Press Release.............................. UNESCAP News Services

1 September 2003
Press Release No: G/10/2003

Fifty-ninth session (Phase II)
1-4 September 2003
Bangkok

59th Commission Session to debate HIV/AIDS, Poverty
Epidemics more dangerous than war, says Thai Deputy Prime Minister

BANGKOK (UN Information Services) --- A deadly epidemic may, if not dealt with in the most effective and expeditious manner, be more dangerous to the world than the impact of war, said H.E. Mr. Korn Debbaransi, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand in opening the second phase of the 59th annual Commission Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission For Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

"Against this backdrop, there is therefore an urgent need for a quick response mechanism to deal with the outbreak of infectious disease. Access to the right information is critical in times of crisis. People must not be left in limbo of what is going on," urged the Deputy Prime Minister.

Ministers and senior officials from 47 member and associate member countries gathered here today at the second phase of the 59th annual Commission session of UNESCAP which opened today at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok.

Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary of UNESCAP, warned that it is essential for countries to have contingency plans to deal with unforeseen events in his policy statement to the Session. These include public health crises and terrorism, which could occur at any time.

In 2002, developing countries of the region were able to exceed their collective 2001 growth by nearly 2 percent point and were the fastest growing economies in the world in that year. "But in looking ahead to the remaining months of 2003 and into 2004 it is clear that matching this performance is subject to major caveats," pointed out Mr. Kim.

The Thai Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)--high on UNESCAP's agenda--- have set a standard for human development in the world. "In fact, Thailand is one country that proposes the new concept of MDGs-Plus, using the Millennium Development Goals as a baseline of development rather than an ultimate goal. We are confident that Thailand can achieve and even exceed the Goals by 2015", said Mr. Debbaransi.

The economy was also of great concern to the region. Mr. Kim said UNESCAP region is vulnerable to high energy prices as it is dependent for about 40 per cent of its energy needs on imported oil. Second, on-going political tensions on the Korean peninsula are almost certainly having a negative impact on business and consumer confidence in East Asia, home to three of the four largest economies of the region.

"Low business confidence inevitably means that investment expenditure, the main engine of medium-term growth, is kept on hold.The danger of a major terrorist attack, such as the one in Jakarta a few weeks ago, while adversely affecting industries like tourism, will pre-empt and divert scarce resources from urgent development needs to the needs of security in the region as a whole," said Mr Kim.

The Commission Session whose theme, "Integrating economic and social concerns, especially HIV/AIDS, meeting the needs of the region.",unanimously elected Hon.Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok, Minister of the Prime Minister's Department of Malaysia as the chairman of the 59th Session.

Special features for this year's session are the two Ministerial Round Tables on HIV.AIDS and the first-ever UNESCAP--UNDP Millennium Development Goals Report which will be held on Tuesday, Sept.2nd The HIV/AIDs roundtable will be addressed by Hon Festus Mogaes, President fo Botswana.

The three-day session will also include discussions on implications of recent economic and social development on the region and delegates are expected to recommend policy responses. Emerging issues and development at the regional level such as poverty reduction, managing globalization and emerging social issues as well as least developed, and locked and island developing countries.

The Session will conclude on Thursday, 4 September with the adoption of a report containing resolutions and a summary of the three-day discussion.

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