The Japan and South Asia Youth Forum 2002
"What Japan and South Asia can do Aiming at Peace and Stability in the World"
Group B
South Asia's Economic Development and World Economy:
Japan's Role
The delegates of the Forum endorsed the proposals that were presented by the subgroup dealing with this topic which was as follows:
Introduction
Japan and South Asian countries have been collaborating for the last many years. The history shows that Japan has been very kind in helping the countries in the region in many areas through ODA and other schemes. For instance, Japan's aid to countries of the region in year 2000 in billion yens was approximately for Bangladesh-547, India-1661, Nepal-63, Pakistan- 645 and Sri Lanka-515 . Still the region remains one of the most disadvantaged in the world. Lack of technical know-how, uncontrolled population growth and inefficient mobilization of available resources are pushing some of the countries in the region towards increased poverty.
Looking at the future, many thrust areas have been identified by the group of young people from South Asia and Japan. These problems and challenges have been very diverse, so the group has identified and brainstormed on five broad areas, which are discussed as following. Attempt has been made to cluster these problems and how Japan can help South Asian countries to overcome these issues. There are many sub issues that have been raised and discussed for possible long-term and short-term feasible solutions from Japan.
The Five Thrust Areas identified:
- Population
- Economy
- Environment
- Official Development Assistance
- Cross-cutting Issues
- Conclusion
The most important points have been identified as population, education and poverty, economic development, sustainable environmental development and so on. It is noteworthy that there are many pockets of excellence in South Asian region. Complementary issues like the software power of the region and hardware power of Japan, tourism potential of the region, skill development in small industries, handicrafts, development specially in areas of leather, garments, sports goods, gems and jewelry can be
explored and further developed with the help of Japan.
Detailed issues discussed and possible collaborations between Japan and South Asian countries:
- Population
In start of the discussion, population and areas like education were given primary importance, where NGO from the region and Japan can collaborate. Areas such as rural paramedical services should be developed and exchange programs at all levels and all areas can be undertaken. Self-development of local governments, community development and remote area development can be clustered into the first broad heading as discussed by the group.
- Poverty
- Education, Exchange program, free and compulsory middle and lower class education
- Medicare and health care services; women and child health, infant mortality and AIDS
- Local training, local government (Japan as the role of model)
- Identification and Development of Pockets of Excellence in South Asia
- Minimizing the gap between rural and urban areas
- Consultancy, mutual consultancy
- Remote area development
- Reducing the child labor
- Role of NGOs
- To ensure the human dignity on equitable basis
- Economic Sustainable Development
Second came the economic sustainable development as a very important issue. The feasible areas should be the ones where Japan is a leader and meanwhile the region's software power can complement with Japan's hardware and semiconductor power. As discussed by the group, development of small-scale industries together with handicrafts can be carried out, meanwhile the training of human resources in rural areas should be given primary importance and investment should be made to develop the basic infrastructures, which will ultimately help other industries in the region to grow.
- Japan is a leader in technology specially in hardware, semi conductor, small and medium size enterprises
- Transfer of technology and adaptation, appropriate technology helpful in high productivity and low cost
- Labor-intensive technology
- Human resource development; Basic human infrastructure;
- Training on priority basis in rural, handicapped people, community based development
- Export-led growth in select areas
- Basic physical infrastructure development like dams, transportation, telecommunication, housing, bridge and power
- Agriculture; weather forecasting, fishing techniques
- Tourism
- Helping in mobilizing finances
- Reducing debt
- Flow of money
- Barter
- Environmental Issues
At the third level, Sustainable Environmental development, a big global and regional issue, came under discussion. As we all know that Japan used to be one of the most polluted countries but now it is categorized as the most neat and clean country, so keeping in view the practical example of Japan, such strategies including waste treatment should be designed for the developing countries of South Asia. The practical areas of collaboration were identified as, awareness campaigns, developing natural resources, water management, sanitation and developing non-conventional energy resources. Certain measures have been suggested for disasters, like earthquakes and floods. Techniques of agriculture for more yield and saline water recycling have also been identified.
- Awareness and education for environmental protection
- Sustainable development of environment; use of oil/gas/woods, renewable sources energy like solar energy, wind power, bio mass, wave energy, etc.
- Environment impact assessment
- Pollution;
- Air, purification plant
- Plastic materials
- Hazardous materials,
- Medical and Industrial waste management
- Soil conservation
- Water management; desalination
- Precision agriculture tools and techniques for high yield of agriculture products, storage facilities, pest control, environment-friendly, low-cost, technology, fishing
- Housing; low cost housing using local available materials
- Disaster management - prediction, compensation, eradication of diseases, earthquake resistant houses
- Waste management - Sanitation; technical know-how, efficient treatment plants
- Global warming draught, flood, Chlorofluorocarbon and ozone layer
- Restoring natural flora and fauna, tree plantation, joint animal resorts
- Regional, economic and environmental Bloc formation of south Asian region
- Development Aid and Official Development Assistance
At the fourth level, we focused on Official Development Assistance, which has contributed a lot towards the development of the developing economies still more is to be done. Policy-making and project approval should be done with mutual understanding and consultation from the donor and recipient countries.
- Making preferences for investing in areas with joint consultation
- Special purpose vehicle (SPV) for projects
- Mutual consultation in executing activities/ projects
- Proper monitoring for sustainable development, even after completion of projects
- Securing and guaranteeing the completion of projects and their objectives
- Natural disaster/ emergency compensation
- Packaging of Infrastructure
- Capital in the form of assets, machines, hardware, tools, not only cash which can be misused
- Project management for better implementation of projects
- Emphasis on basic human needs
- Help in self-reliance of individual countries
- Help in micro investment for long term development of the region/ local community
- Community/ citizen participation, engagement of all stakeholders - donors, recipients, affected people
- Joint feasibility study
- To promote Local development, ODA for long-term benefit and self-sufficiency
- Employment generation
- NGO movement
- Automobile, oil exploration
- Cluster development by identification of promising areas
- Cross-cutting Issues
In the end, there are many multi-field issues, which we cannot categorize, like capacity building in leadership, fight against corruption, transparencies in governance, elimination of domestic unrest and insecurity etc. These may be important toward success of development of South Asian countries. Development could be achieved only when such foundation is solid.
- Governance
- Leadership
- Transparency
- Accountability by sending parliamentary committee members and other observation groups to south Asian countries
- Anti-dumping
- Reducing military expenditure
- Southeastern countries' unity to strengthen their economic power and global society
- Conclusion
The delegates thus resolved that:
First of all, sustainable development should be implemented by donors and South Asian central and local governments. Without these developments, the gap between the rich and the poor is going to widen. To cut this vicious circle, development assistance should be focused on Basic Human Needs, poverty alleviation and social development, particularly in primary education including literacy education to compensate their lack of information. Socio-economic development brings sustainable development, promoting safety net for the poor. Additionally gender equality and environmental concern should be promoted in every field.
Japan, as the largest bilateral donor country for South Asian development, can play a vital role to revitalize the economy in the South Asian region and can help to restore peace in the region through enhancing the economic activities. Japan should provide skill and technical know-how as well and train the South Asian countries to mobilize their natural and human resources for the development.
Finally, South Asian Nations should be united to intensify their economic power in the global society. Therefore regional block building would be suggested for dealing with environmental issues, for constructing political stability and for economic assistance each other to develop South Asian countries drastically. It was resolved that Japan should assist in implementation of all the above measures keeping in mind global and regional solidarity.
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