The Meeting of the Sub-Committee on Alleviating Poverty in Asia
Jakarta, June 12 2008
The Sub-Committee on Alleviating Poverty in Asia held its 1st meeting from 12 to 13 June 2008 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Delegations composed of APA delegates and anti-poverty experts from the following 10 Member Parliaments participated in the meeting of the Sub-Committee: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Lao PDR, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Turkey.
The Sub-Committee exchanged views on many elements and ideas in the Report of the Secretary-General with a view to pursuing the objectives of the Plan of Action on Alleviating Poverty in Asia. The following is a summary of the viewpoints presented by the Sub-Committee members:
1) There is a need to strengthen the oversight function and to support budget for poverty alleviation programs in countries of APA Member Parliaments.
2) Poverty alleviation programs should be community driven supported by the favorable fiscal approach which gives priority to public services.
3) As poverty is trans-national by nature, international cooperation is required.
- Combating corruption, as one of the major causes of poverty, and good governance should be encouraged through measures such as control of the use of assistance funds by the NGOs.
- Coordination of natural disaster management is needed through creating a joint emergency reaction force.
- Poverty alleviation programs should involve civil societies and international organizations, and should be goal oriented and conducted WITH the poor, rather than FOR the poor to give back self-esteem and dignity to the poor.
The Sub-Committee recommended a resolution on “Alleviating Poverty in Asia” to the first APA Executive Council meeting of 2008 in which it was requested, inter alia, to expedite and report the possible establishment of a Poverty Alleviation Fund in Asia.
The Sub-Committee decided to hold its second meeting in 2009, which will be held in a volunteer country or in the country of the APA President.
