The secretaries-general of the Association of Southeast Asian National (ASEAN), the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) and the Pacific Islands Forum-Forum Islands Countries (PIF-FIC) together with agricultural ministers from Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand other countries in the region attended a high-level roundtable on food security and the eradication of poverty.

The Regional High-level Roundtable meeting is being held at the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) in Bangkok in 23-24 February 2004. The Meeting is jointly organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Other key participants at the roundtable include non-governmental and inter- governmental organizations, regional universities and research institutes (AIT, USP, IRRI), UN agencies and other development partners.

The prime minister of Thailand, HE Thaksin Shinawatra, opened the roundtable. In addition, the executive heads of the three organizing agencies and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) delivered statements during the opening ceremony.

For further information, visit to UNESCAP website: www.unescap.org/unis