Representatives from IAEA/RCA participated in the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Development of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) that was held in Bangkok, Thailand during 19-21 November 2002 and elaborated IAEA/RCA’s environmental programs in an effort to explore new partnerships. Participants representing IAEA/RCA were Mr. Jin-Kyoung Kim, Director, RCA Regional Office; Mr. Joon-Keuk Chung, Program Officer, RCA Regional Office; Ms. Jindarom Chvajarernmpaum, Office of Atoms for Peace, Thailand, and Mr. Manit Sonsuk, Office of Atoms for Peace, Thailand.

  The Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources Development this time mainly dealt with the issues regarding enhanced coordination among the Asia-Pacific countries in protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development that were basically brought up from the meeting of World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). Member countries participated in the Committee meeting were Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea Malaysia, Russian Federation, Thailand, Turkey, United States of America and Viet Nam. Other countries participated in the meeting in a consultative capacity were Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Morocco and Switzerland. United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) also participated as representatives from UN bodies while UNESCO, WHO, UNIDO, WTO and IAEA participated representing specialized agencies of United Nations as observers. There were many other intergovernmental organizations and NGOs such as Coordinating Committee for Coastal and Offshore Geo-science Program in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP) participated in the meeting also as observers. It was noted that participation of RCA within IAEA capacity was the first occasion for RCA to represent formally in such UN related meeting.

  The meeting extensively reaffirmed the importance of protecting environment and natural energy resources for sustainable development and recognized the necessity of implementing cooperative programs. To this effect, the meeting called for enhancing efforts to promote cooperation and coordination between regional and international organizations to develop synergies through joint projects and also to avoid duplication in pursuing their respective goals.

  The meeting particularly emphasized cooperative programs to promote sustainable water resources management and development and sustainable energy development. Highlights were placed to programs related to increase accessibility, promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

  Taking this opportunity, IAEA/RCA explained it’s environmental and energy related programs. The meeting noted the suggestion from IAEA/RCA to provide experience in isotopic analytical techniques for the detection of water contaminations, such as arsenic and fluoride, and monitoring water quality. The meeting also noted possible collaboration on capacity building in national energy planning.

  Informally, the Secretariat of ESCAP expressed appreciation that IAEA/RCA could join in the meeting this time and wished further cooperation and collaboration. To this regard, there was a suggestion to establish an MOU between RCA and UN ESCAP in the environmental area. When such understanding concluded, as a first approach, UN ESCAP wished to have a joint forum, preferably in the early part of the next year, to identify commonly interested fields so that to formulate proper cooperative programs between the two organizations. Since UN ESCAP has already established an MOU between UNEP (United National Environment Program) regarding environment programs, it was suggested that this would serve as a model for possible MOU between RCA and UN ESCAP.

  In particular, a meeting between Mr. Hak-Su Kim, Executive Secretary of UN ESCAP and Mr. Jin-Kyoung Kim, Director, RCA Regional Office on 21 November 2002 was very productive in terms of mutual promoting understanding. At the meeting, the Executive Secretary of UN ESCAP expressed his view that UN ESCAP and IAEA/RCA could be an effective and mutually beneficial partnership. It was agreed that related staffs of the both organizations would make further deliberations.

  At the meeting, the RCA Regional Office circulated RCA 2002 Annual Report together with RCA Regional Office brochures. The publications were well appreciated by the participants.