Asia Africa Forum needs tripartite funding

Asia Africa Forum needs tripartite funding

By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat

BANDUNG (JP): The executive assistant of the Non-Aligned
Movement Nana Sutresna yesterday underlined the importance of a
tripartite financing mechanism involving the developed nations in
implementing South-South cooperation programs.

During the second day of the Asia Africa Forum meetings, Nana
told The Jakarta Post that despite the initiative taken by Asian
and African countries, the partnership and funding of developed
countries remains an important element.

"The tripartite financing mechanism between South-South
countries and the North is something that can and should be
realized," he said.

He further pointed to the participation of developed countries
like France, the United States and the Netherlands -- who are
observers at the forum -- as an example of their concern and
participate in this process.

The Asia Africa Forum was opened by President Soeharto at the
State Palace on Monday. Some 100 high ranking officials from 43
African and 10 Asian countries are participating in the meetings
being held at the historic Merdeka Building.

Nana explained that one of the examples where the tripartite
financing would be needed is in helping to support the sending of
African farmers to Indonesia to learn from our agricultural
experience.

He said that Indonesia would gladly sponsor the program here
but traveling expenditures should be attained from other sources.

Agriculture and rice production was a central topic in
yesterday's discussion with presentations from both Indonesia and
other international organizations.

G. L. Denning, from the Manila-based International Rice
Research Institute, said a technology transfer approach has not
fully succeeded in achieving food security in Africa.

"A South-South approach offers promise as a vehicle for
sharing knowledge and experience in a cost-effective and
sustainable way," he contended.

Nana also revealed that the failure of undertaking
concentrated policies to remedy this problem was also lacking in
many African states.

"It has been argued that despite the importance of the
agricultural sector, some African countries have not reflected
this fact in their state policies," he stated.

In the context of the agricultural South-South cooperation as
mentioned by Denning, Nana cited the apprenticeship program by
African farmers in Indonesia as a positive and concrete example.

"This program has shown that differences in language and
culture is not an obstacle," he said.

Speaking to the Post, Kenya's assistant minister for planning
and development, A.M. Noor, expressed confidence that much of the
Asia experience in development discussed in the Forum could be
applied to Africa.

"I would say 50 to 60 percent are applicable today," he said
while urging for further cooperation among Asia and Africa.

When asked to surmise on the reasons why African nations fell
behind Asia development, Noor pointed to Europe's lack of support
in technological transfer as one reason.

He said that Asia's trading environment allowed for a climate
where there would be a healthy transfer of technology, unlike
Africa who's main trading partner was Europe.

"Our trading partners in Europe did not play a big role as
Japan did to uplift the standard of technological expansion to
neighboring countries," he said.