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Press
Release..............................
UNESCAP News Services
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Date 19
November 2003
Press Release No: G/18/2003
First Host Country Headquarters Agreement Signed
Between Government of China and UNESCAP
Bangkok (UN Information Services) - The new headquarters
for the Asian and Pacific Centre for Agricultural Engineering
and Machinery (APCAEM) is set to open in Beijing this month
following the historic signing of the first Host Country Headquarters
Agreement between the Government of China and UNESCAP in Bangkok
on 19 November 2003.
APCAEM is the first office from the UN Secretariat
to be established in China. It will be located in the China
International Science and Technology Convention Centre in Beijing.
It replaces the Regional Network of Agricultural Machinery.
The opening of the Centre signifies the recognition
by member states of UNESCAP of the importance of the organization
in furthering the cause of agro-based technologies in agricultural
production.
A Supplementary Agreement on the administrative
and financial arrangements for APCAEM was also signed, ensuring
a strong legal and financial foundation for the Centre following
over 12 months of preparatory work by UNESCAP and the Director
of APCAEM, Mr. Tapio Juokslahti.
Mr Tapio was appointed the first Director of the
regional Centre in May 2003 and has been working from the UNESCAP
secretariat in Bangkok.
It is anticipated the Centre will attract more
member countries and financial contributions from the private
sector in the form of public-private partnership, as it increasingly
proves itself to be beneficial to its stakeholders with substantive
and tangible accomplishments in the near future.
APCAEM currently has 13 member countries: Bangladesh,
China (host country), India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of
Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, and Viet Nam. The Democratic People's Republic of
Korea (DPRK) became the 13th member country of APCAEM in July
2003.
The organizations nine Governing Board members
were endorsed by the first phase of UNESCAP's 59th Commission
session in April 2003. The Board members are: China, India,
Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Viet Nam,
Fiji, and Mongolia.
The new regional institute is closely aligned
with the Trade and Investment Division of UNESCAP, encompassing
not only agricultural machinery and post-harvest technology,
but also agro-processing technology, development of agro-based
small and medium enterprises and industry, as well as food trade
issues, among others.
For further information please contact: United
Nations Information Services, UNESCAP, United Nations Building,
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand, Tel: (66) 02
288 1864-9, Fax: (66) 02 288 1052, E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org
Photos
from the ceremony
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