1. ECA  ECLAC  ESCAP  ESCWA  UNECE
Introduction of the Report of the Secretary-General on Regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields [E/2017/15, E/2017/15/Add.1 and Add.2]
Amr Nour Regional Commissions NY Office
United Nations Headquarters 25 July 2017

2. Outline Regional perspectives on two issues:
Efforts to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality
Regional perspectives on global migration
Developments in selected areas of regional and interregional cooperation:
Regional forums for sustainable development
Regional Coordination Mechanisms
Interregional Cooperation among regional commissions
Matters calling for action by the Council

3. Overview of Inequality
Historically, inequality analysis has focused on disparities in income
Today, inequality is regarded as a multidimensional phenomenon
The regional commissions have spearheaded new ways to measure and monitor levels of inequality
Cross-cutting regional similarities:
Inequality is a gendered phenomenon
Health care, education, social rights, and location (gaps in opportunities) all play a role in rates of poverty
Even when poverty rates go down, inequality tends to stay the same or worsen

4. Measuring Poverty and Addressing Inequality in the Regions
UNECE Region
High levels of inequality with wealth concentrated in urban areas
The financial and economic crisis of 2008 resulted in increased poverty and inequality across the region, especially in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe
The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) developed a guide on poverty measurement to raise awareness of the importance of poverty statistics and data
Arab Region
Uneven distribution of income has created a rise in inequality in the past decades
Conflict and political instability spur inequality growth
While progress has been made, gender inequality persists
The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) has developed a new multidimensional poverty measurement tool & is also rolling out toolkits on social protection and social justice
Asia and the Pacific
Huge decrease in the number of people in poverty, but
Increase in vulnerable employment, decline in women participation in the work force, disproportionate amount of unpaid care work for women
Income inequality remained above the world average
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in cooperation with other regional commissions launched an online interactive platform, the Social Protection Toolbox
Africa
Annual growth rate of five per cent for the last decade, yet
Second most unequal region of the world
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has developed the African Social Development Index
Latin America and the Caribbean
Remains the region with the highest overall level of socioeconomic inequality
It affects particularly women, the Afro-descendent and indigenous population, persons with disabilities and people living in rural areas
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has for over 30 years promoted the measurement of income poverty and provide countries with strategic advice on poverty reduction

5. Policy recommendations advocated by the commissions to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality
Promoting structural change and diversifying economies
Establishing effective tax systems
Improving labour markets
Strengthening social protection systems
Promoting environmentally sustainable and resilient economic development
Promoting access to high quality education
Promoting gender equality
Promoting the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities
Decreasing territorial inequalities
Mainstreaming poverty reduction measures into national development plans
Raising capacity of governments in data collection on poverty and inequality
Regional Commissions New York Office -

6. Migration: Regional Trends and Factors
UNECE Region
Immigration driven by socioeconomic forces
Increased migration into Europe across the Mediterranean Sea
Latin America and the Caribbean
63% of immigrants from and within the region.
Emigration varies markedly by sub-region. The Caribbean and Central America stand out in terms of proportion of emigrants to native population.
Most of emigration is to the United States
Arab Region
Large increase in immigration
Three forms: labour migration, forced migration, and mixed migration flows
Asia and the Pacific
Mostly migrants participating in low-skill labour
Mostly intra-regional due to historical and cultural similarities
Africa
More than half of migrants stay within the continent
Migration outside of the continent emanates mostly from North Africa

7. Migration: Regional Cooperation Processes and Mechanisms
UNECE Region
The Budapest Process has become a forum for managing migration
The Prague and Almaty Processes address other related challenges
Latin America and the Caribbean
Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development expected to be associated with the SDGs
Arab Region
Working Group on International Migration in the Arab Region to increase regional coordination
Arab Regional Consultative Process on Migration addresses displacement issues to maintain security and human dignity of migrants
Asia and the Pacific
Association of South-East Asian Nations, Eurasian Economic Union, as well as regional processes like the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime and the Colombo Process
Africa
The Joint Labour Migration Programme is a partnership of ECA, the AUC, ILO, and IOM
The High Level Panel on Migration mandated AUC and ECA to provide technical information on migration

8. Migration: Regional Consultations in support of Global Compact
ECLAC
Regional consultation planned for August in Santiago, Chile
Preparation of three sub-regional studies underway
ESCWA
Regional consultation planned for September in Beirut, Lebanon
Forthcoming publication of the 2017 Situation Report on Migration in the Arab Region
ECA
Expert Group Meeting will be convened September 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to consider the regional report, followed by a regional conference October
Preparation of sub-regional studies underway
ESCAP
Regional consultation planned for 6-8 November in Bangkok, Thailand
Preparation of thematic studies underway
UNECE
UNECE Executive Committee (EXCOM) to hold a discussion focused on migration statistics as a dedicated agenda item of an EXCOM meeting in early November in Geneva, Switzerland.

9. Part II. Developments in Selected Areas of Regional and Interregional Cooperation
Regional Forums on Sustainable Development all convened prior to the 2017 High-Level Political Forum
Regional Coordination Mechanisms continue to promote coherence at the regional level
Regional Commissions coordinated positions and strategic responses on matters such as UN Development System repositioning to deliver on the 2030 Agenda, Habitat III Urban Agenda and, Climate Change

10. Thank you www.regionalcommissions.org