An Australia Network broadcast program about Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s visit to Australia this week features interview commentary by The Asia Foundation’s Country Representative in Indonesia Robin Bush. To watch the video, scroll down to: “Second state visit.”
During an interview on NPR’s “All Things Considered” with Michele Norris about Afghan poppy fields, Seth Jones of the Rand Corporation cites The Asia Foundation’s 2009 Afghan poll findings about the drug trade and the government. Listen to the interview or read the full transcript: “Plan For Afghan Poppy Fields Examined.”
In an article on Forbes.com highlighting Asia’s heroes of philanthropy, The Asia Foundation’s Vice President of Partners in Asian Development Allen Choate and Give2Asia’s Dien Yuen are quoted on the increase in requests from donors for more transparency and follow-up information from organizations to which they give. Read the full article: “Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy.”
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s promotion of green growth as a “new national development paradigm” reflects the country’s assertive energy diplomacy and top-down national strategy. South Korea’s public commitment to low carbon, sustainable growth may be one of its greatest assets in attracting a new wave of partnerships and investments from governments and businesses, especially from the U.S., according to a new report by Jill O’Donnell released today by The Asia Foundation’s Center for U.S.-Korea Policy.
The report The U.S.-ROK Alliance: A Catalyst for Green Growth? explores the potential for U.S.-ROK cooperation on climate change mitigation and renewable energy. “South Korea’s Presidential Committee for Green Growth is committed to implementing a plan that applies climate-friendly policies to every dimension of South Korean life,” said Scott Snyder, Director of the Center for U.S.-Korea Policy. “It also enables the potential for U.S.-ROK technology tie-ups and private sector cooperation designed to make the green growth vision a reality.”
Among the report’s recommendations on potential areas for further U.S.-ROK collaboration:
O’Donnell offers three points to consider for U.S.-ROK cooperation:
Jill O’Donnell, the report author and former Junior Associate of The Asia Foundation, holds an M.A. in International Relations and Economics from the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, with a special interest in energy policy.
Download the full report, The U.S.-ROK Alliance: A Catalyst for Green Growth?
Learn more about The Asia Foundation’s Center for U.S.-Korea Policy.
The Asia Foundation’s Center for U.S.-Korea Policy has released its March newsletter, featuring: “The U.S. and South Korea: Challenges and Remedies for Wartime Operational Control” by Bruce E. Bechtol, Professor of International Relations, Marine Corps Command and Staff College. Read his essay and find out about the Center’s latest activities in the March issue.
Friday, March 26, 2010
10:45am – 12:45pm
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
Grand Ballroom Salon B
As part of the Association of Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Meeting 2010 (March 25-28) featuring scholarly papers, roundtable discussions, and panel sessions on Asian affairs, The Korea Society will lead a roundtable on North Korea and regional security, chaired by Evans Revere, President of The Korea Society. Scott Snyder, Center for U.S.-Korea Policy; Jack Pritchard, Korea Economic Institute, and L. Gordon Flake, the Maureen & Mike Mansfield Foundation, will serve as discussants. Event details are available here.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
9:30am – 2:00pm (Registration begins 9:00am)
Willard Intercontinental
1401 Pennsylvania Ave
Willard Room (Lobby Level)
The Center for U.S.-Korea Policy and the Maureen & Mike Mansfield Foundation will co-host a public symposium on issues surrounding the planned transfer of operational control (OPCON) in 2012 and implications for the U.S.-South Korea alliance. Panel presenters will include Bruce Bechtol, U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College; Michael O’Hanlon, The Brookings Institution; and Kim Sung-han, Korea University (Other speakers TBD). Hon. Hwang Jin Ha, ROK National Assemblyman, will serve as a keynote speaker. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Asian & Pacific Security Affairs, Derek Mitchell, will provide a luncheon address, and Gen. John H. Tilelli Jr., former Commander-in-Chief, UN Command, Combined Forces Command, U.S. Forces Korea, will provide introductory remarks. This conference is co-sponsored by Samsung, Poongsan Corporation, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), and JoongAng Ilbo. To RSVP please contact jcho@asiafound-dc.org with name and affiliation.
In an article in The New Nation on the occasion of International Women’s Day about the increase in women’s access to education and health care in Bangladesh, The Asia Foundation is mentioned for supporting the Female Secondary School Stipend Programme there. Read the full article: “Honouring the women on Women’s Day.”
In a Bernama (Malaysia) article about the ongoing peace talks between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), The Asia Foundation’s Country Representative in the Philippines Steven Rood is quoted. Read the full article: “Good Sign For Mindanao Peace.”
The Asia Foundation, the premier non-profit organization devoted to Asia’s development since 1954, announced at its recent board meetings the election of two members to its Board of Trustees. David R. Andrews and Franklin Tugwell bring valuable insight and first-hand knowledge of important issues facing the Asia region, as The Asia Foundation continues its work in over 20 Asian countries to support Asia’s development and foster enhanced relations among the people and governments of Asia and the United States.
David R. Andrews returns to The Asia Foundation’s Board of Trustees; his previous tenure was from 2001 – 2009. Currently, Mr. Andrews is the co-chairman and co-founder of MetaJure, Inc., a technology company. Mr. Andrews serves on the board of directors of Union Bank, where he is the Lead Director and the boards of PG&E Corporation and the Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Additionally, he serves on the board of trustees of the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights and is a member of the Advisory Board of the American Bar Association Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative. With a legal career spanning almost four decades, he retired from PepsiCo Inc. in February 2005 where he served as the Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary. Additionally, he served as the Special Assistant for Policy and Legal Counsel to the Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from 1977-1980 and from 1980-1981 as the Principal Deputy General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 1997 he was nominated by President Clinton to be the Legal Adviser (general counsel) to the U.S. Department of State and served until 2000 when he was appointed Ambassador and Special Negotiator for Iran/U.S. Claims serving until January 2001.
Franklin Tugwell has served as the President and CEO of Winrock International since 1999. Previously, Dr. Tugwell was the Executive Director of the Heinz Endowments of Pittsburgh, the Founder and President of the Environment Enterprises Assistance Fund, and the Senior Consultant for International Projects and Programs at PG&E Enterprises. He served as a Deputy Assistant Administrator at USAID (1980-1981) and as a Senior Analyst for the energy program at the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment (1979-1980). Dr. Tugwell was also a professor at Pomona College and an adjunct distinguished professor at the Heinz School of Carnegie Mellon University. Additionally, he serves on the Advisory Board and International Committee of the American Council on Renewable Energy and on the Joint Board of Councilors of the China-U.S. Center for Sustainable Development. He also serves on the Board of Eucord (European Cooperative for International Development). Dr. Tugwell received a PhD in political science from Columbia University.
For information, please visit our Press Room.
In a Manila Times article about the arrival of the Malaysian International Monitoring Team (IMT) in the Philippines, The Asia Foundation is mentioned as being part of the civilian protection component of the IMT, whose goal is to create lasting peace in Mindanao. Read the full article: “More international peace monitors to arrive.”
The Asia Foundation and the Judicial System Monitoring Program announced today the launch of the Parliament Watch Program (PWP) in Timor-Leste. Through tools such as a new website, printed bulletins, and focus group discussions, the PWP will equip Timorese citizens with information and the ability to provide input to plenary and committee sessions and hearings. Additionally, the PWP will update the public through monthly reports on the status of laws, as well as the voting and attendance records of the members of the Parliament.
“The Parliament Watch Program’s reflects the fact that many Timorese want more transparency in the legislative process, which, at the end of the day, means expanding the number of access points to send and receive information,” explained Silas Everett, The Asia Foundation’s country representative in Timor-Leste.
The three-year program is supported by USAID and was launched with the guidance of members of the National Parliament. To gauge national perceptions of the justice system, The Asia Foundation recently conducted its second nationwide survey of the rule of law in Timor-Leste. View the full findings from Law and Justice in Timor-Leste: A Survey of Citizen Awareness and Attitudes Regarding Law and Justice 2008.
For more information please visit our Press Room.
Michael H. Armacost, The Asia Foundation’s Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, will speak Friday, February 26, at the World Affairs Council of Sonoma County’s annual dinner in Santa Rosa, CA. The event, entitled “The U.S. and Asia: Where Do We Stand and Where Are We Going?” will feature Armacost discussing the role of the United States in rapidly developing Asia.
Please see the World Affairs Council of Sonoma County’s events page for more information.
Today, The Asia Foundation hosted a forum for members of the justice sector from across Pakistan, primarily from the district level. Participants included police, lawyers, judges from the High and District Courts, academics, civil society representatives, and civil servants. The event was also attended by representatives of international donor agencies.
Against a backdrop of recent reform efforts initiated by the higher judiciary and the growing public demand for the rule of law, today’s forum provided a rare opportunity for a focused discussion among a diverse group of experts and practitioners. The discussants helped to identify priority areas for action and ways to increase the impact of justice sector reform efforts. The three panel discussions focused on: Access to Justice and District Courts; Police and Prosecution Reforms; and Justice Sector, Local Governance, and Civil Society. Dr. Faqir Hussain, Registrar, Supreme Court of Pakistan, gave introductory remarks on the National Judicial Policy.
At the event, The Asia Foundation’s Country Representative, Mr. Gareth Aicken, remarked, “The ordinary Pakistani man and woman value justice highly. In order to make the system work better at delivering justice, the fundamental causes of problems, not just the symptoms, need to be addressed.”
Read more about our programs in Pakistan.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
3:00-5:00pm
Pacific Heights Hotel, Cotabato City
The prospect of forging a final peace agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) within the current Arroyo administration is getting slimmer as the national May 2010 presidential elections draw nearer. The idea of an interim agreement has been floated to reflect the need to transition the talks safely from the current to the next administration. How durable is this peace process? What can be done to sustain this peace process?
In this critical period for the GRP-MILF Peace Talks, The Asia Foundation is organizing a public Forum entitled “Sustaining a Peace Process: Lessons from Peace Processes in Hard Times” on February 24, 2010, Wednesday, 3:00-5:00pm at the Pacific Heights Hotel in Cotabato City.
In partnership with the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies headed by Professor Abhoud S. Lingga, the Forum will feature the Deputy Country Representatives of The Asia Foundation in Nepal, Mr. Sagar Prasai, and in Afghanistan, Mr. Zoran Milovic.
The Asia Foundation’s Nepal and Afghanistan offices have been helping the young governments of both countries roll out post-conflict mechanisms and facilitate democratic institutions. Mr. Prasai and Mr. Milovic will share their experiences carrying out these programs.
Mr. Ky Johnson, the Deputy Country Representative for the Philippines will also join as a resource person in the Forum. Mr. Tom Parks, the Foundation’s Director for Conflict and Governance who is based in Bangkok, Thailand will also provide his regional perspective on peace processes.
The Forum is open to all. To attend, please RSVP to:
Windel Diangcalan, Asst. Program Officer
windel@asiafound.org
mobile: 0928.711.9404
Radio Australia interviews The Asia Foundation’s Country Representative in the Philippines Steven Rood on the latest setback in peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front with MILF’s rejection of a power sharing proposal put forward by the government. Listen to the interview or read the full transcript: “Philippines ceasefire holds despite setback in peace talks.”
In an ABS-CBN News article about findings from the Social Weather Stations (SWS) 2009 Surveys of Enterprises on Corruption on the decrease in business contributions for the upcoming Philippine elections, The Asia Foundation is mentioned for conducting the survey. Read the full article: “Businessmen less keen on supporting candidates.”
Since the law’s passage in 1991, some analysts have questioned whether the landmark Local Government Code that decentralized powers and devolved services from the national government has made significant impact at the local level. This week in Manila, The Asia Foundation, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), launched a three-month nationwide Rapid Field Appraisal to assess the effects of decentralization on poverty reduction, economic growth, rural development, and delivery of public services at the local and national level. The assessment will also review findings from previous decentralization studies conducted in the country.
“Findings of the appraisal will be considered in shaping new policies and programs, and in advocating for amendments to the Local Government Code,” said The Asia Foundation’s Director for Local Governance programs, Maria Belen Bonoan.
After the passage of the Local Government Code, USAID sponsored various rapid field appraisals to track decentralization in the early stages. The results of these appraisals became the basis of many policy recommendations. “USAID is proud to once again support a rapid appraisal, this time to assess the impact of and challenges in local governance,” noted Dr. Maria Rendon, USAID’s Senior Governance Advisor.
“Having been involved in the earlier series of Rapid Field Appraisals, I’m excited to see the changes and developments that this new one will reveal, ten years after,” said Dr. Steven Rood, The Asia Foundation’s Regional Adviser on Local Governance and Country Representative in the Philippines.
The rapid appraisal on decentralization is implemented under the Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) project. More than fifty representatives from local governments, national government agencies, non-government organizations, and donor agencies attended the launch and participated in a discussion about the scope and parameters of the appraisal.
During a Charlie Rose Show interview with Columbia University professor, Hassan Abbas, and Seth Jones of the Rand Corporation, Jones references The Asia Foundation’s 2009 Afghan poll findings. Read the transcript: “An Update and Discussion on Afghanistan and Pakistan: “Notes From the Cracked Ceiling.”
Pakistan’s News International features a Books for Asia donation of more than 500 natural, social, and biological science books to the Quaid-i-Azam University library. Read the full article: “Asia Foundation gives 500 books to QAU.”
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