E/2012/27 E/CN.6/2012/16 Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). 24. At the same meeting, a coalition of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Council, represented by the African Women’s Regional Organizations, made a statement. 25. Also at the 12th meeting, the representative of Israel made a statement in exercise of the right of reply. 26. At the 13th meeting, on 5 March, a statement was made by the representative of Haiti. 27. At the same meeting, the representatives of the following non-governmental organizations made statements: Association of African Women for Research and Development, Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development, Asia Pacific Women’s Watch/Asia Pacific Regional Caucus, International Council for Women, International Trade Union Confederation, Non-Governmental Organizations Coordinating Committee, RESO-Femmes, Women’s Consortium of Nigeria and a coalition of non-governmental organizations in consultative status represented by Young Women’s Caucus, European and North American Caucus, and Working Group on Girls. 28. At the 19th meeting, on 15 March, a statement was made by the Chair of the Commission, Marjon Kamara (Liberia), regarding the negotiations on the draft agreed conclusions on the empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges, which concluded without agreement on the text. 29. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of Jamaica (on behalf of the Caribbean Community), the Islamic Republic of Iran, Zimbabwe (on behalf of the Group of African States), the United States, Cuba, Nicaragua, the Russian Federation and Japan, and by the observers for Denmark (on behalf of the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Peru, Pakistan, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Turkey and Australia. 30. Also at the 19th meeting, since no agreed conclusions on the priority theme were adopted, the Commission agreed that the Chair’s summary of the discussion on the agreed conclusions would be prepared and referenced in the report of the fiftysixth session of the Commission and posted on its website.1 Implementation of strategic objectives and action in critical areas of concern and further actions and initiatives: the empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges 1. High-level round table 31. At its 3rd meeting, on 27 February, the Commission held a high-level round table in two parallel meetings on the priority theme “The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges”. 12-27405 31