You are viewing our old site. See the new one here

ENB:06:31 [Next] . [Previous] . [Contents]

THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY

PLENARY: The Conference is scheduled to begin this morning at 9:30 am in Cheops Hall. ICPD Secretary-General Nafis Sadik will open the Conference and should move immediately to the first procedural items on the agenda, including the adoption of the rules of procedure and of the agenda, the organization of work including the establishment of the Main Committee and the appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee. The recommendations of the Pre- Conference Consultations on these matters will be contained in document A/CONF.171/L.2. UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali will give his opening statement and preside over the election of the President of the Conference, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The Asian and Eastern European regional group spokespersons will likely present their candidates for the Vice-Chair positions and the Rapporteur-General candidate will be announced. Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland (Norway), Vice-President Albert Gore (US), Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan), Prime Minister Mbilini (Swaziland) and Dr. Sadik will address the Conference.

In the afternoon, General Debate will begin on Agenda Item 8, Experiences concerning population and development strategies and programmes. More than 200 speakers are expected during the week. Statements are expected from Algeria (on behalf of the G-77), Germany (for the EU), Mexico, China, Kenya, Argentina, IMF, Tuvalu, Chile, Venezuela, France, WHO, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Romania and Tunisia.

MAIN COMMITTEE: The Main Committee will begins its work this afternoon with the election of officers and organization of work. Dr. Fred Sai (Ghana) is likely to begin work immediately on Chapter I of the draft programme of action, "Preamble," followed by Chapter II, "Principles."<T>

ARCHEOLOGICAL FINDS: Buried in the basement of the CICC are two treasures and one dead-end. Look for the Population Information Network (POPIN) Center with computerized databases and on-line Internet access to Conference data. The other find is the bazaar with rug merchants, car dealers and military hardware. Avoid the telecommunications center where phone lines do not work for fax and data calls and cost a Pharaoh's treasure.

[Return to start of article]