Ten developing countries win support on population<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ten developing countries yesterday formed a new
\nforum to jointly address their population problems, with ringing
\nendorsements from three international funding agencies.<\/p>\n
The international partnership on population and development
\nwas forged at the end of the two-day meeting in Jakarta
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
All 10 countries who were represented -- Bangladesh, Kenya,
\nColombia, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Thailand, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and
\nIndonesia -- joined the forum but officials stressed that the
\npartnership is not an exclusive club and that other countries
\nwould be welcome to join later.<\/p>\n
The United Nation Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), the
\nRockefeller Foundation and the Population Council immediately
\ngave their endorsements to the partnership.<\/p>\n
Indonesian State Minister of Population Haryono Suyono, during
\na joint press conference, said the support from the three
\norganizations indicates that developed countries are beginning to
\nrespect the initiatives of developing countries.<\/p>\n
He said the forum agreed to ask President Soeharto to promote
\nthe partnership at the forthcoming International Conference on
\nPopulation and Development in Cairo, next month.<\/p>\n
\"The concept of this partnership is really good and we are
\nopen for new members. I hope this partnership will get support
\nfrom the (Cairo) conference and more countries will join.\"<\/p>\n
Jyoti S. Singh of the UNFPA hailed the efforts of the ten
\ncountries to seek endorsement from the conference in Cairo.<\/p>\n
He said his support for the partnership is in line with the
\nmission of the UNFPA as it was set up to help developing
\ncountries in population activities.<\/p>\n
The idea of forming the partnership was first broached in Bali
\nin 1992, when Indonesia hosted the Asia Pacific Conference on
\nPopulation.<\/p>\n
Steve Sinding of the Rockefeller Foundation said he was very
\npleased that the initiative has moved so rapidly so as to become
\na real commitment of the ten developing countries.<\/p>\n
\"The Foundation will be very pleased to continue to support
\nthe initiative in any way we can in whatever modest way required
\nto help. It's clear to me that the initiative is from the
\ndeveloping countries and the momentum is unstoppable.\"<\/p>\n
`Exiting'<\/p>\n
Margaret Cotley of the Population Council, a science and
\nresearch organization, said the creation of the partnership marks
\nan \"exiting\" development to accelerate the application of science
\nand research in the field of population.<\/p>\n
She gave an example of Indonesia's success on applying implant
\ncontraception which had been developed by her organization. Such
\na success story could be disseminated to other developing
\ncountries which have just started to use the contraception.<\/p>\n
From the scientific side, she said Indonesia's experience in
\nimplementing the contraception has given her organization a lot
\nof meaningful information about the contraception, such as its
\nside effects, its contra-indication, how it would be received by
\nmany different societies and many other scientific aspects.<\/p>\n
Mark Cheetaway, who is responsible for Cairo Media Program for
\nthe Partners, said he will conduct a series of media activities,
\ndesigned to make sure that the partnership becomes one of the
\nmajor news stories of the upcoming population conference in
\nCairo.<\/p>\n
\"We conduct this because President Soeharto has agreed to give
\na very high profile from the beginning of the conference, and we
\ncan use that to encourage the newspapers and televisions all over
\nthe world to cover it,\" he said. (11)<\/p>",
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