Executive Secretaries of all UN Regional Commissions to Meet in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa , 05 June 2008 (ECA) - The Executive Secretaries of the five UN Regional Commissions will meet from 16 to 17 June 2008 in Addis Ababa , to chart ways of bringing greater synergies to the analytical work and activities carried by the UN in each region. The overall objective of the meeting is to make a significant contribution to the system-wide coherence and ultimately accelerate the pace of development efforts.

A special session will be dedicated to a panel discussion between the five Executive Secretaries and the diplomatic corps on the theme: “The role of the Regional Commissions in UN development work at the regional level”.

The second 2008 meeting of Executive Secretaries is being hosted by ECA, which is celebrating its 50 th anniversary throughout the year. Its agenda focuses on how to maximize complementarities of the Regional Commissions, UNDP and other bodies, with the view to enabling the UN system Deliver as One at country, regional and global levels. One of the expected outcomes, in this regard, is a decision by Executive Secretaries on the way forward, based on the findings and recommendations of a study on UN system-wide coherence. This study which was conducted by a Consultant, reviews the linkages between the Regional coordination meetings and the Regional Directors Team mechanisms to identify complementarities and propose an adequate division of labour.

During the two-day meeting, the Executive Secretaries will also provide guidance for follow-up actions in preparations for the Doha review Conference on financing for development. The outcomes of regional consultations on financing for development which took place earlier this year, will serve as basis for discussions.

Another key issue on the agenda is the interaction between the Regional Commissions and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The Heads of UN Regional Commissions are expected to work out modalities of a predictable and institutionalized collaboration with DESA in support to ECOSOC and to the up-coming high level meeting on MDGs scheduled in September.

This year, the first meeting of the Executive Secretaries was organized in February in New York . In its capacity as host of the second meeting, the Economic Commission for Africa will share an update of its Knowledge Management Initiative through which a specific portal has been devised to address the needs of Regional economic communities and member States.

Background:

The Economic and Social Council created the five UN Regional Commissions (ECE and ESCAP in 1947; ECLAC in 1948, ECA in 1958 and ESCWA in 1973) in the context of a decentralized UN system. Their main objective is to contribute to development and cooperation in their respective regions by playing an integrating role. Their convening power, policy prescriptions and technical cooperation take place under a multidisciplinary framework.

The Executive Secretaries meetings which are being held twice a year provide an opportunity to enhance the UN system-wide coherence. The Regional Coordination Mechanism is being chaired on a rotation basis. The current Chair is UN-Under Secretary general and ECA's Executive Secretary Mr. Abdoulie Janneh.