Note to the Secretary-General
Scenarios for your attendance at forthcoming Ministerial Meetings
Eleventh LDC Ministerial Meeting
You will recall that you have agreed to participate in the 11th LDC Ministerial Meeting. It is scheduled to take place starting at 15:00 on Thursday, 15 November in Conference Room 3. You are expected to arrive just after 15:00. The Bangladeshi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Reaz Rahmanwill, will welcome you and will then make an opening statement of about seven minutes. He will then give the floor to you. You are expected to make a statement of approximately seven minutes. You will then listen to one statement by an LDC Minister. The Meeting will then be suspended for you to leave the room and the meeting will resume once you have departed. A draft provisional agenda of the meeting is attached for your information.
25th Annual G-77 Ministerial Meeting
Please find attached a draft agenda for the 25th annual Ministerial meeting of the G-77, which you have agreed to attend on Friday, 16 November in the Trusteeship Council chamber. The Foreign Minister of Iran, who holds the chair of the G-77 for 2001, will open the meeting at approximately 10:15 a.m. He will make a statement of approximately 5 minutes following the adoption of the agenda. The G-77 Chairman for 2002 (Venezuela) will then be elected, and the Foreign Minister of Venezuela will be invited to make a statement of 5-7 minutes.
The current Chairman will then invite you to make brief remarks of approximately 8 minutes. After you have finished your remarks, the UNDP Administrator will be invited to say a few words, lasting only about three minutes. The meeting will then be suspended, allowing you and the Administrator to depart. Your participation is expected to take a total of approximately 45 minutes.
Fifth meeting of the UN-ECOWAS-GoSL Coordination Mechanism
Please find attached a note from Mr. Guehenno, which details your participation in the UN-ECOWAS-GoSL coordination meeting, which will take place at 15:15 on Friday, 16 November in Conference Room 6.
Thank you.
Elisabeth Lindenmayer 13 November 2001 NOV.11.2001 i:13PM NO.702 P.2
Eleventh Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Least Developed Countries New York, 15 November 2001 (Conference Room No. 3)
Draft Provisional Agenda
1. Opening of the Meeting and statement by the Chairman
2. Adoption of the draft agenda
3. Statement by the Secretary-General of the United Nations
4. Statements by the Chairman of the Group of 77 and China and the IMon- Aligned Movement (NAM)
5. Implementation of the Programme of Action for the LDCs (2001-2010)
6. Adoption of the Ministerial Declaration
7. Other matters
8. Closure of the Meeting.
11/11 '01 SUN 13:26 [TX/RX NO 8996] i]002 Rom:Sroupof77 (212)963-3515 To: 9633511 Pope '
G-77/MM(XXV)/2001/l/REV.2
TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE MINISTERS FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE GROUP. OF 77 New York, 16 November 2001 Trusteeship Council Chamber 10.00 a.m, - LOO p.m. and 3,00 p,m, - 6.00 p.m.
Draft Agenda
1. Opening of the meeting.
2. Adoption of the agenda,
3. Election of the Chairman of the Group of 77 for the year 2002,
4. Exchange of views and inter-aolive dialogue on the follow-up and implementation of the South Summit outcome and other issues of importance to the Group of 77 to be considered during the fifty-sixth session of the UN General Assembly, in particular preparations for: - Financing for Development - World Summit for Sustainable Development (Rio +10 process) - WTO fourth Ministerial meeting - World Food Summit: Five Years Later - Follow-up of the LDCs Conference and Habitat
5. Presentation of the outcome of tenth sess ion of the Intergovernmental Follow-up and Coordination Committee on Economic Cooperation among Developing Countries (IFCC-X).
6. Progress report on the activities of the Ad-hoc Open-ended Working Group of the Group of 77 on the follow-up and implementation of the South Summit outcome.
7. Presentation of the recommendations of the High-level Advisory Group of Eminent Personalities to Prepare a Report on Globalization and its Impact on Developing Countries.
8. Adoption of the Ministerial Declaration,
9. Other matters,
10. Closure of the Meeting. PRIORITY
Note to the Secretary-General Fifth meeting of the UN-ECOWAS-GoSL Coordination Mechanism.
1. As you are aware, the fifth meeting of the Coordination Mechanism between the United Nations, ECOWAS and the Government of Sierra Leone is scheduled to take place on Friday, 16 November from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. You are expected to open the meeting at 3:15pm. The agenda of the meeting and the proposed points for your statement are attached.
2. Conference room 6 has been reserved for the meeting and interpretation services will be provided. 'Participants at the meeting will include the Foreign Ministers of the ECOWAS Committee of Six on Sierra Leone (Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria and Togo), as well as Sierra Leone and the United Nations. However, SRSG Adeniji has indicated that some Ministers from other ECOWAS countries who will be in New York can also be expected to come to the meeting. They will participate as observers.
3. After you have made the statement, I will preside over the meeting and share the podium with the Foreign Minister of Mali, Mr. Modibo Sidibe (Chairman of ECOWAS), the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS, Mr. Lansana Kouyate, SRSG Adeniji and a representative of DPA. Mr. Sidibe and Mr. Kouyate are expected to make brief statements after you have delivered your opening remarks.
4. SRSG Adeniji will present the report by the United Nations on implementation of the Abuja Cease-fire Agreement, as reflected in item (A) of the agenda. The final report of the meeting will be prepared in consultation with the ECOWAS Secretariat.
Jean-Marie-Guehenno 13 November 2001 cc: Mr. Riza Mr. Prendergast Ms. Lindenmayer Mr. Hayford ••77 /7
Fifth Meeting of the United Nations-ECOVVAS-Govemment of Sierra Leone Coordination Mechanism
New York, 25 September 2001 ECOWAS DRAFT AGENDA
A. Evaluation of the Implementation of the Abuja Ceasefire Agreements'.
Presentation of reports by:
— <_uc XjLU'-j^. .\aXiQQS — the Government of Sierra Leone
(i) The deployment of UNAMSTL
(ii) Extension of the Authority of the Government of Sierra Leone throughout Sierra Leone
(iii) Level of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Programme
(iv) Full retij.M of seized \ ni^ec mons and ECOWAS equipment by RI^F
(v i Release o f child s ^Idiers and abductees
i vi) Release of RLT detainees ^v the ("uivernmeTit of Sierra Leone
\\:\\\ Humanir-Arian siniaTion in S'^r-;i ! .enne
i vi ii i Effect of developments in the VfRU on Sierra Leone
3. Political Programme
C. Update on the establishment of the TRC and the Special Tribunal for Sierra Leone
D. Next meeting of [he GOSL-RL F-L .V <& ECO WAS
L Any ;.';.her busLiiess
F. t'on-jideration .ind adoption ofrspor. Fifth Meeting of the UN-ECOWAS-Government of Sierra Leone Coordination Mechanism 16 November 2001
Points for the draft Opening Statement of the Secretary-General
• In September last year, I opened the first meeting of the Coordination Mechanism between the UN, ECOWAS, and the Government of Sierra Leone here in New York, at a time when the Sierra Leone peace process was still reeling from the May 2000 crisis.
• At that time, we discussed ways and means of overcoming the crisis and moving the peace process forward.
» In opening this fifth session of the Coordination Mechanism, I am pleased to note that our joint efforts have yielded remarkable results. The Coordination Mechanism has played a vital role as a forum for harmonizing our efforts to resuscitate and advance the peace process.
• Sierra Leone has come a long way from the situation it was a year ago: UNAMSIL is now deployed in all districts of the country; the disarmament process, which resumed last May, is nearing completion with almost 30,000 combatants disarmed; over 1,500 abducted children have been released and re-united with their families; main roads in Sierra Leone have been re-opened for free movement of people and goods and increasing numbers of displaced persons are returning to their villages; the Sierra Leone Army has received training and has begun securing the country's borders; the police too is being deployed to the provinces; preparations for elections have begun; and the RUF is transforming itself into a political party.
• The peace process has reached a critical juncture. The completion of disarmament of the RUF and CDF combatants in the coming few weeks will mark a watershed in Sierra Leone and give impetus to national healing, reconciliation and national reconstruction. The United Nations will continue to be engaged and to assist Sierra Leone in these important tasks.
• Simultaneously, a secure environment for the elections is emerging. The gains achieved by UNAMSIL deployments and the disarmament process need to be matched by commensurate progress in restoring Government's authority in areas formerly under the RUF's control. The resettlement of internally displaced persons and the return of refugees also need to be radically expedited. These areas need to be addressed urgently, in order to create conditions for holding credible national elections, which are scheduled to take place on 14 May 2002.
• UNAMSIL is currently working with the National Elections Commission and external partners to define the tasks that need to be carried out in support of the elections. The United Nations intends to monitor the electoral process and provide logistical and security support for the elections. In the coming weeks, I will be presenting my recommendations to the Security Council in this regard. • The gains achieved still need to be solidified as we are now entering c very sensitive phase of the peace process. The United Nations, ECOWAS and donor countries have invested so much in the peace process and will not allow any reversals. I therefore urge your meeting to pay particular attention to consolidating the gains achieved so far and ensuring the successful and decisive accomplishment of the remaining phases of the peace process.
• There is also need to remain vigilant and ensure that there will be no return to war. The RUF should be actively encouraged to transform itself into a political party, while the Government will need urgent assistance to enable it to extend its authority throughout the country. It should also be encouraged to expedite its efforts to put into place a credible diamond-mining management regime and, obviously, sufficient reintegration opportunities should be created for the thousands of disarmed combatants.
• The positive developments in Sierra Leone have had a salutary impact on the situation in the Mano River Union. The commencement of disarmament in Sierra Leone resulted in a cessation of armed incursions into Guinea. Dialogue has been opened between Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. We need to encourage and support in every way possible this promising dialogue, as well as the confidence- building measures that the three countries have agreed upon. • In conclusion, I wish to commend the Government of Sierra Leone for the prudent approach it has pursued on the peace process, which is beginning to bear fruit. I also wish to thank our partners in ECOWAS for the sacrifices they continue to make to achieve peace in their sister country, Sierra Leone.