Ministerial Segment

Opening statement by Mr Kim Hak-Su, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP (Monday, 23 April 2001)

Mr Chairman, Honourable Prime Minister,
Excellencies, Distinguished Representatives,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me much pleasure to extend to all of you a very warm welcome to the 57th session of the Commission.  This is the first time that I have had the opportunity to address the Ministerial Segment of the Commission since I assumed my responsibilities as Executive Secretary of ESCAP in July last year, and I feel greatly honoured and privileged to do so.

I should like at the outset to express our warm welcome to His Excellency Mr Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand.   On behalf of everybody present here, I wish to express our deep gratitude to His Excellency the Prime Minister for graciously consenting to inaugurate the session, despite his many pressing duties.  Excellency, your presence here today underscores Thailand's dedication and commitment to the aims and ideals of the United Nations Charter and to the role of ESCAP in bringing together the countries of this vast and diverse region.

Since the Commission last met, the improved growth performance of the ESCAP region has been a source of much encouragement.  However, in an increasingly globalizing world, sustained growth of the region's economies will depend to a large extent on a favourable external environment.  Uncertainties continue to cloud the growth prospects for the U.S. and Japanese economies.  These will no doubt pose serious challenges for Governments of the ESCAP region which have to grapple with problems of widespread poverty, malnutrition and disease.

Let me assure this august assembly that ESCAP is firmly committed to assisting the region's developing countries, in particular the least developed among them, in building their capacities to cope with the numerous challenges that lie ahead.  In this effort, we look forward to the support and cooperation of the member states.

Thank you.