JOINT STATEMENT
REGARDING COOPERATION AMONG NAM CENTRES

UPON THE INVITATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT CENTRE FOR SOUTH-SOUTH TECHNICAL COOPERATION (NAM CSSTC), A CONSULTATIVE MEETING OF NAM CENTRES ON “FUTURE COOPERATION” WAS HELD IN JAKARTA ON NOVEMBER 4, 2002.

THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT CENTRE FOR SOUTH-SOUTH TECHNICAL COOPERATION (NAM CSSTC), THE CENTRE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE NON-ALIGNED AND OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (NAM S&T CENTRE) IN INDIA, THE RESEARCH AND INFORMATION SYSTEM OF THE NON-ALIGNED AND OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN INDIA (RIS) AND THE INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL MEDICINE IN CUBA (IPK), WERE PRESENT.

NOTING THAT,

EACH ORGANIZATION / CENTRE HAS ITS OWN MANDATE AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TO ATTAIN,

AND ALSO NOTING THAT,

THERE ARE AREAS IN WHICH THEY COULD COOPERATE AND COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER,

AND APPRECIATING THAT,

THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR POLICY-SPECIFIC ANALYTICAL FEEDBACK FOR ENHANCING THE LEVEL OF TECHNICAL COOPERATION FOR COLLECTIVE DEVELOPMENT AMONG THE NAM AND OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES,

THE FOUR ORGANIZATIONS / CENTRES AGREED THAT:

1. PRIORITIZED AND INDICATIVE AREAS OF COOPERATION SHOULD BE EXPLORED, WHICH MAY INCLUDE:

   • INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO DIGITAL DIVIDE AND COST EFFECTIVE COMPUTERS FOR MASSES;

   • POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMMES, SUCH AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SMEs) AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT;

   • INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY AND WTO RELATED ISSUES, SUCH AS CAPACITY BUILDING FOR MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS, FOREIGN INVESTMENT RELATED AGREEMENTS AND TRIPS;

   • NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION, SUCH AS WATER HARVESTING AND BIODIVERSITY; AND

   • INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM, INCLUDING TO TRADITIONAL MEDICINE.

2. THE MODALITIES FOR COOPERATION MAY INCLUDE:

   • DEVELOPMENT OF JOINT PROGRAMMES, WHICH HAVE SIMILAR OBJECTIVES;

   • EXCHANGE OF PUBLICATIONS AND INFORMATION;

   • TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON SELECT SUBJECT AREAS;

   • DEVELOPMENT OF DATA BASES, SUCH AS THOSE ON AVAILABLE EXPERTISE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, SHARING OF EXPERIENCES, BEST PRACTICES ETC.

3. EACH ORGANISATION / CENTRE SHOULD APPOINT A FOCAL POINT FOR EXPEDITIOUS COMMUNICATION.

4. WHILE NAM CSSTC WOULD ENCOURAGE PARTICIPANTS TO CO-FINANCE THE FUTURE PROJECTS UNDER JOINT COOPERATION INVOLVING ANY TWO OR MORE OF THE ORGANISATIONS / CENTRES, NAM CSSTC WOULD COORDINATE AND FACILITATE THE TECHNICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THESE JOINT PROJECTS.

ALL FOUR ORGANISATIONS / CENTRES AGREED TO START EXPLORING AND IMPLEMENTING THE COOPERATION WITH EFFECT FROM THE YEAR 2003.

JAKARTA, 4 NOVEMBER 2002,