Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Dr Mwaba Kasese-Bota
Zambia-chaired United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD) 49th Session concluded its deliberations and adopted two resolutions on strengthening the demographic evidence base and on the methods of work for the Commission.
Several Members States, UN agencies, civil society organisations, academia and other stakeholders praised Zambia’s skillful diplomatic engagements that led to the earliest conclusion ever seen in the last decade as the deliberations have been dogged by inconclusive late night talks without reaching consensus on outcome documents.
Despite being tasked with a double mandate this year, Zambia concluded its chairing of the Commission by 4:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, breaking the record of the Commission as one of the most efficient and efficacious, and igniting more confidence in the body which at its 48th Session did not yield an outcome.
Closing the five-day meeting on Friday, Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the UN and Chair of the CPD49, Dr Mwaba Kasese-Bota, thanked the Member States and the Zambian Mission staff for their hard work and guidance in supporting the work of the session to conclude the deliberations in record time.
Dr Kasese-Bota said the session’s theme had been particularly relevant, as it had helped Member States to define indicators for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Zambian envoy thanked the Commission as well as its Bureau members for their support in the work of the session.
And United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin said two forward-looking and important resolutions adopted during the session were a reminder that multilateralism was alive and well in the Commission.
He acknowledged that Member States were committed to ensure that every birth and death was registered and that national data systems were a cornerstone of development in each and every country.
Mr. Osotimehin said the cooperation of Governments, academia, civil society, private sector and development partners would be critical, going forward.
This is contained in a statement made available to QFM News by Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations First Secretary Chibaula Silwamba.