Guyana hosting UNASUR social development, delegates meeting

The second meeting of the UNASUR Council on Social Development and the 29th meeting of the Council of Delegates will be held in Guyana from Monday to Thursday at the International Conference Centre at Turkeyen.

Guyana currently holds the chairmanship of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and as such the meetings will be held here, a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security Priya Manickchand is expected to chair the Ministerial Meeting of the Council on Social Development set for Tuesday. The meeting will review the 2009-2011 Plan of Action adopted by the First Meeting of the Council in Ecuador in 2009. The Plan includes the formulation of guidelines for the establishment of common social development policies among UNASUR member states; the creation of technical working groups in the field of social development and the promotion of cooperation in borders areas in an effort to reduce poverty.

On Wednesday, the Council of Delegates is expected to review the activities of the various councils and work with UNASUR groups to guide the work they are undertaking this year. In addition, the Council will also examine a proposal by Guyana on the organisational structure and budget for the permanent secretariat of UNASUR which is soon to be built in Quito, Ecuador.