International human resource development center proposed

JAKARTA (JP): Delegates at an international seminar on human resource development have proposed that a center for international cooperation be established to better handle complex human resource problems in the coming century.

State Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie told reporters yesterday that human resource experts from 38 countries agreed, at a conference here last week, that development problems will become more complicated, and that it is imperative to find an integrated approach to solve them.

"A center for international cooperation and human resource development should be established as soon as possible, perhaps before the turn of the century," he said.

The conference was hosted by the Center for Information and Development Studies (CIDES), a think-tank of the influential Indonesian Association of Moslem Intellectuals, both chaired by Habibie.

Several prominent people, including Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, addressed the gathering on three main subjects: social-political systems and development, socio-economic infrastructure development and poverty alleviation.

Discussions during the conference itself were marked by conflicting opinions about regional and international cooperation, as well as on development.

Dr. Dewi Fortuna Anwar of CIDES said the planned body would primarily establish and disseminate data and information on human resource development efforts, and prepare programs beneficial for clients, such as developing countries.

The center would be basically attached to Non-Aligned Movement member countries, which Indonesia currently chairs, and manned by non-governmental organizations supported by government bodies.

In their report, the experts, including former Japanese ambassador to Indonesia Sumio Edamura, said rapid growth is inherently destabilizing and results in social and economic imbalances in the various regions and in the diverse groups in society.

To ease such conditions, the government's now dominant role must be reduced in order to create space for the greater public participation.

Human-centered

The reduction of the government's role is "in line with the prevailing notion that development should be human-centered and primarily aimed at achieving human security," the report said.

To increase popular participation "we need to promote more decentralization in development policy and activities," the experts said.

Actions which should be taken in the long term include the creation of "a new international order which recognizes and respects for and acceptance of the plurality of social and political systems, and promotes international justice and world peace," it said.

The experts recommended that the world "reduce global military spending, and shift it to more productive investment" and that it "strengthen South-South cooperation and increase North-South dialog."

The experts proposed that the participating agencies and organizations conduct studies on poverty and share experiences on policy issues and their implementation.

The experts identified several priority areas that should be considered as the main concerns related to poverty alleviation efforts.

They included low quality and disparities in income at various levels, cultural background and value systems, scarcity of natural resources, poor people's low access to financial resources, and the absence of democratic and participatory processes in decision making. (swe)