While attending the 42nd session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development convened in New York from 4 to 13 February, Ms. Thelma Kay, Chief, Emerging Social Issues Division, UNESCAP met with the newly appointed Director of the Asia and the Pacific Division of UNFPA, Mr. Sultan Aziz and his colleagues. During the meeting held on 4 February, they discussed issues of mutual interest and exchanged views on UNESCAP’s proposal for the UNFPA Regional Programme 2004-2007 which would focus on emerging and persistent population and development challenges in the Asian and the Pacific region.

UNESCAP and UNFPA will forge a synergistic partnership in order to combat poverty and advance the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) as well as the Millennium Development Goals in the region. The two partners will continue to pursue the rewarding collaboration which they have had for the past several decades. Mr. Aziz and Ms. Kay also agreed to further strengthen the active collaboration between UNESCAP and UNFPA Country Offices in Asia and the Pacific to ensure that the activities carried out at the regional level effectively complement those of the country programmes.