Second Meeting

The Second Meeting of the CHDCS/UNAIDS Regional Conference

Information for Participants

26 - 27 May 2003,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC)

Dear Participant,

Welcome to Addis Ababa and to the second Meeting of the Committee on Human Development and Civil Society/UNAIDS Regional Conference, which is being held from 26 to 27 May 2003 at the Headquarters of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Below please find some general information on meeting arrangements, which you may find useful. If you have any questions or require any assistance do not hesitate to contact the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference Coordination Unit (CCU):

Ms. Yemesratch Tewolde
Tel : +251 1 44 35 45/51 49 45
Fax : +251 1 51 48 74/51 31 55
E-mail : ccu@uneca.org

For additional information on substantive questions of the meeting, please note the important contacts provided at the end of this information.

1. Registration and Identification Badges

Participants are required to register and obtain Identification Badges prior to the opening of the meeting. Kindly also carry your invitation letter and personal identification for onsite accreditation. For identification and security reasons, Identification Badges should be worn by all participants at all times during the Conference and at official social functions.

2. Documents

Participants will be issued copies of the documents of the Meeting prior to the meeting. Documents, which participants wish to circulate, should be handed to the Secretariat. Participants are also advised to consult with the Secretariat on any matter pertaining to the issuance or distribution of documents at the Meeting

3. Immigration Requirements

Visas are required for all participants traveling to Ethiopia, except for nationals of Djibouti and Kenya. Participants from countries that have Ethiopian diplomatic missions are required by the Ethiopian immigration authorities to secure their visas from those missions.

Participants from such countries must obtain a visa through them before departure. These include holders of diplomatic and service passports as well as United Nations Laissez-Passer.

If your country does not have an Ethiopian Diplomatic Mission, ECA will assist you in obtaining a visa upon arrival, subject to prior submission of your complete passport details and flight information (refer to registration form). You should request visa assistance from ECA well in advance, as it will take at least two weeks to process visa applications and obtain approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Authorities.

Please note that an Ethiopian visa costs between Birr 150 - 325 (US$ 20 - 50) per person depending on your nationality and payment must be made at the time of issue. Holders of diplomatic and service passports as well as United Nations Laissez-Passer will receive visas gratis. Expenses incurred in connection with visa requirements are paid in local currency obtainable from the Ethiopian Commercial Bank at Bole International Airport. Bank receipts for money changed at the airport must be kept securely as they may be asked for on departure. The airport tax on departure from Bole International Airport is US$ 20.00 payable in cash in US dollars.

Please send registration form with passport and flight information to the ECA Conference Coordination Unit: (Fax: +251 1 51 48 74/51 31 55 email: ccu@uneca.org).

4. Health Care Requirements

Prior to entry, visitors to Ethiopia should be in possession of a valid health certificate for yellow fever. Vaccination against cholera is also required for any person who has visited or transited a cholera-infected area within six days to arrival in the country.

Details of the United Nations Health Care Centre (UNHCC), situated on the ground floor of the Conference Centre will be provided in a facilities guide at registration.

5. Currency/Banks

All foreign currency in your possession should be declared on the blue currency declaration form upon arrival at Bole International Airport. There is no limit on how much you can bring into the country.

Ethiopian currency is denominated in "Birr" and "Cents". The bank rate of exchange varies. The UN official rate as of 1 January 2003 was US$ 1.00=Birr 8.59.

Currency changed into Birr at the Commercial Bank on the ECA compound, may be reconverted only at that branch of Commercial Bank, and not exceeding the originally converted amount.

Acceptance of credit card is limited to few hotels and restaurants. It is therefore advisable to carry means of exchange (traveler cheques) and adequate local cash.

6. Airline Reservations

A number of International Airlines operate to and from Addis Ababa. It is required that participants secure their return/onward air passage prior to their arrival to Addis Ababa. There are travel agencies in the ECA administrational building to assist with re-confirmation of tickets and to provide participants with travel and tour related information.

7. General Information about Addis Ababa and Ethiopia

Addis Ababa is a city at high altitude, 2400 meters above sea level (higher than Mexico city). Safety standards are relatively good, but similar precautions as in other metropolitan cities should be followed. The predominant language spoken in Addis Ababa is Amharic, but English is widely understood as well. Communication in French is quite limited and minimal in Italian and Arabic.

Right hand traffic rule applies. Regulations restrict certain areas from photography and movement in their vicinity after nightfall.

Additional information on Ethiopia and ECA can be found on the following websites:

http://www.uneca.org
http://www.telecom.net.et
http://www.ethio.com
http://tour.ethiopianonline.net

8. Climate

May is the last month of the dry season in Ethiopia, but occasional rainfall is possible. The temperature in Addis Ababa during May varies between maximum 25°c and minimum 9 °c.

9. Electricity Supply

Electric supply in Ethiopia is 220-240 volts, 50 cycles AC accessible via 13-amp, two-pin (Italian) socket.

10. Hotel Accommodation

Arrangements have been made by ECA to book accommodation for participants at their expense in various hotels, as listed below. Participants who wish to avail themselves of this service at UN preference rates are required to inform the Conference Coordinator, whose name is provided at the end of this document, no later than 20 May 2003.

11. Reception on Arrival

Participant will be met on arrival at Bole International Airport and will be assisted with immigration customs and related formalities, subject to the necessary information being provided in time. Consequently, flight details with expected date and time arrival should be completed on the registration from and sent to the Conference Coordination Unit contact address at the earliest convenience and well in advance of arrival in Addis Ababa.

12. Transport

You will arrive at Bole International Airport, which is located just 5 kilometers from the Centre of Addis Ababa. Please note that only those participants who have provided advance information to ECA of their flight number, date and time of arrival will be met at the Airport and transported by bus to their hotels.

Hotels will be able to provide transfers back to the airport on return. Participants are required to notify their respective hotel dates and time for their departure 24 hours in advance to ensure the necessary arrangements are made.

ECA buses will be available to transfer participants form hotels to the Conference Centre in the mornings and back to their hotels at the end of the day's session. No transfers will be provided during lunch break.

Additional Information

For additional information regarding the Conference, please contact:

Mr. Kaleb Demeksa
CHDCS-II Coordinator
Development Management Division
Economic Commission for Africa
P.O. Box 3001
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: 251 1 51 19 53
Tel: 251 1 44 33 85
E-mail: kdemeksa@uneca.org