L to R: Loren Landau, Malusi Gigaba, Tegegnework Gettu, Agostinho Zacarias speak to the press regarding the Human Development Report 2009

The UNDP Human Development Report 2009 was launched in Johannesburg, South Africa at a ceremony held at the historic Constitutional Hill. The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Pretoria assisted with securing the venue, devising the programme, liaising with the event management company, editing and disseminating the press releases and inviting some of the guests.

The launch of the report in Johannesburg was one of several launches taking place throughout the world with the main event taking place in Bangkok, Thailand. This year’s report is titled “Overcoming Barriers: Human Mobility and Development” and looks at multiple pathways of and barriers to, human movement.

The programme was divided into two parts with the UNIC Director chairing the formal opening. Welcome remarks were provided by the incoming Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Dr. Agostinho Zacarias.

The address was delivered by the UNDP Regional Director, Dr. Tegegnework Gettu who highlighted the report’s message that the ability to decide where to live is a fundamental element of human freedom. Dr. Gettu also stressed that migration in sub-Saharan African should be part of a human development strategy and that government policies should make migration a positive tool for development. Professor Loren Landau, a migration specialist from the University of the Witwatersrand, provided a succinct presentation highlighting the main issues raised in the report.

The keynote address was delivered by the South African Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Malusi Gigaba. In his address, the Deputy Minister recognized that governments need to find ways to making mobility regular, less risky and that the rights of migrants must be recognized. He acknowledged the significance of this report as well as its timing during the global economic recession.
 
During the tea-break, the Deputy Minister, Dr. Gettu, Professor Landau and Dr. Zacarias participated in a briefing with the print and broadcasting journalists present who posed a range of questions to all the panellists. The launch was reported on SABC radio news bulletins during the day and Dr. Gettu also conducted a live interview with SABC International that evening. The national Business Day newspaper carried two feature articles on the report and further press coverage is expected in the coming days. The briefing was held in an adjacent room that used to be the original Fort of Johannesburg in the early 1900s and has been preserved in its original state. Indeed, the whole Constitution Hill area is home to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in the land and the site of a former jail for political prisoners.

The second session, chaired by Professor Landau, consisted of a panel discussion with representatives of civil society, government, and a research institution. The lively discussion focused on the highlights of the report and brought in different perspectives. This was followed by a discussion period where a wide and diverse range of questions were posed to the panelists.

Speakers at the event respond to questions posed by the media

The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Bucharest co-organized and participated in a press conference at the UN House in Bucharest, Romania for the launching of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2009.

The Secretary General of the Romanian Agency for Foreign Direct Investments, Raluca Ghorghe Anghel, Executive Director of the Foreign Investors Council Daniel Velicu the Advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development, Doina Ciomag, and Ion Balan, a local representative of the Romanian League of Agri-Producers spoke at the event and responded to questions posed by the members of the media.

Copies of the report were distributed to members of the media and local officials.

Dr. Lilia Revenko (L) and UNIC Director (2nd from L) at the launch of UNCTAD World Investment Report 2009

The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Moscow organized a launch of the UNCTAD World Investment Report 2009 at the UNIC premises. Dr. Lilia Revenko, Professor of the International Economic Affairs Department at MGIMO University introduced the report to 30+ people, including academics, scholars and journalists.

During her presentation, Dr. Revenko reviewed the changing foreign direct investment (FDI) landscape noting that the crisis had impacted adversely on transnational corporations (TNC) activities. She mentioned about regional developments and commented on Russia's entry into the list of top recipients of foreign investments.

Q&A session: The participants exchanging their views

The presenter mainly focused on the major theme of the document stressing that TNC involvement in development countries’ agriculture could had done significant positive and negative impacts and examined several cases. She also shared her opinion on some issues such as technology transfer, organic marketing and potential of small farming.

Dr. Revenko’s presentation, which lasted 40 minutes, was followed by a Q&A session in addition to comments made by the guests. 

A crew from RBK-TV (Russian Business Channel), the leading Russian TV business channel, filmed the event at the UNIC premises, and a footage was featured the day of the presentation in the RBK news bulletin.

The following day, the country’s major business daily newspaper, Vedomosti published a news story on the WIR, singling out the study’s key conclusions.

United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Pretoria arranged a regional launch of the World Economic Social Survey (WESS) in South Africa. 

Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram, the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Economic Development in DESA delivered the keynote presentation on the report. In order to get an additional perspective, the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General proposed that a South African contributor to the report, Mr. Stephen Thorne from the Cape Town-based NGO, NorthNorth South, also delivered a presentation.

Hard copies of the reports as well as copies of the detailed press release were disseminated to the attendees.

Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram, the Assistant Secretary-General, DESA addresses audience at the launch of the World Economic and Social Survey 2009

The launch was held at a hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg as that proved to be more accessible for the media than Pretoria. Among the approximately 30 people in attendance were representatives of media, diplomatic missions and research institutions. The briefing was chaired by the UNIC Director, Ms Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry.

In his speech, Mr. Thorne highlighted issues of clean energy and the need to switch to low-emissions in order to meet the development and climate change challenges. ASG Jomo Kwame Sundaram delivered a twenty-minute powerpoint presentation highlighting the salient issues raised by the report while emphasising the framework for a global green new deal that the UN Secretary-General had urged.

The presentations were followed by a discussion period where questions were posed to the two speakers by the assembled journalists and others. Issues raised included the upcoming Copenhagen Summit as well as the efforts of African countries to meet the MDG’s in light of climate change considerations.

The day after the presentation, ASG Jomo was interviewed by Channel Africa radio in a pre-recorded 15 minute interview that was broadcast throughout the continent. The relatively small number of journalists can be attributed to the timing of the launch – a late afternoon is passed the submission deadline for many in the press – however the presence of and presentation by ASG Jomo in particular, enhanced the event.

UNIC Pretoria has received subsequent interest in the report from media, academia and government departments and was thanked by the ASG for arranging the launch.