The Asia Foundation

Dili

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.

Islamabad

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.”

Manila

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.”

San Francisco and Islamabad

The Asia Foundation recently welcomed Gareth Aicken as its new Country Representative in Pakistan. Mr. Aicken brings a deep knowledge of development issues in Pakistan and the region, with extensive on-the-ground experience in both Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Mr. Aicken comes to the Foundation from the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) where he most recently led the London-based Growth Research Team in designing and managing research programs. He has over seven years of experience working on development issues in Pakistan, beginning in 1990 when he joined DFID as the London-based head of DFID’s Pakistan program. He remained in this position for three years and traveled frequently to Pakistan in this capacity. From 2001 to 2005, he headed DFID’s country office in Pakistan during which time he oversaw significant staff growth and managed a budget that quadrupled in size.

From 1993 to 1998, Mr. Aicken worked in Malawi, first in the DFID regional office and then with the European Commission (EC) delegation where, as Civil Society Advisor to the EC and the Malawi Ministry of Justice, he worked on projects in governance, human rights, and women’s issues and managed the design of the EC’s first Rule of Law program. From 1998 to 2000, Mr. Aicken worked in DFID’s Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department, and briefly in its Caribbean regional office.

From 1979 to 1990, Mr. Aicken worked for the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation where he developed and managed training programs and placements for trainees from Africa and the Caribbean. Mr. Aicken has an MA in English from Cambridge University (Churchill College) as well as a postgraduate Certificate in Education from Cambridge. He also has an MA in Manpower Studies from the University of Westminster.

The Asia Foundation’s programs in Pakistan support electoral and governance reform, promote community security and alternative dispute resolution, and encourage women’s empowerment and human rights. The Foundation makes investments in the research and the dissemination of knowledge by hosting small seminars for development practitioners. Through its Books for Asia program, the Foundation donates more than 75,000 new books annually to more than 400 Pakistani universities, religious and secular schools, nongovernmental organizations, public libraries, government agencies, and medical institutes across all of the provinces. More than 40% of all books are directed to institutions in the remote Northwest Frontier Provinces and Balochistan. Read more about the Foundation’s programs in Pakistan.

For more information, please visit our Press Room.

San Francisco and Kabul

The Asia Foundation recently appointed Katherine S. Hunter as its Deputy Country Representative in Afghanistan. Since joining The Asia Foundation in 1988, she has served in numerous leadership positions in the U.S. and in Asia.

Most recently, Ms. Hunter was the Luce Scholars Coordinator for two years, where she managed the successful placement of 34 young American professionals in Asian host institutions in ten countries, including the first-ever placement in Laos. Prior to that, Ms. Hunter served as Country Representative in Timor-Leste, from 2003 to 2007. Under her direction, the Foundation significantly expanded its program portfolio with new initiatives in conflict management, legal reform, and legislative development. Ms. Hunter has also served as the Foundation’s Country Representative in Mongolia, as well as Deputy Country Representative in Bangladesh and Mongolia.

Ms. Hunter previously held other positions at the Foundation, as well: Program Officer for the Foundation’s Center for Asian Pacific Affairs; Program Officer for the South Asia Regional Desk, in San Francisco; Program Officer for Women’s Political Participation, in the Washington D.C office; and Senior Director for the Women’s Political Participation program in Indonesia.

With an M.A. in international relations from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at The Johns Hopkins University, Ms. Hunter also holds an M.A. in museum practice from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and a B.A. in history from Mount Holyoke College.

The Asia Foundation’s Kabul office was re-established in February 2002 to launch programs in areas vital to the political, social, economic, and intellectual development of post-Taliban Afghanistan. The Asia Foundation also conducts their informative annual “Survey of the Afghan People” — the largest, most-comprehensive public opinion poll ever conducted in Afghanistan. Read more about the Foundation’s programs in Afghanistan.

For more information, please visit our Press Room.

An article in Sri Lanka’s Daily News about a counseling training course for psychosocial volunteers working with Internally Displaced Persons in Vavuniyain mentions The Asia Foundation’s support for the course. Read the full article: “Diploma course for psychosocial volunteers.”

An op-ed in The Guardian about the effectiveness of engaging in talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan cites findings from The Asia Foundation’s 2009 Afghan poll. Read the full piece: “Empty diplomacy in Afghanistan.”

The Asia Foundation’s Center for U.S.-Korea Policy has released its February newsletter, featuring: “Stakes Rise for U.S.-ROK Nuclear Energy Talks” by Miles A. Pomper, Senior Research Associate, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Read his essay and find out about the Center’s latest activities in the February issue.

Foreign Affairs featured an online article about the status of the renewed peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The Asia Foundation’s role on the International Contact Group is mentioned. Read the full article: “Letter From Manila: How to Talk to a MILF.”

San Francisco

The Asia Foundation announced today that its President and Chief Executive Officer, former Congressman Douglas Bereuter, will retire from his leadership position effective December 31, 2010, having fulfilled a six-year commitment made to the Board of Trustees.

Congressman Bereuter came to the Foundation in 2004 immediately after serving 26 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he chaired the Asia-Pacific Subcommittee and was Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Intelligence Committee.

During Congressman Bereuter’s tenure, The Asia Foundation has experienced unprecedentedly rapid growth, with its core development and international relations programming in Asia growing 78 percent over the past five years. In 2009, the Foundation devoted 86 percent of its $138 million budget to core programming in Asia, including in the areas of economic reform, governance, and women’s rights and their political and economic participation. Through its Books for Asia program, the Foundation sent nearly one million new, English-language books to Asia valued at over $43 million, all donated by American publishers.

The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, nongovernmental organization, headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Washington, D.C. and 18 Asian countries, extending from Afghanistan to Korea. While the Foundation works predominantly with Asian partners, its own staff of over 700 employees is comprised of more than 25 nationalities. Under Congressman Bereuter’s leadership, The Asia Foundation greatly diversified its fundraising from other democratic countries, such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, as well as from key multilateral institutions. It also increased funding resources from corporate, foundation, and individual charitable donors. During Congressman Bereuter’s time, the Foundation has reopened offices in India, Laos, and Malaysia; strengthened its strategic planning process and intellectual vigor; launched a highly-respected junior associate program to foster the career development of recent top graduates; diversified its scope of programming; and initiated an increasing number of research projects to enhance the effectiveness of development practices.

Congressman Bereuter and his wife, Louise, plan to spend the majority of their time at their home in Nebraska, re-engaging in civic affairs and the arts community, with some limited role for Congressman Bereuter in public policy and teaching roles in Washington, D.C., Nebraska, or California.

The Asia Foundation’s Board of Trustees has formed a search committee and will retain an international executive search firm in seeking a successor for Congressman Bereuter.

Founded in 1954, The Asia Foundation is committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region. For media inquires, please visit our Press Room.

For media inquires, please visit our Press Room.

Radio Australia interviews The Asia Foundation’s Country Representative in the Philippines Steven Rood on the ongoing peace talks between the Philippine government and MILF held at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur. Listen to the interview: “Philippines talks with separatists.”