General Assembly postpones economic summit

The General Assembly has postponed until late June the high-level gathering aimed at assessing the global economic crisis and seeking solutions which take the interests of all nations into account, it was announced today.

Originally scheduled to take place from 1-3 June, the United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development will be held in New York from 24-26 June instead.

Delegates had voiced concern that they needed more time to negotiate the draft outcome document to be adopted at the gathering, according to a statement issued by the spokesperson for Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto, who is also the summit’s organizer.

The President has appealed for negotiations on the draft outcome document to be wrapped up by 15 June, underscoring at an Assembly plenary session that the three-day meeting’s success will hinge on “the active engagement of the political leadership of the Member States at the highest possible level.”

He further expressed confidence that “Member States will demonstrate the necessary political will and good faith regarding the complex negotiations” at the summit, which was called for by participants at a financing for development meeting held in Qatar in late 2008.