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UNCTAD participates in Arab Development Forum

12 April 2013

High-level officials, including UNCTAD's Deputy Secretary-General, have held two days of meetings in Amman, Jordan, on development challenges in the Arab region.

UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Petko Draganov led the UNCTAD delegation to the 10-11 April Forum.

The aim of the Forum was to bring together different actors and experts for exchanges of views on topics related to the post-2015 development agenda and to emerging development challenges in the Arab region.

UNCTAD played an active role as one of the lead agencies for the Forum's Working Group on Poverty Reduction, Inclusive Growth and Employment Generation. The organization also participated in the working groups on conflict prevention and social cohesion; on voice, participation, citizen engagement and political inclusion; on access to and quality of health services; on access to and quality of educational services; and on "post-Rio" environmental sustainability.

Also attending the gathering were representatives of civil society and parliamentarians active in shaping development policy. The multilateral development community was represented by officials from UNDP, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO), the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (OHCHR), the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The Forum was held under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan. Queen Rania attended the opening ceremony, which was chaired by Helen Clark, UNDG Chair and UNDP Administrator.

The Forum was organized by the Regional United Nations Development Group (UNDG) of Arab States/MENA, under the title Priorities for the Post-2015 Agenda.

UNCTAD's delegation to the Forum also included Mahmoud Elkhafif, UNCTAD Focal Point for the Arab States.