Expert consultation on knowledge and capacity needs for sustainable development in the post-Rio+20 era will be organized on 6-8 March in Incheon, Republic of Korea

Over the past decades, there have been a number of initiatives aiming at providing knowledge and capacity building in the field of sustainable development. Following the Rio+20 Conference, several platforms, programmes, and training initiatives were launched, quickly making it challenging to determine who does what, and how.

Arranged by the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD) in Incheon, the consultation aims to address this challenge, among others. It will bring together senior policy-making experts representing governments and a broad spectrum of organizations to develop a framework for action that meets the knowledge and capacity needs of the post-Rio+20 era.

The Consultation is preceded by UNOSD’s second Steering Committee meeting, which will be held on 5 March. The Committee will review the progress made and discuss activities to be carried out during 2013.

For more information:
United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD)

Seminar on Population and Housing Census Practices of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) Member Countries will be held on 6-8 March in Ankara, Turkey

As part of its programme on the 2010 World Population and Housing Census Programme, DESA’s Statistics Division will participate in and contribute to the Seminar on Population and Housing Census Practices of the OIC Member Countries.

The objective of the Seminar is to discuss lessons learnt and share national experiences in innovations and best practices in census taking for the 2010 round in the Member States of the OIC. It will also provide a discussion forum for the countries on the likely future of their censuses for the 2020 round and on ways to enhance future cooperation among the Member States in census taking.

For more information:
2010 World Population and Housing Census Programme

Four regional consultations have been scheduled on the 2013 theme of the Annual Ministerial Review (AMR), putting a spotlight on “Science, technology and innovation (STI) and culture for sustainable development and the MDGs”

DESA’s Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination (OESC), in collaboration with relevant UN Regional Commissions and UN agencies have planned four regional Annual Ministerial Review consultations to take place in Africa, West Asia, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, and Europe.

Regional meetings are key preparatory activities leading to the ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review (AMR). They focus on a topic related to the AMR theme that is of particular relevance to the region hosting the consultations and facilitate: a) exchange of views among different stakeholders; b) review of regional progress and challenges; c) sharing of good practices; d) generation of action-oriented recommendations; and e) identification of regional perspectives to be reflected in the AMR.

The schedule has been outlined as follows:

• West Asia: “Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development”, (Amman, 26 November, 2012). The meeting was hosted by the Government of Jordan in cooperation with UNESCWA, UNDESA, and UNESCO. Mr. Navid Hanif, Director of the Office of ECOSOC Support and Coordination delivered a statement on behalf of the ECOSOC President.
  For more information: Regional Preparatory Meeting for Western Asia on “Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development”, 26 November 2012, Amman
  
• Latin America: “Science and technology for development” (Lima, Peru, 9 January 2013). The meeting was organized by DESA in cooperation with UNCTAD and was held in the context of the CSTD meeting organized by UNCTAD. Mr. Neil Pierre, Chief of the Policy Coordination Branch/OESC participated on behalf of DESA.
• Asia and the Pacific: “Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for Promoting Renewable Energy Technologies” (Bangkok, 13 March, 2013). The event will be hosted by the Government of Thailand in cooperation with ESCAP and DESA and held in conjunction with ESCAP preparatory meeting for the Asia and Pacific Energy Forum (14-15 March). It will provide a direct contribution to the meeting of the High-Level Panel on Post-2015 Development Agenda on “means of implementation and global partnership” to be held in Bali, on 26 March. Mr.Thomas Stelzer, ASG for for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs in DESA, will represent the department. A pre-recorded message from the President of the ECOSOC will open the meeting.
  For more information: Regional Preparatory Meeting for Asia and Pacific on “Science, technology and innovation for promoting renewable energy technologies for sustainable development”, 13 March 2013, Bangkok
  
• Africa: “Innovation for sustainable development” (Dar es Salaam, 14 March, 2013). The meeting will be organized by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in cooperation with DESA and the Government of Tanzania, which will host the meeting. H.E. Mr. Néstor Osorio, the President of ECOSOC will participate. Mr. Wu Hongbo, DESA’s Under-Secretary-General and Mr. Navid Hanif, Director OESC/DESA, will represent the department.
  For more information: Regional Preparatory Meeting for Africa on “Innovation for Sustainable Development”, 14 March, 2013, Dar es Salaam

For more information:

2013 Regional Meetings on ECOSOC AMR

Workshop on International Statistical Classifications will be held in Kishinev, Moldova, on 19-21 March

DESA’s Statistics Division in cooperation with the Statistics Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) is organizing a Workshop on International Statistical Classifications.

Arranged primarily for CIS member countries, the Workshop will focus on the implementation of the recently revised activity and product classifications and will in particular review the current implementation and use of national activity and product classifications and their relationship to the International Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities (ISIC) and the Central Product Classification (CPC) in the region.

It will also provide information on methodological changes related to the application of the classification, such as outlined in the revised introductions and address implementation issues in connection with the revised classifications.

The workshop will address country experiences and case studies and discuss measures to facilitate cooperation in the field of classifications, including coordination of work on regional/sub regional cooperation in classifications.

For more information:
Workshop on International Statistical Classifications