21st Ministerial Session: Background

The twenty-first session of the Commission was held in Beirut on 10 and 11 May 2001.  After discussion of the items on the agenda, the Commission adopted one resolution submitted to the Economic and Social Council for action, and twelve resolutions submitted to the Economic and Social Council for its attention.

The session was attended by the following members of the Commission: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Syrian Arab Republic, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

No state Member of the United Nations that was not a member of the Commission participated as an observer in the work of the twenty-first session.

In addition, representatives of the following United Nations entities attended as observers: Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations headquarters, New York; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); World Food Programme (WFP); International Labour Organization (ILO); Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); World Health Organization (WHO); International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); International Telecommunications Union, Arab Regional Office; World Meteorological Organization (WMO); and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Representatives of the following inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also attended the session as observers: Arab Labour Organization; Arab Planning Institute; Council for Arab Economic Unity; Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development; Arab Centre for the Study of Arid Zones and Dry Lands; Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organization; ARABCOM Global Business Group; Gulf Cooperation Council; Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities; International Information Transfer Organization; League of Arab States; Union of Arab Banks and Arab Towns Organization.