Subprogramme 1.  Regional economic cooperation

 Introduction

 The subprogramme encompasses the work that had been carried out previously in 1998-1999 under subprogramme 1, Regional economic cooperation: trade and investment and subprogramme 3, Regional economic cooperation: industry and technology.  The subprogramme is carried out by the International Trade and Industry Division.

 The overall objective of the subprogramme is to strengthen regional and subregional economic cooperation for promoting trade, investment and technology linkages and accelerating industrial development. For the biennium 2000-2001, the subprogramme will aim (a) to enhance the national capacity of developing countries to respond effectively to challenges and opportunities emerging from the global environment for trade, investment and technology flows and industrial development; (b) to assist the developing countries, with particular attention to the needs of least developed, landlocked and island developing countries, and countries with economies in transition, to accelerate their industrial and technological development and to promote their exports; (c) to enhance regional cooperation to promote trade efficiency and electronic commerce and to facilitate access to information technology; and (d) to enhance intraregional and intersubregional flows of trade, investment and technology, inter alia, through the strengthening of networks of institutional support services, including regional information services.  The subprogramme will be implemented through a concerted mix of research and operational activities.  Based on policy analyses addressing emerging challenges and opportunities, a forum will be provided for continuing dialogue and cooperative action at the regional level.  The capacity of governments to respond effectively will be enhanced through technical assistance activities promoting exchange of experiences and human resources development.  The implications of globalization and liberalization for intraregional trade, investment and technology flows, as well as industrial development, will be analysed with particular focus on the more vulnerable groups of countries and the special need of least developed countries, island developing countries and countries with economies in transition.  The need for capacity-building of national institutions will be identified in the context of the changing regional economic development, and activities will be undertaken to strengthen the capabilities, inter alia, through institutional reform and networking. Bilateral funding has provided a means to supplement and thereby strengthen the impact of the regular budget activities of the subprogramme, in particular through technical assistance. Regional cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and regional commissions will be pursued through joint extrabudgetary project planning and implementation. ESCAP will also collaborate with and participate in activities of other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.

 At the end of the biennium 2000-2001, it is expected that the following accomplishments will be achieved:

(a) Sensitization of policy makers in the developing countries to the emerging challenges and opportunities and assistance in identifying positive elements of common interest for future negotiations at WTO, as well as to emerging issues regarding industrial and technological development;

(b) Strengthened institutional and human capacities and cooperation for the promotion of industrial development, technology transfer and diversification of exports which are of strategic importance to least developed countries, landlocked countries and Pacific island countries, and countries with economies in transition;

(c) Increased awareness of the importance of capital markets for privatization and for the promotion of foreign investment inflows and investment promotion measures, as well as improved capacity of boards of investment to facilitate foreign direct investment;

(d) Strengthened institutionalized cooperation in trade, industry and technology through networks of information, research and training.
 

Subprogramme 2.  Development research and policy analysis

 Introduction

 The subprogramme encompasses the work that had been carried out previously in 1998-1999 under subprogramme 2, Regional economic cooperation: research and policy analysis, and subprogramme 10, Least developed, landlocked and island developing countries.  The subprogramme is carried out by the Development Research and Policy Analysis Division and the ESCAP Pacific Operations Centre.

 The principal objectives of the subprogramme are to increase understanding of the economic and social development situation in the region, to highlight trends and emerging problems, to draw the attention of policy makers to priority concerns and to advocate those policies which promote regional cooperation in economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific on the basis of shared experiences and the growing complementarities among economies of the region.  In addition to its own activities, the subprogramme monitors and coordinates the ESCAP-wide activities on least developed, landlocked and island developing countries.  The activities under this subprogramme will focus on (a) monitoring, analysis and dissemination of recent developments in macroeconomic performance and related policies and their implications for development, particularly in the light of the Asian crisis which occurred in mid-1997; (b) strengthening and improving coordination among policy-making institutions, especially those dealing with monetary, fiscal and financial sector policies and those responsible for overall development strategies; and (c) strengthening human resources capacity in institutions responsible for macroeconomic management.

 The subprogramme activities will also give priority to issues relating to least developed, landlocked and Pacific island developing countries and countries with economies in transition.  Particular attention will be given to supporting the efforts of those countries at economic reform, mobilization and efficient utilization of resources, greater understanding of globalization issues, including their implications for trade and investment, problems of debt-servicing liabilities, and greater appreciation of social sector and sustainable development issues.

 The objectives of the subprogramme will be addressed mainly through advisory services, expert group meetings, workshops and training courses, with the prime objective of enhancing the development of human resources, especially the skills of public officials, and promoting public-private sector cooperation as regards policy identification, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in the identified areas as well as facilitating the sharing of experiences and information among countries.  For least developed countries, these issues will also be addressed in the context of the final review of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s.

 The output and services funded from extrabudgetary resources will facilitate the sharing of experiences and information among the participating countries and enhance the assistance provided to the least developed, landlocked and Pacific island developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The technical assistance programme under this subprogramme will comprise the provision of advisory services, workshops and training courses, with the prime objective of enhancing the development of human resources in the developing countries in the ESCAP region, especially the skills of national experts for policy identification, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in such areas as financial sector management, sustainable development, social impact of the economic crisis and poverty alleviation.

 By the end of the biennium 2000-2001, the expected accomplishments will include enhanced national capacity to deal with the emerging economic and social problems arising from the globalization and liberalization process in the ESCAP region, including the challenges faced by the least developed, landlocked and Pacific island countries of the ESCAP region, strengthened coordination among national policy-making institutions and enhanced regional cooperation.
 

Subprogramme 3.  Social development

 Introduction

 The subprogramme encompasses the work that had been carried out previously in 1998-1999 under subprogramme 5, Poverty alleviation: social development, and the component on women in development of subprogramme 6, Poverty alleviation: rural and urban development.  The subprogramme is carried out by the Social Development Division.

 The objective for the biennium will be to strengthen national capacity to promote social development as a means of alleviating poverty in the Asian and Pacific region.  This objective will be achieved through three areas of intervention: (a) social policy and integration of disadvantaged groups; (b) human resources development; and (c) women in development.  Activities will focus on strengthening the social policy and institutional framework to create an environment conducive to promoting the rights and needs of disadvantaged and socially excluded groups, especially the poor, youth, women, older persons and people with disabilities.  Another area of emphasis will be strengthening the capacity of social development personnel to promote the human resources development of key target groups, especially the poor and youth, through more effective planning and delivery of social services.  Activities will also focus on promoting gender equality and the advancement of women through their economic and social empowerment as well as gender mainstreaming in the development process.  In implementing activities, special attention will be given to the needs of the least developed and landlocked countries, and countries with economies in transition, as well as those countries affected by the Asian regional economic crisis.

 An important component of the subprogramme will be to provide regional support for the implementation of global mandates, including the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development; the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action; the Lisbon Declaration on Youth Policies and Programmes and the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond; and the Proclamation on Ageing.  The subprogramme will also be guided by the following regional mandates: the Manila Declaration on Accelerated Implementation of the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region; the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region; the Jakarta Plan of Action on Human Resources Development in the ESCAP Region; the Jakarta Declaration and Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women in Asia and the Pacific; and the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons.

 The subprogramme will coordinate the ESCAP-wide activities related to gender so that a gender perspective is properly integrated into the mainstream of all areas of work of ESCAP.

 The output and services funded from extrabudgetary resources under this subprogramme have been planned so as to add value to the programme of work funded by the regular budget. While regular budget resources are utilized for core outputs, the extrabudgetary resources are utilized to supplement those core outputs and enhance their impact at the national and local levels, For instance, the results of a desk study may be disseminated to a larger audience through extrabudgetary activities. At the same time, the deliberations or report from an extrabudgetary technical workshop may feed into the preparation of a regular budget desk study. This mutually supportive approach, utilizing both regular budget and extrabudgetary resources, maximizes the value of outputs generated by the secretariat. Extrabudgetary resources also provide the means to prepare publications, establish databases, implement regional workshops, conduct seminars and implement projects to strengthen national and institutional capacities for social development planning and programming. These are also utilized to enable the secretariat to enhance its capacity to review and monitor regional and global mandates of the General Assembly and the Commission, as well as to promote further regional cooperation in the field of social development among ESCAP countries and territories, the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations.

 By the end of the biennium 2000-2001, it is expected that the following accomplishments will be achieved:
(a) Increased attention given by national policy and programme personnel and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to development trends and programmes that have an impact on social development, focusing on poverty alleviation and social integration; the importance of promoting the rights and full participation in society of older persons, disabled persons and other disadvantaged and socially excluded groups, as central to development; key human resources development issues, including education and skills development, integrated approaches to health, and employment and income-generation; deepening poverty among women; measures to empower women; protection of women’s rights as human rights through strengthened legal and institutional mechanisms, and promotion of integrated means to combat violence against women, including women migrant workers, and trafficking in women and children; and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming and promotion of the advancement of women through national machineries for the advancement of women, non-governmental organizations and other civil society partners and through information networking;

(b) Development of options for policy measures and identification of best practices by which national policy makers and programme administrators in governmental and non-governmental sectors could address critical social challenges;

(c) Upgrading of skills of social development personnel in both the public and non-governmental sectors on effective planning and delivery of basic social services.
 

Subprogramme 4.  Population and rural and urban development

 Introduction

 The subprogramme encompasses the work that had been carried out previously in 1998-1999 under subprogramme 7, Poverty alleviation: population and development, and the components of rural development and urban development of subprogramme 6, Poverty alleviation: rural and urban development.  The subprogramme is carried out by the Population and Rural and Urban Development Division.

 The objective of the subprogramme is to strengthen the technical, managerial and organizational capacity of government agencies and civil society organizations at all levels to formulate population, rural and urban development policies and programmes designed to alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life.

 During the biennium 2000-2001, the subprogramme will pursue these objectives through the organization of training workshops on reproductive health and population and development.  Technical assistance will be provided to countries, upon request, in the implementation of the Bali Declaration on Population and Sustainable Development and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.  In preparation for the Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference, scheduled for 2002, two preparatory meetings will be organized.  Population information will be disseminated to policy makers and programme managers throughout the region by the publication of technical reports, a journal and newsletters and by electronic means. Information networks will be maintained and government and non-governmental organization staff in information technology will be trained.  The subprogramme will aim to strengthen the capacity of government and NGOs to reduce rural poverty, enhance food security and sustainable agricultural development through normative research, advisory services, training, information dissemination and exchange of experience, in cooperation with other international organizations.  To follow up the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), a high-level meeting, regional and local forums and seminars will be organized to enhance the capacity of and dialogue between local and national governments, and civic groups.  In addition, the subprogramme will promote the dissemination of information on relevant experiences through web sites, in order to strengthen the capacity of governments, local authorities, NGOs, the private sector, academic institutions and other networks to address priority issues on shelter and provision of urban services, such as water, waste water and solid waste management, urban transportation and social services, in particular community-based services, which mainly benefit the urban poor in the Asian and Pacific region.

 As a result of these activities, policy makers, programme managers, academics and educators will have gained knowledge concerning population and sustainable development linkages, rural poverty alleviation and sustainable agricultural development and shelter and urban issues, and will have improved the technical skills needed for implementing that knowledge.

 Extrabudgetary funding from UNFPA will be essential for carrying out operational activities in compliance with ESCAP resolution 54/4 of 22 April 1998, which calls for, inter alia, the provision of assistance to developing countries and areas in the region, paying special attention to least developed countries, in the field of population and sustainable development, and for preparatory activities and reports on the implementation of the resolution at the Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference to be held in 2002. Paragraph 11.26 of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development highlights the importance of establishing national information mechanisms to facilitate the systematic collection, analysis, dissemination and utilization of population-related information. Paragraph 11.17 of the Programme of Action also emphasizes that elected representatives at all levels should have access to information on population and sustainable development and related issues. Furthermore, at its fifty-fourth session, the Commission emphasized the need to focus more of ESCAP resources on operational activities, in particular those relating to national capacity-building. Publications, databases and training workshops will be delivered to users in response to those mandates.

 By the end of the biennium, the following accomplishments are expected to be achieved:

(a) Strengthened capacity of government planning officers to incorporate population factors into development planning through improved research and evaluation of programmes;
(b) Delivery of regional inputs to the Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference;
(c) Improved levels of skill at the national level in acquisition, processing, management and dissemination of information;
(d) Increased availability of population publications and databases on the Internet;
(e) Enhanced institutional development for rural poverty alleviation;
(f) Improved information on proper usage of agro-chemicals for sustainable agricultural development;
(g) Enhanced capacity of and dialogue between local and national government officials and civic groups to address emerging issues in urban governance;
(h) Strengthened capacity of governments to monitor the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.
 

Subprogramme 5.  Environment and natural resources development

 Introduction

 The subprogramme encompasses the work that had been carried out previously in 1998-1999 under subprogramme 4, Environment and sustainable development.  The subprogramme is carried out by the Environment and Natural Resources Development Division. The overall goal of this subprogramme is to strengthen national capacity in achieving environmentally sound and sustainable development, in accordance with Agenda 21 and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, adopted by the General Assembly at its nineteenth special session in 1997 (resolution  S-19/2).

 The focus of the subprogramme is on supporting the efforts of member and associate member governments in the formulation and implementation of policies which integrate environmental considerations into overall social and economic development plans, as well as in specific sectors, such as energy resources, water resources, mineral and marine resources, land-use and urban planning.  At the national level, this entails improving regulatory mechanisms and legislative frameworks; medium- and long-term integrated planning and strategy development; the use of economic instruments for sustainable consumption and production patterns; and general awareness-raising and educational activities relating to sustainable development.  The main thrust of the work is on human resources development through technical assistance and training activities.  In addition to the need to strengthen human resources, a major constraint faced by the developing countries of the region is the lack of financial resources for the implementation of sustainable development policies and strategies.  To address this issue, the work of the subprogramme will also include the consideration of ways to involve multilateral and private sector partners in the development of natural resources in a sustainable manner.

 At the subregional and regional levels, the subprogramme will continue to strengthen cooperative mechanisms to address common environmental problems.  The work of the subprogramme will include building on the initiatives established under the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development, established at the 1994 Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific; and the various networks relating to international environmental conventions, in particular those on climate change and desertification.  The secretariat will continue to service the meetings and workshops of the North-East Asian Subregional Programme of Environmental Cooperation.  Furthermore, efforts will be made to strengthen cooperation with other subregional organizations in the various sectors.  The achievements and activities of regional programmes and country experiences will be disseminated through publications and other modalities.

 A major event to be organized during the biennium will be the Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific, 2000, scheduled to be held in 2000.  The Conference, the fourth of its kind to be organized by ESCAP, will review the implementation of Agenda 21 in the region and highlight the most critical environmental issues faced by the countries at the start of the new century.  One of the main outputs of the biennium will be the regional input to the 10-year review of Agenda 21, scheduled to be held in 2002.

 During the biennium 1998-1999, a number of countries of the region experienced some of the worst natural disasters in recent history.  The biennium 2000-2001 will place greater emphasis on the strengthening of policies and capacity for better preparedness and mitigation of natural disasters, including through the RESAP three-tier network and continued support to the Typhoon Committee, the Panel on Tropical Cyclones, and the Forum on Urban Geology for Asia and the Pacific.  Efforts will be made to encourage national governments to improve interministerial and intraministerial coordination, to formulate integrated natural disaster mitigation plans and to operationalize natural disaster management programmes using space technology applications.

 Extrabudgetary resources are indispensable to the secretariat for implementing those elements of the programme of work which are aimed at capacity-building and human resources development, as well as continued support for regional and subregional initiatives in the various sectors. Extrabudgetary resources are spent mainly on group training activities, and some are used for printing non-recurrent publications, including training materials, as well as for meeting the cost of an expert in energy efficiency and conservation who will continue to provide advisory services and to implement technical training activities.

 At the end of the biennium, the following accomplishments are expected to be achieved:

(a) Enhanced national capacity for integrating environmental considerations into economic and social policies; improvement of energy efficiency and conservation potentials; wider application of renewable energy technologies; formulation and implementation of integrated development and management policies in the water, mineral and marine resources sectors; natural disaster preparedness and mitigation; and application of space technology through human resources development activities;

(b) Comprehensive regional review of the implementation of Agenda 21 and international environmental conventions;

(c) Strengthened regional and subregional cooperation on environment;

(d) Development of the Minimum Common Programme on space technology applications.
 

Subprogramme 6.  Transport, communications, tourism and infrastructure development

 Introduction

 The subprogramme encompasses the work that had been carried out previously in 1998-1999 under subprogramme 8, Transport and communications.  The subprogramme is carried out by the Transport, Communications, Tourism and Infrastructure Development Division.

 The focus of work to be undertaken by this subprogramme will be in line with the regional action programme (phase 1) of the New Delhi Action Plan on Infrastructure Development in Asia and the Pacific. Particular attention will be paid to addressing the special concerns of least developed, landlocked and island developing countries, as well as countries with economies in transition.  The subprogramme will also include gender-mainstreaming activities in transport and tourism.

 The activities for the biennium are aimed at formulating and formalizing regional rail, road and inland waterway routes, and at establishing a legal basis for international traffic to move on those routes.  Significant progress is expected to be achieved in the formulation of the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway routes, and in the accession status of ESCAP members and associate members to the conventions listed in Commission resolution 48/11 of 23 April 1992.  Activities will be undertaken to increase awareness of the public and private sectors of the various options available for improving the efficiency of transport facilities, logistics and services in the region as well as for strengthening their capabilities in adopting commercially oriented policies and practices.

 With a view to increasing awareness of emerging issues in transport, and to create a sound basis for participatory approaches to the sustainable development of transport in the region, a wealth of data and information on transport and related issues will be made available to policy makers, and group training activities will be implemented to enhance national capacity.  Assistance will also be provided to increase the knowledge base of policy makers and the public at large of environmental, health and safety issues in transport.

 Assistance will also be provided to member and associate member governments in strengthening national capabilities in policy formulation and planning of tourism, and to promote regional and subregional cooperation in tourism development.

 For many of the subprogramme outputs, the initial focus will be on senior policy makers, policy advisers and other actors who are in a position to initiate or influence the direction of policy changes. This will be followed by activities designed to assist working-level officials who are responsible for implementing programmes and projects. The subprogramme’s outputs will also be used by international organizations, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs and other civil society groups, as well as the private sector.

 Users will be reached through participation in intergovernmental and expert group meetings and study tours; dissemination of information via technical publications, guidelines, newsletters and the Internet; networking of institutions; conduct of group training activities and provision of advisory services.

 Extrabudgetary resources are utilized to supplement and complement the work undertaken using regular budget resources by providing data and information, studies, group training and advisory services to strengthen national capabilities in transport and tourism planning. Staff funded by extrabudgetary resources will assist in undertaking technical studies in their respective areas of expertise, making technical presentations at group training activities and providing advisory services to member governments at their request. Extrabudgetary resources will help in making progress towards the formulation and formalization of regional transport networks and in establishing a legal basis for the movement of international traffic on those routes, and will contribute towards increasing awareness among decision makers of emerging issues in the transport and tourism sectors and strengthening national capabilities to address those issues.

 By the end of the biennium 2000-2001, the following accomplishments are expected to be achieved:

(a) Completion of the formulation of the Asian Highway and the Trans-Asian Railway;

(b) Increased awareness of the use of the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway for international trade and tourism;

(c) Accession by a significant number of Asian countries to the conventions listed in Commission resolution 48/11;
(d) Progress towards the development of regional transport infrastructure agreements and harmonization of navigation rules and regulations along the Mekong River; and improvement of the environment for private sector participation in infrastructure development and operations;

(e) Increased awareness by decision makers of the options available for adopting more commercially oriented approaches to the development and operation of transport facilities and services, including those related to the environment, human health and safety;

(f) Strengthened capacity of tourism planners in policy formulation and planning in tourism;

(g) Increased cooperation among national tourism organizations and tourism education and training institutes.
 

Subprogramme 7.  Statistics

 Introduction

 The subprogramme encompasses the work that had been carried out previously in 1998-1999 under subprogramme 9, Statistics.  The subprogramme is carried out by the Statistics Division.

 Consistent with the terms of reference of the Commission, the main objectives of this subprogramme are to continue to facilitate the development of sustainable national statistical capabilities in the Asian and Pacific region; to disseminate comparable social, economic and other relevant statistics on the regional members and associate members of the Commission; and to promote the effective utilization of information technology within the public sector.  The main activities are (a) to assist and provide substantive and other services to the Committee on Statistics, which plays a central role in promoting and coordinating regional statistical development; (b) to organize technical cooperation activities, including advisory services and technical seminars, and disseminate technical material, with the aim of promoting skills development and sharing of experiences and technical knowledge in statistics and information technology; (c) to organize workshops and training programmes in statistics and information technology, especially in association with the statistical training programmes of SIAP; (d) to prepare, review and coordinate at the regional level the development and revision of statistical standards and their eventual implementation; (e) to undertake the collection, compilation and dissemination of statistical information on the region, and to provide statistical support for analytical work undertaken within the secretariat; and (f) to maintain close collaboration and cooperation with relevant regional, subregional and international organizations to promote improved coordination of technical assistance in statistics.

 The end-users of the outputs of this subprogramme are national statistical offices, computerization and information technology focal points, and planning, monitoring and decision-making agencies in the member and associate member governments; regional, subregional and international organizations; non-governmental organizations, national and international institutes, and scholars concerned with economic, social, demographic and environmental research and policies; and individual firms and persons.  In implementing the subprogramme, the secretariat will take due account of the different stages of statistical development among countries of the region, paying particular attention to the needs of the least developed countries and the disadvantaged economies in transition.  Greater reliance will be placed on enhanced cooperation among countries and coordination of inputs from statistically advanced countries.

 The United Nations Statistical Commission, ESCAP and its Committee on Statistics have emphasized the need for timely and relevant high-quality information in national planning and implementation of policies and programmes designed to attain sustainable economic growth and social development. Extrabudgetary resources are expected to contribute to the secretariat’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of countries to identify, produce and disseminate data needed for their economic and social development, and to create more effective information technology policies. The Commission, the Bali Declaration on Population and Development and the International Conference on Population and Development have urged governments to improve their population data production and dissemination capacity, especially by assigning priority to the application of modern information technology. Funding from UNFPA is expected to help the secretariat to assist countries in their efforts to improve their capacity to collect, process and disseminate such data. In particular, this will be done by sharing the experiences of advanced countries, good practices and information on lessons learned to help developing countries to make progress and avoid wasting resources on experimentation.

 By the end of the biennium 2000-2001, the following accomplishments are expected to be achieved:

(a) Improved coordination of and collaboration on statistical development and statistical standards in the region;

(b) Increased national capacity in development of statistical information systems and use of information technology.
 
 

* Exponential growth rate. The rate takes into account international migration, and thus may not equal the rate of natural increase.

The numbers are from "2000 ESCAP Population Data Sheet".
 

Go back to World of ESCAP

Go back to UNIS homepage