Press Releases
Courtesy Call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs KUNIMITSU Ayano by Dr. Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
On December 3, commencing at 10:30 a.m. for approximately 25 minutes, Dr. KUNIMITSU Ayano, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, received a courtesy call from Dr. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The summary is as follows:
- State Minister KUNIMITSU welcomed the visit of ESCAP Executive Secretary ALISJAHBANA, and highly appreciated the contribution of ESCAP to the economic and social development of the Asia-Pacific region. She then underscored that ESCAP, comprising 62 member states and regions including those from the Global South, is a highly beneficial organization for solving challenges faced by countries worldwide and for building global governance. She expressed Japan’s desire to further strengthen collaboration with ESCAP, especially including through the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) and for the 9th Asia-Pacific Urban Forum, to be held in Yokohama in 2027.
- In response, Executive Secretary ALISJAHBANA expressed gratitude for Japan’s longstanding support, including for SIAP, and highlighted her expectation for further collaboration with Japan in addressing development challenges, such as disaster risk reduction and urban development.
(Reference1) United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
ESCAP is one of the five regional commissions under the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Its mandate is to promote cooperation on economic and social development in the Asia-Pacific region. The secretariat is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. Japan works together with ESCAP to support economic and social development in the Asia-Pacific region.
(Reference2) ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
She previously served as Head of the National Development Planning Agency of Indonesia (2009–2014), Director of the Center for Sustainable Development Goals Studies at Bajajalan University, and Vice Chair of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (2016–2018), among other positions. She has held her current position as ESCAP Executive Secretary since September 2018.