The 60th session of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) opened Shanghai on Thursday, focusing on challenges in an era of gloablization.

The theme of the session, to last until April 28, is "Meeting the Challenges in an Era of Globalization by Strengthening Regional Development Cooperation". Participants from 62 members and associate members of ESCAP will have discussions about regional economic and social situations, poverty alleviation, globalization and social issues.

ESCAP is the only intergovernmental economic and social development organization of the UN in the Asian-Pacific region.

ESCAP's predecessor was the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East, which was founded in Shanghai in 1947 with China being one of its founding members.

Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong will address the ministerial level segment of the session next week.

Backgrounder: UNESCAP

The 60th session of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) opened in Shanghai Wednesday. As the only intergovernmental economic and social development organization of the UN in the Asian-Pacific areas, ESCAP has played a important role for regional economic cooperation and social development.

In terms of area covered and people served, ESCAP is the largest of the United Nation's five regional commissions. Its main aim is to work towards reducing poverty, managing globalization and addressing emerging social issues in the developing countries of Asia and the Pacific.

ESCAP comprises 53 members and nine associate members representing over 60 percent of the world's population, or 3.5 billion people. It is also a channel for North-South dialogue due to the membership of four non-regional developed countries: the United States of America, France, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Netherlands.

The main legislative organ of ESCAP is the Commission, which meets annually at the ministerial level and reports to the UN's Economic and Social Council. The ESCAP's top officer is the Executive Secretary, which at present is chaired by Mr. Kim Hak-Su, a national of the Republic of Korea.

The ESCAP session is usually hold in April or May each year, and it is structured in two parts: senior officials' segment and ministerial segment. Problems such as emerging social issues, environment and sustainable development, trade and investment, poverty and development, are to be discussed.

The current session will last from April 22 to 28, with the theme of "Meeting the Challenges in an Era of Globalization by Strengthening Regional Development and Cooperation".

ESCAP's predecessor, the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East, was founded in Shanghai in 1947 with China being one of its founding members.

Source: Xinhua