Ahead of aid forum, UN development group calls for concerted action

The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) called today for governments to work together to reduce inequality and support sustainable development ahead of the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in the Republic of Korea next week.

In a statement, the group cited the global economic crisis, the devastating floods in various countries, and the millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance as urgent calls for decisive action in the forum, to be held in the city of Busan.

17th ASEAN Summit promotes sustainable development

The 17th ASEAN Summit and other related meetings from October 28-30 is highly significant for the on-going process of building an ASEAN community by 2015.

The three-day event will see 11 major meetings, including the 17^th ASEAN Summit, the regular ASEAN+1 Summit with partners, such as including China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and India, as well as with Russia, Australia, New Zealand and the United Nations; the ASEAN+3 Summit (with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea), and the fifth East Asia Summit.

The summit will be attended by 18 leaders of ASEAN member countries and the bloc's partners plus the United Nations Secretary General. For the first time, the Russian Foreign Minister and the US Secretary of State will also attend the East Asia Summit as special guests.
At these summits, ASEAN and its partners will discuss ways of developing each country and for the sake of peace and stability in the region and the world.
ASEAN 17- the last ASEAN summit in 2010, will build on previous achievements and the theme of 'Toward an ASEAN community – from vision to action'.
ASEAN leaders will discuss measures to accelerate the creation of an ASEAN community, strengthen regional connections and implement the ASEAN Charter.
The summit will discuss how to cement ties between ASEAN and its partners. It will also discuss and work out measures to raise the bloc's capacity to cope with emerging challenges such as post-economic crisis recovery, sustainable development, climate change, natural disasters, epidemics, and environmental degradation.
At other related meetings, they will mull over practical measures to maintain the ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3 and the East Asia Summit (EAS) in which ASEAN plays a central role. Especially, at the EAS summit as ASEAN leaders will officially invite Russia and the US to take part from 2011. >>>