(17 February 2010) The Regional Coordination Mechanism for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations system is meeting in Mexico City today and tomorrow to discuss the Millennium Development Goals, climate change, the political situation in the region and the U.N.'s contribution to regional cooperation.
The meeting was inaugurated today by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Asha-Rose Migiro, and ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena at the Commission's subregional headquarters in Mexico.
The Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, will be the keynote speaker during the second day of sessions.
The Regional Coordination Mechanism was established by resolution of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1998. It is coordinated by the United Nations regional commissions and chaired by the U.N. Deputy Secretary-General, and aims to promote the consistency of United Nations activities in each region.
In addition to ECLAC, representatives of the following bodies are participating in the meeting: the International Labour Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the United Nations Office for Project Services, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Food Programme, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Also participating are the OAS, the Inter American Development Bank and top Mexican government officials.
The first of three work sessions will focus on the preparations for the summit on MDGs in September, and will specifically address the issue of employment.
The second session will review the negotiations process for an agreement on climate change and the perspectives on the 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 16).
The third work session will examine the political situation in the region and the United Nations system's strategic contribution to regional cooperation.
There will also be a briefing on the situation in Haiti and the activities the different United Nations agencies are carrying out in that country.
For more information, contact ECLAC's Information Services. Email: dpisantiago@cepal.org; telephone: (56-2) 210-2149.
