Asia-Pacific countries endorsed a regional road map aimed at helping poor countries falling behind to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The endorsement came as the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) concluded its annual high level meeting today in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The road map aims to help countries get on-track by providing assistance in five areas: knowledge and capacity building; expertise; resources; advocacy; and regional cooperation in delivering public goods such as trans-boundary infrastructure and energy security.

The announcement was made and the winners honoured today in Almaty, Kazakhstan, during the annual session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

At a ceremony attended by representatives of the 62 member governments of UNESCAP, three top winners received the awards, each with a cash prize of $7,000, from Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Under-Secretary-General of United Nations and Executive Secretary of UNESCAP.

The blue-print, set out by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), was discussed at its annual ministerial meeting which opened today in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo is requesting submission of 'good practice' case studies in regard to local poverty reduction and localization of MDGs. The selected case studies will be presented at a Regional Workshop later this year and can be submitted from any UN agency, NGO, CSO or institution with expensive experience in local poverty reduction initiatives that have made a different.  An abstract of the Case study must be submitted by 15 June 2007.