Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 May 2009
Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East: The fifteenth session of the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) was held in Broadbeach, Australia, from March 9 to 19, 1959, under the chairmanship of Mr. Richard G. Casey, Minister of State for External Affairs of Australia.1 During the course of the session, new offers of financial aid to the Lower Mekong river development project were made: Canada offered $1,300,000 to pay for its undertaking of an aerial survey and mapping of the Lower Mekong basin; Australia offered $225,000 for equipment and training; and France promised an additional $102,500 beyond the $126,000 previously contributed. The Soviet Union also indicated that it was prepared to extend technical assistance to the Mekong project either directly or through ECAFE for power stations.
1 UN Press Releases ECAPE/10, March 10, 1959, and ECAFE/12, March 18, 1959. For a summary of the fourteenth session, see International Organization, Summer 1958 (Vol. 12, No. 3 ), p. 352–354.
2 UN Press Releases SOC/235, 2539. and 2541. For a summary of the ninth session, see International Organization, Spring 1957 (Vol. 11, No. 2 ), p. 377–378.
3 UN Press Release SOC/2653, May 15, 1959.
4 UN Press Releases SPF/1, January 23, 1959, and SPF/4, January 27, 1959. For the establishment of the Fund by the thirteenth session of the General Assembly, see International Organization, Winter 1959 (Vol. 13, No. 1), p. 89–90.
5 Document SF/Min.1 to 3.
6 UN Press Release SPF/16, May 28, 1959.
7 UN Press Release SPF/8, May 1, 1959.
8 UN Press Release SPF/16, May 28, 1959.
9 Economic and Social Council Official Records (28th Session), Supplement No. 5.
10 UN Press Release TA/769, May 28, 1959. For the annual reports for 1956 and 1957, see, respectively, Economic and Social Council Official Records (24th session), Supplement No. 5, and ibid. (26th session), Supplement No. 5.