1. The Ministerial Segment of the 66^th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social 
Commission for Asia and the Pacific opened on May 17, 2010 to assess the Asia Pacific 
region’s achievements of the MDGs, which are expected to be achieved by the 2015 
deadline, and to seek ways to facilitate economic growth through green growth policies.

※ The Session is being held under the theme, “Addressing challenges in the achievement 
of the MDGs: Promoting a stable and supportive financial system; and Green growth or 
environmentally sustainable economic growth including through technology and financing” 
from May 13 to 19 in Songdo, Incheon. The Senior Officials Segment was held from May 
13 to 15 and the Ministerial Segment will be held from May 17 to 19.

ㅇ Korea, since hosting the 47^th Commission Session in 1991, will be holding the Commission 
Session for the second time in 19 years. Unlike the previous Sessions, top leaders from 
three countries will be attending the 66^th Session.

ㅇPrime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh is visiting Korea to attend the Session in 
conjunction with her official visit to Korea scheduled from May 16 to 18. President Anote 
Tong of Kiribati and Prime Minister Edward Natapei of Vanuatu are visiting as well.

ㅇ A total of 600 people including the Foreign Minister of Myanmar, National Development 
and Planning Minister of Indonesia, Economy Minister of Afghanistan, 300 delegates from 
62 member states, 200 officials from the UN and major international organizations, and 
100 people from non-governmental organizations are attending the Session.

2. Prime Minister Chung Un-chan delivered an inaugural address at the opening of the 
Ministerial Segment and talked about the Korean government’s policies and contribution to 
the efforts directed toward achieving the MDGs in relation to the theme of the Session, 
“Promoting a stable and supportive financial system and green growth for the achievement 
of the MDGs.”

ㅇ In particular, to set up an inclusive and supportive financial system which will contribute 
to the international community’s achievement of the MDGs, the Korean government will 
announce its plan to ensure that, at the G20 Seoul Summit in November, the participating 
countries will explore the financial safety net agenda and various other ways to help 
developing countries reduce their vulnerability to low liquidity.

ㅇ Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon is assuming chairmanship for the second time since the 
64^th Commission Session held in Bangkok, 2008.

3. The participating countries will reach an agreement on the adoption of the Incheon 
Declaration. The Declaration includes: 1) An assessment of the contribution of green 
growth to the achievements of the MDGs, 2) Ways to enhance the sharing of green 
growth policies and best practices among ESCAP member countries, and 3) Ways for the 
Secretariat to provide support to ESCAP member countries’ request for assistance in 
setting up national green growth policies.

ㅇ The Session also aims to include the green growth agenda in the Strategic Framework, 
an initiative aimed at contributing to the economic and social development of the Asia 
Pacific region.

4. The Session’s Resolutions, including the Incheon Declaration, will be finalized on the last 
day of the Session. The Incheon Declaration is expected to contribute to making green 
growth one of the UN organizations’ main objectives and activities as well as to laying the 
foundation for it to become widely spread across the Asia Pacific region.

ㅇ The Korean government’s efforts to contribute to the economic and social development 
of the Asia Pacific region in close cooperation with the Korean Embassy in Thailand are 
believed to have been reflected in the achievements of the Session.

5. The Session highly evaluated the APCICT’s contribution to the reduction of digital gap 
and facilitation of economic and social development in the region. The Session also 
decided to make the training center, which was slated to be run from 2006 to 2011 on 
a temporary basis, a permanent organization.

※ APCICT (Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication 
Technology for Development) Outline:

- A specialized organization providing ICT education to help reduce the digital divide 
among ESCAP member countries and enhance human resource development.

- In 2008, the ESCAP Secretariat assessed APCICT as the most successful center among 
the five regional centers run under the supervision of ESCAP.

 ㅇ The Session also reached an agreement to designate Korea as the host of the High-
level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review of the Implementation of the Asian 
and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012.

※ Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons:

- The initiative was launched in 1993 to improve the quality of the lives of people with 
disabilities in  Asia and the Pacific.

- First Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons plan (1993-2002, Beijing, China), 
Second Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons plan (2003-2012, Biwako, Japan )

- The Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons plan is being implemented under the 
supervision of ESCAP, and participants of the high level meeting assess the level of the 
implementation of the plan.

ㅇ The adoption of the UN ESCAP Resolution on green growth and other achievements are 
expected to serve as an opportunity to enhance the Asia Pacific region’s leadership in 
development cooperation. 

               

               Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFAT 


* unofficial translation