With the Copenhagen Conference (“Cop15″) just around the corner (December 7 to 18), more and more organizations are raising awareness about the climate change issue, and more and more people are tuning in. So this year’s Christmas season might not see us waxing sentimental over White Christmases and Chestnuts Roasting on a Open Fire. Instead, we will be worrying about Frosty the Snowman melting and about the death of the cute polar bears in those vintage Coca-cola ads, and we will wonder how Santa and his elves are doing up there in the North Pole.

So, before it’s too late, let’s help save Santa, Rudolph, Frosty, the elves, the polar bears, and the rest of the world by checking out these really cool websites (and even participating in some really cool, earth-saving contests):

Click on the image to visit the site

The CNN-YouTube “Raise Your Voice” campaign has a simple call to action: submit a video and contribute to the global discussion on climate change. (It should be easy, right? If you can submit videos of you laughing your head off, it might be worth the effort to submit a video to help “change climate change” )

Click on the image to visit the website

Here’s a cool, ADB-sponsored (ergo, cash cow) contest for aspiring filmmakers and digital media junkies out there. According to the site, “Your film can be in any digital video format–you can even use your mobile phone. We accept films in any genre, including but not limited to animation, documentary, drama, experimental, art, testimonial, etc.” This is a really creative way to make a contribution to the climate change issue. And if you win first prize, you get a cool US$10,000. What’s not to try?

Click the image to visit the website

The website features very clear, simple, and dummy-proof steps to help with the climate change advocacy. More importantly, it makes available crucial information about climate change so we will know better and start getting our act together. As Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General, says, “Together, we can create such a noise that our leaders will not be able to ignore it when they meet in Copenhagen this December to agree a new post-Kyoto climate agreement. Good leaders are also good followers.”

Click on the image to visit the website and sign the UN Climate Petition

The Hopenhagen website allows users to sign the UN Climate Change Petition and share YOUR own thoughts, ideas, and dreams for the world. Check out the cool interactive map that shares what people think.

Click on the image to visit the Cop15 website

Wait… What is all this fuss about Copenhagen again? Isn’t that a place in Denmark? Find out more here.

Click on the image to visit the website

The Earth Hour website shows comprehensive and comprehensible information on climate change and the Copenhagen summit. It also offers some easy-to-do options for action, as well as a kids’ section that helps kids become more informed young members of society.

Click on the image to visit the website

According to 350.org, “Scientists say that 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity.” The website discusses this  more and shows people and organizations from different parts of the world who have come together on October 24, the International Day of Climate Action. More good news from the site: “On 24 October, people in 181 countries came together for the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet’s history. At over 5200 events around the world, people gathered to call for action on the climate crisis. Over 22,000 photos have been submitted so far!” Check it out!

Click on the image to visit the website

The Seal the Deal website shows six PSAs (public service announcements) made by six different people from four continents, all underscoring the same message: we CAN find an answer to climate change. All we need to do is take the first step.

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 638

“Phnom Penh: According to a circular of the Royal Government, the government decided to cut the salaries of all newly and continually appointed advisers who earn high salaries, advisers to high ranking officials, to receive only the normal amount in order to save state resources.

“The circular signed by the Prime Minister, Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen, on 27 October 2009, said that the Royal Government instructed all ministries and institutions to reorganize salaries for all advisers who have been offered equivalent positions, starting from under secretary of state upwards, to earn only the normal salaries of their current main positions.

“In the circular, the government noticed that previously, the Royal Government has nominated some officials as personal advisors of Prime Minister Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen, of deputy prime ministers, or of the Royal Government of Cambodia… by providing them with equivalent positions besides their current positions, and those officials situations are administered so that they earn salaries through their new, additional positions an additional higher amount than they continue to get already in their current positions. The circular added that the current economy, which is encountering difficulties due to the impact from the global economic crisis, requires the government to take measure to save state resources, and therefore, it is necessary to cut the salaries of those advisers, so that all receive normal salaries.

“According to an informed source, there are at least 30 to 40 officials continually appointed as advisers of high ranking officials at each ministry. Some have only a position as head of an office, or deputy head of a department, or as head of a department, but they have also been nominated as advisors with positions equivalent to an under-secretary of state, or as secretary of state. Some ministers even hold also positions as senior ministers. Through such appointments, those officials receive also salaries from those new, additional positions, for example: an under-secretary of state receives a salary of about Riel 1.04 million [approx. US$260], and a minister Riel 1.5 million [approx. US$375]. Now, the Royal Government changes this so as to save state resources.” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5042-5043, 8-10.11.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Tuesday, 10 November 2009

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #332, 10.11.2009

• [Thai ousted prime minister] Thaksin Shinawatra Will Show Up for the First Time in Cambodia after He Has Been Named Adviser [he plans to give a lecture to 300 economists on 12 November 2009]
• Economists: Siam [Thailand] Will Experience Great Loss if It Tries to Close Border Crossing with Cambodia [because Thai exports to Cambodia amounted US$2 billion in 2008, while Cambodian exports was only US$90 million]
• The Khmer King Will Go to Japan in 2010 [following an invitation of the Japanese emperor to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Cambodian-Japanese friendship; and the Japanese Prime Minister invited also Prime Minister Hun Sen's eldest son, General Hun Manet, to visit Japan]
• China Provides US$10 Billion in Loans to Africa

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2093-2094, 8-10.11.2009

• Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen: Cambodian-Thai Dispute Is a Dispute between [Cambodian Prime Minister] Hun Sen and [Thai Prime Minister] Abhisit Vijjajiva [but not between nation and nation]
• ASEAN Friends Are Worried about the Cambodian-Thai Diplomatic Dispute [the ASEAN Secretary-General, Mr. Surin Pitsuwan, appealed to both countries to be patient and to address the dispute peacefully]
• Construction Workers Demand Legal Protection through Legislation on Working Conditions [some workers working at present at various construction sites have not been provided with health and safety protection]
• A Man Infected His Wife with AIDS Who Then Died, but He then Raped His Eldest Daughter, Infecting Her with AIDS Also [he was arrested - Phnom Penh]
• A 14-Year-Old Boy Rapped a 4-Year-Old Girl [he was arrested – Kandal]
• Germany Celebrated the [20th] Anniversary of the Breakdown of the Berlin Wall [on 9 November 2009]

 
Khmer Amatak, Vol.10, #670-671, 9-10.11.2009

• Cambodia Celebrated the 56th Independence Day Anniversary [on 9 November 2009] while the [Director General of National Police] Hok Lundy’s Family [on 8 November 2009] Celebrated the One-Year Ceremony of His Death [in a helicopter crash]
• Prime Minister Hun Sen Ordered the Withdrawal of Some Troops from Preah Vihear, as Thaksin Shinawatra Plans to Come to Cambodia on 12 November 2009

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #525, 9.11.2009

• A Parliamentarian [from the Sam Rainsy Party, Mr. Son Chhay] Asked [the president of the National Assembly] Mr. Heng Samrin to Create a Special Committee for Khmer Border Affairs

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6800-6801, 9-10.11.2009

• The 56th National Independence Day Anniversary is Celebrated during the Era of the Second Kingdom of Cambodia
• Thaksin Shinawatra Will Arrive at Cambodia on 12 November; Samdech Dekchor: If Thailand Closes Border Crossing, Cambodia Will Announce to Stop Importing Thai Products [Mr. Thaksin arrived already on 9.11.2009 in a private jet at the Phnom Penh Air Force Base]
• Result from the Mekong-Japan Summit [in Tokyo]: Japan Continues to Help to Develop Sihanoukville Port and to Construct Neak Loeang Bridge [in Prey Veng, on the way to Vietnam]
• The Garment Sector, Which Depends Much on Export, Declined by 24.5% due to the Economic Crisis [60,000 workers lost their jobs – according to the Ministry of Commerce]

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #41-42, 9-10.11.2009

• The Opposition Party Asked the Government to Explain the Tense Dispute between Cambodia and Thailand at the National Assembly
• Cambodia Will Receive A/H1N1 Vaccines at the End of This Year [from the World Health Organization]
• Cambodia Is a Place where Freedom of All Religions Is Freely Practiced without Discrimination [according to the 2009 assessment report of the US Department of State; 93% of the Khmer citizens adhere to Buddhism, 500,000 to 700,000 citizens adhere to Islam, and more than 282,000 adhere to Christianity]
• The Demand of Energy [from coal, natural, gas, fosil fuel, and oil] Increases by 3.7% Each Year [from 2005 to 2030; according to the Asian Development Bank and APEC, the demand of energy of Cambodia will increase from 4.8 million tonnes in 2015 to 12 million tonnes in 2030; at present, only 20% of the Cambodian families have access to public electricity]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5042-5043, 8-10.11.2009

• The Government Cuts the Salaries of Advisers
• Thaksin Shinawatra Will Arrive in Cambodia Today as Thailand Warned to Take More Serious Actions
• Japan Pledged to Provide US$5.5 Billion [in loans and grant aid] to the Mekong River Countries [to save them from the impacts of the global economic crisis]
• Three Suspects Were Arrested for Kidnapping a Boy for US$3,000 [Kratie]
• The Number of Deaths Worldwide by the A/H1N1 Flu Has Increased to 6,000

.

I will be departing Phnom Penh in the evening of 10 November 2009 to
participate in the UN Internet Govenrnance Forum in Sharm-el-Sheikh in
Egypt.

Apologies ahead of time – there will be some delays in the
publications, while I travel and are busy in a different time zone.

Norbert Klein – editor of the Mirror

.

Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.
And please recommend us also to your colleagues and friends.

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The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 638

National holidays are not all the same. We are just behind the Water Festival which brings big crowds from the provinces to the capital city for several days. This year, 391 boats had been registered to participate in the boat racing, and 6,500 police were prepared to keep things organized and safe.

And there were special health concerns – more than in other years, because of the danger of A/H1N1 virus infections, and the Communicable Disease Control Department of Ministry of Health had prepared 500,000 leaflets with information and advice how to protect oneself from this disease – “covering up cough and wash hands among others” – as well as, as every year, from HIV/AIDS, for which the Population Service International’s 1,000 volunteers were to distribute 250,000 condoms during the three days of the Water Festival.

A big, traditional event where up to a million people from all provinces participate.

Quite different: Independence Day. Everybody knows the Independence Monument, the landmark at the crossing or the Norodom and the Sihanouk Boulevards. But Independence Day? Talking to people, one gets the understandable impression that this is an “official” holiday for people in public office and politics, but as for real life, it is something from the distant past.

“Cambodian Independence day today? That is just another holiday. Not bad.”

But it is interesting that Cambodians abroad also celebrate it – like the Cambodian community in Lowell in the USA, and a group of Cambodian students in Japan:

“Gathering the Cambodian community at our university for an Independence Day Celebration! Cheers to all Cambodians! Cheers for the independence of Cambodia from French colonization!”

Distance changes the perspective with which one sees things, and even fosters closeness.

We close with the text from a foreign newspaper – the Manila Bulletin from the Philippines – sending not only formal congratulations for the day, but being interested in and recapitulating Cambodian relations in a friendly way:

Kingdom of Cambodia National Day

The Kingdom of Cambodia celebrates its National Day on 9 November, Monday. On this day in 1953, King Norodom Sihanouk declared the country’s independence from French colonial rule.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Cambodia were formally established in 1957.

Although our relations were affected by the Khmer rouge regime in 1975, the Philippines and Cambodia have maintained cordial ties since the resumption of diplomatic relations in 1995 and the reopening of the Cambodian Embassy in Manila in 1999. The two countries have concluded agreements on economic and trade relations, agricultural and agribusiness collaboration, and tourism cooperation.

Cambodia is a member of the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2004 and attended the inaugural East Asia Summit in 2005.

Cambodia has established diplomatic relations with numerous countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, and Russia. As a result of its international relations, various charitable organizations have assisted with both social and civil infrastructure needs.

We congratulate the people and government of the Kingdom of Cambodia headed by His Majesty, King Norodom Sihamoni, and H. E. Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, and its Embassy in the Philippines led by Ambassador In May, on the occasion of their National Day.

.

Please recommend us also to your colleagues and friends.

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My god I have been reading a lot in different forum threads, so I think there are more people then me that needs a little help with this.
Tried to gather the most relevant and working methods, and just make a little forum post on how to use the adb (android debug bridge), part of the Google system developement kit (sdk).

Download the SDK .tgz package from google and unpack the android-sdk-linux_x86-1.1_r1 folder.

Move/copy the adb file from ~/’downloadfolder’/android-sdk-linux_x86-1.1_r1/tools/ to e.g /usr/bin/adb
and make it executable (it not already) by

$ sudo cp ~/'downloadfolder'/android-sdk-linux_x86-1.1_r1/tools/adb /usr/bin/
$ sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/adb

or export $PATH as wanted.

Now that you have “installed” adb, all you gotta do us run adb to see the help file

$ sudo adb


Now you can see the help file, and all the commands you can insert. Start off with plugin in your Android device, and run
$ su
$ adb device
$ adb logcat

and you can see your mobile listed, (the number that is shown is your serial number) and then a full log of whats happening on your phone. Try doing different stuff while running logcat, you’ll understand.
To find out a little more about what you can do, visit Googles ADB site.

Companies like TCS, ADB and Infosys already indicated their willingness to visit the campus

However, this might be limited to good colleges that have already earned a name for themselves in the sector. “Top companies are enquiring for recruitment drives in the next two months and this should bring cheer to students,” says V. Uma Maheshwar, Placement Officer, Osmania University College of Engineering (OUCE). One has to wait and see in January only when companies would reach the campuses for recruitment in view of Nasscom’s request that recruitment drives should be held in the final semester only to let the students focus on studies.

Reports said that more than 60,000 engineering graduates who passed out this year and offered jobs earlier by top companies including TCS, Infosys and Accenture are likely to be absorbed early next year. This is in contrast to the fears that the actual absorption might get delayed. The recent survey of Nasscom also indicated that export revenues for the Indian IT industry recorded a growth of 16.3 percent registering revenues of $ 46.3 billion in 2008-09 financial year while the domestic segment increased by nearly 21 percent.

Raghavendra Mutalik, placement officer of Srinidhi Institute of Science and Technology (SNIST) agrees that top companies like TCS, ADB and Infosys have already indicated their willingness to visit the campus. Last year 307 students out of 602 from the college were placed and this was apart from off-campus recruitments.

The positive reports have raised the spirits of students too. Ramya, an ECE graduate this June from Sri Indu College of Engineering says the news has come as a big surprise to her and her friends. “Most of my friends have gone to US for higher education or will leave in two months in view of expected poor offers.

But things are looking better now,” she says.

Companies too seem to be targeting the 2009 batch students now as they can absorb them immediately. G. Sridevi, Placement Officer of VBIT says that companies are requesting them to arrange the 2009 batch students for their existing projects and want the 2010 batch for their future projects, which they think will be added next year.

However, students should not expect fat salaries like previous years. Mutalik says the number of intake in top companies might reduce.

THE PHILIPPINES needs $70 billion to $104 billion in investments between 2005-2030 to be able to meet energy demand, which is projected to nearly double from 43.6 million tons of oil equivalent (MTOE) in 2005 to 79.6 MTOE in 2030, or an average rate of 2.4% per year, the Asian Development Bank said in its 2009 Energy Outlook for Asia and the Pacific which it published yesterday. Despite such huge investment requirement, the country’s goal to become energy self-sufficient, however, is an “ambitious goal” since the Philippines is not known for abundant fossil energy resources, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) yesterday said. ADB said that petroleum products will continue to dominate the country’s primary energy requirements up to 2030, although the demand for electricity and gas may increase as the public becomes more discerning in its consumption. The service and transport sectors, which are projected to grow at an average annual rate of 1.2% and 3.3%, respectively, are expected to be the key growth drivers of the country’s energy demands by 2030. “The distinctive feature of the Philippines’ energy demand structure is that the transport sector will account for 44% of the economy’s energy demands in 2030, and that about three-quarters of energy will be used for road transport…energy demand by the industry sector is around 25%-26%. This trend is forecasted to continue,” the report read. Energy demand by other sectors, particularly residential and commercial sectors, is expected to grow by 1.8% per year, compared to a 0.4% contraction over 2000-2005. Meanwhile, because the Philippines imports most of the oil and coal requirements, the energy import dependence of the country is expected to increase to 65% in 2030 from 43.1% in 2006. “In the Philippines, indigenous energy sources are limited and it is clear that it will be difficult for domestic energy production to keep pace with increasing demand. Therefore, the long-term trend is toward the depletion of domestic natural gas resources; the full development of geothermal and hydro energy by the end of projected period; and a substantial increase in the import of oil [crude oil] for transport and coal for power generation,” said the ADB. “As a result, the percentage of fossil fuels as part of the country’s total energy supply structure will rise from 53.9% in 2005 to 70.5% in 2030.” ADB said, however, that the country could mitigate the need to import fuel by continuing to invest in renewable energy, including geothermal power, hydropower of various scales, and wind. The ADB further noted that the country should expect significant changes in power generation mix in 2030. It said there will be an increase use of natural gas to 41.7% in 2030 from 29.8% in 2005. Coal is expected to account for the second-largest share at 37.3% in 2030 from 27%. The share of renewable energy in the electricity generation mix, however, is projected to decrease between 2005 and 2030. The ADB concluded that the country’s goal of energy self-sufficiency is ambitious. “Nevertheless, through concerted efforts to invest in new domestic exploration and production, to adjust the fuel supply mix, and to exploit alternative energies such as geothermal energy, the Philippines has succeeded in moderating an energy import dependency that, through the 1990s, had seemed set to grow unchecked,” said the ADB. Some measures could help to attain energy self-efficiency, it said. In both the power and the transport sectors, ADB said that a key strategy in supporting energy self-sufficiency will be to emphasize energy efficiency and conservation. “For the power sector, end-use energy efficiency standards, labeling, and codes already announced or in place are good initial steps. And in transport, personal vehicle efficiency standards, the rapid uptake of alternative vehicle technologies, improved freight logistics, and improved user behavior including better model choices and improved travel patterns, will be extremely important steps in the avoidance of significant new oil imports,” the ADB report said. — BVB |

http://beta.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=845

DAWN.COM | Business | Govt to review donor-funded projects.

ISLAMABAD, Oct 27: The federal government has decided to review portfolios of all development projects funded by multilateral donor agencies in order to save the millions of dollars which are charged to the country in the form of high interest rates and in some cases penalties against delay in completion of projects.

The Economic Affairs Division (EAD) being the responsible ministry for assessment of requirements, programming and negotiations of external economic assistance is commencing portfolio review meetings starting from Wednesday.

Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar will chair the portfolio meetings to be held in Islamabad and Karachi.

All on-going projects funded by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank will come up for review and decisions will be taken on removing bottlenecks in the way of completion of these projects.

Decisions will also be taken to strengthen the bridge between the executing and implementing agencies for the smooth completion of projects.

The government has observed that the delay in completion of projects mainly occur during sub-contracting works involving various government agencies. This is the ‘grey area’ where the government has to take serious measures, the official said.

At the Islamabad review meeting, multilateral donors funded projects in Azad Kashmir, programme loans sought by the ministries of finance, industries, food and agriculture and Planning Commission will come up for review, sources said adding that the projects of National Highway Authority (NHA) will also be discussed.

In the first phase, all on-going development projects funded by the ADB will be reviewed, followed by the World Bank-aided projects.

The sources said the ratio of poorly implemented projects is not too many but these were costing high to the government.

There are several projects which have been completed in time and were producing good results. The project implementation ratio in the Punjab is better than other provinces, he said.

The review of project portfolios will be completed within a week, and as per schedule, the review meeting on November 2, in Karachi will cover projects in Sindh and Balochistan. The projects of Punjab and NWFP will be reviewed at the Islamabad meeting.

Sources said there will be separate review of projects in the power sector.

The World Bank committed $1.7 billion in the fiscal year 2009 to help Pakistan cope amid the global economic crisis, the institution’s highest ever year-on-year support to the country. During the last four years (2006-2009) the bank has approved 30 projects of total $3.7 billion for Pakistan.

A record lending programme by ADB in 2008 included a $1.87 billion disbursement and $1.2 billion in newly approved assistance.

As of Dec 2008, there were 62 ongoing sovereign loans amounting to $5.08 billion in net loan amount for infrastructure, social sectors, governance, and earthquake rehabilitation in the four provinces and at the national level. Under implementation were 31 ongoing technical assistance projects worth $61.93 million.

ADB’s Country Programme Strategy (CPS) projects have planned assistance of $4.4 billion during 2009–11 and an annual average lending of almost $1.5 billion

Terbitnya Laporan Pembangunan Manusia (HDR) 2009 awal Oktober 2009, tepat momentumnya bagi pemerintahan baru di bawah SBY-Boediono. Ini saatnya mewujudkan janji-janji yang ditebar selama kampanye lalu, terutama upaya mengurangi kemiskinan di Indonesia.

Dalam laporan HDR 2009, Indonesia disebut sebagai negara dengan segudang masalah terkait migrasi, antara lain keruwetan birokrasi, pungutan, dan beban biaya tinggi yang mengakibatkan kerugian bagi kaum migran. Sementara proteksi yang seharusnya menjadi elemen pokok kaum migran masih terabaikan.

Situai ini menjadi ironi bagi kaum migran yang telah berkontribusi bagi peningkatan kesejahteraan negara di tempat bekerja, serta mengalirkan remitansi yang menggerakkan ekonomi di daerah asal.

Catatan muram tentang Indonesia juga terlihat dari kemerosotan Indeks Pembangunan Manusia. Dalam HDR 2005, Indonesia berada di peringkat 107, HDR 2007-2008 di peringkat 109, dan pada HDR 2009, kita kian merosot, peringkat 111, lebih rendah ketimbang Palestina (110) dan Sri Lanka (102).

Kualitas manusia

Bagi pemerintahan baru SBY-Boediono yang akan memulai masa bakti 20 Oktober 2009, catatan muram ini perlu dimaknai sebagai pengingat, masalah kualitas manusia Indonesia harus menjadi prioritas.

Pasangan SBY-Boediono diharapkan tak terlena oleh ninabobo indikator makroekonomi yang selalu diprediksikan secara optimis dan prospektif. Secara beruntun, lembaga keungan dunia, seperti IMF, Bank Dunia, dan ADB, mengoreksi prediksi indikator makroekonomi Indonesia yang sebelumnya diindikasikan melemah.

Namun, pascapenetapan presiden terpilih, indikator itu dikoreksi secara optimistik. Sikap optmistik juga ditunjukkan lembaga pemeringkat ekonomi semisal Fitch dan majalah Economist dengan laporan khusus tentang prospek Indonesia pasca-Pemilu 2009.

Pengalaman membuktikan, ninabobo kokohnya gundamental makroekonomi dari lembaga keuangan internasional itu tak selamanya benar. Pada awal dekade 1990-an, saat pertumbuhan makroekonomi Indonesia menjulang, Bank Dunia menjuluki Indonesia sebagai Macan baru Asia, bahkan sempat menyebutnya sebagai Keajaiban Asia.

Namun, puja-puji itu tak terbukti saat krisis mengentak tahun 1997-1998, ekonomi Indonesia ambruk.

Penulis menemukan, adanya inkoherensi antara indikator makroekonomi Indonesia yang selalu optimistik (dengan data sajian statistik tentang pertumbuhan ekonomi, pertumbuhan investasi) dan indikator-indikator terkait kualitas manusia.

Tingkat kesejahteraan

Laporan mengenai perekonomian Indonesia yang disajikan ADB menunjukkan, prospek perekonomian Indonesia amat tahan terhadap terpaan krisis ekonomi, bahkan pertumbuhan ekonomi tetap terjadi. Namun, dalam indikator kunci soal MDGs, ADB mengkhawatorkan Indonesia terhambat dalam pencapaian MDGs, hal ini ditunjukkan dengan adanya peningkatan angka kematian Ibu melahirkan dari 307 per 100.000 kelahiran menjadi 420 per 100.000 kelahiran.

Pertanyaan kritisnya adalah, apakah indikator makroekonomi yang dinyatakan sebagai negara dengan dengan tingkat pertumbuhan ekonomi yang baik tidak terkait dengan kesejahteraan dan kesehatan kaum ibu ?

Optimisme yang ditunjukkan dalam indikator makroekonomi Indonesia juga layak dipertanyakan dalam konteks ketahanan dan kedaulatan pangan. Beberapa waktu lalu, harian Kompas melaporkan situasi pangan dan pertanian Indonesia dihadapkan serbuan impor bahan pangan.

Bahkan, fakta yang menyedihkan adalah bahwa Indonesia (negara kepulauan yang 70 persen wilayahnya adalah laut) adalah negara pengimpor garam.

Mantan Menteri Perekonomian dan Ketua Bappenas Kwik Kian Gie juga sempat terheran-heran saat Indonesia ternyata juga mengimpor singkong. Dalam laporan situasi pangan dunia 2008 yang diterbitkan Organisasi Pangan dan Pertanian (FAO), Indonesia dikategorikan sebagai negara yang rentan mengalami kelaparan massal. FAO menyebut kelaparan massal itu bagai silent tsunami yang bisa merenggut nyawa jutaan orang. Dalam skala mikro, kelaparan dan kematian yang terjadi di Yahukimo tahun 2005 dan berulang tahun 2009 mungkin bagian dari pembunuh tersembunyi itu.

Realitas itu pasti bukan nina-bobo, tetapi mungkin bisa menjadi mimpi buruk jika pemerintahan baru SBY-Boediono tidak menempatkan komitmen Indonesia dalam pencapaian MDGs sebagai agenda prioritas dan indikator kinerja pemerintahannya. Rentang waktu pemerintahan baru hampir seiring dengan tenggat akhir pncapaian MDGs tahun 2015. Apakah Indonesia akan mencapainya ?

Sumber  :

MDGs dan Pemerintahan Baru – Wahyu Susilo | Kepala Divisi Advokasi International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (Infid)
Kompas, 15.10.2009

The 2009 Water and Sanitation Prize sponsored by the IDB and FEMSA, was created to recognize government authorities and service providers in Latin America and the Caribbean who have implemented innovative and effective solutions to specific problems in the areas of potable water, sanitation and wastewater treatment, and solid waste management.

The prize highlights providers that have achieved measurable progress through implementing defined strategies and any managerial, technical, financial, commercial, social or environmental interventions that lead to documented improvements in water service quality and access. 

The prize consists of scholarships for advanced training in water, sanitation and solid waste management; FEMSA has generously agreed to underwrite the scholarships, which will enable recipients to travel and attend specialized seminars and classes at the Centro del Agua Para América Latina y el Caribe (CAALCA), a training and research institution situated at the Tec de Monterrey , Mexico .

The Awards will be presented on Monday 16 November during the in Mexico City during the 1^st IWA Development Congress, 15-19 November 2009!

Qualified citizens of developing member countries of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), who intend to pursue postgraduate studies in economics. management, science and technology, and other development-related fields are invited to apply for scholarships under the Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program. Upon successful completion of the graduate program, the scholars are expected to return to their countries and contribute to its socioeconomic development. Scholar-ships are awarded for graduate studies at designated institutions in courses of study approved by ADB. The Program especially welcomes qualified women applicants who have limited financial means to obtain university education.

The Scholarships

Level of Education:      postgraduate (diploma, masters, and doctorate degrees)
Duration:                         from 1 to 2 years
Coverage:                         tuition fees, books, subsistence and housing allowance, insur ante, economy airfare, and research subsidy

Academic Institutions

• Australia-National Centre for Development Studies/ Australian National University, University of Melbourne, University of Sydney
• China, People’s Republic of-University of Hong Kong
• India-Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
• Japan-International University of Japan, Nagoya University (Graduate School of International Development), Keio University (International Graduate Programs on Advanced Science and Technology), National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Ritsumeikan University (Master in Economics), Saitama University(Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering), University of Tokyo (Department of Civil Engineering, School of International Health, Institute of Environmental Studies, and Department of Urban Engineering)
• New Zealand-University of Auckland
• Pakistan-Lahore University of Management Sciences
• Philippines-Asian Institute of Management, International Rice Research Institute/University of the Philippines in Los Banos
• Singapore-National University of Singapore
• Thailand-Asian Institute of Technology, Thammasat University
• USA-East-West Center

Eligibility Requirements
Prospective applicants must:

• be a citizen of an ADB developing member country
• have at least 2 years work experience
• have gained admission to an approved course in a designated institution
• be proficient in oral and written English communication skills to be able to pursue studies
• be in good health
• not more than 35 years old at the time of application. (Staff of ADB and the designated institutions and their close relatives are not eligible to apply.)

Application Requirements
Applicants should obtain application forms from the designated institutions of their choice and submit the completed form and required documentation to the Institution. Applicants should indicate on the application form that they wish to be considered for an Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship. (ADB will select the scholars from among those admitted by the institutions. A separate application to ADB is not necessary.) For further information, visit the ADB-JSP website.

For more information visit www.adb.org/jsp

MAJURO (AFP) –

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Saturday it has opened the way to resume large-scale funding for the Marshall Islands after a four-year hiatus as the tiny country cleared long overdue debt.

ADB Marshall Islands desk officer Kyoshi Nakamitsu said the western Pacific atoll nation of about 55,000 people cleared overdue debts dating back to 2005 in March and had kept up to date with monthly repayments since then.

“This has normalised relations between the Marshall Islands and ADB,” Nakamitsu said

The Marshall Islands owes more than 60 million dollars to the ADB for loans received in the 1990s and early 2000s, and is paying about four million dollars this year, more than 10 percent of the country’s locally generated revenues.

As a result of the government’s action to keep current on loan payments, “ADB is considering mobilising a large chunk of fundin…

See the full post at ADB restores money flow for Marshall Islands

Last week’s cluster of disasters – typhoons Ketsana, Parma and Ondoy and the 7.6 temblor that rocked Padang, Indonesia – reinforced the need for robust disaster preparedness and mitigation programs for the world’s densest locations. The focus of disaster preparedness has largely been on Asia.

74% of natural disaster deaths in 2006 occurred in Asia

While this region may be at the forefront of the issue, a boost to funding and bolstering of readiness – starting in Copenhagen – will have positive effects from Sydney to Mexico City.

As with urban resilience, most plans for disaster preparedness follow the model of the UN’s International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and the 2005 Hyogo Framework: identify risks, design appropriate measures, and implement.

The Asian Development Bank, among other groups, has a sophisticated model (at right) that pairs a risk assessment specialist, a geoscientist and a GIS expert. Importantly, the UN, ADB and other groups in this field acknowledge the importance of continuing education and addressing ongoing environmental degradation.

A Child is Rescued from Flooding in Central Vietnam

Governments should recognize that the importance of emergency readiness lies in its cost-to-reward ratio. Convincing evidence shows that comparatively simple measures, affordable by developing nations, can have a huge payoff. The UNISDR notes that Gulf Coast residents who collectively spent $2.5 million on hurricane protection avoided nearly $500 million in damages. It further found that a comparatively inexpensive cyclone warning system in Bangladesh that utilizes volunteers with megaphones has reduced storm deaths by a hundredfold since 1970.

As Copenhagen approaches, countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines should go in prepared to argue for the proven effectiveness and financial viability of disaster preparedness analysis and implementation.

The Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction is extending a US$1.5 million grant to help the Vietnamese Government formalize the country’s microfinance sector, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced Oct. 6.

A statement ADB released from Manila, where the bank is headquartered, said five microfinance programs would be helped to develop the capacity to join the formal sector.

The extension of the grant also aims to boost services and provide increased financial support for the poor, ADB said.

“The Government [of Vietnam] recognizes microfinance as a potentially important means for poverty reduction, especially in rural areas, and is seeking to develop a robust sector with diversified, formal microfinance sources and strong private sector participation that can offer sustainable and affordable financial services to the poor,” Binh Nguyen, finance specialist (rural and microfinance) in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department, said in the announcement.

The Vietnamese Government will provide counterpart funds equivalent to around US$150,000 with participating microfinance institutions supplying matching funds $800,000 equivalent, making the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction total cost of US$2.45 million, according to ADB.

The Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction is financed by the Japanese Government and administered by the bank.

Olá queridos amigos estamos um bocado apertados mas estamos a trabalhar no “assunto” trazemos os dois últimos números do ADB

Mais uma vez estamos juntos para partilharmos um pouco da nossa vida, para juntos pensarmos um pouco sobre nós e para juntos pensarmos em construir um mundo melhor. Que o mês de Outubro seja cheio de sucessos para todos os que lutam. Bons exames aos que estão de exames.

descarregar o adb aqui

Depois de um mês de separação eis-nos mais uma vez juntos, neste ponto de encontro que é de todos nós. muitas coisas aconteceram, muito temos a partilhar. leiamos e façamos ler este jornalzinho. Este número não fala da Gripe H1N1, mas procuremos nos ajudar a prevenir. Pedimos ideias a todos nossos amigos para lançar no próximo número.

descarregar o adb aqui

Krisis ekonomi global akan tetap mengakibatkan lebih dari 60 juta warga Asia berada dalam kemiskinan tahun ini. Selain itu juga perlu fokus mengenai kerjahteraan sosual, termasuk kesehatan.

Demikian diungkapkan oleh pemimpin Bank Pembangunan Asia (ADB), Senin (28/9).

“Krisis harus menjadi kesempatan melakukan langkah proaktif untuk meletakkan landasan guna pembangunan jangka panjang,“ kata Haruhiko Kuroda, Presiden ADB, sebelum membuka konperensi di Hanoi, Senin. Konperensi itu bertajuk “Dampak Pelemahan Ekonomi terhadap Kemiskinan dan Pembangunan Berkesinambungan di Asia dan Pasifik“.

Seiring dengan meningkatnya harga bahan pangan dan minyak, krisis ekonomi global, serta krisis finansial, hal itu menyebabkan 41 juta warga Cina kehilangan pekerjaan, sementara penduduk yang menderita kelaparan kronis di Asia Selatan meningkat menjadi sekitar 100 juta orang.

ADB memperkirakan, setidaknya 60 juta orang berada dalam garis kemiskinan, yang berarti hanya memperoleh pendapatan sebesar 1,25 follar AS atau sekitar Rp 12.500 per hari karena pelemahan ekonomi.

Di tengah semakin menguatnya pertanda pemulihan perekonomian global, pada jangka panjang perekonomian Asia harus dapat bertahan dari guncangan eksternal.

“Dibutuhkan langkah-langkah praktis, termasuk menggiatkan perdagangan di dalam kawasan sendiri, mengelola globalisasi finansial, serta berinvestasi lebih banyak lagi dalam bidang pendidikan, kesehatan, dan perlindungan sosial,” ujarnya lagi.

Sumber  :

Sebanyak 60 Juta Warga Asia Jatuh Miskin – Kompas, 29.09.2009

HA NOI — Asia-Pacific governments should focus on creating the conditions for good jobs and social protection programmes for those unable to find decent work as they face slower economic growth in the coming year.

The Asian market which is export-driven has been hard hit by the recent economic slowdown as the demand for exports has largely declined, forcing job cuts and slashing the incomes of thousands of people in the Asia and Pacific regions.

Ursula Schaefer-Preuss, Vice President of the Asian Development Bank said “Before the crisis, in the context of high growth rates, only half of the region’s young labour entrants could find decent jobs, while the rest had to sustain themselves and their families through the informal sector.”

She spoke at the conclusion of a three-day conference titled “The impact of the global economic slowdown on poverty and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.”

As the Asian economy was forecast to sharply decline from an average 8% over five years before the crisis to only 3.9 per cent this year, the need for social protection strategies to address the post-crisis labour market would become more urgent, she said.

This crisis struck different countries in different ways. According to Ayumi Konishi, country director of ADB’s Viet Nam Resident Mission, Viet Nam had 1.57 million new entrants coming into the labour market. Unless the economy kept growing, those people would remain jobless.

“That’s why the stimulus package is largely being spent on infrastructure, because construction involves creating a lot of new jobs,” he said.

“The conference is a good opportunity to exchange experiences between countries”, said Nicholas Rosellini, UNDP Deputy Director for Asia and Pacific Region, “Viet Nam has good experiences to share in poverty reduction. We also discussed the quality of growth and the need of countries in the region to protect social expenditure and to invest in the areas that benefit the poor.”

Ursula Schaefer-Preuss said the large stimulus packages have provided fiscal space to address immediate social effects, but social spending has represented only a small share of such packages. Governments should act to improve their targeting of social spending by undertaking structural reforms and directing resources.

She also said that the ASEAN Secretariat intended to take proactive measures based on the conference findings. —

Source: vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn

Selasa, 29 September 2009 | 03:34 WIB

http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2009/09/29/03343516/sebanyak.60.juta.warga.asia.jatuh.miskin

Hanoi, Senin – Krisis ekonomi global akan tetap mengakibatkan lebih dari 60 juta warga Asia berada dalam kemiskinan tahun ini. Selain itu juga perlu fokus mengenai kesejahteraan sosial, termasuk kesehatan.

Demikian diungkapkan oleh pemimpin Bank Pembangunan Asia (ADB), Senin (28/9).

”Krisis harus menjadi kesempatan melakukan langkah proaktif untuk meletakkan landasan guna pembangunan jangka panjang,” kata Haruhiko Kuroda, Presiden ADB, sebelum membuka konferensi di Hanoi, Senin. Konferensi itu berjudul ”Dampak Pelemahan Ekonomi terhadap Kemiskinan dan Pembangunan Berkesinambungan di Asia dan Pasifik”.

Seiring dengan meningkatnya harga bahan pangan dan minyak, krisis ekonomi global, serta krisis finansial, hal itu menyebabkan 41 juta warga China kehilangan pekerjaan, sementara penduduk yang menderita kelaparan kronis di Asia Selatan meningkat menjadi sekitar 100 juta orang.

ADB memperkirakan, setidaknya 60 juta orang berada dalam garis kemiskinan, yang berarti hanya memperoleh pendapatan sebesar 1,25 dollar AS atau sekitar Rp 12.500 per hari karena pelemahan ekonomi.

Di tengah semakin menguatnya pertanda pemulihan perekonomian global, pada jangka panjang perekonomian Asia harus dapat bertahan dari guncangan eksternal.

”Dibutuhkan langkah-langkah praktis, termasuk menggiatkan perdagangan di dalam kawasan sendiri, mengelola globalisasi finansial, serta berinvestasi lebih banyak lagi dalam bidang pendidikan, kesehatan, dan perlindungan sosial,” ujarnya lagi.

(AP/AFP/joe)

The Asian Development Bank Tuesday raised its regional growth outlook for this year, with a huge dose of stimulus spending putting Asia on course to lead the world out of its economic slump.

File photo shows a street vendor waiting for customers at a shopping district in Seoul.(AFP Photo)

But the Manila-based bank said that signs of recovery were not strong enough for Asian governments to remove the stimulus prop yet.

In an update to its annual outlook released in March, the ADB raised its 2009 forecast for Asia’s gross domestic product (GDP) to 3.9 percent growth from 3.4 percent.

It also upgraded its 2010 estimate to 6.4 percent from 6.0 percent.

“Despite worsening conditions in the global economic environment, developing Asia is poised to lead the recovery from the worldwide slowdown,” said ADB chief economist Jong-Wha Lee.

“Firm action by many governments and central banks, the relatively healthy state of financial systems prior to the global crisis, and the rapid turnaround in the region’s larger, less export-dependent economies, all enhanced developing Asia’s growth prospects,” the report said.

But the ADB said Asian governments needed to broaden their growth options by developing more intra-regional trade and reducing their risk to external shocks.

Lee added that economic activity in the larger developing Asian economies had rebounded and output looked set for a so-called V-shaped comeback.

However, he cautioned: “The improved regional outlook should not make developing Asian economies complacent.

A protracted global slowdown or the hasty withdrawal of stimulus packages can degrade the region’s ongoing recovery.”

The report looked at prospects for countries stretching from the former Soviet states of Central Asia to some of the tiny Pacific islands, excluding developed countries such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The ADB said it boosted China’s GDP outlook by 1.2 percentage points to 8.2 percent this year thanks to huge pump-priming in the world’s third-biggest economy.

Beijing has targeted growth of eight percent to keep unemployment at bay and avoid social unrest. The ADB has forecast 8.9 percent growth next year, up from 6.5 percent projected in March.

It highlighted a 585-billion-dollar government stimulus late last year, a massive surge in bank lending in the first half of this year and “aggressive monetary easing”.

Export-dependent China announced its huge spending policy last year to boosting domestic consumption and infrastructure projects, as key overseas markets in the United States, Japan and the eurozone went into recession.

The move led to a surge in imports, which in turn helped regional exporters.

India was tipped by the ADB to grow 6.0 percent in 2009, up from a previous forecast of 5.0 percent. Next year the ADB estimates the South Asian giant will expand seven percent, 0.5 percentage points up from the March estimate.

The report said despite weak exports and a poor agricultural outlook, “adroit economic management” by New Delhi had minimized the impact of the global downturn.

The improved economic outlook is reflected in stock markets regionally, which have surged from their troughs recorded in March, just weeks before the last ADB report.

It said a strong financial sector had helped Asia through the downturn, while high savings rates and low levels of household debt meant consumers were also able to absorb some of the shock.

South Korea was still predicted to contract, albeit at a slower pace due to government intervention.

But the heavily export-reliant economies of Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan were expected to shrink sharply this year as demand for their goods stays quiet and their markets only slowly regain strength.

The ADB said despite a positive outlook for Indonesia and Vietnam, a deteriorating path ahead for Malaysia and Thailand had forced it to cut Southeast Asia’s outlook to 0.1 percent growth, from 0.7 percent in March.

Central Asia, which is grappling with a banking crisis and a fall in the price of its key export oil, is seen growing by just 0.5 percent now, compared with a previous forecast of 3.9 percent.