VOL.VII, NO. 5
MAY 1996
UNDCP-SAARC WORKSHOP ON DRUG TRAFFICKING AND DRUG ABUSE
CONTROL
UNDCP-SAARC Workshop on Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse Control was held in Colombo
on 15-17 May 1996. The Workshop inaugurated by Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka,
Chandrananda de Silva, was attended by participants from all SAARC member countries.
Consultant at the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board and former Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Colombo, Prof. Nandadasa Kodagoda made the opening presentation and the UN
Resident Coordinator in Colombo Arve Ofstad made the Welcome Address. SAARC
Secretary-General, Naeem U. Hasan and Director, R.P. Jayasooriya from the SAARC Secretariat
also participated in the Workshop and made statements. Chief of the UNDCP Regional Section for
Asia & Pacific, A. Latif also spoke at the inaugural session.
The Workshop which was chaired by Dr. Diyanath Samarasinghe focused on the critical areas of drug control and demand reduction, in particular sub-regional strategies to address them. The Workshop while drawing up strategies, also recommended Plans of Action in these two areas for implementation at the national and regional levels.
The strategy relating to drug control is aimed to prevent cultivation, production, manufacture, trafficking and consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, through regional cooperation among the SAARC countries, to a measurable extent within 2-3 years and a continuing reduction thereafter bringing about a progressive reduction in drug related crime, accidents, and imprisonment in the region. The Plan of Action drawn up includes strengthening the existing SAARC Drug Offenses Monitoring Desk (SDOMD) established in Colombo, taking steps to enhance drug law enforcement through improved mobility, communication, surveillance techniques and laboratory capacity.
Considering that demand reduction is an essential element in overall drug control, the strategy to address this issue recommended by the meeting stresses on participatory preventive action addressing, particularly youth, school-goers, workers and female population. It also includes research and development on preventive education and treatment/ rehabilitation modalities, with a view to making the procedure more scientific and more effective. The Plan of Action proposes SAARC/UNDCP action for exchanging information and training, especially with regard to innovative and promising approaches developed within the region, better inter-country co-operation, and improving the NGO activity within the region.
The Workshop, which was the first activity organised since SAARC and UNDCP signed a Memorandum of Understanding in August 1995, is an important step in furthering cooperation between the two organisations in the critical area of drug control and drug abuse.
NATIONAL FOCAL POINTS (NFPs) DEALING WITH SAARC DOCUMENTATION
CENTRE (SDC) MEET
The First Meeting of the National Focal Points dealing with the SAARC Documentation Centre
was held at Kathmandu on May 21-22, 1996. The meeting was attended by the Coordinators
from all Member Countries and Director, Tahir Iqbal Butt from the SAARC Secretariat.
While inaugurating the meeting, National Planning Commission Member from Nepal, Dr. Bal Gopal Vaidya stated that most of the developing countries are not able to allocate sufficient resources in the generation and dissemination of information and Member Countries in the SAARC region should therefore make collective efforts to strengthen cooperation in the vital field.
The meeting discussed the role of Coordinators in strengthening the system and made a number of important decisions to enhance their
role. They also discussed the availability of Information Resources in their respective countries. Noting that there was sufficient information available in the region, the meeting discussed and agreed upon strategies to effectively disseminate information about these resources. They include streamlining the communication channels between the SDC and NFPs and establishing a proper mechanism to publicise the activities and programmes in this field.
SAARC Documentation Centre was established in New Delhi in May 1994 as the third regional centre under the SAARC framework. The Centre which functions as the hub of the SAARC Documentation System (SDS) has its repositories in the member states, the SAARC Secretariat and other SAARC regional centres.
SUB-GROUP OF CASAC MEETS IN KATHMANDU
The Sub-Group of the Executive Committee of Coalition for Action on South Asian Cooperation
(CASAC) met in Kathmandu on 7-8 May 1996. In addition to discussing CASAC's programmes
for 1996, the meeting reviewed developments relating to South Asian Regional Cooperation since
November 1995. The meeting also discussed and made a number of decisions regarding further
steps to strengthen the linkage between the SAARC Secretariat and CASAC.
Directors from the SAARC Secretariat also participated in the meeting. Director Ahmed Latheef read out the Secretary-General's statement, in which he highlighted the important role of independent groups such as CASAC in supplementing the efforts of SAARC in strengthening regional cooperation in South Asia.
CASAC is an independent group working to accelerate progress of South Asian Regional Cooperation through national and regional level activities.
While in Kathmandu to attend the CASAC meeting, former SAARC Secretary General K.K. Bhargava and a founder member of CASAC met Secretary-General Naeem U. Hasan, during which they reviewed the programmes and activities of CASAC and shared views on strengthening cooperation between CASAC and SAARC.
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES IN JUNE 1996
- Training Programme for Regional/District TB Programme Coordinators, Kathmandu, 4-8 June 1996;
- Meeting of Group of Experts for Conducting the Tripartite Study for Expansion of Economic Cooperation including Sub-regional Cooperation and Informal Trade, New Delhi, 6-7 June 1996;
- One Week Training Workshop on Precipitation and Flood Forecasting during the Southwest Monsoon Season, Lahore, 10 -16 June, 1996 (under SAARC-Japan Special Fund);
-First Meeting of the Governing Board of the South Asian Development Fund (SADF), Dhaka 17-18 June, 1996;
- Seminar on Privatisation in Road Sector, New Delhi, 20-22 June 1996;
-Meeting of Experts on Bio-processing of Foods and Enzymes, Kathmandu, 25-26 June, 1996;
-Meeting of Producers - Joint TV and Radio Productions on "SAARC Year of Literacy 1996", Colombo, 25-26 June, 1996;
-Workshop on Essential New Born Care, Madras, 26-28 June 1996; (under SAARC-Japan Special Fund).
SAARC-UNDP COOPERATION ACCELERATES GROUP VISIT TO SYANGJA
ORGANISED
SAARC Secretary-General Naeem U. Hasan; Resident Representative of UNDP in Kathmandu,
Ms. Carroll Long; SAARC Ambassadors in Nepal and selected Ambassadors of donor countries
and regional agencies as well as representatives from the media, participated in a field visit to
Syangja - a district in Nepal - organised by UNDP from 24-25 May 1996. The trip provided an
opportunity for the participants to gather first-hand information on the poverty alleviation
programme being implemented by UNDP under the project No. RAS/96/600.
The programme of the three-day trip included visits to Shreekrishna Gandaki Village Development Committee of Syangja District; Kaligandaki Hydropower Project office at Beltari; Drinking water project at Barichaur; Kaligandaki project; Jaipate High School; as well as meetings with village specialists at Jaipat and village organisation members at Mirmiphant;
On May 25, 1996, the participants visited the District Development Office, Arjun Chaupari market; Arjun Chaupari High School. They met with village organisation/women's organisation at Chaupari and witnessed a cheque handing over ceremony for the construction of a village road.
In the context of their poverty alleviation programme, UNDP has been trying to promote self-sufficient village organisations which would be able to undertake and sustain development works for their members. Resource generation through appropriate saving/credit scheme is at the very core of the programme and UNDP is encouraging these organisations to be self financing in nature. Only in some exceptional cases, UNDP is providing seed money to the members of the village organisations.
The visit also gave a unique opportunity to assess first-hand the UNDP led initiatives to promote social mobilisation in the member countries to eradicate poverty. UNDP has undertaken this initiative to follow up on some of the relevant decisions taken by the SAARC Heads of State or Governments in the context of specific SAARC commitment to eradicate poverty from the SAARC region, preferably by the year 2002 A.D.
UNDP has recently established a special Unit in Kathmandu to monitor and coordinate SAARC/UNDP cooperation in poverty eradication.
SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS THE MINISTER FOR YOUTH, SPORTS AND
CULTURE AND THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF NATIONAL PLANNING
COMMISSION OF NEPAL
SAARC Secretary-General, Naeem U. Hasan called on the Minister for Youth, Sports and
Culture, Bal Bahadur K.C. on May 29, 1996. During his meeting, the Secretary-General apprised
the Minister on the programmes and activities in the areas of Youth, Sports and Culture being
undertaken under the auspices of SAARC Technical Committee on Education, Sports and Culture.
The Secretary-General informed the Minister about the programmes for encouragement of Youth in
the region, especially the proposed SAARC Youth Awards Scheme. The Minister informed the
Secretary-General of the projects and programmes of His Majesty's Government of Nepal relating
to youth, sports and culture.
The Secretary-General also met the Vice Chairman of National Planning Commission, Prithavi Raj Legal at Singha Durbar. During their meeting, the Secretary-General and the Vice Chairman exchanged their views on the activities of SAARC in general and in particular cooperation among member countries in the areas of trade, and poverty alleviation. In this context, the Secretary-General apprised the Vice Chairman of SAARC-ESCAP Project on "Regional Poverty Alleviation Programme" - SAARC Seven Sisters : District Development Coordination and Improved Project Design, which is going to be launched at the SAARC Secretariat in June 1996.
SECRETARY-GENERAL ATTENDS WILTON PARK CONFERENCE MEETS WITH
SENIOR BRITISH OFFICIALS AND THE COMMONWEALTH
SECRETARY-GENERAL
SAARC Secretary-General Naeem U. Hasan attended the Wilton Park Conference in London
from 7-10 May 1996 as a guest speaker representing SAARC. The Conference, which had "India
and her Neighbours" as the subject for discussion, was attended by over fifty participants from
different fields.
Speaking on the subject "How can regional trade and economic interaction best be promoted", the Secretary-General summarized some important developments that have taken place in the direction of greater commercial and economic cooperation within SAARC. He also highlighted a number of obstacles existing in the region, such as reliance of member states to meet their import requirements from within the region, and constraints to trade expansion within the region due to restrictive policies and other impediments. While sharing his impressions and ideas as to how SAARC could further promote regional cooperation in the economic and trade fields, the Secretary-General expressed his view that economic cooperation among the SAARC countries can be significantly stepped up by addressing the problems identified in the Trade Manufactures and Services Study conducted by SAARC in a committed and sustained manner.
The two-day Conference in its conclusion highlighted that the way forward for regional cooperation in South Asia lay in combining effective economic initiatives with confidence building measures and the promotion of dialogue at every level.
While in London the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office organised a two-day programme for the Secretary General which included calls on the Deputy Speaker of the British Parliament, Michael Morris, Minister of State Jeremy Hanley and other senior officials of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department of Trade and Industry. The Secretary-General also had a meeting with representatives of BBC and discussed possible cooperation between BBC and SAARC.
The Secretary-General also called on Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku and had a meeting with Dr. Humayun Khan, Director General of the Commonwealth Foundation.
OTHER MEETINGS HELD IN MAY
-SAARC Workshop on Climate Change and Enhancement of Environmental Awareness - Dhaka on May 12-13, 1996 (under the SAARC-Japan Special Fund).
-Training Programme in Developing Sustainable Demand Reduction Strategies focussing on Students Community in Colombo on 20-24 May 1996.
VISITORS TO THE SECRETARIAT
- Minister of Tourism of Maldives, H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Hussain Zaki (May 1, 1996)
- National Defence College Team from Pakistan (May 8, 1996)
- Delegation from the Coalition for Action on South Asian Cooperation. (CASAC) (May 8, 1996)
- H.E. Mr. L.F.D.M. Soares Guimaraes, Ambassador of Brazil (based in New Delhi) (May 20, 1996)
- H.E. Mrs. Jocelyn Henriquez-King, Ambassador of Venezuela(based in New Delhi) (May 20, 1996)
- Mr. Abdul Latif, Chief, Regional Section for Asia and Pacific, UNDCP, Vienna (May 20, 1996)
- Delegation to the South Asian Consultation on Social Clause in Multilateral Trade Agreements (May 23, 1996)
- Mr. Khairal Huda, Managing Director, Investment Corporation of Bangladesh, Dhaka ( May 27, 1996)
- Ms. Zeenat Iftikhar, Acting General Manager, Investment Corporation of Bangladesh, Dhaka (May 27, 1996)
- Mr. K.R. Venugopal, Senior Policy Adviser, UNDP (May 29, 1996)
SAARC Newsletter is published monthly, which reports on the activities of the Association. Its contents may be reproduced without permission, although an acknowledgement would be appreciated.
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