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

Date: 15 December 2009
Media Advisory No: N/47/2009

ESCAP and Russian Federation to Sign Cooperative Development Agreement

Signing ceremony Thursday 11:30, 17 December at ESCAP Building

BANGKOK (UN/ESCAP Information Services) -- The Economic and Social Commission in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) – the regional arm of the United Nations - and the Russian Federation will sign an agreement this Thursday to strengthen cooperation, with a view to promoting inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific.

Under the agreement, the Russian Federation provides a voluntary contribution of US$ 1.2 million annually during the period 2009-2010 to support key programme activities of ESCAP.

ESCAP will be hosting a signing ceremony where Mr. Gennady Gatilov of the Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP will formalize the agreement.

In response to the regional development priorities, the Russian contribution will be used for technical cooperation projects to develop capacities and improve development in key areas such as environment, energy, regional transport connectivity, disaster risk reduction, statistics and migration.

The ceremony will take place Thursday 17 December 2009, 11:30 on the 15th floor of the ESCAP Secretariat building. Media are welcome to cover the ceremony. Please register in advance for building access at unisbkk.unescap@un.org.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Bentley Jenson
UN/ESCAP Information Services
Tel: +66-2-288-1869
Mobile: +66-84-080-5025
Email: jenson@un.org