Background

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) is the regional agency of the United Nations Secretariat for the Asia-Pacific region.  UNESCAP is dedicated to provide results oriented projects, technical assistance and capacity building to Members in addressing region’s greatest challenges.

UNESCAP was established in 1947 with its headquarter located in Bangkok, Thailand. Currently, UNESCAP has 53 Members and 9 Associate Members. Macao became its Associate Member in 1991. The geographical scope of UNESCAP stretches from Turkey in the west to the Pacific island nation of Kiribati in the east, and from the Russian Federation in the north to New Zealand in the south, the region is home to 4.1 billion people, or two thirds of the world’s population.

 

Objectives

The overall objectives of the UNESCAP are to promote shared prosperity, equity and sustainable economic and social development in the Asia and Pacific region. Since the adoption of the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (2030 Agenda) by all Members States of the United Nations in September 2015, UNESCAP has passed through a Resolution in 2016 to work for supporting Members in implementing the development goals thereto, which include:

  • promoting the balanced integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development and provide updates and recommendations to Members;
  • supporting the process to define a regional road map for implementing the 2030 Agenda and to address challenges to its achievement in Asia and the Pacific,
  • strengthening support to Members in their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda in an integrated approach; and
  • leveraging existing expertise and the intergovernmental forum to provide capacity-building opportunities to Members.
 

Structure

The UNESCAP is headed by the Executive Secretary and two Deputy Executive Secretaries.  The Commission meets annually at ministerial level to discuss on issues related to the inclusive and sustainable development of the Asia and Pacific region and make resolutions.

To cope with the implementation of the resolutions, the conference structure of the UNESCAP comprises nine committees:

  • Committee on Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Reduction and Financing for Development
  • Committee on Trade, Investment, Enterprise and Business Innovation
  • Committee on Transport
  • Committee on Environment and Development
  • Committee on Information and Communications Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation
  • Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction
  • Committee on Social Development
  • Committee on Statistics
  • Committee on Energy

The committees work according to their respective purview to meet the needs of the region, foster dialogue and exchange of experience as well as submitting draft resolutions and monitoring the implementation.

 

Relations between Macao SAR and the UNESCAP

The MSAR Government has been supportive to the work of UNESCAP and appreciative to their contribution to the economic and social development of the Asia and the Pacific region.  The SAR Government shall continue to participate in the meetings and training activities of ESCAP to foster exchanges with other Members and get updates about the latest information and valuable experiences in the region.

 

Web link: http://www.unescap.org/