Simpler Customs Procedures Could Boost Exports of Landlocked Countries, UN
Most of the high costs related to transporting goods from landlocked developing countries to international markets are avoidable, as they are caused to a large extent by cumbersome custom procedures, says a senior United Nations official. [24 April 2008]

Viable Economy and Human Investment Key to Create Jobs in Pacific Islands, UN
Effective partnerships with the private sector to create viable economies, and boosting investment in human development, such as in education and health, are two of the key measures the Pacific islands could take to reduce high unemployment in those countries, the most senior UN official in the Asia-Pacific region said. [24 April 2008]

Asia-Pacific Countries to Address Energy Security at ESCAP Annual Session
With oil prices continue to break new records, government ministers and senior officials from the 62 members of ESCAP will focus on energy security, and its impact on sustainable development, when they gather for the Commission’s annual session in Bangkok from 24 to 30 April. [23 April 2008]

Asia-Pacific Countries Share Win-Win Climate Change Solutions
Countries from Asia and the Pacific, both developed and developing, are gathering in Bangkok to share experiences on “co-benefits approach to climate change” - win-win actions which cut greenhouse gas emissions while alleviating poverty. The meeting today is organized by ESCAP in cooperation with the Japanese Ministry of the Environment and the Japanese Overseas Environmental Cooperation Centre. About 50 participants are sharing good practices on “co-benefits”. [23 April 2008]

UN to Explore Improving Market Access for Landlocked Developing Countries
The Asia-Pacific region is home to 12 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), most of which are located in Central Asia and the Caucusus. Goods from these countries must pass through their neighbours’ territories in order to reach international markets, increasing their transport costs—and hindering the development of these countries. While some LLDCs are experiencing remarkable growth, many still lag behind the rest of the region, with average GDP growth rates reaching only half the rate of nearby countries. [21 April 2008]

Addressing High Unemployment Focus of UN Meeting on the Pacific Islands
Historically high birth rates combined with slow economic growth has resulted in high unemployment in many Pacific Island countries--reaching as high as 60% in the worst affected countries. This has made it difficult for new entrants to the job market, with the youth and women being the hardest hit. Underlying the importance of this issue, about 40 representatives from the Asia-Pacific region will be attending the Special Body on Pacific Island Developing Countries of ESCAP on 22 and 23 April to discuss promoting employment in the Pacific islands. [21 April 2008]

UN Launches New Training Course to Help Developing Countries Use ICT
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) - from wireless technology to the Internet - are widely accepted as powerful tools for enhancing human development. With access to ICT, people are able to find the information they need to improve their lives. However, without visionary policy makers and ICT savvy government officials the promise of a better future through the use of ICTs is unlikely to be realized. [16 April 2008]

Better Figures on Labour Force Trends Help Asia-Pacific to Avert Jobless Growth
Rising labour productivity has been a main driver of economic growth in Asia and the Pacific. The region contributed to 60 per cent of the global growth in labour productivity since 1995. But there has been no comparable growth in employment. To help countries to better project their labour force and employment trends, and to ensure a balance between productivity and employment growth, SIAP held a training course on "Labour Force and Manpower Projection" for 25 officials from six countries and territories. [11 April 2008]

United Nations ESCAP to Launch Study on Energy Security in Asia and the Pacific
With the price of oil continuing to rise, securing energy supplies to sustain economic growth and social development has become an issue of increasing concern for many countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Decisions of governments will not only have an immediate economic and social impact but lasting implications for future generations. ESCAP, in a comprehensive new study, says a new sustainable energy paradigm is needed if countries in Asia and the Pacific are to meet their long-term development goals. [11 April 2008]

UN Uses Distance Learning to Boost Statistical Training for Developing Countries
Training for government statisticians in the Asia-Pacific region received a boost this week thanks to a new distance training course, provided by SIAP. Thirty statisticians from India and Cambodia completed a nine-day training course today learning from lecturers based in Japan through videoconferencing. [9 April 2008]

ESCAP Chief Calls for Greater Aid for Developing Countries to Address Climate Change
Noeleen Heyzer, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, today called on developed countries to help meet the technological and financial needs of developing countries facing the challenge of climate change at the start of the Climate Change talks in Bangkok. [31 March 2008]

ASEAN's Future ICT Leaders Awarded Scholarship to Explore the Role of ICT in Socio-economic Development
Twenty promising undergraduate students from seven ASEAN member countries will begin their scholarships to study information and communications technology (ICT) for socio-economic development at Daejeon University (DJU) in the Republic of Korea, on 1 April, 2008. [31 March 2008]

ESCAP Executive Secretary meets with Prime Minister of India
Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, the Executive Secretary of ESCAP, met today with the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Manmohan Singh. At the one-on-one meeting, Ms. Heyzer briefed the Prime Minister on the key issues that ESCAP intended to focus on in the years ahead: food and energy security, water and sanitation and climate change -- which as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has emphasized -- is not only an environmental but a development issue. [27 March 2008]

Neglect of Agriculture Condemns 218 Million People to Poverty, ESCAP Says
Chronic neglect of the agricultural sector in Asia and the Pacific is condemning 218 million people to continuing extreme poverty, and widening the gap between the region's rich and poor, according to the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2008 , launched at multiple locations today throughout the region by ESCAP. [27 March 2008]

ESCAP chief outlines the pathways for taking India to the next level
Speaking in New Delhi, the Executive Secretary of ESCAP said that considerable progress had been achieved by India on many fronts, but much more needed to be done if India is to achieve MDGs. She was a special guest speaker at a roundtable, entitled “Taking India to the level” and organized by The Economist. Among the speakers were several senior government ministers and around a dozen business leaders from India and abroad. [26 March 2008]

ESCAP to Launch Key Economic and Social Survey on Asia-Pacific Region
The Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2008 was launched on Thursday, 27 March, in about 20 capitals in the region and in New York and Geneva. This year’s Survey, entitled “Sustaining Growth and Sharing Prosperity,” says 218 million people – a third of the region’s poor, largely living in rural areas – could be lifted out of poverty by raising agricultural productivity if governments address decades of policy neglect and failure in the agricultural sector. [21 March 2008]

UN Promotes the Use of Satellites to Combat Disasters in Asia and the Pacific
The Asia-Pacific region has been the victim of some of the most devastating disasters in human history. Over the last ten years, six out of ten of the most deadly natural disasters occurred within the region. To help prepare the countries of the region for future disasters, ESCAP is organizing a Regional Symposium on Disaster Management to explore ways of effectively utilizing information collected from Earth observation satellites. [20 March 2008]

New Asia-Pacific Statistical Yearbook Presents Complete Picture of the Region's Development
While the world-leading pace of urbanization in Asia and the Pacific has contributed to the region's growth - it has also driven up urban poverty, according to the latest edition of the Statistical Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific, released today. The Yearbook, produced by ESCAP, is the region's leading compilation of statistical data which provides a detailed picture of the major economic, social and environmental trends in Asia and the Pacific. [20 March 2008]

Government officials complete six-month UN course on statistics
33 government officials from 27 African, Latin American and Asia-Pacific countries, recently completed a six-month statistics course. The course was conducted by the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific, part of ESCAP, in Chiba Japan. [19 March 2008]

Better sanitation focus of UN World Water Day observance in Bangkok
More than 1.5 billion people in the Asia-Pacific region lack basic sanitation, such as access to a toilet—leaving them vulnerable to preventable diseases. Globally, one child dies every 20 seconds as a result of poor sanitation. In order to raise awareness of this issue, UN General Assembly declared 2008 to be the International Year of Sanitation (IYS). The Year will be highlighted at the observance of World Water Day in Bangkok. The event, organized by ESCAP, will take plac on 20 March. [14 March 2008]

Pacific island states, ESCAP and subregional organizations find new potential for strengthened collaboration
The heads of ASEAN, PIFS and leaders and senior ministers from selected Pacific island states met with ESCAP in New Caledonia on 12 and 13 March. They explored opportunities to strengthen collaboration between Pacific island states and ESCAP, and closer partnership with Asia-based subregional organizations. [14 March 2008]

UN Launches Database of Telecentres in Asia and the Pacific
The Asia-Pacific region is home to thousands of telecentres which enable many rural communities to go online and to learn about market trends, business opportunities, and how to market their products. In order to foster development of these centres, ESCAP has launched a Telecentre Online Database. [11 March 2008]

Asia-Pacific Population Journal Paints Mixed Picture of Pacific Sub-region
With a total population of about 34 million and very diverse levels of fertility – from 1.2 children per woman in the Northern Mariana Islands to 4.6 in Samoa – the Pacific sub-region needs to redouble its efforts to tackle crucial issues such as maternal mortality, low contraceptive prevalence rate and teenage fertility in the pursuit of its MDGs, according to an article published in the latest issue of the Asia-Pacific Population Journal. [10 March 2008]

UN High-level Meeting in the Pacific to Address Challenges Facing Island States
Leaders of Pacific island countries and heads of major Asian regional groupings – ASEAN, SAARC and ECO - will meet in Noumea, New Caledonia, on 12-13 March, to discuss key challenges facing the island states and how Asian countries can increase their support to addressing these challenges. The meeting, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in cooperation with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), will be chaired by Noeleen Heyzer, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP. [5 March 2008]

UN Observes International Women’s Day in Bangkok on 7 March
In celebration of International Women’s Day, 8 March, UN system in Thailand will organize a special event on Friday, 7 March 2008 at UN Conference Centre. The theme this year is “Investing in Women and Girls”, which highlights the importance of financial and other resources for the promotion of women’s empowerment and the multiplier effect of investing in women on economic growth and development. [4 March 2008]

Deputy Secretary-General discusses "Delivering as One" at regional level in Bangkok
The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Asha-Rose Migiro, paid a two-day visit to the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok on 18 -19 February during which how to ‘deliver as one UN” at the regional level was the main theme of her discussions. [20 February 2008]

UN Assists Asia-Pacific to Measure Progress Towards Information Economies
The demand for reliable and comparable statistics on ICT and their impact on development has increased exponentially in recent years as a result of the rapid advances in ICT. This poses a major challenge to national statistical organizations in many developing countries. In response, UN has organized a regional training course in Republic of Korea, bringing together national statisticians to discuss the production and dissemination of ICT statistics. [18 February 2008]

ESCAP Executive Secretary Meets Top Chinese Leaders on First Official Visit
Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), visited China from 17 to 23 January 2008. It was Ms. Heyzer’s first official visit to China since taking office. Ms. Heyzer’s discussions with the Chinese authorities focused on five key areas. [24 January 2008]

UN-APCAEM to host a Regional Forum on Bioenergy Sector Development
Record breaking oil prices have forced many countries to search for alternative sources of energy. Biofuels are proving to be one of the most viable of the emerging energy sources. In order to take a comprehensive view of the bioenergy development, ESCAP will host a regional forum on bioenergy sector development in Bangkok, from 23 to 25 January 2008, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand. [15 January 2008]

Asia-Pacific ready to face US sub-prime uncertainties in 2008, says UN
The robust economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region will continue in 2008, despite uncertainties in US and continued appreciation of regional currencies. Strong growth in China and India, sound economic fundamentals and buoyant commodity prices will underpin the region’s resilience. The positive outlook was presented by ESCAP, in its Key Economic Developments and Prospects in the Asia-Pacific Region 2008 report . [9 January 2008]

UN Sees Risks for Asia-Pacific Region in Slowing US Economy
Despite predicted robust growth in 2008, the risks for the Asia-Pacific economies are “tilted to the downside” as they await an “unraveling of the United States sub-prime mortgage problem and a slowing U.S. economy". The warnings come from a preview by ESCAP, Key Economic Developments and Prospects in the Asia-Pacific Region 2008, which will be launched on 9 January at FCCT in Bangkok . [5 January 2008]

UN Regional Commission Heads Outline Development Challenges in Bangkok
“The Middle East is rich but not developed”, said the Executive Secretary of ESCWA, Bader Al-Dafa, today in Bangkok. He was speaking to UN staff at a seminar which brought together the heads of four UN regional commissions. The seminar, on emerging development issues and challenges in the regions, was organized by Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of ESCAP. The other two Executive Secretaries present were Abdoulie Janneh of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Marek Belka of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE). [14 December 2007]

Developing countries need support to fight climate change, says ESCAP
Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of ESCAP, says that active support to developing countries is key to global success in fighting against climate change. Speaking today in Bali, Ms heyzer noted that developing countries will not be able to simultaneously achieve continued economic growth and take adequate climate action unless there is technology transfer. [12 December 2007]

Ban Ki-moon visited ESCAP during first tour of Asia-Pacific
UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, visited ESCAP on 10 December on his way to the Bali climate change conference. He delivered a keynote address on climate change in which he called on developing countries to do their part in addressing the challenge.

• Photo Gallery
• Statements

Ban Ki-moon to mark Human Rights Day by launching in Bangkok rights treaty 60th anniversary celebrations
The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki- moon, will officially unveil in Bangkok the logo of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on 10 December, the International Human Rights Day. The observance of the Human Rights Day in Bangkok this year coincides with the official visit of Mr. Ban to Thailand, from 9 to 11 December 2007. The event will take place at UN Conference Centre (UNCC) at 1430. [7 December 2007]

UN Meeting Promotes Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific
According to a recent UN study, paperless trade could save businesses more than half a billion dollars a year globally. The savings would come from streamlined customs procedures, thereby reducing delays at border crossings. However, paperless trade requires trained customs and trade officials and traders in order to be effective. For this reason, ESCAP in cooperation with ECE will hold a workshop in Bangkok from 10 to 14 December. [7 December 2007]

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to visit ESCAP on his way to Bali Conference
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, will visit ESCAP on 10 December and deliver a keynote address on “climate change, green growth and inclusive development”. This will be Mr. Ban’s key policy statement on climate change on the eve of his attendance at the Bali Conference. He will also hold a dialogue with UN staff members on his development and reform agenda. [6 December 2007]

UN Meeting Promotes Online Dispute Resolution in Asia and the Pacific
With the rapid growth in e-trade, regulators need better ways to ensure the security of online transactions. Against this backdrop, ESCAP organized the Sixth International Forum on Online Dispute Resolution in Hong Kong, China, on 4 and 5 December 2007. [6 December 2007]

UN assists Azerbaijan to transform from oil to knowledge economy
Azerbaijan is the fastest growing economy in the Asia-Pacific region, with an annual growth rate of more than 20 per cent thanks to surging oil revenues. In order to secure longer-term economic stability, the government is prioritizing ICT sector, making it second in importance only to the oil industry. To assist the government to realize its goal, ESCAP, in cooperation with ECE and the Ministry of ICT of Azerbaijan, organized a seminar on ICT policymaking in Baku. [28 November 2007]

UN to Connect Rural Women Entrepreneurs through Online Knowledge Network
ESCAP will launch the Knowledge Network of Women’s Cooperatives on 27 November in Bali. The network will empower women entrepreneurs by providing them with a web-based system that enables them to share knowledge, resources and collaborate on projects across the region. The project will target rural women who are managing small enterprises. [26 November 2007]

People with disabilities an untapped market for tourism industry, UN
People with disabilities represent a huge untapped market for the travel industry. How to make tourism accessible to them will be discussed when representatives of the industry meet with policy makers and disabled people in Bangkok, 22 – 24 November 2007. The meeting is organized by ESCAP in cooperation with the government of Thailand, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and Disabled People International Asia-Pacific. [21 November 2007]

Researcher’s Foresight Gives Hope to Indonesian Cooking Banana Industry
The discovery of several disease-resistant banana trees by a far-sighted scientist may save farmers across South East Asia from an epidemic that has already destroyed the banana industry in several Indonesian provinces. The researcher shared his find with CAPSA -- an ESCAP agricultural development centre based in Indonesia -- to develop a project aimed at propagating the plant and distributing it to farmers across the archipelago. [21 November 2007]

UN Envoy urges Asia -Pacific to turn climate change into new economic opportunities
UN SG’s Special Envoy on Climate Change, Han Seung-soo, called on Asian- Pacific countries to find a way to avoid further environmental deterioration while pursuing economic growth at the Committee on Managing Globalization of ESCAP. Mr. Han applauded ESCAP for its Green Growth initiative, which calls for a paradigm change in thinking of growth and argues for ecological costs to be fully reflected in market prices. [19 November 2007]

ASEAN needs to address serious development gaps among members, says UN
ASEAN needs to address development gaps between its 10 members, if it is to build a more integrated ASEAN community, says UN. As ASEAN leaders gather in Singapore to sign the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint this week, a study entitled "Ten as One: Challenges and Opportunities for ASEAN Integration" by ESCAPoutlines the major challenges for ASEAN integration and recommend key actions to be taken. [19 November 2007]

Governments to Set Research Agenda for Agriculture as a Means of Combating Rural Poverty
High-level officials from governments across the region will meet in Bangkok on 21 November to discuss approaches to tackling poverty in rural Asia. The meeting will set the regional agenda for research priorities in the development of agriculture as a means of combating poverty in the areas where it is most needed. [16 November 2007]

UN Climate Change Envoy to Speak in Bangkok
he UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Change, Han Seung-soo, will give a briefing on recent developments in UN climate change activities on 19 November, in Bangkok. The briefing will be given at the Fourth session of the Committee on Managing Globalization, which will be held by ESCAP from 19 to 21 November in Bangkok. [15 November 2007]

Thai Victims Join the UN on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
About 300 people from all walks of life, including 50 wheelchair bound victims of road traffic accidents, will join the UN on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on Sunday, 18 November 2007, in Bangkok. They will proceed from Amphorn Garden to the UN Building, head office of ESCAP. Mr. Apirak Kosayodhin, Bangkok Governor and Event Chairman, will deliver a speech to mark the occasion. [14 November 2007]

UN Forum to Promote Investment in the Asian Highway
Just over two years since the Agreement on the Asian Highway Network came into force, more than 10,000 kilometres of the Highway have been upgraded to meet the minimum standards set by the Agreement. With 12,000 kilometres -- about nine per cent of the Highway -- remaining to be upgraded, a forum will take place in Bangkok on 16 November to boost investment. [13 November 2007]

Regional Commissions to Integrate Biodiversity into Regular Work
A MoU geared towards enhancing the cooperation and collaboration between the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Regional Economic and Social Commissions was signed by the Executive Heads of the respective organizations at UN Headquarters in New York. It is the first time that an agreement has been signed between the Regional Commissions and a Multilateral Environment Agreement (MEA). [26 October 2007]

Six Asian Economies to Launch a New Round of Trade Liberalization
Six Asian countries, including China, India and the Republic of Korea, are expected to launch a new round of negotiations aimed at reducing tariffs and increase trade among them. At a ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) in Goa, India, on 26 October, the six countries will also adopt an agreement on the certification and verification of the origin of goods. The other three APTA members are Bangladesh, Lao PDR and Sri Lanka [25 October 2007]

Turmoil on Global Financial Markets: Will it be Contagious to Asia?
A special seminar on “Turmoil on Global Financial Markets: Will it be Contagious to Asia?” will be held in Bangkok on 26 October 2007 at UN Conference Centre. Jointly organized by UNESCAP, ITD, and UNCTAD, the seminar will serve as a forum for sharing views on the recent developments in global financial markets, and on measures for Asia to lessen or avoid the repercussions of a global financial turmoil. [25 October 2007]

United Nations Commits to Deliver as One at the Regional Level
Reaffirming their commitment to work together to enhance the impact of United Nations development activities, UN Regional Commissions and UNDP signed a Cooperation Framework, which is intended to build on the complementarities between the work of the five Regional Commissions and UNDP to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development goals, at UNDP Headquarters in New York. [25 October 2007]

Member States Must Empower the UN, says Thai Prime Minister
For all the political changes that have taken place in Thailand, supporting UN remains a constant in Thai foreign policy. The message comes from a keynote address given today by the Prime Minister, General Surayud Chulanont, at the United Nations Day observance in Bangkok. He spoke in front of about 450 UN staff members, Thai government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, students, and representatives of the civil society. [24 October 2007]

UNESCAP and Thai Government Lead Gathering Marking International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Today UNESCAP in collaboration with the Government of Thailand marked the 20th Anniversary of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty in ceremonies at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. “Today we mark a day to remember those who continue to live with poverty, violence and hunger”, said Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of ESCAP, in her welcome address to the participants. [18 October 2007]

UN-APCICT Launches Digital Partnership Network
UN-APCICT has launched the UN-APCICT Digital Partnership Network (DPN) which aims to develop a dedicated network of training institutions, academics, and researchers within the field of ICT for Human Capacity Building. 21 countries have already registered with the network. [18 October 2007]

UN-APCAEM Promotes Conservation Agriculture Techniques in Asia-Pacific
Unlike conventional agriculture, environmentally-sustainable conservation agricultural (CA) practices have the potential to prevent deterioration of soil quality and promote water conservation in agricultural production, and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on the agricultural sector. UN-APCAEM is organizing an international seminar on promoting CA practices in Asia and the Pacific, from 24 to 26 October 2007, in Zhengzhou, China. [18 October 2007]

First Regional Recommendations on the Intellectually Disabled Adopted
A United Nations sponsored meeting has made recommendations on ways to empower persons with intellectual disabilities and their families in Asia and the Pacific. A first in the region, the Shanghai Recommendations were adopted at a workshop organized by the UNESCAP and the China Disabled Persons’ Federations (CDPF) which took place from 11 to 13 October in the Chinese city. [15 October 2007]

World Investment Report 2007 of UNCTAD to be launched in Bangkok
The World Investment Report 2007 of UNCTAD will be launched on 16 October at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok . The launch is jointly organized by the International Institute for Trade and Development and UNESCAP. The theme of this year&quo;s report is “Transnational Corporations, Extractive Industries and Development”. [12 October 2007]

UN and Thailand Hand-in-Hand to Stand Up Against Poverty on 17 October
Over 700 United Nations staff members and Thai government employees will join hands on 17 October, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, on Makkawan Bridge between Government House and UN Compound in Bangkok. It will be part of the global Stand Up and Speak Out against poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals campaign. [11 October 2007]

Asia-Pacific Leads the Way in Reviewing Progress Towards “Society for All Ages”
The Asia-Pacific region has a mixed record in tackling the challenges posed by population ageing; and governments need to make more efforts to create a “society for all ages”. The message comes from a regional meeting on ageing which ended today in Macao, China. The meeting was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), with support from the government of Macao. [11 October 2007]

Disaster reduction is everybody’s business – Ban Ki-moon
This year’s International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction, is marked by a ceremony at UNCC in Bangkok. It takes place on the third and final day of a key regional workshop on School Education and Disaster Risk Reduction. “Disaster reduction is everybody’s business”, says Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General, in his message on the International Day. “We all have a moral, social and economic obligation to act now in building resilient communities and nations.” [10 October 2007]

UN Regional Meeting Aims to Empower People with Intellectual Disabilities
With the Special Olympics in Shanghai drawing the world’s attention to the rights and potential of people with intellectual disabilities, an Asia-Pacific regional meeting on the issue is taking place alongside the games. Organized by UNESCAP and the China Disabled Persons’ Federations, the “Regional Workshop on the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families” will be held from 11 to 13 October 2007 in Shanghai. [10 October 2007]

Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting on Population Ageing Opens in Macao
Senior officials and representatives from about 25 countries in Asia and the Pacific have gathered in Macao today for a high-level meeting, organized by UNESCAP with the support of the Government of Macao SAR, China, which will review progress the region has made in response to the challenges posed by population ageing. [9 October 2007]

Asia-Pacific Making Progress in Meeting MDGs But Falls Behind Other Regions in Some Target Areas, Says New Report
The Asia-Pacific region as a whole is forging ahead on many of MDGs, but there is uneven progress between and within countries, with many countries falling behind Sub-Saharan Africa or Latin America in certain areas, says a new report titled “The Millennium Development Goals: Progress in Asia and the Pacific 2007” released today. [8 October 2007]

UN Training Promotes e-Government in Asia-Pacific
Rapid development of ICT has enabled governments in Asia and the Pacific to deliver public services more efficiently in the past decade. However, a lack of skilled human resources in planning, design, implementation and management has proven to be a serious impediment to the progress of e-Government services. UN-APCICT, in collaboration with UNU-IIST, will organize the 2nd Regional Training Workshop from 8-12 October in Incheon. [5 October 2007]

Education Focus for International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
The International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on 10 October will be marked this year by a regional workshop on School Education and Disaster Risk Reduction in Bangkok, and a ceremony on the Day. Both events, jointly organized by UN agencies and intergovernmental oganizations, will take place at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. [5 October 2007]

ESCAP to Present Awards as Part of World Habitat Day Observance
This year’s World Habitat Day is being observed across the world under the theme “A Safe City Is A Just City”. ESCAP is observing the World Habitat Day by organizing an award ceremony in recognition of the initiatives in improving the living conditions of slums and squatter settlements in Thailand by the government of Thailand [4 October 2007]

ESCAP/UNDP/ADB To Launch Regional MDG Report
ESCAP will launch the MDGs: Progress in Asia and the Pacific 2007 report in collaboration with the ADB, and UNDP. The launch will take place simultaneously in Manila and Bangkok at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand at 11:00 hours on Monday, 8 October [2 October 2007]

Regional Meeting in Macao to Review Progress in Dealing With Population Ageing
UNESCAP will bring together representatives from 25 countries in Asia-Pacific to a High-level Meeting in Macao, China to review progress made in response to the challenges of population ageing. The Meeting will be held from 9 to 11 October 2007. [1 October 2007]

ESCAP Helps Cambodia to Embrace Green Policies
ESCAP is holding a seminar to help Cambodia to adopt development policies which protect the environment without limiting economic growth. The seminar, which takes place from 1 to 4 October in Sihanoukville, is attended by senior policymakers from Cambodia. [1 October 2007]

First Observance of International Day of Non-Violence to be Held on 2 October
UNESCAP, in cooperation with the Embassy of India, will hold the first observance of the International Day of Non-Violence on 2 October at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok. [27 September 2007]

UNESCAP Helps Rural E-Centres Joining Forces to the Benefit of the Poor
Out of the world’s estimated 170,000 community e-centres – places where people in the poorest and remotest parts of the world can have access to computers and the Internet, around 14,000 are in Asia and the Pacific. The number is expected to jump ten folds in the next five years. To help poor communities to make the most out of these e-centres, UNESCAP is holding a meeting in Bangkok on establishing a regional knowledge network of e-centres. [27 September 2007]

UN Observes International Day of Peace on 21 September
ESCAP will be holding an observance of the International Day of Peace on 21 September at UN Conference Centre, Bangkok. This Day, established by UN General Assembly, has been observed since 1981 as a day of global cease-fire. The observance this year will also include a panel discussion under the theme of climate change and peace [17 September 2007]

Asia-Pacific Assesses Progress Towards a Barrier-free Society for the Disabled
The Asian and Pacific region has made great progress over the past few years in creating an inclusive and barrier-free society for millions of disabled people, but many challenges remain, according to reports to be presented to a high level regional meeting in Bangkok on 19-21 September. [14 September 2007]

More effective policies that harmonize rapid economic growth with environmental sustainability to be discussed at UN meeting
Conventional thinking says that increasing environmental degradation is an inherent part of economic growth. However, a growing number of experts believe that this does not have to be the case. For this reason UNESCAP and the Government of the Republic of Korea are holding the Second Policy Forum of the Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth from 3 to 5 September in Bangkok. [3 September 2007]

UN Forum to Encourage Private Sector Participation in Infrastructure Development
Executive officers of private sector companies will have an opportunity to exchange ideas on public-private partnership with ministers and senior government officials at the Asia-Pacific Business Forum on Public-Private Partnership for Infrastructure Development , which will be jointly organized by UNESCAP and the Korean Development Institute on 4 October 2007 in Seoul. [30 August 2007]

UNESCAP Helps Rural Women to Build Up Their Businesses Through the Internet
UNESCAP is working to establish a regional knowledge network of rural women’s cooperatives which will enable women entrepreneurs to share their business knowledge and experiences and market their products through the Internet. A regional meeting is taking place from 23 to 24 August in Bangkok. [20 August 2007]

UN Helps Cambodia in its Bid to Move Toward an Information Economy
Cambodia announced a plan to shift the country from relying on agriculture, garment manufacturing and tourism to a medium and high value-added economy, with ICT being a key sector. The country currently has one of the lowest rates of computer ownership in the region. To help Cambodia realize its ambition, UNESCAP conducted a national seminar on Internet governance on 15 and 16 August in Phnom Penh. [17 August 2007]

UN Helps Land-locked Mongolia to Tap the Internet for Development
Mongolia has seen its mobile phone market growing at a remarkable rate of over 100% per year since it embarked on telecommunications reform a few years ago, and also has an ambitious e-Mongolian strategy, using ICT to integrate more closely into the regional and global economy. To help the country in this endeavour, UNESCAP held a national seminar in Ulaanbaatar, from 1 to 2 August. [3 August 2007]

Using Space Technology to Fight Against Avian Influenza
Space technology can help countries in Asia-Pacific fight against avian influenza – a major threat to the region. UN is taking steps to promote the application of the technology in an integrated early warning system for avian influenza. UNESCAP is hosting a meeting on space technology and avian influenza from 1 to 3 August in Bangkok. [1 August 2007]

UN-sponsored Meeting to Promote Intraregional Trade in Asia-Pacific
Over the past decade, the Asia-Pacific region has witnessed rapid economic growth driven by strong external demand. During this period, intraregional trade in Asia has also grown considerably. However, there is still room for Asian countries to strengthen their trade relationships. UNESCAP is convening 1-3 August an Expert Group Meeting on Promoting Trade between Asian Subregions in Kunming, China. [1 August 2007]

UN Secretary-General Appoints Noeleen Heyzer of Singapore as Executive Secretary of ESCAP
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Noeleen Heyzer of Singapore as Executive Secretary of ESCAP. Ms. Heyzer, currently Executive Director of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), is the first woman to head ESCAP [31 July 2007]

Regional Forum Explores Win-Win Solutions of Climate Change and Economic Growth
UNESCAP , in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, is co-hosting the 17 th Asia-Pacific Seminar on Climate Change, to be held from 31 July to 3 August 2007, in Bangkok. The focus of the seminar will be on development goals and climate change. Special attention will be given to initiatives which reduce greenhouse gas emissions while advancing development objectives. [27 July 2007]

UN Forum Discusses Social, Health and Economic Consequences of Population Ageing in Asia
UNESCAP, in collaboration with the UNFPA and UN-DESA, is holding a Seminar on the Social, Health and Economic Consequences of Population Ageing in the Context of Changing Families from 25 to 27 July in Bangkok. [25 July 2007]

Forum addresses intellectual property rights and their effect on development
With the emergence of effective medicines that combat HIV and a wide range of other diseases, a massive industry has emerged which supplies cheap copies of these medicines to people who could not otherwise afford them. This constitutes a major dilemma for those who wish to protect intellectual property rights while safeguarding the health of the poor. In an effort to address these issues, UNESCAP, in cooperation with WIPO, is holding the High Level Forum on Intellectual Property Rights and Trade. [23 July 2007]

UNESCAP/ADB/UNDP Regional Action Plan Urges Governments to Pay More Attention to the Social Agenda
Participants, at a sub-regional development forum, have called on North and Central Asian governments to channel the benefits of strong economic growth in recent years to lagging social sectors, by improving educational and health care services. [20 July 2007]

UNESCAP/ADB/UNDP Open Regional MDG Forum with a Call by Kyrgyz Prime Minister to Forge Partnerships in Achieving MDGs
A regional development forum, sponsored by UNESCAP, UNDP and ADB, opened today in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The objective of the forum is to develop a sub-regional plan of action to tackle the challenges in achieving MDGs in North and Central Asia. The forum intends to build stronger partnerships and networks across a large spectrum of stakeholders from all over the region. [19 July 2007]

Asia-Pacific Examines Ways to Scale Up Responses to Climate Change
With consensus among scientists and policymakers emerging regarding climate change, countries in Asia and the Pacific need to scale up their responses urgently to avoid the worst consequences predicted. Business and the financial sector have a key role to play. The message came from UN-sponsored meeting which opened today in Seoul. [18 July 2007]

Conference on Happiness Examines Different Approaches to Development
The Asia-Pacific region has shown enviable economic growth as measured by GDP. However, this growth has come at a heavy environmental cost and has been accompanied by a host of social problems, calling into question whether GDP-driven development brings people more happiness. To examine these issues, UNESCAP is co-sponsoring an International Conference on