Events at A Glance

This is a calendar of events taking place during the 57th Commission session of the UN  Economic
and Social Commission Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)  at the UN Conference Centre (UNCC) in
Bangkok from 19 to 25 April 2001.   For further information: UNIS, Second Floor (Block B) of
UN Building (Room 251), or Press Suite on the Ground Floor of the UNCC.
<http://www.unescap.org/57/index.htm>

I.  Senior Segment:
 

Thursday, 19 April:  09:00 – 10:00 hrs.        Opening of the Senior Officials’ Segment by Mr. Kim Hak-Su,                                       Executive Secretary of ESCAP. (ESCAP Hall) 10:00 – 16:30 hrs.         Three Committees of the Whole meet throughout the day on                                        ESCAP Reform; Programme Planning; Regional Economic                                        Cooperation; Transport, Communications, Tourism and                                         Infrastructure Development; Environment and Natural                                         Resources Development; Statistics; and Socio-economic                                         Measures to Alleviate Poverty in Rural and Urban Areas.

Friday, 20 April: 09:00 – 10:00 hrs.          Informal consultations on Pacific Islands Countries  10:00 – 11:00 hrs.          Informal consultations on Economies in transition 11:00 – 12:00 hrs.          The Senior Officials’ Meeting continues in three Committees                                          of the Whole on Statistics; Least Developed, Land-locked                                          and Island Developing Countries, among other issues.  13:30 – 16:30 hrs.          Reports of regional intergovernmental bodies. The Committee                                          of the Whole II meet on Transport, communications, tourism                                         and infrastracture development.

Saturday, 21 April: 09:00 – 16:30                 Draft reports

II. Ministerial Segment (23-25 April):
 

Monday, 23 April: 08:45 – 09:30 hrs.           Opening of the Ministerial Segment of ESCAP's 57th                                          Commission session by H.E. Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra,                                          Prime Minister of the Royal Thai Government.                                          (Opening statements/messages by UN Secretary-General,                                          Prime Minister of Thailand and ESCAP Executive Secretary).                                          Discussion throughout the day of policy issues for                                          the ESCAP region on “Balanced Development of Urban and                                          Rural Areas and Regions within the Countries of Asia and                                          the Pacific”.  Approx 09:40 hrs.           H.E. the Prime Minister opens the exhibition on “Uniting for                                          Human Security in Asia and the Pacific”.   He will be escorted                                          by the Executive Secretary of ESCAP to visit  the other                                          exhibitions. 10:00 – 15:00 hrs.           Election of officers.  Policy issues for the ESCAP region to                                          be addressed by  Ministers from the region. 15:00 – 17:00 hrs.           Regional preparations for the special session of the                                          General Assembly on HIV/AIDS,  25-27 June 2001.                                          Two former heads of government, H.E. Mr. Anand                                          Panyarachun, former Prime Minister of Thailand and                                          H.E. Mr. Kenneth Kaunda, former President of Zambia                                          as well as UN Officials, business leaders and AIDs                                          sufferers will make a plea for action to avert a major health                                          threat to the region. (ESCAP Hall) 17:00 – 17:30 hrs.           ESCAP Hall: 2000 ESCAP Human Resources Development                                         Award will be presented by the ESCAP’s Executive Secretary                                          Kim Hak-Su to this year’s winner -- the Spastics Society of                                          Tamilnadu, India.  It was chosen as the winner of the Award                                          for its rights-based approach to the empowerment of people                                          with disabilities, which truly reflected ‘full participation and                                          quality’ – the spirit of the Asian and Pacific Decade of                                          Disabled Persons 1993-2002, and for its wide impact in                                          bridging the gap between grass-root groups and policy makers. 17:30 – 18:00 hrs.           Press Conference on the special session on HIV/AIDs by                                          Mr. Kim Hak-Su, ESCAP’s Executive Secretary,                                          H.E. Mr. Anand Panyarachun, former Prime Minister of                                          Thailand,                                          H.E.  Mr. Kenneth Kaunda, former President of Zambia,                                          Ms. Kathleen Cravero, Deputy Executive Director, UNAIDS,                                          Ms Malin Stensønes, Director, Norweigan Shipowners                                          Association, and Ms Geena Gonzales, Health Educator in                                          the Philippines.

Tuesday, 24 April: 9:00 – 12:00 hrs.             Ministerial Roundtable on the Theme topic. (Closed meeting) 13:30 - 17:00 hrs.           Policy issue and discussion of other matters (contd.).

Wednesday, 25 April: 13:30 - 16:30 hrs.           Adoption of the Report of the Commission. Approx. 17:00 hrs.          End-of-Session Press Conference in the Theatre, UNCC.                                          The press is cordially invited to attend the press conference                                          on the outcome of the 57th Commission session to be                                          co-chaired by Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary of                                          ESCAP, and the Chairman of the 57th Commission session.