Skip to main content

15 to 19 May 2023 | Open meeting

CS79

The seventy-ninth session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will be held from 15 to 19 May 2023 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.

Guided by the theme “Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development”, the annual session will be an opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation on climate change.

The session will bring together Government leaders from across Asia and the Pacific and other key stakeholders to discuss policy options and areas of regional cooperation required to accelerate climate action in the region and beyond. With dedicated discussions on catalysing climate finance and investments, complemented by a climate solutions fair, the session will allow identifying opportunities, sharing solutions and facilitate engagement of a broad set of partners and stakeholders, to both reduce the risks and impacts of climate change and foster ambitious climate action in Asia and the Pacific towards net-zero pathways and limit global temperature rise to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.

CREDENTIALS AND REGISTRATION

Each delegation is required to submit a letter of credentials, duly signed by the appropriate authority of the respective Government or organization, at the earliest convenience, preferably by 21 April 2023 to [email protected].

All participants who appear in the letter of credentials are requested to register online at https://indico.un.org/event/1003482/ as soon as possible but no later than 21 April 2023. Only the names of duly accredited and registered participants will be included in the list of participants.

15 May 2023
10:00
12:30
Agenda item 1. Opening of the session
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online

Agenda item 1 (a) Opening addresses

Agenda item 1 (b) Election of officers

Agenda item 1 (c) Adoption of the agenda

- Statements by Heads of State or Government on the theme of the session

- Keynote speeches

12:00
13:00
MINISTERIAL LUNCH
13:15
14:15
SIDE EVENTS
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online
14:30
17:00
Agenda item 2 Theme topic: “Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development"
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online

Agenda item 2 (a) General debate

- Keynote speeches

- Country statement

17:00
18:30
RECEPTION HOSTED BY ESCAP AND MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT
UNCC
16 May 2023
09:30
12:00
Agenda item 2 Theme topic: “Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development”
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online

Agenda item 2 (a) General debate (continued)

- Keynote speeches

- Country statement

11:00
13:00
Election to the Governing Council of APCTT
ROOM TO BE CONFIRMED
12:00
12:45
Lunch
12:45
13:45
SIDE EVENTS
14:00
15:30
Agenda item 2 (b) Strengthening subregional cooperation
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online

- Dialogue with subregional organizations

- Country interventions

15:30
17:00
Agenda item 3 Special Body on Least Developed, Landlocked Developing and Small Island Developing States
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online

- Keynote speakers

- Ministerial roundtable

- Country interventions

17 May 2023
10:00
12:00
Agenda item 2(c): Special session: Catalyzing climate finance and investment
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online
12:00
12:45
LUNCH
12:45
13:45
SIDE EVENTS
14:00
17:00
NETWORKING AND SPECIAL EVENTS
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online

CLIMATE SOLUTIONS FAIR

18 May 2023
10:00
12:00
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online

Agenda item 4

Review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific and issues pertinent to the subsidiary structure of the Commission:

 

(a) Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development

(b) Social development

(c) Environment and development

(d) Disaster risk reduction

(e) Energy

12:00
12:45
LUNCH
12:45
13:45
SIDE EVENTS
14:00
16:00
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online

Agenda item 4

Review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific and issues pertinent to the subsidiary structure of the Commission: (continued)

 

(f) Transport

(g) Macroeconomic policy, poverty reduction and financing for development

(h) Trade, investment, enterprise and business innovation

(i) Information and communications technology, science, technology and innovation

(j) Statistics

 

19 May 2023
10:00
12:00
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online

Agenda item 5

Management Issues

(a) Proposed programme plan for 2024;
(b) Overview of partnerships, extrabudgetary contributions and capacity development.

 

Agenda item 6

Activities of the Advisory Committee of Permanent Representatives and Other Representatives Designated by Members of the Commission

 

Agenda item 7

Dates and venue of and theme topic for the eightieth session of the Commission (2024)

 

Agenda Item 8

Other Matters

12:00
12:45
LUNCH
12:45
13:45
SIDE EVENTS
14:00
16:00
Agenda item 9: Adoption of the report of the Commission on its seventy-ninth session
ESCAP Hall, UNCC and online
General

Note: This document provides links to external and third-party website, for convenience of meeting participants, and for use at their discretion. ESCAP cannot vouch for the accuracy or correctness of the information contained therein.

The 79th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific is scheduled to be held at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok (UNCC) and online from 15 to 19 May 2023. The opening of the session will take place in the morning of Monday, 15 May 2023.

Credentials

Each delegation is required to submit a letter of credentials, duly signed by the appropriate authority of the respective Government or organization, at the earliest convenience prior to 21 April 2023 to [email protected] with copy to the team of the Secretary of the Commission (Mr. Lorenzo Santucci, Secretary of the Commission at [email protected], Ms. Caridad Canales Davila, Deputy Secretary of the Commission at [email protected] and Ms. Paradee Pathaibanlue, Senior Staff Assistant at [email protected]). Only delegates who appear on the credentials will be recognized in the list of participants. Originals may be sent to the Office of the Executive Secretary at the address below.

Office of the Executive Secretary of ESCAP

Executive Office Suite

United Nations Conference Centre The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand

Each delegate who appears in the aforementioned letter of credentials is required to register online as soon as possible at https://indico.un.org/event/1003482/. Only registration of accredited delegates will be accepted.

Registration and identification badges

In order to facilitate the registration process participants are REQUIRED to register online at https://indico.un.org/event/1003482/ well in advance, but no later than 21 April 2023, to facilitate smooth coordination of the issuance of photo badges as well as the compilation of the list of participants.

Please note that prior online registration is mandatory in line with standard security procedures to facilitate security clearance and entrance to the premises. A document containing tips on completing the online registration on behalf of another participant can be accessed on the registration portal, noted above.

Participants who have registered online can obtain photo badges at the registration counter, located on the Ground Level, UNCC, from 08:00 to 10:00 hours on the opening day of the event.

Participants who are not able to register online during the times indicated above are requested to do so upon their arrival at UNCC and before going to the conference room. Only the names of duly registered participants will be included in the list of participants.

For identification and security reasons, all participants are REQUIRED to wear their meeting badges at all times while they are in the UN complex, which include meetings and social functions. The loss of a meeting badge should be immediately communicated to the registration counter or the UN security, so that the incident could be recorded, and a new badge can be issued.

Communications

Mail intended for participants during the session should be addressed as follows:
(Name of delegate)
c/o Mr. Lorenzo Santucci
Secretary of the Commission
Office of the Executive Secretary
ESCAP, United Nations Building
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue
Bangkok 10200
Thailand
Fax: +66.2.2881051
E-mail: [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]

Meeting documents

Considering the carbon footprint involved in producing papers and printing documents, it is strongly recommended to utilize soft copies at the maximum extent. If hard copies are needed, participants are requested to bring with them their own copies of the meeting documents distributed by the ESCAP secretariat to their Governments/Agencies/Organizations prior to the session. Hard copy will only be made available upon request (print on demand service) and only one set per member State delegation.

Documents for circulation or distribution at the session should be handed to Mr. Lorenzo Santucci, Secretary of the Commission, (email: [email protected]), Office of the Executive Secretary, Executive Office Suite, Level 2, United Nations Conference Centre.

In accordance with the UN regulations for the control and limitation of documentation, the secretariat cannot undertake to process and/or reproduce a document or a statement submitted by individual delegations, unless the Commission specifically takes a decision to that effect and approves the financial implications thereof.

Meeting organizers are encouraged to avoid handing out print copies of documents, newsletters, flyers or other such material. As an alternative, they are urged to use innovative and eco-friendly means to deliver such information, such as using QR codes, social media, website or email.

Daily subsistence allowance

N/A

Health and vaccination Health and vaccination

Upon arrival at the port of entry in Thailand, participants who are nationals of or have traveled from/through countries listed below, which have been declared Yellow Fever infected areas, must provide an International Health Certificate proving that they have received a valid Yellow Fever vaccination at the Health Control Office upon arrival before proceeding to immigration. A valid vaccination certificate means that the vaccine was administered at least 10 days prior to travel to the affected country. The International Health Certificate must also be submitted together with the visa application form.

The countries/areas listed below have been declared yellow fever infected areas (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand dated 03 November 2022):

  1. Angola
  2. Argentina
  3. Benin
  4. Bolivia
  5. Brazil
  6. Burkina Faso
  7. Burundi
  8. Cameroon
  9. Central African Republic
  10. Chad
  11. Colombia
  12. Congo
  13. Republic of the Congo
  14. Cote d’Ivoire
  15. Ecuador
  16. Equatorial Guinea
  17. Ethiopia
  18. French Guiana
  19. Gabon
  20. Gambia
  21. Ghana
  22. Guinea
  23. Guinea-Bissau
  1. Guyana
  2. Kenya
  3. Liberia
  4. Mali
  5. Mauritania
  6. Niger
  7. Nigeria
  8. Panama
  9. Paraguay
  10. Peru
  11. Rwanda
  12. Sao Tome & Principe
  13. Senegal
  14. Sierra Leone
  15. Somalia
  16. Sudan
  17. Suriname
  18. Tanzania
  19. Togo
  20. Trinidad & Tobago
  21. Uganda
  22. Venezuela

Zika virus

Zika is endemic in Thailand and cases have been reported amongst tourists. All travelers are advised to protect themselves from mosquito bites while in Thailand. Given possible transmission of the disease to unborn babies, pregnant women should consider postponing travel to Thailand or talk to their doctor about the implications of traveling to Thailand during this time.

In addition to the above, Medical Services Division at UNHQs advises that pregnant UN personnel should not undertake duty travel or be relocated to countries/areas where local transmission of Zika virus is known to occur. Women who are seeking pregnancy should obtain individual advice from their medical practitioner on risk management regarding their plans to travel into a Zika-affected area. For further information, please refer to the Zika virus FAQ.

Information on other non-vaccine preventable diseases to watch out for while in Thailand can be found here: Thailand - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC.

Air pollution and Health

Bangkok, like many metropolitan Asian cities in the world, is periodically affected by high levels of air pollution, with haze and high concentrations of PM2.5 particularly of concern for sensitive groups.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand advises tourists to monitor Bangkok’s air pollution and take precautions when necessary. People who have existing asthma or are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution should consult their treating physician as to whether a trip to Bangkok is advisable at this time. Information on the Air pollution can be found Air4Thai website, maintained by the government of Thailand with daily information on air pollution.

Insurance and emergency medical service

Delegates are strongly encouraged to subscribe to a travel or health insurance which is valid in the Kingdom of Thailand, in order to cover any medical bills or hospitalization fees. In case of medical emergency, please call 1669. The nearest hospital to the UNCC is Bangkok Adventist (Mission) Hospital, which has English speaking medical support staff +662-282-1100.

When feeling unwell while in the UNCC: Anyone who feels unwell while already within the UNCC is advised to call any medical service staff at +66 2288 1352/1353/1761 during business hours, for further guidance. After business hours, they are advised to call the UN Medical Officer at +66 2288 1353 for further guidance. In case of a medical emergency within the UNCC, they are advised to call UN Security at +66 2288 1102/1120 for assistance in calling an ambulance.

Visa requirements Visa and entry requirements

Visa Requirements

Participants are REQUIRED to obtain an appropriate entry visa from the Royal Thai Embassy or the Royal Thai Consulate-General before entering Thailand, EXCEPT for those nationals listed at List of Countries entitled for Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival.

Please note that participants holding UN Laissez-Passer (UNLP) travelling on official business to Thailand are also REQUIRED to obtain an appropriate visa before entering.

To apply for an appropriate entry visa to Thailand, participants are required to contact their nearest Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General for the most updated information regarding visa application procedures and required documents. The list of Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General can be found at https://www.thaiembassy.org.

Participants who wish to apply for a visa outside their country of residence or reside in a country where there is no Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate, should check with the meeting organizer for the location where it is possible for them to apply for a Thai visa. Please note that certain nationalities, for security reasons, are not allowed to apply for a visa except at the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General which has jurisdiction over the concerned territory.

Participants who may need further assistance from ESCAP on their visa application should contact the meeting organizer, well in advance, for necessary action.

Participants who wish to apply for a visa on arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Muang International Airport should follow the below requirements:

  1. The applicant must possess a passport from the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to apply for visa on arrival (List of countries entitled for Visa on Arrival) with the validity of more than 30 days, at least one completely blank page, and be in possession of a valid return ticket with date of departure within 15 days of the date of entry.
  2. The applicant must fill out an application form, which is available at the Visa-on-Arrival counter at the airport, supply one recent passport-sized photograph and a fee of Thai Baht (THB) 2,000.
  3. An online application is available at Visa On Arrival (immigration.go.th). Upon presentation of printed Transaction Reference Number (TRN) the applicant could obtain the visa at the Visa-on-Arrival counter at the airport before proceeding for immigration procedures.
  4. The applicant must provide proof of means of living expenses at the amount of THB 10,000 per person or THB 20,000 per family.

NOTE: The information provided above is accurate as of October 2022.

Entry Requirements (as of 1 March 2023)

Thai Department of Disease Control (DDC), Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) issued “Public Health Measures for Foreign Travellers Entering Thailand”, which is effective from 1 March 2023 until further notice, as per the following:

  • Proof of vaccination is No longer required.
  • Proof of health insurance is No longer required.
  • Any passenger having symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival shall be recommended to get COVID-19/RT-PCR test at arrival.

For more information, travelers can contact the DDC Hotline 1422 or visit https://ddc.moph.go.th/en/index.php

Accessibility support for persons with disabilities Accessibility support for persons with disabilities

The UNCC is fully wheelchair-accessible and houses the Accessibility Centre on Level 1. For more information, please visit the Accessibility Centre’s webpages

Travel agent Travel agent

The American Express Global Business Travel (AMEX-GBT) office is located on Level 1, UNCC, and is open weekdays from 08:00 to 17:00 hours, Tuesday through Thursday. Remote support is available on other days ([email protected])

Travel Advisory Travel Advisory

Visitors are advised to be respectful of Thai customs at all times. Please note that Thailand has laws against making negative comments about the institution of the monarchy. Such laws are strictly enforced and are applicable to spoken, written, gestures and electronic communication, including social media.

Transport to attend meetings Transport to attend meetings

Participants need to make their own transport arrangements to and from the UNCC. Metered taxis are readily available in the city and you may also book your transportation via applications such as Grab and Volt. Some hotels close to the UN building may provide complimentary transfer service on fixed schedule, to and from the UNCC, so please check with the hotel concierge.

Transport from and to Airport Transport from and to Airport

Participants need to make their own transportation arrangements from Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Mueang International Airport to their respective hotels. For the Airport Rail Link, an express and commuter rail connecting to Makkasan Station (MRT subway Petchaburi Station) and Phayathai Station (BTS Skytrain), passengers should go to Level B. Detailed information can be found at https://www.srtet.co.th/index.php/en/.

Electric taxis (EVsociety/VIP) are currently available at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The counter is located next to the main taxi area. The service is available 24 hours and can be pre-booked via:

Line ID: @evsociety
Phone: +66 2039 8888
Email: [email protected]
EV Society Facebook

Metered-taxi and bus services are readily available at the airport. More information is available at https://www.bangkokairportonline.com

To use the airport limousine service, participants should only contact the authorized officials at the counters located in the airport arrival zone. These officials will issue a ticket for the assignment of a limousine for transporting passengers to the desired destination, upon request. The Suvarnabhumi International Airport limousine service counters are located on Level 2 at Baggage Claim and Arrival Hall exits, channels A, B and C.

For public taxis, participants are advised to proceed to the Level 1 of the Passenger Terminal, between exit doors 4 and 7, outdoor area, where they will find automatic dispensing machines from which they can collect a queuing ticket for a public taxi. In addition to toll fees, there is a THB 50 surcharge to be added to the meter charge from the airport to the city. Please refer to the airport website noted above for details.

Souvenir shop Souvenir shop

The souvenir shop is located on Level 1 of UNCC. It is open from 09:00 to 16:00 hours, Monday through Friday. The shop can be contacted at +66 2288 1295.

Safety and Security Safety and Security

For security and safety reasons, participants are reminded NOT to leave their belongings unattended. Belongings left unattended within the UNCC may be removed to the nearest Lost and Found counter or the Security Operations Centre.

All drone unmanned aircrafts are prohibited from flying over the UNCC as per the security requirements.

All occupants of the UNCC MUST comply at all times with all lawful directions given by the officers of the United Nations Security and Safety Section. Failure to do so may lead to the participant’s removal from the UNCC.

Contact numbers:

UN Security
Security Control Centre (24/7): +66.2.2881102
UN Security Emergency Number: +66.2.2881100
Mobile +66.81.8078471

Thailand Emergency Numbers:
Police general emergency call: 191
Fire: 199
Ambulance and rescue: 1669/1554
Tourism Police: 1155

Zero Tolerance towards harassment

The United Nations has a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment, including sexual harassment, and will deal with such complaints promptly. Please refer to the United Nations Code of Conduct and report any incident to the Security and Safety Section either in person or by phone at +66 2288 1102.

Security protocols for UN personnel

In line with security procedures for UN staff, travel notification through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) is required prior to any official travel. Upon notification of travel on TRIP, UN staff members will automatically receive an updated security advice for UN visitors to Thailand. Please visit https://dss.un.org to apply for this travel notification.

In addition, the UN Department of Safety and Security requires all UN personnel, including interns and consultants, to complete the mandatory BSAFE Security Awareness Training These security certifications are required to be completed, prior to having commenced official travel.

Prayer and meditation rooms Prayer and meditation rooms

Prayer and meditation rooms are located in front of ESCAP Hall on Level 2, UNCC.

Postal services Postal services

Postal services are available at the United Nations branch of Thailand Post, located on the Ground Level of UNCC. It is open from 08:00 to 16:00 hours, Monday through Friday. The office can be contacted at extension 2911.

Lost and Found Lost and Found

Please contact the Security Operations Centre, either in person or by phone at +66.2.2881102.

Airline reservations Airline reservations

Many international airlines operate regular services to and from Bangkok. Participants are advised to secure their return bookings prior to their departure for Bangkok. If this is not possible, they should make firm return bookings immediately upon arrival in Bangkok. Travel services are available through the American Express Global Business Travel (AMEX-GBT) office located on Level 1, UNCC.

Library facilities Library facilities

ESCAP Library facilities are available on Level 1, Service Building from 08:00 to 16:00 hours, Monday through Friday. For details on the use of the ESCAP Library facilities, please consult the staff on duty or call extensions 1329 and 1360. Further information about the ESCAP Library can be found on its website at http://www.unescap.org/library.

Internet services Internet services

Free wireless internet access is available in all conference and meeting rooms and in the public areas of the UNCC. Please use UN-WiFi, no password is required. Use of internet at UNCC is governed by relevant Organizational policies and guidelines. Failure to adhere to policies may result in revoking of those services.

Hotel accommodation Hotel accommodation

Hotels, located relatively close to ESCAP or by mass-transit routes, may be used by participants, should they choose to. The selection of hotels at a walking distance from the UNCC is encouraged to reduce participants’ local travel emissions and their exposure to traffic. Click here for a list of hotels, with indicative prices.

NOTE: ESCAP cannot vouch for accuracy of the information or rates contained in the document. The list is meant purely for reference and for ease of participants. The special discount rates provided are subject to change without notice. Please confirm the room rates with the hotel directly.

Participants are responsible for booking their own rooms and are requested to contact the hotel well in advance. Any cancellations, postponements or other changes should be reported to the hotel. Rooms not occupied may be charged to the participants as per the hotel’s policies.

Before departure from Bangkok, participants should settle directly with the respective hotels all accounts, including room charges and other expenses, such as for local and long-distance telephone calls, Internet usage, business center usage, laundry, room and hotel transportation services, mini-bar items, as well as restaurant and bar services. Participants are also responsible for any charges incurred with respect to rooms remaining vacant owing to late arrival or rescheduled departure for which inadequate prior notice is given.

Foreign currency declaration Foreign currency declaration

Any person who brings or takes an aggregate amount of foreign currency exceeding USD 20,000 or its equivalent into or out of the Kingdom of Thailand shall declare such amount of foreign currency to a Customs Official. Failure to make such a declaration or making any false declaration to a Customs official is a criminal offence.

For reference, participants may use – at their discretion – online currency conversion tool, such as https://freecurrencyrates.com for indicative currency conversion rates.

Floor plans UNCC Floor plans

The UNCC floor plans are available at https://www.unescap.org/uncc/our-rooms. The UN buildings are smoke-free. Smoking is permitted only in the designated areas outside of the buildings and in the UNCC, the designated smoking area is outside of the Public Foyer.

Financial & administrative arrangements Financial & administrative arrangements

In those cases where the participation costs are borne by the ESCAP Secretariat, the Secretariat will provide only travel and DSA as expressed and will not assume responsibility for any other expenditure, including the following:

  1. All expenses in the home country incidental to travel abroad, including expenditure for visa, medical examination, inoculations and other such miscellaneous items and internal travel to and from the airport of arrival and departure in the home country;
  2. Salary and related allowances for the participants during the period of the meeting;
  3. Costs incurred by participants in respect of travel insurance, accident insurance, medical bills or hospitalization fees in connection with attending the meeting;
  4. Compensation in the event of death or disability of participants in connection with attending the meeting;
  5. Any loss of or damage to personal property of participants while attending the meeting or losses or damages claimed by third parties as a result of any negligence on the part of the participants;
  6. Any other expenses of a personal nature, not directly related to the purpose of the meeting.
Electric plug and socket Electric plug and socket

The electric power in Thailand is 220V running at 50Hz and the plug types used are either Type A, Type B, or Type C. A hybrid socket is almost universally found, which accepts a combination of the above plug types.

Delegates are strongly encouraged to carry their own adapters for use with laptops and other electrical appliances as the Secretariat will not be able to provide these. In case of need, adapters can be purchased from shops in the city dealing in electronic and electrical items.

Catering services Catering services

Operating hours

Catering services are available at the following locations:

  • International Cafeteria (Level 1, UNCC), which serves breakfast from 7.30 to 10.00 hours, and Thai, Halal and International menus for lunch from 11:00 to 14:00 hours on Monday through Friday.
  • Coffee Corner (Level 1, UNCC), which serves assortment of bakery pastries and beverages, is open from 07:00 to 17:00 hours on Monday through Friday.
  • Rajapruek Lounge (Ground Level, UNCC), which serves light meals and beverages, is open from 07:00 to 17:00 hours on Monday through Friday.

In line with the Sustainable United Nations (SUN) and Environmental Management System (EMS} principles, no single use plastic is available in the UNCC. Single-use food and drink containers have been banned within the UN compound in Bangkok. When purchasing coffee/tea at the Coffee Corner, meeting participants will be asked to pay a deposit of THB 100 for a cup, which will be returned upon return of the cup.

Dining venues at the UNCC also do not provide food storage boxes, plastic cutlery or straws for take-away orders. Diners wishing to take food away are advised to bring their own reusable food containers.

Banking facilities Banking facilities

Banking services are available at the Siam Commercial Bank, United Nations Branch, located on Level 1 of the Service Building, from 08:30 to 15:30 hours during weekdays. (telephone extension 2168).

Siam Commercial Bank ATMs can be found near the registration desk, on the Ground Level of UNCC, and near its UN Branch office, noted above.

Weather Weather

The weather in Bangkok is usually warm and humid. Light tropical clothing would be appropriate. The conference and meeting rooms at the UNCC are air-conditioned and the temperature is maintained in the range of 23-24 degrees Celsius (73-75 degrees Fahrenheit).

António Guterres
Mr. António Guterres
Secretary-General of the United Nations
Know More

António Guterres, the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, took office on 1st January 2017.

Having witnessed the suffering of the most vulnerable people on earth, in refugee camps and in war zones, the Secretary-General is determined to make human dignity the core of his work, and to serve as a peace broker, a bridge-builder and a promoter of reform and innovation.

Prior to his appointment as Secretary-General, Mr. Guterres served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015,  heading one of the world’s foremost humanitarian organizations during some of the most serious displacement crises in decades. The conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and the crises in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Yemen, led to a huge rise in UNHCR’s activities as the number of people displaced by conflict and persecution rose from 38 million in 2005 to over 60 million in 2015.

Before joining UNHCR, Mr. Guterres spent more than 20 years in government and public service. He served as prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002, during which time he was heavily involved in the international effort to resolve the crisis in East Timor.

As president of the European Council in early 2000, he led the adoption of the Lisbon Agenda for growth and jobs, and co-chaired the first European Union-Africa summit. He was a member of the Portuguese Council of State from 1991 to 2002.

Mr. Guterres was elected to the Portuguese Parliament in 1976 where he served as a member for 17 years. During that time, he chaired the Parliamentary Committee for Economy, Finance and Planning, and later the Parliamentary Committee for Territorial Administration, Municipalities and Environment. He was also leader of his party’s parliamentary group.

From 1981 to 1983, Mr. Guterres was a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, where he chaired the Committee on Demography, Migration and Refugees.

For many years Mr. Guterres was active in the Socialist International, a worldwide organization of social democratic political parties. He was the group’s vice-president from 1992 to 1999, co-chairing the African Committee and later the Development Committee. He served as President from 1999 until mid-2005. In addition, he founded the Portuguese Refugee Council as well as the Portuguese Consumers Association DECO, and served as president of the Centro de Acção Social Universitário, an association carrying out social development projects in poor neighbourhoods of Lisbon, in the early 1970s.

Mr. Guterres is a member of the Club of Madrid, a leadership alliance of democratic former presidents and prime ministers from around the world.

Mr. Guterres was born in Lisbon in 1949 and graduated from the Instituto Superior Técnico with a degree in engineering. He is fluent in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish. He is married to Catarina de Almeida Vaz Pinto, Deputy Mayor for Culture of Lisbon, and has two children, a stepson and three grandchildren.

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP
Know More

Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana was appointed Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on 13 September 2018.

Prior to joining ESCAP, Ms. Alisjahbana was Professor of Economics at Universitas Padjadjaran in Bandung, Indonesia, a position she assumed in 2005. She joined Universitas Padjadjaran as a lecturer in 1988. Since 2016, she has served as Director for the Center for Sustainable Development Goals Studies at Universitas Padjadjaran and Vice Chair of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences.

She also serves on the Governing Board of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and member of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (Akademi Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia - AIPI), the Forum of Statistics Community (Forum Masyarakat Statistik or Advisory Council of the Indonesian Statistics), the International Advisory Board of the Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies and Council Member of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI).

From 2009 to 2014, she was Minister of National Development Planning and the Head of the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), Indonesia. She served as Co-chair of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation from 2012 to 2014. From 2009 to 2014, she was Alternate Governor of the World Bank and Alternate Governor of the Asian Development Bank representing the government of Indonesia. In 2016, she was a member of the High Level Independent Team of Advisors to support the ECOSOC Dialogue on the longer term positioning of the United Nations Development System in the context of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

Ms. Alisjahbana has been involved in various research projects and consultancies to the United Nations University/Institute for Advanced Study in Tokyo, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the European Commission, and the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Ms. Alisjahbana earned her Bachelor degree in Economics and Development Studies from Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia, a Masters degree in Economics from Northwestern University, USA and a Ph.D in Economics from University of Washington, USA. She was awarded the Mahaputra Adipradana Order (Bintang Mahaputra Adipradana) from the Republic of Indonesia, honorary brevet from the Indonesian Navy and honorary flight wing from the Indonesian Air Force.

Csaba Kőrösi
H.E. Mr. Csaba Kőrösi
President of the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly
Know More

Born in Szeged (Hungary), 1958 

Professional career: 

Joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1983.  

Foreign posts: Tripoli (Libya), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Tel Aviv (Israel), Athens (Greece) New York (UN)  

Some former positions held:

Deputy State Secretary in charge of security policy, multilateral diplomacy and human rights

Vice-President of the UN General Assembly (2011-12)

Co-chair of the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals  

Vice-Chair of Bureau of HABITAT III (2014)

Director for Environmental Sustainability, Office of the President of the Republic of Hungary  

Sherpa to the President of Hungary, at the High Level Panel on Water co-convened by the UN Secretary General and the President of the World Bank Group 

Education:  

Moscow Institute of International Relations  

University of Leeds (UK), Institute of International Relations,  

Hebrew University, Jerusalem, (Israel) Truman Institute for Middle East Studies

Harvard University (USA), Kennedy School of Government  

Languages (apart of mother tongue Hungarian): English, Arabic, French, Russian  

Decorations:

Order of Phoenix, Greece

Order of Merit, Poland

Order of Merit, Sovereign Maltese Order

Order of Merit, Hungary

Elizabeth Haub Award for Environmental Diplomacy (2015)

AfricaConnectOnline Award for Global Achievement established by the African and CARICOM Countries (2015)

Marital status:

Married to Edit Móra. They have one daughter, Lili Kőrösi

Sheikh Hasina
H.E. Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Know More

SHEIKH HASINA, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, was born on 28 September, 1947 at Tungipara under Gopalganj district. She is the eldest of five children of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of independent Bangladesh. 

She graduated from the University of Dhaka in 1973. She was elected Vice President of the Students Union of Government Intermediate Girl’s College. She was a member of the students League Unit of Dhaka University and Secretary of the Students League Unit of Rokeya Hall. She actively participated in all the mass movements since her student life. 

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with the members of his family was martyred on the fateful night of 15 August 1975. Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana were the only survivors as they were in West Germany at that time. Later she went to the United Kingdom from where she started her movement against the autocratic rule in 1980. Sheikh Hasina was unanimously elected President of Bangladesh Awami League in 1981 in her absence, while she was forced to live in exile in New Delhi. Ending six years in exile, she returned home finally on 17 May 1981. 

In the parliamentary election held in 1986, she won three seats. She was elected Leader of the Opposition. She led the historic mass movement in 1990 and announced the constitutional formula for peaceful transfer of power through Articles 51 and 56 of the Constitution. 

Following the election of 1991 Sheikh Hasina became Leader of the Opposition in the country’s Fifth Parliament, She steered all the political parties in the parliament towards changing the Presidential system into the Parliamentary one. 

Sheikh Hasina created awareness among the people and waged a struggle for Non-party Caretaker Government to ensure free and fair polls. Her movement reached the peak after a non-cooperation movement in March 1996 and the provision for Non-party Caretaker Government was incorporated in the Constitution. 

At the call of Sheikh Hasina a large number of people of all walks of life expressed solidarity with the movement at the ‘Janatar Mancha’. In the Parliamentary election held on 12 June 1996, Bangladesh Awami League emerged as the majority party and she assumed the office of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 23 June 1996. 

After becoming the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina adopted a number of pragmatic policies for overall development of the nation including poverty alleviation. During the last four years her government achieved laudable success including signing of the historic 30 year Ganges Water Sharing Treaty with India, signing of historic peace Accord on Chittagong Hill Tracts and inauguration of the Bangabandhu Bridge on the river Jamuna. 

She has authored several books including “Why Are They Street Children”, “The Origin of Autocracy”, ‘Miles to Go”, “Elimination of Poverty and Some Thoughts”, “People and Democracy”, “My Dream My Struggle” and “Development for the Masses.” She performed holy Hajj and Umrah several times. 

In 1996, the people of Bangladesh gave her a strong mandate as the Prime Minister of the country. Despite serious resource and constraints and recurrent natural calamity as well as widespread poverty, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during the first two years of her government, has lived up to her unswerving commitment to the cause of peace, democracy, development and human rights. 

Her first act of peace within months of her assumption of office was the initiative for resolution of the long-standing water-sharing dispute with India through a 30-years treaty. This put an end to a very complex regional dispute. 

Her visionary idea of a business summit among the political and private sector leaders of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan has added a new chapter in the history of South Asia. 

Her dedicated leadership also made possible a peace agreement in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, thereby solving the 23-year old insurgency in the Hill districts of Bangladesh. This peace accord brought an area inhabited by nearly 5 million people out of violence and into a time of peace and development. Though the international media has not given much prominence to this accord, it is uniquely remarkable because the peace accord benefited such a large number of people and the whole area has been brought under development programs following the complete surrender of arms by the insurgents. 

Her quest for peace has taken her to India and Pakistan to talk to the leaders of these two countries soon after the nuclear test urging reduction of tension in the region. 

Prime Minister Hasina has been a strong advocate for the Culture of Peace at global, regional and national levels. In many major conferences, she espoused the concept of the Culture of Peace, most recently in South Africa at the 12th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) which has a membership of 114 countries. Her initiative has resulted in the first-ever resolution by the Plenary of the United Nations General Assembly on the Culture of Peace. She also provided leadership for the declaration by the UN of the period 2001 to 2010 as the International Decade for Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World. 

Prime Minister Hasina’s determination for the eradication of poverty, in particular through wide-ranging microcredit programmes, has been recognized world-wide. Her co-chairpersonship of the Microcredit Summit in February 1997 which resolved to bring 100 million families of the world out of poverty by 2005 focused world attention to her strong commitment to the eradication of poverty and enlistment of the poorest of the poor. She has been a champion of microcredit by spreading the message in major international forums. Her leadership led to the adoption for the first time by UN General Assembly a far-reaching resolution on the role of microcredit in the eradication of poverty. 

Along with poverty eradication, she has focused on the empowerment of women and has successfully completed legislation to ensure adequate representation of women in the local government bodies, leading to the election of more than 14,000 women to these bodies in 1997. She has taken major initiatives to stop violence against women and children. She has also provided leadership in the field of education, particularly for the education of girls in her own country as well as advocating it for global support. Her government has greatly enhanced budgetary allocation for primary education focusing on girls’ education. 

To improve the quality of life of the people of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has particularly focused on human development, paying special attention to healthcare, family planning, nutrition, women’s rights and survival and development of children. At the UN and other forums, she has been a major voice in support of the cause of children and their rights. 

Her keen interest resulted in the signature by Bangladesh of the Statute for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and ratification of the Landmines Treaty, being the first country in South Asia to do so. 

Sheikh Hasina took oath as Prime Minister of Bangladesh at a ceremony held at Banghabhaban on January 06, 2009. 

Sheikh Hasina is married having one son and one daughter.

Kausea Natano
H.E. Mr. Kausea Natano
Prime Minister, Tuvalu
Know More

The Honourable Kausea Natano is the Prime Minister of Tuvalu. He was sworn in as Prime Minister of Tuvalu on the 19th September 2019. Honourable Kausea Natano first became a Member of Parliament in the year 2002 and was appointed Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, then re-elected for a second term as a Member of Parliament in 2007. That year, he was appointed as the Minister for Public Utilities and Industries. In 2010, Hon. Kausea Natano was re-elected for a third term in Parliament where he was appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communication and Transport; and Minister for Public Utilities and Industries. Hon.Kausea has served as a Politician for over 18 years. Earlier in his career, Hon.Kausea Natano served in the Customs Department and later became the Director of Customs and Inland Revenue. He also served as Acting Assistant Secretary for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Bank of Tuvalu.

Hon.Kausea Natano is an Alumni of the University of the South Pacific and was one of the few students that attended King George V Secondary School in Kiribati while Tuvalu was still under the Colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands. He was born on 5th July 1957, married to Mrs Selepa Kausea Natano and have a daughter and three boys.

Fekitamoeloa Katoa ' Utoikamanu
H.E. Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa ' Utoikamanu
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Tourism, Tonga
Know More
Jeffrey D. Sachs
Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs
Director, Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University and President Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Know More

Jeffrey D. Sachs is a world-renowned economics professor, bestselling author, innovative educator, and global leader in sustainable development. He is widely recognized for bold and effective strategies to address complex challenges including debt crises, hyperinflations, the transition from central planning to market economies, the control of AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, the escape from extreme poverty, and the battle against human-induced climate change. 

Sachs serves as the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, where he holds the rank of University Professor, the university’s highest academic rank. Sachs held the position of Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University from 2002 to 2016. He is President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development, and an SDG Advocate for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. From 2001-18, Sachs served as Special Advisor to UN Secretaries-General Kofi Annan (2001-7), Ban Ki-moon (2008-16), and António Guterres (2017-18). 

Sachs has authored and edited numerous books, including three New York Times bestsellers: The End of Poverty (2005), Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet (2008), and The Price of Civilization (2011). Other books include To Move the World: JFK’s Quest for Peace (2013), The Age of Sustainable Development (2015), Building the New American Economy: Smart, Fair & Sustainable (2017), A New Foreign Policy: Beyond American Exceptionalism (2018), and most recently, The Ages of Globalization: Geography, Technology, and Institutions (2020). 

Sachs was the co-recipient of the 2015 Blue Planet Prize, the leading global prize for environmental leadership. He was twice named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential world leaders and has received 32 honorary doctorate degrees. The New York Times called Sachs “probably the most important economist in the world,” and Time magazine called Sachs “the world’s best-known economist.” A survey by The Economist ranked Sachs as among the three most influential living economists. 

Prior to joining Columbia, Sachs spent over twenty years as a professor at Harvard University, most recently as the Galen L. Stone Professor of International Trade. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Sachs received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees at Harvard. 

Lee George LAM
Dr. George Lam
Chair of the ESCAP Sustainable Business Network (ESBN) and President, Hong Kong-ASEAN Economic Cooperation Foundation
Know More

A champion for sustainable development, ESG investment, digital transformation and the Green Economy, Dr. Lam is Chair of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Sustainable Business Network (ESBN), and the ESBN Task Force on Sustainable and Inclusive Finance.  He is a member of the Governance Committee of the Hong Kong Growth Portfolio, and the Development Bureau Common Spatial Data Advisory Committee, of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and Convenor of the Panel of Advisors on Building Management Disputes of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Home Affairs Department. He is also a member of the Court of the City University of Hong Kong and the Belt and Road and Greater Bay Area Committee of the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council (HKTDC), Vice Chairman of Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC), Chairman of the Permanent Commission on Economic and Financial Issues of the World Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (WUSME), and President of Hong Kong-ASEAN Economic Cooperation Foundation. 

Dr. Lam earlier served as Chairman of Hong Kong Cyberport, Hong Kong's digital technology flagship and global innovation hub.  He was a member of the Committee on Innovation, Technology and Re-Industrialization, the Sir Murray MacLehose Trust Fund Investment Advisory Committee, and the Central Policy Unit, of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.  A former member of the Hong Kong Bar, Dr. Lam is a Solicitor of the High Court of Hong Kong, an Accredited Mediator of the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), a Fellow of Certified Management Accountants (CMA) Australia, the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators, the Hong Kong Institute of Directors and the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM), an Honorary Fellow of Certified Public Accountants (CPA) Australia, the Hong Kong Institute of Facility Management and the University of Hong Kong School of Professional and Continuing Education, and a Distinguished Fellow of the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Alliance (HKITDA).  In 2019, Dr. Lam was awarded by the Hong Kong Government a Bronze Bauhinia Star (BBS) for serving the public.

Sunita Narain
Ms. Sunita Narain
Director General of CSE and editor of Down To Earth
Know More

Sunita Narain has been with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) since 1982. She is currently the director general of the Centre and the treasurer of the Society for Environmental Communications and editor of the fortnightly magazine, Down To Earth

She is a writer and environmentalist, who uses knowledge for change. In 2005 she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian government. She has also received the World Water Prize for work on rainwater harvesting and for its policy influence in building paradigms for community based water management. In 2005, she also chaired the Tiger Task Force at the direction of the Prime Minister, to evolve an action plan for conservation in the country after the loss of tigers in Sariska. She advocated solutions to build a coexistence agenda with local communities so that benefits of conservation could be shared and the future secured. Narain was a member of the Prime Minister's Council for Climate Change as well as the National Ganga River Basin Authority. 

Narain began her work in the early 1980s, as a co-researcher with Anil Agarwal, an eminent and committed environmentalist who gave the country its environmental concern and message. In 1985, she co-edited the State of India's Environment report, which built an understanding in the country on why India is so important for the poor. With Anil Agarwal she learnt that environment and development are two sides of the same coin and that for the millions of poor, who live on the margins of subsistence, it a matter of survival. In 1989, learning from the successful initiatives of people to manage their environment, Anil Agarwal and she wrote Towards Green Villages advocating local participatory democracy as the key to sustainable development. She has continued to research and write about how environment must become the basis of livelihood security of people in the country. She has also linked issues of local democracy with global democracy, arguing that every human being has an entitlement to the global atmospheric common. In 2012, she has authored the 7th State of India's Environment Reports, Excreta Matters, which presents a comprehensive analysis of urban India's water and pollution challenges. 

Simon Stiell
Mr. Simon Stiell
Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Know More

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on 15 August 2022 the appointment of Simon Stiell of Grenada as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).  The appointment has been made after consultation with the Conference of Parties through its Bureau.  

He will succeed Patricia Espinosa of Mexico to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her commitment and dedicated service to the Organization.  The Secretary-General also wishes to extend his appreciation to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Ibrahim Thiaw, who will continue to serve as Acting Executive Secretary of UNFCCC until Mr. Stiell assumes this position.  

Mr. Stiell, a true champion for formulating creative approaches for our collective global response to the climate crisis, brings to the position a unique skillset developed over a thirty-three year career, coupled with vast experience in bilateral, regional and multilateral affairs.  

Mr. Stiell served as senior minister in the Government of Grenada from 2013 through June 2022, holding the portfolio of Minister for Climate Resilience and the Environment for five years.  He previously served as Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, Minister of State with responsibility for human resource development and the environment and as a Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries.  He also served as a member of Grenada’s Upper House of Parliament, the Senate, where he served as Leader of Government Business.  

Prior to joining government, Mr. Stiell’s career spanned some fourteen years within the technology sector, holding senior executive positions in a number of industry leading companies, from Silicon Valley based technology start-ups to major corporations, including Nokia and GEC Plessey Telecommunications.  

Mr. Stiell originally trained as an engineer at London Metropolitan University and College of North West London, and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom. 

Henry Puna
H.E. Mr. Henry Puna
Secretary-General, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)
Know More

Mr Henry Puna is the 10th Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum. 

He is the first Cook Islander to hold this post. 

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General is responsible, in close consultation with the Forum Chair and within the limits set by the Forum Leaders from time to time, for setting Forum Leaders’ Meeting agendas and coordinating responses by members to regional events, particularly crises. The Secretary General also performs several other key functions which include being the Pacific Ocean Commissioner. As the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, the Secretary General advocates for the secure future of Pacific people based on the sustainable development, management and conservation of the Pacific Ocean and its resources. 

Prior to taking up the regional role on May 24th, 2021, Secretary General Puna was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, from November 2010 until October 2020. 

Born in Aitutaki in 1949 and raised in Rarotonga, he spent his formative years witnessing the transition to self-governance for his nation. He was one of the first wave of Cook Islands solicitors, starting at Auckland University then the University of Tasmania, obtaining a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1979. He is an alumnus of Australia National University in Canberra and was admitted to the bar in September 1980. 

Secretary General Puna’s formative years combined with his return to atoll life as a pearl farmer and parliamentarian, supplied rich insights and lived knowledge of the resilience and resourcefulness of small island communities bearing the brunt of climate change across the Blue Pacific. 

Holding portfolios including Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Marine Resources, Energy and Renewable Energy, Climate Change, Tourism, and the Outer Islands, Puna steered his nation on a path which has earned the Cook Islands global recognition for Oceans sustainability and renewable energy. 

As the Cook Islands Foreign Affairs Minister and Leader, he pursued a more vigorous level of international diplomacy for the Cook Islands, extending foreign relations and formal ties to more than 50 nations including the People’s Republic of China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, and Singapore. 

Before politics, between 1989 and 1996, Mr Puna served on the board of the South Pacific Ports Association, and the Pacific Forum Line. His executive roles in national government heading Trade, Labour and Transport as well as operating within the constraints facing regional shipping and transportation strengthened his affinity for the hardships and vulnerabilities of connecting remote atoll-based communities across ocean states. 

A key focus in his early years as Prime Minister was transforming access to energy across all inhabited islands of the Cooks. His championing of renewable, clean energy and support ensured the bilateral and global funding partnerships for a successful transition to solar energy, breaking the monopoly of fossil fuel. 

At the international level, as the 43rd Forum Chair and host of the 2012 meetings and Leaders Retreat, he invited former US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to a milestone meeting with Forum Leaders, who renewed their commitment to address human rights for women, through a new Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration. 
In 2016, in recognition of his service to the region and academia, he received an honorary Doctorate in Law from the University of the South Pacific, Fiji, and served as Chancellor of the University from 2017-2018. 

As a Forum Leader championing climate change, tuna fisheries, and innovative partnerships for oceans and energy sustainability, a landmark global achievement has been the 2017 founding legislation establishing the world’s largest multiple-use marine park, the Marae Moana. 

Henry Puna is 71 in 2021, and an avid golfer and fisher. He is married to Cook Islands Member of Parliament for Manihiki, Akaiti Puna. 

Zhang Ming
H.E. Mr. Zhang Ming
Secretary-General, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
Know More

Born in June 1957 in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, graduated from the Faculty of Asian and African Languages of the Beijing University of Foreign Studies, has a Bachelor of Arts degree. 

Since 1983, he has worked in the Department of West Asian and North African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, at the Chinese Embassy in P.D.R. Yemen, and at the Chinese Embassy in the Sultanate of Oman.

1992-1997 Deputy Director of the Department of West Asian and North African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China; 
1997-2001 First Secretary, Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the State of Israel; 
2001-2006 Deputy Director-General of the General Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China; 
2006-2009 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to the Republic of Kenya, Permanent Representative to UNEP and Permanent Representative to UN-Habitat; 
2009-2010 Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China; 
2010-2011 Director-General of the General Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China; 
2011-2013 Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of China; 
2013-2017 Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China; 
2017-2021 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union; 
2022 — Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. 

Married, has a son. 

Khusrav Noziri
H.E. Mr. Khusrav Noziri
Secretary-General, Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
Know More

The Secretary General of the ECO is elected and appointed by the Council of Ministers from among the candidates nominated by the Member States on the basis of qualifications, experience and suitability as laid down in the Staff Regulations of the ECO Secretariat. As the Chief Administrative Officer of the Organization, Secretary General is responsible for all activities of the Organization. The Secretary General is discharging his duties over a non-renewable three-year terms of office.

H.E. Amb. Khusrav NOZIRI (Tajikistan national) is ECO Secretary General. He is the 13th Secretary General of the ECO who started his tenure in August 2021.

Esala Ruwan Weerakoon
H.E. Mr. Esala Ruwan Weerakoon
Secretary-General, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
Know More

H.E. Esala Ruwan Weerakoon of Sri Lanka assumed office of the Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on 01 March 2020.  

Prior to assuming the post of Secretary General, Weerakoon served as Senior Additional Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka. Previously, he was Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka. He had also served as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India and Ambassador to Norway.

During his diplomatic career spanning over 30 years, Weerakoon served as Sri Lanka’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington DC; Chargé d’Affaires in Japan; and Deputy High Commissioner to Australia. His diplomatic postings included assignments in different capacities in Sri Lanka’s Missions in the United Kingdom, France, Malaysia and Seychelles. He joined the Sri Lanka Foreign Service as a probationer in 1988.

Apart from working in different Divisions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Weerakoon served as Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Development; Additional Secretary, Ministry of Economic Development; and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Housing.

Weerakoon was educated at Royal College, Colombo. He studied economics at the University of Kelaniya and undertook post-graduate studies at the London School of Economics.  

Tenzin Lekphell
H.E. Mr. Tenzin Lekphell
Secretary-General, Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
Know More

H. E. Mr. Tenzin Lekphell took up the position of the Secretary General of BIMSTEC on 06 November 2020.

After graduation, Mr. Lekphell started his career as a militia officer in the capacity of a Lieutenant (1990-2004) at the Royal Bhutan Army. Thereon, he joined the Bhutanese civil service, where he served for more than a decade (1994-2007) before he resigned to participate in Bhutan’s historic democratic elections of 2013 and 2018. Earlier, he served as the Chief Labour Officer, Ministry of Labour and Human Resources from 1999 – 2007 and Planning Officer, Ministry of Agriculture from 1994-1998. Being the founding leader and the Secretary General, H. E. Mr. Tenzin Lekphell, subsequently became the Advisor and Executive Member of the third political party of Bhutan, Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT), which is the present ruling party of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

He was the founder of Institute for Management Studies (IMS), first private management training institute of Bhutan and served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute from 2009 – 2017. He also launched several private ventures that have enabled creation of employment for numerous Bhutanese youth. Mr. Lekphell spearheaded several national projects in Bhutan, i.e., NATION IN PRAYER (2019 – 2020), TENDREL (2016).

In 2016, Mr. Lekphell achieved Global Environment Leader Award from Global Environment Foundation, New Delhi, for the initiative TENDREL- planting of 108,000 trees to welcome the birth of the first Prince. In 2003, he received Druk Yugyel Medal from His Majesty the King for gallantry following the military service to the nation.

Mr. Lekphell holds a Masters Degree in Science (Agriculture Economics) from London University, United Kingdom and Bachelors in Science from Sherubtse College, affiliated to Delhi University, India.

H. E. Mr. Tenzin Lekphell is married to Mrs. Chokey Yangzom and blessed with three children.

OU Boqian
H.E. Ms. Ou Boqian
Secretary-General, Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS)
Know More

Position

Secretary-General

Academic Background

1996 – 1997 MIPP, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA

Career

1989 – 1990 Staff member, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
1990 – 1993 Staff member, Attaché, Department of African Affairs, MFA
1993 – 1996 Attaché, Third Secretary, Chinese Embassy in Uganda
1996 – 2000 Third Secretary, Deputy Section Director, Section Director,
Department of African Affairs, MFA
2000 – 2001 Deputy Secretary, CPC Committee of Xincheng District, 
Xi’an Municipality, Shaanxi Province
2001 – 2003 Counselor, Information Department, MFA
2003 – 2007 Political Counselor, Chinese Embassy in Australia
2007 – 2008 Counselor, Policy Planning Department, MFA
2008 – 2012 Deputy Director-General, General Office, MFA
2012 – 2017 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Grenada
2017 – 2021 Vice President, Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs
2021 – Present Secretary-General, Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat

Sefanaia Nawadra
H.E. Mr. Sefanaia Nawadra
Director-General, SPREP
Know More

Mr Nawadra holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Canberra and a Masters of Environmental Management from the Imperial College, University of London. He takes over SPREP’s top job from his previous role as the Head of the UNEP Sub-regional office for the Pacific. He has worked as SPREP’s Marine Pollution Adviser and the Director for the Environment Monitoring and Governance Division. He also worked as Conservation International’s Fiji Country Director; Environment Director (Pacific) of Sinclair Knight Merz Engineering Consultants; Health Safety and Environment Manager for Shell Pacific Islands Limited; and several senior technical positions within the Fiji Government’s Environment and Agriculture Departments.

He is from the village of Naivuruvuru, district of Verata in the province of Tailevu, with maternal links to the village of Vuna on the island of Taveuni. He is married to Talica and they have four children – two boys and two girls. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

The three-year term of the current members of the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) will end at the seventy-ninth session of the Commission.  The Commission will therefore elect new members to serve on the Governing Council (for the period 2023-2026) of the regional institution during the session.

The Statute of APCTT (Commission resolution 72/3) stipulates that “the Centre shall have a Governing Council consisting of a representative designated by the Government of India and no fewer than eight representatives nominated by other members and associate members of ESCAP elected by the Commission. The members and associate members elected by the Commission shall be elected for a period of three years but shall be eligible for re-election”. In addition to the host country (India), the current members of the Governing Council are: Bangladesh; China; Indonesia; the Islamic Republic of Iran; Nepal; Pakistan; the Republic of Korea; Sri Lanka; Thailand; and Uzbekistan.

The Commission will elect new members to the Governing Council on Tuesday, 16 May 2023 from 11.00 to 13.00 hours at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok.

Rule 41 of the rules of procedure of ESCAP stipulates that “all elections shall be decided by secret ballot.” The secretariat shall make arrangements for the elections to take place at the United Nations Conference Centre Bangkok.

All delegations are encouraged to participate in person at the session and cast their vote at the United Nations Conference Centre Bangkok. Delegations that are not represented in Bangkok and are unable to send a representative to Bangkok may consider including in their delegation a Bangkok-based representative that shall exercise their voting right. Only duly accredited and registered participants will be allowed to cast a vote.

All members and associate members seeking election or re-election to the Governing Council are requested to complete the nomination form and submit it to the Secretary of the Commission at [email protected] by 16:00 hours Bangkok time (UTC+7) on Friday, 21 April 2023.

If they desire, members and associate members seeking election or re-election to the Governing Council may attach to the nomination form a brief statement (not exceeding two pages) outlining their aims, vision and/or commitments as members of the Governing Council, should they be elected. The document will be made public by the secretariat on the Commission website.

Governing Council members are expected to participate in the Council meetings, to be held at least once a year, to provide guidance to the Centre as stated in the Statute. The cost of participation of the Governing Council members in all meetings of the Governing Council will be borne by the Governments concerned.

To ensure continuity in the work of the Governing Council, elected members are expected to designate at least one representative who would, as far as possible, serve on the Governing Council as national focal point(s) throughout the period of such membership.

Nominations received for ACPTT Governing Council:

  • Russian Federation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Who can seek election/re-election to the Governing Council?

  • All ESCAP members and associate members can seek election or re-election to the Governing Council.

 

Can associate members of ESCAP vote in the elections at the Commission session?

  • As stipulated in paragraph 6 of the terms of reference of ESCAP, “representatives of associate members shall be entitled to participate without vote in all meetings of the Commission, whether sitting as Commission or as Committee of the Whole". This means associate members can seek election or re-election but may not vote in the elections.

 

How to submit a nomination for election/re-election to the Governing Council?

  • All members and associate members seeking election or re-election to the Governing Council are requested to complete the nomination form and submit it to the Secretary of the Commission at [email protected].
  • If they desire, members and associate members seeking election or re-election may attach a brief statement (not exceeding two pages) indicating their aims, vision and/or commitments as members of the Governing Council, should they be elected to the Council. The document will be made public by the secretariat on the Commission website.

 

When is the deadline to submit a nomination for the Governing Council?

  • The nomination forms must be submitted in advance at the latest by 16:00 hours Bangkok time (UTC+7) on Friday, 21 April 2023. Nomination forms submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
  • Nominations received for the Governing Council will be published on the Commission website as well as displayed at the election venue.

 

When and where will the election to the Governing Council take place?

 

  • The casting of ballots will take place on Tuesday, 16 May 2023 from 11.00 to 13.00 hours at the United Nations Conference Centre Bangkok:

          The United Nations Building

          Rajadamnern Nok Avenue

          Bangkok 10200, Thailand

 

How will the election to the Governing Council be conducted?

  • Only duly accredited delegates of ESCAP member States to the seventy-eighth session of the Commission will be allowed to cast votes.
  • The election will be conducted by secret ballot.
  • At the registration counter in front of the election venue, one representative from each delegation will be requested by the secretariat to:
    • present their Commission accreditation badge;
    • sign the registration sheet; and
    • collect the ballot papers (one ballot paper per regional institution per one delegation).
  • The representative will then enter the election venue to complete the ballot paper, with a clear tick mark (as indicated in the instructions) in the space provided next to the candidate. Delegates can vote for as many candidates as they wish.
  • In accordance with the statute of APCTT, its Governing Council is to consist of the host country (India) and no fewer than 8 representatives of members and associate members of the Commission.
  • The representative will then drop the completed ballot paper in the designated ballot box, then depart the election venue.
  • The representative shall not take a photograph of the ballot paper.
  • Corrections, overwriting, cross-out marks, or other such markings (other than the tick marks on the ballot) shall render the ballot invalid. If the representative made a mistake, they can return the ballot paper to the secretariat and request a new ballot. Returned ballots will be destroyed by the secretariat in front of the representative.

 

To ensure a smooth and transparent election, delegations are requested to:

  • depart the election venue immediately after casting the votes; and
  • refrain from waiting, sitting and/or conversing inside the election venue during the conduct of the election to prevent interruption to other delegations casting their votes.

 

Can elections be observed?

  • ESCAP members and associate members can observe the election process, provided they do not intervene, interfere or in any way disturb the election process and avoid overcrowding the room where the polling station will be located. 
  • Participants at the session, other than accredited member and associate member delegations, will not be permitted into the election venue during the balloting process.
  • Cameras, including mobile phone cameras, are not to be used during the balloting process.

 

How will the votes counting be conducted?

  • The vote counting will be conducted by the secretariat inside the election venue immediately after the conclusion of the election at 13.00 hours on Tuesday, 16 May 2023.  
  • Members and associate members may observe the vote counting.
  • No official announcement of results will be made after the vote counting. If a second round of voting will be necessary, all members and associate members will be promptly notified by the secretariat and the balloting will be arranged prior to Friday 19 May 2023.

 

When will the results of the election/re-election to the Governing Council be announced?

  • The results will be announced by the Secretary of the Commission under agenda item 8 Other matters on Friday, 19 May 2023.

 

Who should I contact if I need to obtain more information on the election/re-election to the Governing Council?

  • Further information can be obtained by contacting:

          Ms. Preeti Soni

          Head

          Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT)

          E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

          Telephone: +91-11-30973700

          Fax: +91-11-26856274

Note: This page is for delegates, government officials and other members of government delegations participating in the 79th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). For general information concerning all participants please refer to the Information Note Section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART I: Guide to participation

 

 

 

 

This guide includes information to assist delegates attending the Commission session with their preparations and to facilitate their participation. The document includes useful information on paperless meetings, order of speakers, and the discussions conducted each agenda item.

The seventy-ninth session of the Commission will take place from 15 to 19 May 2023 in a hybrid modality at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok and online.

Letter of credentials and online registration

Each delegation is required to submit a letter of credentials, duly signed by the appropriate authority of the respective Government, at the earliest convenience but before Friday, 21 April 2023. Only delegates who appear on the letter of credentials will be able to participate and be recognized in the list of participants.

Letters of credential can be sent via email to the Office of the Executive Secretary at the following address: <[email protected]> with a copy to the Commission secretariat team at <[email protected]>, <[email protected]> and <[email protected]>. Originals may be sent to the Office of the Executive Secretary at the address below.

Office of the Executive Secretary of ESCAP

Executive Office Suite, United Nations Conference Centre

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

Rajdamnern Nok Avenue

Bangkok 10200, Thailand

Each delegate who appears in the aforementioned letter of credentials is required to register online as soon as possible but no later than Friday, 21 April 2023 at https://indico.un.org/event/1003482/ to facilitate the issuance of name badges and ensure the accuracy of the list of participants.

Only registration of accredited delegates will be accepted. Please note that registering online prior to the meeting is mandatory in accordance with standard United Nations security procedures to facilitate security clearance and entrance to the premises.

Online participation

All delegates are encouraged to participate in person. However, if in-person participation is not possible, delegates may participate through the videoconferencing platform Zoom.

Owing to the limited number of connections available, the online participation via Zoom of members, associate members and Member States of the United Nations that are permanent observers of the Commission will be prioritized.

Based on availability, connections will be made available for observer organizations that would notify the secretariat of their interest to speak under a specific agenda item at <[email protected]> by Friday, 28 April 2023. Tentative speaking slots will be assigned based on the availability of connections and confirmed during the meeting based on time availability and taking into account the speaking order of United Nations intergovernmental meetings.

All other delegates may follow the proceedings via the live broadcast on the Commission website at https://www.unescap.org/events/commission79.

Country interventions

To participate in deliberations, delegates are requested to complete the speaker request form to identify which members of the delegations participating online will have a speaking role during the session. The secretariat will send a link to the Zoom session only to those accounts identified on the form. Please note that the Zoom link is not transferable. Delegations attending in person may request to speak by raising their flag or informing the presiding conference room officers.

Delegations wishing to deliver their country statement under agenda item 2(a) (general debate on the theme topic, “Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development”), are kindly requested to inscribe on the speakers list by Friday, 5 May 2023, using the speaker request form

Country statements may need to be summarized and focused on the theme topic, as the delivery time will be limited to three minutes. Prepared texts of longer statements may be circulated.

Delegations are also encouraged to provide statements to the secretariat prior to delivery in electronic format. Statements will be used to facilitate interpretation and drafting of the report of the Commission. Statements will be posted to the Commission website after delivery unless requested otherwise.

For delegates participating online, a guide to using the Zoom videoconferencing platform will be shared in due course. Zoom users will also be invited to a test-run prior to the session to familiarize themselves with Zoom, test the connection and ensure a smooth online participation. All Zoom users are strongly encouraged to join the test-run, especially those who will join the Zoom platform from a meeting room, so they can see if the meeting room’s conference/AV system is adequately linked to Zoom.

Documents and interpretation

Pre-session documents are available in the four official languages of the Commission (Chinese, English, French and Russian) and will be posted on the official documents page of the Commission website (under agenda and official documents) when they are issued. The annual report will be available on the Commission website in all languages following the session.

The session will be conducted in the four official languages of ESCAP – Chinese, English, French and Russian – with live simultaneous interpretation available in the conference room and via the Zoom videoconferencing platform. Details on how to choose an interpretation on Zoom will be provided in the Zoom participation guide. Participants following the proceedings via the live webcast on YouTube may also be able to choose among the four official languages of ESCAP.

International sign-language interpretation and live captioning services in the four official languages of ESCAP will also be available simultaneously throughout the session in the secretariat’s continuous efforts to improve accessibility of the Commission.

Paperless meetings

Please note that, in accordance with ongoing efforts of the United Nations towards a paperless Secretariat, printed official meeting documents are no longer provided for member State and associate member delegations except only upon explicit request. In such cases only one set of printed official meeting documents will be provided.

Decisions and resolutions

The Commission will consider a list of decisions under each agenda item. The details on the deliberations under each agenda item are provided in the sections below.

In light of the hybrid format of the session, all negotiations on draft resolutions and draft decisions will be undertaken by the Informal Working Group on Draft Resolutions and will be concluded no later than two weeks in advance of the session and in accordance with the practice adopted by the Commission at its seventy-sixth, seventy-seventh and seventy-eighth sessions, with the use of the silence procedure. Please refer to the note by the secretariat on the process for negotiation and adoption of resolutions at the session. No meeting on draft resolutions and draft decisions will be scheduled as a part of the official programme during the session. Delegations wishing to submit draft resolutions are requested to submit the proposed text to the Executive Secretary in writing at least six weeks before the start of the Commission session (Monday, 3 April 2023).

The draft decisions and draft resolutions will be presented for formal adoption by the Commission under agenda item 9.

Elections to the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT)

At the seventy-ninth Commission session, the Commission will elect new members to the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) on Tuesday, 16 May 2023 from 11.00 to 13.00 hours Bangkok time (UTC+7) at the United Nations Conference Centre Bangkok.

In accordance with the rules of procedure of ESCAP, the elections will be conducted by secret ballot and delegates will need to be present in the room to cast their vote. Delegations that are not represented in Bangkok and are unable to send a representative to Bangkok may consider including in their delegation a Bangkok-based representative that shall exercise their voting right. Only duly accredited and registered participants will be allowed to cast a vote.

All members and associate members seeking election or re-election to the Governing Council are requested to complete a nomination form and submit it to the Secretary of the Commission by 16:00 hours Bangkok time (UTC+7) on Friday, 21 April 2023. Detailed information and the nomination forms are available in on the Commission website at https://www.unescap.org/events/commission79#CouncilElection

Liaison officers 

The liaison officers are secretariat staff members who shall be assisting members and associate members of the Commission in addition to their regular duties in the substantive servicing of the Commission session. Delegations may contact the liaison officers should they need assistance. The staff members whose names appear in the list of liaison officers shall serve as liaison officers to members and associate members of the Commission.

 

 

 

 

PART II: Side event and Climate Solutions Fair

 

 

 

 

Delegations and stakeholders interested in organizing side events linked with the theme of the session, “Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development” and/or participating in the Climate Solutions Fair, are requested to complete the Side Event Form and Submission Form for the Climate Solutions Fair electronically and return it by Monday, 17 April 2023 to the following email address:<[email protected]>. Organizers will be responsible for all logistical arrangements.

As slots for the side events are limited, priority will be given to members, associate members and observer countries on a first-come, first-served basis. Events with multiple co-organizers/partners are particularly welcome.

 

 

 

 

PART III: Contributions to ESCAP Programme of Work and Regional Institutions

 

 

 

 

With the support of member State donors and partners, ESCAP has, over the years, contributed considerably to the development of Asia and the Pacific by establishing several key regional institutions; negotiating crucial agreements; undertaking quality normative and analytical work; advocating policies to address critical and emerging issues; and building capacities of its members to address development challenges facing the region.

At the Commission session every year, members and associate members of ESCAP indicate their support, both in-kind and financial, to the ESCAP programme of work and the regional institutions.

The contributions to the ESCAP programme of work supplement regular budget resources and help us address development challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region.

ESCAP's regional institutions (APCICT, APCTT, APDIM, CSAM and SIAP) are hubs of capacity building in focused areas directly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They also act as a platform for exchanging good practices among member States, fostering South-South cooperation. The viability of these regional institutions is largely dependent on the financial and in-kind contributions provided by their host Governments as well as the voluntary contributions made by other donors. In its resolution 71/1, the Commission encouraged all members and associate members of ESCAP to make the necessary regular annual contributions to the regional institutions.

In this regard, we would like to invite all members and associate members to consider making or increasing their pledge for financial support to the ESCAP programme of work and the regional institutions at the seventy-ninth session of the Commission.

Please make your pledge by filling out the pledging form.

Please email the form to [email protected], with a copy to [email protected] or announce your pledge during the deliberations on Agenda item 5 (c): Overview of partnerships, extrabudgetary contributions and capacity development.

The ESCAP secretariat expresses its appreciation to member and associate members for the commitment and ongoing support to the work of ESCAP.

Further information can be obtained by contacting:

Ms. Zeynep Orhun Girard

Chief, Capacity Development and Partnerships Section

Strategy and Programme Management Division

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Office: +66 22 88 1672

E-mail: [email protected]

 

 

 

 

PART IV: Visa exemption request

 

 

 

 

Delegates from countries with no Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General may request for visa exemption for participants attending the Commission session.

To request for the exemption, delegates are requested to complete the Request for Visa Exemption Form and return it via email along with the documents mentioned in the form to the email addresses indicated, by 28 April 2023.

Kindly note that this arrangement is subject to change in accordance with the host country’s requirements upon the delegates’ arrival. For more information, please refer to the form or email [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART V: Protocol arrangement

 

 

 

 

 

ESCAP provides the following protocol arrangements for delegates at the ministerial level and above from a member state which does not have a diplomatic mission in Thailand:

  1. Airport transfer
  2. Transfer between hotel and meeting venue
  3. Airport VIP Lounge (if available)
  4. Police escort and police lead car (only for Head of State/Head of Government)

Should there be a requirement for additional police escort, the cost shall be borne by the requesting country. Delegates are responsible for securing hotel reservations and the cost of their accommodation.

In order to facilitate arrangements, delegations are requested to complete the Protocol Arrangement Form and return it via email to addresses indicated in the form, at least two weeks before the start of the session, on Friday 28 April 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

Part VI: Detailed guide to participation by agenda item

 

 

 

 

Agenda item 1: Opening of the session

Supporting documents:

1)        Provisional Agenda (ESCAP/79/1/Rev.2)

2)        Annotated Provisional Agenda (ESCAP/79/1/Add.1)

Agenda item 1 of the provisional agenda includes (a) opening addresses; (b) election of officers; and (c) adoption of the agenda.

Scheduled to begin at 10:00 hours on Monday, 15 May 2023, the session will be opened by the Chair of the seventy-eighth session of the Commission, who will also deliver a statement in that capacity, highlighting key work of ESCAP since the Commission last met in May 2022.

The Chair will also preside over the election of officers of the seventy-ninth session. In line with its rules of procedure and usual practice, the Commission will elect, from among its members, a Chair and two Vice-Chairs of the session.

If the plenary so decides, the rule may be applied differently to enable the Commission to elect more than two Vice-Chairs, as has been the practice at previous sessions, in which case the Commission may elect a bureau of officers composed of a Chair and several Vice-Chairs.

Following the election of officers, the Chair of the seventy-ninth session will present the provisional agenda of the session before the Commission for adoption.

After the agenda is adopted, the Chair will invite the Executive Secretary to deliver her welcome and policy address. Other high-level dignitaries may also be invited to address the Commission.

The Chair will then invite special remarks by Heads of State/Government of ESCAP member States on the theme of the session. These special remarks will set the scene for the deliberations of the session and provide a vision from the region on how to accelerate ambitious climate action in Asia and the Pacific while highlighting opportunities and practical solutions towards net-zero pathways.

Special remarks by the Heads of State/Government will be followed by interventions by selected keynote speakers from academia, private sector and civil society.

All deliberations will be webcast live and statements delivered will be made available on the Commission website for download.

Agenda item 2: Theme topic, “Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development”

(a)       General debate;

(b)       Strengthening subregional cooperation;

(c)       Catalysing climate financing and investment.

Supporting documents:

1) Summary of the theme study on accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development (ESCAP/79/2)

2) Report of the Governing Council of the Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia on its seventeenth session (ESCAP/79/3)

3) Subregional cooperation to accelerate climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development (ESCAP/79/4)

Agenda item 2 (a) will start from afternoon of Monday, 15 May 2023 and will continue during the morning of Tuesday, 16 May 2023.

At the outset, the secretariat will present key findings and recommendations of the study prepared by the secretariat on the theme topic of the session.

With regards to the general debate or “country statements” on the theme topic, Ministers and Heads of Delegations may wish to focus their country statements on the recommendations of the theme study which describes the transformations that are needed in Asia and the Pacific to transition to a net zero future in support of sustainable development and identifies policies and actions needed in various sectors of the economy (e.g. energy, transport, trade, industry) to support the global climate agenda while also realizing broad economic, social and environmental benefits. The theme study also describes climate finance needs in the region and addresses data gaps for better monitoring. Country statements may focus on sharing experiences and initiatives that address both the causes and the impacts of climate change and how to accelerate climate action in Asia and the Pacific to reduce emissions in line with the 1.5-degree goal. Country statements may also draw attention on how enhanced regional cooperation can foster, bolder climate action for sustainable development.

In view of time constraints, country statements may need to be summarized and focused on the theme topic, as the delivery time will be limited to three (3) minutes. Prepared texts of longer statements may be circulated and will be posted to the Commission website unless requested otherwise.

Delegations wishing to deliver country statements under agenda item 2(a) are requested to inscribe on the speakers list by Monday, 5 May 2023, by submitting the speaker request form.

Delegations are also encouraged to provide statements to the secretariat at <[email protected]> prior to delivery in electronic format, if possible. Statements will be used to facilitate interpretation and drafting of the report of the Commission. Statements will be posted to the Commission website after delivery unless requested otherwise.

Guest keynote speakers will be invited to provide brief remarks on specific dimensions of the theme topic for the session.

The consideration of agenda item 2 (b) of the provisional agenda will start in the afternoon of Tuesday, 16 May 2023 and will feature a dialogue on the subregional dimensions of the theme of the session. The secretariat will introduce the agenda item, reflecting on the role of subregional cooperation in advancing regional climate priorities through cooperation and highlighting the key areas of cooperation between subregional organizations and ESCAP.

The introduction will be followed by a dialogue with the Heads of subregional organizations from across the Asia-Pacific region focusing on outlining the climate action priorities in each subregion, highlighting the key areas of cooperation between subregional organisations and ESCAP as well as identifying potential cooperation areas among subregions. Moreover, the dialogue will allow heads of subregional organizations to discuss a key priority (climate action) for the United Nations ahead of the annual meeting of heads of regional organizations to be convened by the United Nations Secretary-General.

The Chair will then open the floor to delegations for brief country interventions.

Agenda item 2(c): Special session: Catalyzing climate finance and investment will start in the morning of Wednesday, 17 May 2023 and will serve as the second edition of Regional Forum on Climate Initiatives to Finance Climate Action and the Sustainable Development Goals.  The session will discuss best practices and successes from across the ESCAP region in improving the policy and regulatory environment to support greater inflows of finance, particularly in mobilizing private finance and the use of sustainable financial instruments, towards climate mitigation, adaptation and transition as well as actions that ministers can take in building a positive and stable regulatory environment for finance to be directed at climate action, including sustainable bond frameworks and monitoring mechanisms, amongst other issues.

The secretariat and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will introduce the agenda item.

The introduction will be followed by a dialogue with minsters of finance from across the region.  The Chair will then open the floor for brief country interventions

Under agenda item 9, the Commission is expected to adopt a resolution on the theme topic of the session and adopt decisions to:

Take note of the following documents:

(a) Summary of the theme study on accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development (ESCAP/79/2)

(b) Subregional cooperation to accelerate climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development (ESCAP/79/4)

(c) Report of the Governing Council of the Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia on its seventeenth session (ESCAP/79/3)

Agenda item 3: Special Body on Least Developed, Landlocked Developing and Small Island Developing States

Supporting document:

Summary of the Asia-Pacific Countries with Special Needs Development Report 2023: Strengthening Regional Cooperation for Seamless and Sustainable Connectivity (ESCAP/79/5)

Under agenda item 3, the Special Body will consider the role of transport, energy and digital connectivity as a catalyser of sustainable development, including climate action in least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States of Asia and the Pacific.

The secretariat will present the findings and recommendations of Asia-Pacific Countries with Special Needs Development Report 2023: Strengthening Regional Cooperation for Seamless and Sustainable Connectivity. The report examines how regional cooperation on seamless and sustainable connectivity can facilitate a long-term transformation towards a net zero carbon emissions future. Recognizing ongoing efforts and existing initiatives and considering the large financing gaps in the countries in special situations, the document underscores the need to seek synergies between transport, energy and digital connectivity initiatives in the region.

The consideration of the agenda item will include a high-level panel discussion with ministers from least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) or small island developing States (SIDS) in Asia and the Pacific.

The Chair will then open the floor for brief country interventions.

Under agenda item 9, it is anticipated the Commission will adopt decisions to:

Take note of the following document:

Summary of the Asia-Pacific Countries with Special Needs Development Report 2023: Strengthening Regional Cooperation for Seamless and Sustainable Connectivity (ESCAP/79/5)

Agenda item 4: Review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific and issues pertinent to the subsidiary structure of the Commission

Supporting documents:

  1. Summary of progress in the implementation of Commission resolutions (ESCAP/79/6)
  2. Report on the Tenth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (ESCAP/RFSD/2023/6)
  3. Report of the Committee on Social Development on its seventh session (ESCAP/CSD/2022/5)
  4. Report of the Asia-Pacific Intergovernmental Meeting on the Fourth Review and Appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (ESCAP/MIPAA/IGM.3/2022/3)
  5. Outcome document entitled “Accelerating Implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002, to Build a Sustainable Society for All Ages in Asia and the Pacific” (ESCAP/MIPAA/IGM.3/2022/3/Add.1)
  6. Report of the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013–2022 (ESCAP/APDDP/2022/3)
  7. Asia-Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Disability-Inclusive Development towards 2030 (ESCAP/APDDP/2022/3/Add.1)
  8. Trends in social development: the future of work in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/79/7)
  9. Report of the Committee on Environment and Development on its seventh session (ESCAP/CED/2022/4);
  10. Ministerial declaration on protecting our planet through regional cooperation and solidarity in Asia and the Pacific, 2022 (ESCAP/CED/2022/4/Add.1)
  11. Report of the Governing Council of the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization on its eighteenth session (ESCAP/79/8)
  12. Enabling cities to take climate action and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (ESCAP/79/9)
  13. Report of the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management on its seventh session (ESCAP/79/10)
  14. Early warning and action for all by 2027: transformative adaption for a riskier Asia-Pacific region (ESCAP/79/11)
  15. Accelerating the just energy transition to make progress in achieving net-zero-emissions targets in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/79/12)
  16. Report of the Committee on Transport on its seventh session (ESCAP/CTR/2022/6)
  17. Enhancing the environmental sustainability of transport systems to support climate action in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/79/13)
  18. Securing public debt sustainability while pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (ESCAP/79/14)
  19. Report of the Third Ministerial Conference on Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/MCREI/2022/5)
  20. Report of the Committee on Trade, Investment, Enterprise and Business Innovation on its first session of (ESCAP/CTIEBI(1)/8)
  21. Report of the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology on its eighteenth session (ESCAP/79/15)
  22. Harnessing trade, investment, innovation and technology transfer for climate action (ESCAP/79/16)
  23. Report of the Committee on Information and Communications Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation on its fourth session (ESCAP/CICTSTI/2022/6)
  24. Report of the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/MCSASD/2022/3)
  25. Jakarta Ministerial Declaration on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/MCSASD/2022/3/Add.1)
  26. Report of the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development on its seventeenth session (ESCAP/79/17)
  27. Promoting digital transformation in Asia and the Pacific through the Action Plan for Implementing the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway Initiative, 2022–2026 (ESCAP/79/18) 
  28. Report of the Committee on Statistics on its eighth session (ESCAP/CST/2022/8)
  29. Report of the Governing Council of the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific on its eighteenth session (ESCAP/79/19)
  30. Getting everyone in the picture for more effective climate change action (ESCAP/79/20)
  31. Annual reports of international and intergovernmental organizations provided to the Commission (ESCAP/79/INF/1)

Consideration of agenda item 4 will start with an overarching presentation by the secretariat on the progress of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific.

The Commission will then consider each sub-item in order. The Chairs of the subsidiary bodies of the Commission that have met in between sessions will present the outcomes of these meetings, highlight actions requested of the Commission as well as key discussions at the subsidiary body under the relevant sub-item. 

In their statements, member States may address the points for action in the reports of the subsidiary bodies and in the notes by the secretariat on the specific subitems, as well as provide further guidance.

Members and associate members are also invited to review the progress of implementation of ESCAP resolutions, as pertinent to their national context, and provide further guidance. Discussions under this agenda item will be webcast live.

Under agenda item 9, it is anticipated the Commission will endorse through resolutions the following documents:

  1. Ministerial declaration on protecting our planet through regional cooperation and solidarity in Asia and the Pacific, 2022 and the Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution annexed to it (ESCAP/CED/2022/4/Add.1).
  2. Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023–2032 (ESCAP/APDDP/2022/3/Add.1)
  3. Jakarta Ministerial Declaration on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/MCSASD/2022/3/Add.1).

Moreover, the Commission is expected to adopt decisions to:

Endorse the following documents:

(a) Report on the Tenth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (ESCAP/RFSD/2023/6)

(b) Report of the Committee on Social Development on its seventh session (ESCAP/CSD/2022/5)

(c) Report on the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013–2022 (ESCAP/APDDP/2022/3)

(d) Report of the Governing Council of the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization on its eighteenth session (ESCAP/79/8)

(e) Report of the Committee on Environment and Development on its seventh session (ESCAP/CED/2022/4)

(f) Report of the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management on its seventh session (ESCAP/79/10)

(g) Report of the Committee on Transport on its seventh session (ESCAP/CTR/2022/6)

(h) Report of the Third Ministerial Conference on Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/MCREI/2022/5)

(i) Report of the Committee on Trade, Investment, Enterprise and Business Innovation on its first session (ESCAP/CTIEBI(1)/8)

(j) Report of the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology on its eighteenth session (ESCAP/79/15)

(k) Report of the Committee on Information and Communications Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation on its fourth session (ESCAP/CICTSTI/2022/6)

(l) Report on the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/MCSASD/2022/3)

(m) Report of the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development on its seventeenth session (ESCAP/79/17)

(n) Report of the Committee on Statistics on its eighth session (ESCAP/CST/2022/8);

(o) Report of the Governing Council of the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific on its eighteenth session (ESCAP/79/19)

(p) Report on the Asia-Pacific Intergovernmental Meeting on the Fourth Review and Appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (ESCAP/MIPAA/IGM.3/2022/3) and the outcome document entitled “Accelerating Implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002, to Build a Sustainable Society for All Ages in Asia and the Pacific” (ESCAP/MIPAA/IGM.3/2022/3/Add.1).

Take note of the following documents:

(a) Summary of progress in the implementation of Commission resolutions (ESCAP/79/6);

(b) Trends in social development: the future of work in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/79/7);

(c) Enabling cities to take climate action and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (ESCAP/79/9);

(d) Early warning and action for all by 2027: transformative adaption for a riskier Asia-Pacific region (ESCAP/79/11);

(e) Accelerating the just energy transition to make progress in achieving net-zero-emissions targets in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/79/12);

(f) Enhancing the environmental sustainability of transport systems to support climate action in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP/79/13);

(g) Securing public debt sustainability while pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (ESCAP/79/14);

(h) Harnessing trade, investment, innovation and technology transfer for climate action (ESCAP/79/16);

(i) Promoting digital transformation in Asia and the Pacific through the Action Plan for Implementing the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway Initiative, 2022–2026 (ESCAP/79/18);

(j) Getting everyone in the picture for more effective climate change action (ESCAP/79/20);

(k) Annual reports of international and intergovernmental organizations provided to the Commission (ESCAP/79/INF/1).

Agenda item 5: Management issues

Supporting documents:

  1. Proposed programme plan for 2024 (ESCAP/79/21)
  2. Overview of partnerships, extrabudgetary contributions and capacity development (ESCAP/79/22)

Agenda item 5 of the provisional agenda will review the work programme of ESCAP and begin with a presentation by the secretariat, followed by consideration by the Commission subitem-by-subitem. The Chair will open the floor for brief country interventions for each subitem.

Under agenda item 5 (a), the Commission will review the proposed programme plan for 2024.

Under agenda item 5(b), members and associate members will have the opportunity to announce their intended contributions for 2023. Delegations intending to pledge contributions are requested to complete and submit the pledging form available on the Commission website.

Under agenda item 9, it is anticipated the Commission will adopt decisions to:

(a)       Endorse the proposed programme plan for 2024;

(b)       Take note of the note by the secretariat on the overview of partnerships, extrabudgetary contributions and capacity development (ESCAP/79/22) and thank members and associate members for their pledges.

Agenda item 6: Activities of the Advisory Committee of Permanent Representatives and Other Representatives Designated by Members of the Commission

Supporting document:

Report of the Advisory Committee of Permanent Representatives and Other Representatives Designated by Members of the Commission (ESCAP/79/23)

Agenda item 6 of the provisional agenda will review the intersessional activities of the Advisory Committee of Permanent Representatives and Other Representatives Designated by Members of the Commission as presented by the Rapporteur of the Advisory Committee. After the presentation, the floor will be opened for country interventions.

Under agenda item 9, it is anticipated that the Commission will adopt a decision taking note of the report of the Advisory Committee of Permanent Representatives and Other Representatives Designated by Members of the Commission.

Agenda item 7: Dates and venue of and theme topic for the eightieth session of the Commission (2024)

Supporting document:

Dates and venue of and theme topic for the eightieth session of the Commission (2024) (ESCAP/79/24)

Under agenda item 7 of the provisional agenda, the Commission will decide on the dates and venue of the eightieth session of the Commission, to be held in 2024, as well as the theme topic to be considered by the Commission at that session.

Following the presentation of the agenda item by the secretariat, the floor will be opened for country interventions.

Under agenda item 9, it is anticipated the Commission will adopt a decision fixing the dates of its eightieth session to be held in 2024. Through the same decision the Commission will determine the theme for its eightieth session.

Agenda item 8: Other matters

Agenda item 8 of the provisional agenda provides the opportunity for members and associate members to raise other matters not covered under the items above. Discussions on this agenda item will be webcast live.

The Chair will also announce the result of the elections for the Governing Councils of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT).

Agenda item 9: Adoption of the report of the Commission on its seventy-ninth session

Supporting documents:

1)        Draft report to be adopted by the Commission: Organization of the seventy-ninth session of the Commission (ESCAP/79/L.1)

2)        Draft report to be adopted by the Commission: Statement of programme budget implication of actions and proposals of the Commission (ESCAP/79/L.1/Add.1)

3)        Draft resolutions to be adopted by the Commission

4)        Draft decisions to be adopted by the Commission

Under agenda item 9, the Commission will consider for adoption the report of its seventy-ninth session.

Pursuant to paragraph 7 of the annex of Commission resolution 78/2 of 27 May 2022 on “A conference structure of the Commission to advance sustainable development”, the report of the Commission will be composed of its decisions and resolutions.

The draft record of proceedings of the Commission session, prepared by the secretariat, will be circulated among members and associate members for comments within fifteen days of the conclusion of the session.

Following the adoption of the report, the Executive Secretary will deliver a closing statement. The Chair may also deliver a closing statement before formally closing the session.

Delegations and stakeholders interested in organizing a side event linked with the theme of the session, “Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development” are requested to completed the submission form electronically and return it by Monday, 17 April 2023 to the following email address: [email protected] with copy to [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; and [email protected].

Side Event Form

As slots for the side events are limited, priority will be given to members, associate members and observer countries on a first-come, first-served basis. Events with multiple co-organizers/partners are particularly welcome. Confirmation of proposed side events with confirmed date and time will be communicated in due course.

All queries related to side events should be addressed to Ms. Madina Tlenchiyeva, Associate Expert, Office of the Executive Secretary, at [email protected] with copy to Mr. Lorenzo Santucci, Secretary of the Commission, at [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].

The Climate Solutions Fair, at the 79th session of the Commission, will provide an opportunity for member States and stakeholders to share successful examples, perspectives, insights, and lessons learnt on solutions that can both reduce the risks and impacts of climate change and foster ambitious climate action in Asia and the Pacific towards net-zero pathways and limit global temperature rise to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The Fair will be held from 15 to 19 of May 2023. On Wednesday, 17 May 2023, from 14.00-17.00 hours participants will have the opportunity to interact with the exhibitors at the Fair who will be able to present or showcase their solutions.

Members and associate members of the Commission, permanent observers to ESCAP or other UN Member States interested in showcasing a solution at the Fair can submit a proposal to set up a “Country Booth”.  Each “Country Booth” may showcase initiatives or solutions led by government, private sector, local authorities, non-governmental organizations or other stakeholders.  UN entities submitting joint proposal are invited to set up a booth under the UN pavilion.

Delegations and stakeholders interested in submitting a proposal are requested to complete the form below electronically and return it by Monday, 17 April 2023 to the following email:[email protected]

Concept note and Form

All queries related to side events should be addressed to Ms. Madina Tlenchiyeva, Associate Expert, Office of the Executive Secretary, at [email protected] with copy to Mr. Lorenzo Santucci, Secretary of the Commission, at [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]

for more information, please contact

Office of the Executive Secretary +66 2288 1234 [email protected]
Print this page