Scope of Works
Collective Self-Reliance
Collective Self-Reliance is the descriptive term for a development strategy which has lately often been suggested as a means of overcoming underdevelopment (Lemper, 1977). Regional cooperation is conducted in order to set up collective self-reliance among Non-Aligned Movement member countries. It includes a clearer definition of the nature of regional operations and clarifications regarding financing requests which should facilitate practical application.
There are three areas of cooperation in terms of collective self-reliance, namely:
- Financial and technical cooperation, socio-cultural and regional cooperation, LLDLICs, transport and communications;
- Trade, special measures for certain products, rules of origin and agricultural commodities; and
- Agricultural cooperation, industrial development, mining and energy, fisheries, tourism and investment.
Collective Self-Reliance becomes desirable option for developing countries because through collective approach, countries with similar scale of development processes, priorities, needs and concerns will be able to deal with global economic issues. The commonalities could bring developing countries together for cooperation and common approach to development issues. Collective approach also aligns with the idea of reducing dependence on colonial masters, an idea which came to surface after the end of World War II.
ICT & Digital Divide
Information & Communication Technology
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) is is a sub-theme under NAM CSSTC’s recurrent themes in economic field. It is the key to accelerate development and self-reliance among NAM member countries. However, the implementation of ICT on a global scale has caused widening digital divide, not only between developing and developed countries but also among NAM member countries.
Establishing the NAM CSSTC Networking System with NAM Member Countries
Ensuring universal access to lCT facilities is critical to overcome this growing disparity. But this can be difficult in developing countries-including in many NAM member countries-where mere basic infrastructure such as electricity and telephone lines, especially in rural areas, are not available.
With this in mind, NAM CSSTC held an expert group meeting in March 2001 in Jakarta to discuss establishment of a NAM CSSTC networking system. Representatives from five regions-East Asia and the Pacific, Africa, South and Central Asia, Latin America and West Asia-reported on their networking status and plan. The countries in these regions have varying levels of connectivity and e-readiness with, in general, a much lower penetration ratio than developed countries.
The meeting therefore recommended that the goal for the establishment of the NAM networking system should be encouraging and furthermore, producing regional policies to develop ICT capacity and capability of NAM member countries in order to narrow the digital divide.
What benefits would NAM member countries gain from joining the network? First, they would have the opportunity to learn from the experiences of other NAM member countries with regard to, for example, ICT policy, infrastructure, regulatory framework and so on. They would also have access to training programme and information on conventional and innovative initiatives for cost-effective networking; access to funding resources and skill databases; and channel for finding partners to collaborate on various projects. A major benefit would be the collective voice which could increase bargaining power in international forums.
With the rapid expansion of ICT capacity and e-commerce in an increasingly liberal world market, the need to establish a networking system is very urgent. The meeting therefore concluded that immediate action should be taken to establish regional e-linkages in West, South and Central Asia, as well as Latin America, all are linked to the NAM Networking System. For East Asia and the Pacific, the target is to develop the interconnectivity and interoperability frameworks to establish such a system. In the Africa region, meanwhile, the priority is to develop capacity and capability to establish regional networking. The meeting recommended that e-NAM Task Force be formed, with associated working groups, working on organisational and technological infrastructure issues in order to realize the NAM Networking System.
Setting Up e-linkages Among NAM Member Countries Through NAM CSSTC
Establishing regional electronic linkages among NAM member countries and strengthening their ICT capacities have been a major thrust of NAM CSSTC’s activities in 2001. The expert group meeting in March recommended several immediate actions to set up the NAM Networking System. As a follow-up to this, a meeting was held in August to discuss the technical feasibility of establishing regional linkages, one of important products of the meeting was a series of manuals on e-readiness: “Self-assessment for E-readiness” (one volume), “Improving E-readiness” (three volumes, for basic, developing and advanced levels) and a supporting reference, “Computer History and Development“.
With the self-assessment manual, the forthcoming e-readiness survey will yield accurate figures on e-readiness at national level. This would also be an important first step towards establishing regional e-linkages.
Participants discussed various means for promoting the participation of NAM member countries in the NAM CSSTC Networking System; this included the enhancement of NAM CSSTC’s website, for example, by hyperlinking it to individual member country websites, and improving Internet security issues.
Experts from the different countries raised various issues on this topic, among others the need to recognize the importance of regional groupings in the network, the need for databases, and the need to make member country governments aware of the importance of ICT diffusion and connectivity.
Eliciting government support is crucial since NAM CSSTC itself is not in a position to fund infrastructural upgrading in the respective countries-this has to be the responsibility of the countries themselves. However, e-leadership seminars and trainings could be arranged at regional or national level by NAM CSSTC in cooperation with the respective countries. The feasibility of finding low priced computers for electronic tele-centres in the rural areas is being examined.
Poverty Eradication Programme
Many developing countries have yet to achieve tangible and lasting improvements in the standard of living. It is, considerable scope for sharing and reviewing people-driven development schemes to address the needs of economically disadvantaged and socially deprived populations in these countries.
Tackling the problem of poverty effectively needs empowerment of the poor. Economically and socially deprived communities need to be organized into associations, cooperatives and guilds to strengthen their bargaining power at local, regional and national levels. This can only happen, however, if the broader political and economic framework is conducive to generation and improvement of opportunities for these self-help groups to grow. The identification, analysis and restructuration of existing framework conditions are, therefore, crucial to poverty reduction.
With this in mind, NAM CSSTC convened a meeting of experts from 26 countries, grouped into seven different sub-regions, to articulate their national situations and to identify the major issues in eradicating poverty and promoting rapid and equitable development. The meeting was held in Jakarta in April 2001.
Economic instability, conflict, food security and demographic pattern, including the increasing urbanization of the poor, were identified. Human resource development and health issue were also seen as critical. The importance of tackling social exclusion and ensuring real community participation in designing poverty alleviation programmes was highlighted. And significantly, political will and good governance were identified by almost all groups as prerequisites for effective poverty reduction.
The conclusions of this meeting will be used to formulate future NAM CSSTC projects dealing with problems contributing to the poverty in their respective countries.
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Small & Medium Enterprises
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are globally recognized as potential engine of growth. As important providers of employment opportunities, they have the capacity to make an enormous contribution to poverty eradication and equitable development effort. But SMEs need to utilise information to expand in today’s knowledge-based business environment.
For SMEs, e-commerce is becoming an important avenue for market expansion and competitive advantage. Many SMEs from the North are already reaping their own benefits; if their counterparts in the Southfolloware not following through, they will be rapidly marginalized. Therefore, NAM’s SME programme is intended for SMEs in South-South region to participate fully in a competitive and globalised market, as modality to enhance the uptake and utilization of e-commerce
In light of this, NAM CSSTC established the benchmarks of issues and current practices needed to develop such modalities. In October 2001, more than 100 participants from 19 NAM member countries gathered in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, to discuss issues and strategies for implementing e-commerce programmes; e-commerce awareness; SMEs’ access to infrastructure; strategic alliances and common legal frameworks for e-commerce.
The workshop concluded that the e-readiness of SMEs varies considerably among the NAM member countries. SMEs in countries that have low per capita income are constrained by limited skills and knowledge-managements, both administrative and technical-and limited market opportunities, lacks of accesses to credit and low awareness of tpotential of e-commerce. In many cases, they also face huge infrastructural obstacles, such as lack of electricity or telephone connection in rural areas. Measures to assist SMEs in these countries were discussed.
SMEs in NAM member countries with higher per capita income are in a much better position benefit from e-commerce. Their principal constraint is the incompatibility of national e-commerce laws among the NAM members. One solution suggested was to use the e-commerce section of the United Nations Commission for International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) to harmonize the relevant laws of the NAM member countries.
The workshop identified specific actions that could be taken by NAM governments and private sectors to enhance e-readiness. NAM CSSTC itself has resolved to
- identify expertise on international trade laws in NAM member countries;
- investigate the feasibility of harmonizing national e-commerce laws in NAM member countries; and hold a meeting of experts to recommend policies and programmes to support the development of NAM’s SMEs within NAM member countries.
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Micro Finance
Comprehensive support from finance institution is necessary to empower society, particularly mid- and low-waged households and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Non-bank financial institutions, both established by government and community, have been flourished in the society through service on entrepreneurship development and community empowerment. Such institution is known to be Micro Finance Institution (MFI). MFI is established in order to support entrepreneurship by providing loan to small-scaled business, saving management, and entrepreneurship consultation.
Micro Finance is one of development programme in economic field. The programme includes sharing of experience and knowledge regarding successful development experiences in NAM member countries through Workshop and Training with supports from international donor countries. Technical cooperation on Micro Finance also aims at increasing partnership among developing countries, in order to support development in various fields.
Since 2007, NAM CSSTC has organised micro-finance-related programmes, among others, Training on Microfinance which involved participants from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Viet Nam, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste, and Third Country Training Programme on Microfinance for African Region: Managing Micro Finance Institution which involved participants from Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia and Uganda. NAM CSSTC also provides Indonesian and Japanese National experts in Micro Finance.
Renewable Energy
Utilization of renewable energy as main ingredient of electrical source has several advantages as follows (Jarass, 1980):
It is relatively accessible;
It has low operational cost;
It produces small amount of wastes;
Its production process does not cause global warming; and
It is not affected by oil price instability.
Despite its advantages, world renewable energy is still dominated by developed countries, both public and private sectors. Some developing countries, particularly South Africa, are starting to produce various types of renewable energies that have potential to increase participation level in trade on renewable energy. However, most renewable energies produced by developing countries are not directly supplied by the respective countries, but rather through companies in developed countries. Other factors such as subsidy, financing capacity, investment and patent help accelerating trade expansion of renewable energy from developed countries.
To date, there is contestation between developed and developing countries in lifting up subsidy and tariff. According to developed countries, subsidy is very important to support eco-friendly production in order to realize green economy. Meanwhile, according to developing countries, subsidy of developed countries may cause over-production and uncompetitive commodity from developing countries.
In order to put the condition back on an even kneel, developed countries are encouraged to reduce the subsidy, while developing countries are encouraged to reduce the tariff. Technology transfer and capacity building from developed countries to developing countries are also important to stimulate domestic demand. Intellectual property rights and patent rights should not become barriers to transfer technology and capacity to developing countries, because in the framework of ecological enhancement, there is no single country controlling particular technology.
Since 2007, NAM CSSTC has organised trainings on renewable energy involving participants from Asian region. The themes are ranging from micro hydro to biogas.
Democracy & Electoral Justice
Immanuel Kant stated that in a democratic country, the government is controlled by society, therefore it required agreement from society for a government to declare war. Declaring war became difficult. In addition to moral commitment in preventing war, there was also spirit of commerce among democratic countries, frequently referred to as “Pacific Union.” This condition was getting stronger when there was economic interdependence among countries. With reference to Kant’s positivism, democracy could bring tendency of peace.
However, the positivistic view encountered situation when function of democracy as peace bringer could not be fulfilled due to emergence of unipolarism. Unipolarism was found to bring disadvantages to developing countries. The world witnessed an increase in global military spending, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the destabilising of the Middle East. There was the global recession, persistent underdevelopment in Africa and elsewhere, and several major democratic crises (Caragea, 2009).
It did not take long for unipolarism to be gradually replaced by multipolarism, with the emergence of China and India. Mutlipolarism takes form of distribution of global force. In the meantime, the NAM helps shifting the world to a more equitable distribution of political power and economic wealth in a new multilateral era. Poverty eradication programme in the framework of South-South cooperation is successfully pioneered by Asia-African countries. Basically, Asia-Africa solidarity is directed to thrive economic enhancement through technical cooperation, education and training for capacity building and human resource quality improvement.
Since 2009, the NAM CSSTC has successfully organised democracy-related programmes, ranging from South-South Regional Symposium on Constitutional Design for Diversity and Conflict in 2009, Training Course on Constitution Building for Democracy in 2012, and International Workshop on Democracy and Innovation in Good Governance in 2015. Our committed partner institutions in the programmes were International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, National Institute of Public Administration of Indonesia, Corruption Eradication Commission of Indonesia and USAID. The NAM CSSTC provides 11 experts on this issue with diverse nationalities.
Health
Most casualties in developing countries are caused by contagious disease, including zoonosis. Zoonosis caused severe loss in terms of socio-economy, security and human life.
The world has recorded many kinds of pandemics, among others, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H1N1 caused by type-A influenza virus, Polio, Mers-COV and recently, Zika virus. Several diseases quickly spread due to lack of capability to prevent, detect and respond. It is important for all countries around the world to strengthen capability to prevent, detect and respond to global health threats, both biological or chemical threats.
In the concept of One Health, there is relevance between health and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The definition of One Health is a collaborative effort of various sectors, mainly human health, animal and environment, whether it is at local, national and global levels to achieve optimal health. This approach is considered to be effective because zoonosis and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) controls require multi-sectoral collaboration, and it is not limited to health and agriculture, but also forestry, environment and education.
Integrated supervision to human and animal to handle Avian Influenza, Rabies and Anthrax pandemic, integrated epidemiological investigation against human and animal, integrated training for health and agricultural human resources are examples of what could be done by each country to control zoonosis.
In line with SDGs, capacity building to overcome global society health threat requires firm national health system. Several developing countries have health programmes, among others, expert dispatches to disadvantaged regions and border areas.
The NAM CSSTC always stands ready to support capacity building on global health, proven by our active roles in organising Inter-Governmental Meeting of Experts to Formulate Psychosocial Programme for Rehabilitation of Tsunami Survivors in 2005, Executive Training Course on Global Health Diplomacy for ASEAN Countries in 2010-2013 and NAM Workshop on ASEAN Public Health and Access to Medical Technologies in 2014.
Women Empowerment
Women empowerment is pursued to support and accelerate life quality and equal partnership between men and women, implemented through Training and Workshop in various fields and sectors.
The purpose of women empowerment is to increase status, function and role of women in realizing gender equality. It also aims at increasing prosperity, protecting women from all kinds of violence, discrimination and exploitation as well as enhancing capacity of gender mainstreaming towards gender equality and justice.
NAM’s attention to women importance is proven by a Summit of First Ladies which was held during 15th Summit of the NAM in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on 11–16 July 2009. The Summit stressed the role of women to fight crises, the need to stop violence against women and increase their involvement in public life and decision-making, and the importance of giving women a better access to education.
On 18–22 September 2006, NAM CSSTC implemented Regional Training Workshop on Enhancing Women’s Role in Small and Medium Enterprise Development. We also implemented Workshop on Development of Women Centre on 20 – 23 August 2007, in partnership with Department of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and Indonesian Ministry for Women Empowerment. NAM CSSTC’s programmes on women empowerment frequently involved Southeast Asian countries as participating countries.