18 February, 2012 UNDP-Mary Kay Partnership Event in Macao SAR

The deadline for submissions to the Asia-Pacific Cartoon Contest on Climate Change and Human Development has been extended, and the call for submissions for the cartoon contest will now run until February 1st 2012.

As China continues to progress towards its vision of creating a equitable and harmonious Xiaokang society, Ms. Silvia Morimoto, UNDP Deputy Country Director, attended the 6th Innovations and Excellence in Chinese Local Governance Award Ceremony on 8 January 2012.

On 27 December 2011, UNDP and the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) launched a pioneering joint pilot initiative with the Government of Cambodia.

In conjunction with UNDP's efforts to promote South-South Cooperation and export its highly successful Technical Task Force (TTF) model to other developing countries around the world, UNDP China and UNDP Sri Lanka came together to organise a high-level overseas mission for the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and arranged in-depth dialogue sessions with the Sri Lankan Government on 18-23 December 2011.

Following sustained efforts to support the government's implementation of relevant policies designed to protect the interests of migrant workers, a closing symposium was held by the UN System in China on 15-16 December 2011, to celebrate achievements made during a joint three-year programme under the Millennium Development Goal Achievement Fund's Youth, Employment and Migration initiative.

Jointly organised by UNDP, Renmin University and Lingnan University, an international forum on "South-South Sustainability" was held in Hong Kong on 12-14 December 2011.

In a major breakthrough of promoting government information disclosure and transparency in China through judicial review in China, UNDP-supported All-China Environment Federation (ACEF) have successfully won the first public interest lawsuit of its kind in China.

On 9 December, Ms. Renata Dessallien, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, joined Mr. Li Jianguo, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the National People's Congress; Mr. Luo Haocai, Vice Chairman of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Mr. Chen Jiping, Secretary-General, CPC Committee of China Law Society and Mr. Zhang Yong, Director, Food Safety Law Office of the State Council, in addressing a crowd of senior party, government and academic leaders at China's First Food Safety Law Summit sponsored by China Law Society in Beijing.

At an official side event held on 5 December 2011 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, leaders from China's National Development Reform Commission (NDRC) and United Nations Development Programme gathered together to discuss China's approach to climate change.

In the midst of the United Nations Climate Change Forum in Durban, South Africa, a side event was held on 5 December 2011 to showcase the newly formed National Climate Change Strategy Research and International Cooperation Centre (NCSC).

Ms Silvia Morimoto, Deputy Country Director took part in the 2011 China Volunteerism Development Forum in the distinguished Great Hall of People on December 5th, 2011 to celebrate the International Volunteer Day and mark the International Year of Volunteers 10th Anniversary.

The 2011 Beijing Forum was held on 4-6 November 2011, with the theme of "The Harmony of Civilisations and Prosperity for All - Tradition and Modernity, Transition and Transformation". As a global platform for finding solutions to human development issues, the forum's 500 participants, including Ms. Renata Dessallien, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, and senior government leaders and experts from around the world, came together to discuss how to enhance academic development and social progress across the world.

At the China Association of Women Entrepreneurs International Forum held at the Beijing Wanshou Hotel on 3 Dec, Ms. Silvia Morimoto, UNDP China Deputy Country Director, joined Madam Gu Xiulian, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress, in addressing more than 300 women business and government leaders on the topic of women and economics.

President of Xinhua News Agency, which co-organized the "Zoom-in on Poverty Global Photo Contest" with UNDP, urged more media contribution in poverty reduction around the world, as China raises poverty line.

Mr. Napoleon Navarro, UNDP Deputy Country Director, and Mr. Timothy Sutton, United Nations International Children's Education Fund Deputy Representative in China, joined members of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), at a celebratory event held on 1 December 2011.

At an inaugural ceremony for the 2011 China Global Compact held on 28 November, UNDP China Deputy Country Director Silvia Morimoto congratulated the compact on its successes since its initial formation in 2009. Morimoto said, "The Global Compact is significant for the size of its membership (hundreds of the largest companies in China), and especially in its purpose and its commitment."

In a programme moderated by CCTV2's Mr. Chen Weihong, UNDP China Deputy Country Director Silvia Morimoto discussed the importance of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. "Socially responsible business practices can build trust, overcome conflict, and open up the prospects for long term economic relations," Morimoto said.

At the the First Annual Meeting on Sustainable Development and Enterprise Competitiveness held in Beijing on 22 November, Mr. Christophe Bahuet, UNDP China Country Director, welcomed the participants and recognized the importance of such gatherings.  

On 21 November, UN Deputy Country Director Silvia Morimoto addressed an international gathering of government leaders and scientists who are in Beijing for a 21-day programme titled Seminar on Green Development and Climate Change.  100 participants attended the opening ceremony, including 70 from international organizations, embassies in Beijing, and the developing world (29 countries of from Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and 26 small island states).

A closing symposium was held on 18 November 2011, bringing together eight UN agencies and the government of China to recognise the contributions that this project has had in instilling confidence in ethnic cultural identities and values.

Highlighting the UNDP's efforts in supporting China's pursuit of balanced and sustainable development, Ms. Renata Dessallien, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, addressed the participants of the 2011 China International Green Innovative Products and Technologies Show held in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province on 9-11 November 2011 with a speech entitled Green Innovation and Low-carbon Development.

On 4th November 2011, a press conference was held to formally launch a ‘Roadmap’ for the phasing out of incandescent lamps in China.

A joint international forum entitled 'Surmounting the Middle-Income Trap - China in the Next Decade' was held by the China Institute of Reform and Development, Chinese International Centre for Economic and Technical Exchanges, German Agency for International Cooperation and UNDP, in Haikou, Hainan Province, on 29-30 October 2011.

Ms. Renata Dessallien, UN Resident Coordinator in China, along with representatives from eight UN agencies and government officials, attended the 'Seminar to Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Resumption of the Lawful Rights of China at the UN' to mark the four decades since the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution recognising the People's Republic of China as a Member State.

On the 66^th Anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations, the UN System in China and UN Association (UNA) held a special commemorative ceremony in Beijing on 24 October 2011, focusing on some of the achievements and challenges facing the promotion of the UN mission of peace and security, human rights, and development, as well as the need for globally coordinated development.

UNDP Administrator, Ms. Helen Clark presented CCTV Anchor, Ms. Tian Wei, with a certificate of appointment as a UNDP Special Advisor on Partnership and Communications at an event held in Beijing on 17 October 2011.

As the world observed the 19th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, UNDP Administrator, Ms. Helen Clark delivered a speech at the award ceremony of the "Zoom-in on Poverty" Global Photo Contest in Beijing on 17 October 2011.

A high-level forum was held in Beijing on 17 October 2011 to mark the 19th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, bringing together government leaders, policy makers, development practitioners, and other members of the international community, to exchange ideas on how best to accelerate sustainable poverty reduction in China and globally.

On 26-28 September 2011, the 12th Consultative Commission Meeting of the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI), Local Development Forum and Northeast Asia Economic Cooperation Forum were successfully held in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea (ROK).

On 21 September 2011, Ms. Renata Dessallien, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, delivered a Peace message on behalf of the UN Secretary-General during the celebration of the International Day of Peace.

On 19 September, an event was held to mark the commencement of a one-year 'Green Drive Action' initiative, as part of the broader 'China Low-Carbon Actions' project organised by the All China Environment Federation (ACEF).

An award ceremony was held on the afternoon of 16 September 2011 in Beijing to recognise the tremendous support rendered to the work of UNDP in China by the Peace and Development Foundation (PDF).

Under Secretary General and UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Rebeca Grynspan took part in a special guest lecture entitled 'Towards Sustainable Development: New Challenges and Opportunities'. Held at Peking University, on 16 September 2011.

UN Under-Secretary General and UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, met with Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Zhang Kunsheng, on 16 September 2011, to discuss progress made since the signing of a strategic agreement on South-South Cooperation, entered into by UNDP and the Government of China in 2009.

UN Under-Secretary General and UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, met with Vice Minister of Civil Affairs, Mr. Sun Shaocheng on 16 September 2011.

As China moves to transform its economy to one that places greater emphasis on the quality and not just the quantity of development, UNDP Country Director, Mr. Christophe Bahuet delivered a timely address on the need to make economic reforms work for the poor at the 2011 Beijing CBD Festival, held in Beijing on 15 September.

In her joint capacity as UN Under-Secretary General and UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Rebeca Grynspan attended the 2011 World Economic Forum's Summer Davos (14-16 September 2011) in Dalian, China, on 15 September 2011.

On 14 September 2011, the UN Under-Secretary General and UNDP Associate Administrator Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, attended the Past and Future: China Women's Development Foundation Mary Kay Women's Small Business Fund 10 Year Anniversary.

UN Under-Secretary General and UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, met with the Vice-Minister of Commerce (MOFCOM), Mr. Fu Ziying on 13 September 2011, to explore new areas for cooperation between UNDP and MOFCOM and assess progress made under a 2010 strategic partnership entered into between UNDP and the Government of China on South-South Cooperation.

In order to gain greater insight into how the work of the UNDP in China impacts upon poverty alleviation and agricultural development, UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Rebeca Grynspan visited a Chinese Agricultural Technical Task Force (TTF) project site in Ji County, Tianjin Municipality, on 13 September 2011.

To mark the end of the "Strengthening Volunteerism for Development in China through the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Project", a closing ceremony was held on 8 September 2011 in Beijing.