..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 17 May 2007
Press Release No. L/17/2007/CS63/8

Sixty-third session of ESCAP
Senior officials’ meeting

Almaty, Kazakhstan
17 May 2007

Opening Statement by Mr. Kim Hak-Su,
Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Your Excellency Mr. Marat Tazhin, Minister of Foreign Affairs  of the Republic of Kazakhstan,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Representatives,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to the Senior Officials’ Meeting of the sixty-third session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia  and  the  Pacific  (ESCAP)  here in a beautiful Almaty situated at the  foot  of  the scenic Tien  Shan  mountains.  This  is  the  first time that  the  Commission  session  is   taking  place  in  Central  Asia and the occasion also marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of ECAFE/ESCAP.

I would like to express my deep appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Marat Tazhin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, for inaugurating this meeting, as well as for the excellent arrangements for the meeting and the hospitality extended to all of us.

The secretariat has prepared substantial documentation to facilitate your consideration of the current and future work of ESCAP in promoting regional cooperation and economic and social development. One of the documents is the Report of the Executive Secretary on the work of the secretariat since the sixty-second session of the Commission last year, which is the first of its kind highlighting regional issues and responses of ESCAP to these issues.

As usual, you will have an opportunity over the next three days to consider, among others, such matters as:

• Work of the secretariat since the sixty-second session of the Commission;
• Draft Programme of work for the period 2008-2009;
• Resource Mobilization; and
• The activities of the Advisory Committee of Permanent Representatives and Other Representatives Designated by Members of the Commission (ACPR).

We look forward to receiving guidance of Commission members on the work programme of ESCAP.

The senior officials’ meeting will prepare for the latter part of the Commission session where the highlights are the ESCAP’s 60th Anniversary Commemorative Panel Session “Achieving the MDGs in the Asian and Pacific region” on 21 May and  a  Ministerial  Roundtable  on “Development of health systems in the context of enhancing economic growth towards achieving the MDGs in Asia and the Pacific” on 22 May, which is the theme topic of this Commission. His Excellency President Nursultan Nazarbayev will deliver a welcoming address and inaugurate the Ministerial meeting on 21 May.

The Asia-Pacific Business Forum will be held on 18-19 May. To be opened by His Excellency Mr. Galym Orazbakov, Minister of Industry  and Trade of Kazakhstan, it will bring together senior government officials, business leaders and representatives from civil society from the Asian and Pacific region. It will also provide participants with a unique platform to discuss opportunities and challenges for Central Asia’s increasing integration into the global economy and to learn from other Asian experiences.  The  event  will  be held in conjunction with the Economic Forum of the Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) whose objective is to support the Central Asian states in developing their cooperation, creating incentives for economic development and integrating their economies into those of Europe and Asia. ESCAP and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe are jointly implementing this programme.

Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,

My colleagues and I hope for your active participation in the sixty-third session and wish every success in your deliberations.