From: wsargeant@igc.apc.org (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Population, Egypt to host major pop'
Date: 23 Jul 92 18:46:12 GMT

/* Written 12:12 am  Jul 23, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "POPULATION: Egypt to host major pop" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: United Nations
Title: POPULATION: Egypt to host major population/development forum


new york, jul 20 (ips) -- the u.n. economic and social council
(ecosoc) monday unanimously approved cairo, egypt as the venue for
the 1994 international conference on population and development
(icpd).

nafis sadik, executive director of the u.n. population fund
(unfpa) and secretary-general of the conference, monday announced
the icpd will be held sept. 5-13, 1994. the final dates and venue
of the conference are, however, subject to approval by the u.n.
general assembly which begins its next session here in september.

the 1994 u.n. conference will attempt to address the integral
links between population, sustained economic growth and
sustainable development.

in her opening address to the current six-week session of
ecosoc, sadik said that ''changes in the rate of population growth
and patterns of population distribution have a profound impact on
environment and, in general, on the quality of life of human
beings around the world''.

according to the unfpa, successful population programmes help
to reduce poverty, contribute to the protection of natural
heritage, and secure sustained and sustainable development for
both societies and individuals.

prior to the 1994 conference, a series of expert group meetings
and regional conferences will be held in order to provide the
basis for the resolutions and action agenda to be adopted at the
conference.

sadik stressed the importance of national and regional meetings
leading up to the conference as a means of ensuring even
participation by all u.n. member-states toward the goals of the
conference.

further, sadik called on all member-states to establish
national committees to serve as the focal point for preparatory
activities for the conference.

to this end, the unfpa has established a trust fund to support
country level activities which would include the preparation of a
national report on current population policies and programmes.

such a fund would ''significantly facilitate the success of the
conference'', said iranian representative, bozorgmehr ziaran,
echoing several developing country representatives in their praise
of the fund. (more/ips)

population: egypt to host major population/development forum(2-e)

population: egypt (2)

contributions to the trust fund currently amount to roughly
485,000 dollars.

an additional 'voluntary fund' has been established by the
unfpa to facilitate the participation of developing countries --
particularly the over 45 least developed countries (ldcs) -- in
the conference and in the preparatory process.

thus far, contributions received and pledged to the voluntary
fund total about 350,000 dollars.

sadik stressed the significant role non-governmental
organisations (ngos) could play in providing expertise and
galvanising support for the conference.

representatives from several countries including bangladesh and
the united states agreed with sadik's endorsement of ngo
participation throughout the conference's preparatory activities.

but u.s. representative, david schiele, went further,
commenting, ''full and active ngo participation is essential not
only in national preparations, but also during the international
preparations for the conference and during the conference
itself''.

according to sadik, steps to include the active participation
of ngos at the icpd are being taken by the ngo planning committee
of the conference of non-governmental organisations in
consultative status with the u.n. economic and social council
(congo). (end/ips/ip/jd/yjc/92)

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