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

Date: 14 April 2011
Press Release No: G/11/2011 (i)

ESCAP’s High-level Policy Dialogue on Asia landlocked developing countries in Mongolia

Under-Secretary-General Dr. Noeleen Heyzer and the Prime Minister of Mongolia H.E. Mr. Sukhbaatar Batbold welcomed Ministers and senior government officials of 10 of Asia’s landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) to the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bataar from 12 to 14 April to assess challenges to LLDCs arising from global food-fuel and financial crises of 2008 and 2009. 

Organized by the UN’s Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), the Hi-Level Policy Dialogue joined representatives of Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Nepal and Tajikistan in reviewing progress in implementing the Almaty Programme of Action (APA) and in formulating a coordinated voice for promoting regional cooperation for enhanced transit transport connectivity, trade facilitation and market access, and fostering South-South cooperation for the benefit of LLDCs of the Asia-Pacific region.

UN staff from seven ESCAP entities including the Bangkok Office, the Sub-regional Office for East and Northeast Asia in Incheon, Republic of Korea, and the soon to open Sub-regional Office for Central Asia, to be located in Almaty, Kazakhstan, assisted in organizing the unprecedented gathering, held at the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

ESCAP staff worked in close cooperation with UNDP’s Mongolia Office and the Ulan Bataar-based UN Country Team in ensuring the success of the UN regional process, which concluded with the adoption of the “Ulan Bataar Declaration.”

The Ulan Bataar policy dialogue is the last of a three-part series of High-Level Policy Dialogues initiated by ESCAP which included the High-Level Asia-Pacific Policy Dialogue for Least Developed Countries LDCs held in Dhaka, Bangladesh in January 2010 and the High-Level meeting for Asia’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS) held in Vanuatu in February 2010.

The outcomes of the High-Level meetings were discussed and several important decisions were adopted by the Commission at its 66th Session in Incheon, the Republic of Korea in 2010. The outcomes of the Ulan Bataar Dialogue will be fed into the upcoming ESCAP 67th Session (19-26 May), to be held in Bangkok, Thailand.

On 12 April 2011, the President of Mongolia Mr. Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj awarded Dr. Heyzer the “Polar Star” Order, one of the highest national awards of Mongolia, in recognition for her work on behalf of the United Nations.

For further information please contact:

Mr. Syed Nuruzzaman
Chief, Countries with Special Needs Section
Macroeconomic Policy and Development Division (MPDD), UN ESCAP
Tel: +66-2-288-1669
Email: nuruzzaman.unescap@un.org

Ms. Francyne Harrigan
Chief, Strategic Communications and Advocacy Section, UN ESCAP
Tel: +66-2-288-1864
Cell: +66 81 835 8677
Email: harriganf@un.org