made available to the conference assistants on duty in the conference rooms. Arrangements will also be made for such statements to be collected from the delegations if the names of speakers are known in advance.

30. The secretariat is not in a position to type or reproduce statements made by delegations for circulation. If circulation is required, sufficient copies should be provided by the delegations and handed over to the Documents Distribution Centre.

Documents Distribution

31. The Documents Distribution Centre is located on level 2, UNCC. ESCAP documents and other papers, including mails and invitation cards, intended for delegates will be placed in the pigeonholes allotted for each delegation.

32. Delegates are requested to bring with them completes sets of meeting documents distributed to their governments/organizations prior to the Commission session, as only a very limited number of copies of such documents will be available at ESCAP.

33. The Documents Distribution Centre is authorized to distribute only ESCAP official documents. If delegations wish to distribute other papers or literature, they are requested to consult the Principal Officer and Secretary of the Commission, before delivering any documents to the Centre for distribution. A minimum of 200 copies is required to ensure distribution to each delegation.

Social Events

34. A separate conference bulletin furnishing information on social events on the basis of requests received by the secretariat will be issued. Delegations wishing to host receptions, luncheons and dinners are requested to notify Mr. S. Thampi, Principal Officer and Secretary of the Commission as soon as possible with a view to facilitating an orderly programme of social events.