25th Anniversary of ECAFE (March 28, 1972)

The different races of the world are represented in the design by coloured discs overlapping each other They are shown to emerge from behind the emblem of ECAFE which appears in white against a blue background. The emblem is contained within the cogwheel of progress which is shown in black. The wording “Progress through Co-operation” appears within this wheel superimposed on the emblem. The word ‘Pakistan” in Bengali and Urdu appears in the panel at the bottom beside the wheel in reverse while ‘Pakistan’ in English appear above this panel in black. The words “25th Anniversary of ECAFE” appears in black at the top. Denomination ‘20’ appears in reverse in the left hand corner just above the coloured discs with ‘Paisa’ and ‘Postage’ beneath in black.
To mark the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations Economic Commis-sion for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE), the Pakistan Post Office is issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp of 20-Paisa on 28th March, 1972. Founded on 28th March, 1947 to encourage the economic and social development of Asia and the Far East, ECAFE is one of the four regional commissions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Its area stretches from Iran to the Western Pacific. It is the regional arm of the United Nations, with its headquarters in Bangkok (Asia) and is administra-tively responsible to the Secretary General of the United Nations. At the same time, it is responsible to the member states of the FCAFE region and is subject to their parliamentary control and guidance in policy matters, under the overall control of the Econo-mic and Social Council.
ECAFE seeks to speed up growth and raise living standards both by promoting regional co-operation among member countries and by helping individual Government’s plans and carry out balanced development programmes. Its main fields of work include;
Development Research and Planning,
Trade,
Industry and Natural Resources,
Transport and Communications,
Agricultural Development,
Water Resources,
Statistics,
Social Development,
Population,
Public Administration.
ECAFE has 30 members and 5 associate members, as follows
Members
Afghanistan, Australia, Bhutan, Burma, Ceylon. China, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Khmer Republic, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Republic of Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand. Tonga, USSR, United Kingdom, United States, Western Samoa.
Associate Members
British Solomon Islands, Brunei, Fiji,, Hong Kong, Papua, New Guinea.
The Commission, as a whole, with its 30 members and 5 associate mem-bers, meets yearly in different member countries. Its first session was held in Shanghai between 16—25 June, 1947 and was attended by four Asian countries— China, India, Philippines, Thailand and six others Australia, France, Nether-lands, Soviet Union, United Kingdom and United States.
In its current work, ECAFE is also giving special attention to ways of achieving regional growth during the United Nations Second Development Decade (197 1-1980), following the guide-lines adopted at the Commission’s 25th Session in Singapore in 1969.
The Asian Highway Project, approved by ECAFE In 1959, calls for a network of 60.000 kilometers covering 14 countries. During the United Nations Development Decade, ended December, 1970, efforts were concentrated on establishment of at least one through-route from west to east with connections to all other countries not so served by that route. Route A-I from. Iran to the Republic of Vietnam (10,800 Km.), was 93% complete by late 1969. As for the entire network, 83% is now motorable in all weathers.