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

Date: 4 December 2009
Note to Editor No. N/43/2009

UN Organizing Workshop on Economic Policy for Government of Bhutan

UN workshop on recovery from economic crisis in Thimphu, Bhutan 9-11 December

BANGKOK (UN/ESCAP Information Services) -- The United Nations is organizing a national workshop in Bhutan aimed at sharing experiences and ideas on how the government can build its capacity in coping with the global financial and economic crisis, and improve resilience to future crises.

The High Level National Workshop on “Strengthening the response to the global financial crisis in Bhutan: the role of monetary, fiscal and external debt policies” is taking place in Thimphu, Bhutan from 9-11 December 2009.

More than 70 high level government officials will be attending from various ministries, the Royal Monetary Authority and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The workshop will cover such issues as effective coordination of fiscal, monetary and debt policy as Bhutan’s effectiveness to address the crisis would depend on how well these policies are coordinated and managed at the national level.

The meeting is jointly organized at the request of the Royal Government of Bhutan by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and hosted by the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan.

The meeting will be inaugurated on 9 December by H.E. Lyonpo Wangdi Norbu, Minister of Finance, Butan. The key note address will be given by Mr. Daw Tenzin, Managing Director, Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan. Statement will be delivered by Ms. Claire Van der Vaeren, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative in Bhutan, and Mr. Nagesh Kumar, Director of Macroeconomic Policy and Development, ESCAP.

The experts from 5 different countries namely Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Thailand and ESCAP, UNDP, IMF and the World Bank would be attending to facilitate learning from other neighboring countries experiences and discuss good practices.

The workshop will take place Hotel Taj Tashi, Post Box No. 524, Samten Lam, Chubachu, Thimphu, Kingdom of Bhutan. Tel. No.: (975 - 2) 33 66 99, Facsimile: (975 - 2) 33 66 77, Email: tajtashi.thimphu@tajhotels.com. Workshop will start at 9:00am on 9 December 2009. Media and journalists are welcome to attend.

For more information please contact:
Dr. Aynul Hasan
Chief
Development Policy Section
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Bangkok, Thailand
Mobile (Roaming): +6681-171-7498
Email: hasan.unescap@un.org