United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Map showing United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific members`
Abbreviation	ESCAP
Formation	1947
Type	Primary Organ - Regional Branch
Legal status	Active
Head	Executive Secretary of ESCAP Ms. Shamshad Akhtar^[1] Pakistan (2014 - present)
Parent organization	ECOSOC
Website	www.unescap.org

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP or ESCAP), located in Bangkok, Thailand, is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council,^[2] under the administrative direction of the United Nations headquarters. It was established in 1947 (then as the UN Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East, ECAFE) to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. The name was changed to the current in 1974. ESCAP has 53 member States and nine Associate members. As well as countries in Asia and the Pacific, it includes France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

ESCAP's regional focus is managing globalization through programs in environmentally sustainable development, trade, and human rights. ESCAP is headed by Executive Secretary Shamshad Akhtar of Pakistan. Following her appointment on 3 February it was announced that under her leadership, ESCAP will place a greater emphasis on promoting higher, well-balanced and sustainable regional growth that helps eradicate poverty and generates jobs to improve prosperity in the region.^[3]

Scope

ESCAP works to overcome some of the region's greatest challenges by providing results oriented projects, technical assistance and capacity building to member States in the following areas:^[4]

Macroeconomic Policy and Development
Trade and Investment
Transport
Social Development
Environment and Sustainable Development
Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction
Statistics
Sub-regional activities for development

Member states

01. Afghanistan
02. Armenia
03. Australia
04. Azerbaijan
05. Bangladesh
06. Bhutan
07. Brunei
08. Burma
09. Cambodia
10. China
11. Timor-Leste
12. Fiji
13. France
14. Georgia
15. India
16. Indonesia
17. Iran
18. Japan
19. Kazakhstan
20. Kiribati
21. Kyrgyzstan
22. Laos
23. Malaysia
24. Maldives
25. Marshall Islands
26. F.S. Micronesia
27. Mongolia
28. Nauru
29. Nepal
30. Netherlands
31. New Zealand
32. North Korea
33. Pakistan
34. Palau
35. Papua New Guinea
36. Philippines
37. Russia
38. Samoa
39. Singapore
40. Solomon Islands
41. South Korea
42. Sri Lanka
43. Tajikistan
44. Thailand
45. Tonga
46. Turkey
47. Turkmenistan
48. Tuvalu
49. United Kingdom
50. United States
51. Uzbekistan
52. Vanuatu
53. Vietnam

Associate members

Former Executive Secretaries^[5]

Secretar	Country	Term
Ms. Shamshad Akhtar	Pakistan	2014–present
Ms. Noeleen Heyzer	Singapore	2007 - 2014
Mr. Kim Hak-Su	South Korea	2000 - 2007
Mr. Adrianus Mooy	Indonesia	1995 - 2000
Mr. Rafeeuddin Ahmed	Pakistan	1992 - 1994
Mr. S. A. M. S. Kibria	Bangladesh	1981 - 1992
Mr. J. B. P. Maramis	Indonesia	1973 - 1981
Mr. U Nyun	Myanmar	1959 - 1973
Mr. Chakravarthi V. Narasimhan	India	1956 - 1959
Mr. P. S. Lokanathan	India	1947 - 1956

Locations

United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand (headquarters)

References

↑ unescap.org, ESCAP: Office of the Executive Secretary
↑ "SUBSIDIARY BODIES OF ECOSOC". United Nations Economic and Social Council.
↑ UNESCAP. "Shamshad Akhtar takes charge of UN ESCAP". Press release. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
↑ "About ESCAP". United Nations ESCAP.
↑ "Former Executive Secretaries". United Nations ESCAP.

External links

United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Membership	List of members of the United Nations Economic and Social Council

Functional commissions	UN Commission for Social Development UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR - Disbanded 2006) Commission on Narcotic Drugs Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) UN Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW) Commission on Population and Development UN Statistical Commission United Nations Forum on Forests

Regional commissions	Europe (ECE) Africa (ECA) Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Western Asia (ESCWA)

Specialized agencies	International Labour Organization (ILO) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Health Organization (WHO) International Monetary Fund (IMF) International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) International Maritime Organization (IMO) International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Universal Postal Union (UPU) World Meteorological Organization (WMO) World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) International Refugee Organisation (IRO – ceased to exist in 1952) International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)

Other entities	United Nations Development Group (UNDG) United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)

World Bank Group	International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) International Development Association (IDA) International Finance Corporation (IFC) Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)

Category United Nations Portal

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