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

Date 11 October 2005
Press Release No: N/52/2005

Asia-Pacific countries to discuss how to take advantage of globalization

Committee on Managing Globalization, 12 – 14 October 2005, Bangkok

Bangkok (United Nations Information Services) -- Globalization, including the growth of trade and investment flows, developments in international transport, tourism promotion, the spread of information and communication technologies (ICTs), and environmentally sustainable growth will be high on the agenda when the second session of the Committee on Managing Globalization meets at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand from 12 to 14 October 2005.

More than 70 representatives of ESCAP member states and international organizations are expected to attend the Committee on Managing Globalization which was established in 2003 to assist member states on how to formulate and implement policies to seize new opportunities offered by globalization, as well as to overcome the challenges posed by associated changes and costs. It meets every two years.

On Wednesday October 12 at 1430-1700 hours, a panel discussion will be held on “Advancing the Doha Development Agenda: Bridging the Gaps through Public-Private Sector Dialogue”. Panelists will provide their perspectives on developments in the WTO and Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations in the run-up to the 6th WTO Ministerial Conference, scheduled to be held in December 2005 in Hong Kong, China, as well as on other trade policy related issues, in particular the interplay between multilateralism, regionalism and bilateralism.

The panel will also brief the Committee on the outcome of the meeting, “Delivering on the WTO Round: A high-level Government-Business Dialogue for Development”, which was jointly organized by UNESCAP and the International Trade Centre (ITC) from 4 to 6 October 2005 in Macao, China. The High-Level Dialogue aimed to further the dialogue between governments and business representatives to ensure that business perspectives are reflected in the preparatory process for the Conference.

Members of the panel are: Ms. Maria Bernardita Angara-Mathay, Assistant Secretary, Foreign Trade Service Corps, Department of Trade and Industry, Government of the Philippines; Ms. Chai Xiaolin, Deputy Director-General, Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Government of China; Mr. Jingjai Hanchanlash, Director, Executive Board, Thai Chamber of Commerce and Chairman, LOXPAC Co., Thailand; Mr. Christopher Findlay, Professor of Economics, Asia Pacific School of Economics and Government, Australian National University, Australia; Mr. Nagesh Kumar, Director-General, Research and Information System for the Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries, India; and Mr. Xuan Zengpei, Chief, Trade and Investment Division, UNESCAP.

For further information please contact:
Ms. Fuyo Jenny Yamamoto
Transport and Tourism Division
United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific
(UNESCAP)
Tel: (+66 2) 288 2488, Fax: (+66 2) 288 1020
Email: yamamotoj@un.org

For media inquiries please contact:
Mr. David Lazarus
Chief, UN Information Services
UNESCAP
Tel: +(66-2) 288-1861-66
Fax: +(66-2) 288-1052
E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

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