The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foundation’s mandate is to promote mutual assistance, equitable economic development, and the alleviation of poverty, with the aim of helping to bring about shared prosperity and a sustainable future to all ASEAN countries.
On 12 December 2012, Dr Makarim Wibisono, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, warmly received Mr Siva Thampi, Asian Regional Financial Expert of the Global Mechanism (GM), at the ASEAN Foundation in Jakarta, Indonesia, for an initial meeting to explore the Foundation’s and the Mechanism’s respective mandates and operations, and to lay the foundations for cooperation.
Dr Wibisono briefed Mr Thampi on the ASEAN Foundation, highlighting those activities related to environment, agriculture and rural development. Mr Thampi then outlined the work of the GM as a provider of specialized advice to developing countries on accessing finance for sustainable land management (SLM).
The organizations agreed to explore capacity-building activities for the newer members of ASEAN - Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam, in this context. Moreover, in view of Foundation’s increasing participation in co-financing, the possibility of jointly organizing workshops and seminars in this area of GM expertise, was discussed. This would include the elaboration of and a common approach to prospective donors to present concrete proposals on mitigating land degradation in Southeast Asia.
The development of a cooperation ‘package’ covering short, medium and long-term activities was proposed as the first step in the process. Now, the outcomes of this extremely fruitful meeting will be discussed at operational level with GM colleagues at headquarters in Rome and with the UNCCD Regional Coordination Unit in Bangkok.
For more information:
Mr Siva Thampi
Asian Regional Financial Expert
s.thampi (at) global-mechanism.org
