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What’s Ahead @ ESCAP |
| www.unescap.org | July 2010 | ||
 ESCAP to Organize a Distinguished Person Lecture by Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen on "Peace, Violence and Development in Modern Societies" ESCAP is honoured to announce that Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen will deliver a Distinguished Person Lecture on “Peace, Violence and Development in Modern Societies” on 20 July from 1400 to 1530 hours at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. Professor Sen's talk at ESCAP will provide a unique opportunity to learn the views of one of the most renowned contemporary thinkers on the challenges of conflict, violence and development in modern societies, their impact on developing countries, and what countries can do to achieve peace and inclusive development. Professor Amartya Sen, a Nobel Laureate in Economics, is Lamont University Professor and Professor of Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University. Professor Sen has not only made outstanding contributions to the economic literature, he is one of the rare economists who have worked on diverse issues such as poverty and famine, human development, social choice, welfare economics, gender inequality, political liberalism, violence and peace, and development. For more information and online registration visit http://www.unescap.org/pdd/distinguished_persons_lectures/sen/sen.asp | |||
 Workshop on Analysis of the Cognitive and Pilot Tests Results in the Context of Disability Statistics ESCAP’s Statistics Division is organizing a Workshop on the Analysis of the Cognitive and Pilot Tests Results in the Context of Disability Statistics, from 6 to 9 July in Bangkok. The Workshop is part of ESCAP’s work to strengthen capacities in national statistical offices to collect reliable data on disability. It will be a concluding workshop to review results of the cognitive and field tests of the Washington Group/ESCAP extended question set to measure disability through surveys. The specific objectives of the Workshop are: (i) to train senior statisticians on skills required to undertake the analysis of cognitive interviews, and (ii) to further advocacy of WHO’s ICF-based approach for disability data collection through discussion and final agreement on a set of questions to measure disabilities through surveys. For more information visit www.unescap.org/stat/disability. | |||
 UN Regional Hub for ICT Conducts Needs Assessment Survey
On 6 July, the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (APCICT), a regional institute of ESCAP, will deliver a Needs Assessment Survey at the 24th Conference of the Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce (CACCI), in Colombo, Sri Lanka. APCICT will engage participants at the Investing in Human Capital and Technology for Sustainable Economic Growth Plenary in order to document the use of ICT for trade facilitation in the region, and note capacity shortcomings in the use of ICT-based Trade Facilitation Measures. On 12 and 13 July, APCICT, in partnership with the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) of the Republic of Korea will organize a training workshop in the Republic of Korea for government officials from Pacific Island states attending the PIF Official’s e-Government Workshop in the Republic of Korea. The training segment at APCICT will be based on two modules of APCICT’s “Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders”. This would be the third instance of collaboration between APCICT, PIF and MOFAT in conducting an ICT training workshop for Pacific Island government officials. | |||
 ESCAP to Organize Regional Forum and Meeting of Chief Executives to Promote Development of Freight Forwarding, Multimodal Transport and LogisticsWith support from the Indonesian Forwarders and Logistics Service Providers Association, ESCAP is organizing its annual Regional Forum of Freight Forwarders, Multimodal Transport Operators and Logistics Service Providers, and Meeting of Chief Executives of National Associations of Freight Forwarders, Multimodal Transport Operators and Logistics Service Providers in Bali, Indonesia from 15 to 16 July 2010. The meetings will be held in conjunction with the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) Region Asia-Pacific Field Meeting and local special meeting. The objectives are (i) to review development of freight forwarding, multimodal transport and logistics service in the region; (ii) to identify the obstacles to progress in freight forwarding, multimodal transport and logistics service; (iii) to foster an effective dialogue among stakeholders of freight forwarding, multimodal transport and logistics service, including government, international organizations and the business sector; and (iv) to contemplate the formation of national logistics policy and regional cooperation mechanism in developing logistics. More information is available at http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/Index.asp?MenuName=FFForum2010 | |||
 Expert Group Meeting to discuss Operationalization of International Transport Corridors in North-East and Central Asia
ESCAP’s Transport Division will organize an Expert Group Meeting on Operationalization of International Intermodal Transport Corridors in North-East and Central Asia, from 15 to 16 July 2010 in Uiwang-city, Republic of Korea. The meeting, hosted by the Korea Railroad Research Institute, will review the status of identified intermodal transport corridors in North-East and Central Asia and discuss operation of the corridors through planning and implementation of demonstration runs of container trains and/or trucks. The meeting also aims to adopt a joint statement on collaboration to develop and operate intermodal transport corridors in North-East and Central Asia. More information is available at http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/common/TIS/CorridorStudy/EGM_Uiwang_docs.asp. | |||
Experts from seven ASEAN+3 countries will gather in Bangkok to help the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee set up a Task Force to assist flood-prone cities in the Asia-Pacific region in reducing the risk of floods. The meeting will take place at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok from 19 to 20 July 2010. In 2009 alone, flood-related disasters affected about 52 million people and caused damage worth $US 5 billion in this region. With the increasing growth of the region’s urban population, one third of it living in slums, more and more people are vulnerable to floods. At its 42nd Session, the Typhoon Committee identified urban flood risk management as a high priority and requested the ESCAP Secretariat to support the establishment of a task force to assist countries in reducing damage from tropical cyclones and heavy rainfall in populous cities. The Committee, comprising 14 ESCAP members, was established by ESCAP and WMO in 1968 to reduce typhoon and flood damage in the region through the coordinated efforts of its members, recommendations to increase community preparedness, and improving meteorological and hydrological facilities
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UN to Set Up International Task Force on Urban Floods