The First Meeting of ACD High-Level Study Group, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand between 20-21 August 2007 at Plaza Athenee Hotel, Bangkok, prompted several preliminary steps in defining the future of the Forum.
The Meeting, participated by senior officials from Foreign Affairs Ministries and members of academic communities from 28 member countries, discussed and made recommendations on 4 issues concerning ACD future directions, namely: 1) End goals of ACD, 2) Desirability of creating an ACD secretariat, 3) Funding and other mechanisms to stimulate progress and activity in different project areas, and 4) Track II participation in the ACD process. Progress made at this Meeting will be reported to ACD ministers at the ACD Ministerial Meeting on the Sidelines of the 62nd United Nations General Assembly, to be held on 28 September 2006 at Millennium UN Plaza, New York City, for further advice.
Further meetings are to be hosted by the Republic of Korea and Kazakhstan to complete consideration of pending issues. Final results of the consideration will be submitted to the 7th ACD Ministerial Meeting in Kazakhstan for Ministers’ endorsement.
For Summary Report and Recommendations of the meeting and other related meeting documents, please access the “ACD Officials Zone” using login numbers given to individual member country.