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One of the objectives of NAM CSSTC is to enhance the collective self-reliance of NAM member countries in attaining sustained people-centered in international relations. The programmes should have immediate impact to render the economies of developing countries to be more broad-based, efficient and resilient to participate in the globalization process and to strengthen cooperation among developing countries. With the existence of several NAM centres around different regions of NAM countries, NAM CSSTC considered that cooperation among the centres should be optimally utilized. This was when NAM CSSTC took the initiative to invite other NAM Centres to attend the meeting and discuss possible fields of cooperation. 3 NAM Centres attended the meeting. They are as
follows:
Each Centre presented profile of its institution and
deliberated ideas concerning future collaboration. At the end of the meeting, the four Centres (including NAM CSSTC) formulated a Joint Statement in which the four Centres agreed to cooperate and complement each other, and explore prioritized and indicative areas of cooperation (See Attachment 1) Opening
remarks from Mr. Omar Halim, Executive of NAM CSSTC I would like to take this opportunity to
welcome all of you to Jakarta, Indonesia, to NAM CSSTC. We appreciate
very much the time, the attention and your willingness to come here and
meet all of us because we feel that this is an extremely important
meeting. Referring to Basic
Documents of XIIth NAM Summit in Durban, South Africa 1998, it is stated
that NAM CSSTC is requested to coordinate and initiate a cooperative
network with other Non-Aligned Movement Member for the implementation of
its programmes. The Board of Directors of NAM CSSTC thus decided to hold
a consultative meeting for a number of NAM Centres. We considered this
particular meeting as a very important one since we realized that all
Centres share the same concerns and issues related to the sustainable
development in NAM countries. We also believe that although each Centre
has its own characteristic and specialization, there are many fields of
cooperation that could be explored and concretely implemented together.
Capacity Building, Technology are among the areas noted as potential
areas of future cooperation. Let me start by giving you some backgrounds
of what we have been implementing since the date of our establishment,
In April 2001, NAM CSSTC convened a meeting to discuss basic issues in
the eradication of poverty. A number of experts coming from different
regions of NAM countries
assembled and identified the basic issues in the eradication of poverty,
and deliberated suggestions on what could be done about them. Most of
the issues are common issues of all developing countries. However, there
are two issues primarily outfaced by African countries. Our African
brothers feel that in order to be able to concentrate on the eradication
of poverty they have to resolve these two issues which are HIV-AIDS and
inter-and intra-state conflicts. We identified these particular issues
as primarily African issues but not exclusively African issues. Another area which we have had come up with
is the Information and Communication Technology (ICT). We discovered
that digital divide existed among us. So we have decided to come up with
manuals. The manual is basically to self assess our respective countries
as to where, what is their electronic readiness. Where are they in terms
of the spectrum of ICT readiness. So based on this self assessment
countries would be able to know if they are determined to increase their
capability to higher level, what are required in terms of the electronic
infrastructure, what are required in terms of training human resources.
We are able to assist them evaluating themselves by providing expert
from other NAM countries. Also we’re even thinking of identifying some
manufactures in NAM countries which can produce computers for people in
rural areas. The purpose of is to introduce ICT to rural areas. We do
not need computers with Pentium 3 or 4 but a relatively simple one, but
at this stage is sufficient. We’re talking about USD 200-300 per unit,
if possible. These are the way we’re trying to do
so that our assistance will not only culminate in meetings and
coming up with reports but to go down to the ground. The other factor that makes the discrepancy between the developed countries
and the developing countries very serious is the development of
technology. A book by Prof.Kaku, a Japanese American, a nuclear
professor discussed about
technological progress in this world in the 20th century in
three areas. One is quantum physics, the other is the revolution in
biomolecular and the third one is computer. All these originated from
quantum physics. We are from poor countries, we do not know the
technology we do not have the resources to do this. It is going to be
those who are in command of the technology. This is another area that we
should put many concerns on. The aforementioned areas and issues have
convinced us that we really have to work hand in hand to accomplish our
aims for the benefit of developing countries. We are aware that your
Centres are the ones who have specialized in some areas that I
previously mentioned. We believe that we could start make things
happening on the ground. Last but no least, on behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to express our great appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia for supporting this particular meeting.
1.
DR.Sachin Chatur Vedi, Research and Information System for the Non-Aligned
and Other Developing Countries (RIS), India ‘Profile and Proposal of RIS’ Dr. Vedi explained the profile of his organization and also circulated
some publications produced by RIS. DR.Vedi also pointed out that with the cooperation of NAM CSSTC, RIS’
capability could be refined further and be utilized to contribute to
building analytical capacity in other developing and NAM member
courtiers. DR.Vedi proposed some joint projects that could be taken up
immediately depending on mutual interest. The programme of collaboration
can expand with time as the relationship among NAM Centres grows. The proposed joint projects are as follows: -
Policy
Workshop on Understanding the Development-Dimension of WTO Negotiations:
Technical Cooperation for Capacity Building in WTO-related Issues -
Global
Reports on ‘Monitoring Trends in World Economy: Perspective of
Developing Countries’ -
Visiting
Research Fellowship Programme in International Economic Issues 2.
Prof.Arun P.Kulshreshtha,
Center for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned and Other
Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre), India ’Profile and Proposal of NAM S&T’ Prof.Kulshreshtha deliberated the profile of his organization emphasizing
on the scope of area NAM S&T Centre is working and also its
programme and activities. He pointed out that the major activity of the
centre is publications on very diversified fields. For future cooperation with other NAM Centres, Prof.Kulshreshtha proposed
some subject areas that
could be jointly organized: -
Transfer
of Technology issues for capacity building to the developing countries -
Rain
water harvesting -
Organic
Farming and Accreditation -
Non-conventional
sources of energy -
Agricultural
bio technology -
Remote
sensing -
Traditional
knowledge -
Intellectual
Property Rights -
Medicinal
plants and drugs -
Electronic
Networking (video conferencing facilities in developing countries) -
SME
development with E-Commerce -
E-readiness
and Digital Divide -
Science
popularization related to poverty eradication 3.
Prof.DR.Jorge Perez, Instituto de Medicina
Tropical “Pedro Kouri” (IPK)
, Cuba ‘Profile
and Proposal of IPK’ Prof.Perez revealed information on his institute and its activities which
specialized in research and medical care of tropical medicines and
diseases. For future cooperation with other NAM Centres, Dr.Perez suggested the
followings: -
Technical
Collaboration -
Training -
Scientific
Exchange -
Scientific
Meeting -
Joint
Research -
Looking
for new sources of financial support -
Explore
ideas for future collaboration -
Exploring
different partners -
Creating
a committee for Scientific and Technical cooperation among AM CSSTC and
others – NAM Centres -
Chairing
E-mail between NAM CSSTC -
Increasing
contact among directors, researchers, and technical personal of NAM
CSSTC and NAM Centres Circulating a publication about all of characteristic and possibilities for Scientific and Technical cooperation of all NAM Centres.
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