UN Economic and Social Council set to open annual session in Geneva

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is set to kick off Monday in Geneva its four-week annual session with a focus on promoting an integrated approach to eradicate poverty and encourage sustainable development in rural areas.

ECOSOC - comprising 54 Member States representing all regions of the world - serves as the world body's central forum for discussing international economic and social issues, and for formulating policy recommendations to the UN and its Member States.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan and ECOSOC President Gert Rosenthal of Guatemala are scheduled to address the opening of the high-level meeting. During this part of the four-week session, the Council expects to adopt a Ministerial Declaration on integrated rural development, providing policy guidance and recommendations for action.

ECOSOC members will have before them a report by the Secretary-General, which analyzes the role of rural development in developing countries in poverty eradication and sustainable development and examines how to promote an integrated approach that would contribute to the attainment of the internationally agreed development goals.

The Secretary-General's report provides policy recommendations on ways to promote an integrated approach encompassing the economic, social and environmental dimensions, with a number of mutually reinforcing policies and programmes.

Following the conclusion of the high-level segment, the Council will hold segments on operational activities of the UN for international development cooperation, coordination, humanitarian affairs and a general segment, in which members will consider a variety of other issues.