ADB, WWF tie up for sustainable management of natural resources
Copyright 2001 The Independent
September 27, 2001
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the conservation organization, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Manila yesterday that paves the way for joint activities. This is ADB's first such accord with a nongovernment organization (NGO). This follows the establishment of an NGO Center within ADB in February of this year, says a ADB press release issued here. The two agencies have formed a partnership for sustainable management of natural resources in the Asia and Pacific region. ADB and WWF will develop collaborative ventures to address poverty and environmental challenges. Stakeholders such as local communities, government agencies and NGOs will be involved in this process through forums and stakeholder consultations.
To be reviewed annually, the agreement will also include information sharing, knowledge management and capacity building through, for example, transfer of skills and tools to target groups, and exchange of publications and other information sources, and exchanges of staff between the two organizations.
Myoung Ho Shin, ADB Vice President (region west), and Claude Martin, WWF International's Director General, signed the MOU at ADB headquarters in Manila. Vice President Shin said, "ADB is excited about future collaboration with WWF, which has played a major role in the evolution of the global conservation movement. This MOU charts a path along which we will build on our respective strengths and a shared vision of poverty reduction and environmentally sustainable development."
"We are just as excited about this partnership," said WWF's Dr Martin. "Poverty and the environment are interlinked issues. To protect the environment, we have to tackle poverty. Likewise, to alleviate poverty, we have to protect the environment."
WWF and ADB believe that it is the world's poor who are most immediately dependent on the environment for their livelihoods. They are most at risk from the impacts of climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss and uncontrolled resource use.
The first joint activity will involve preparation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development ("Rio+10") in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 2002. ADB and United Nations specialized agencies are assisting developing countries in Asia and the Pacific to prepare subregional strategies for the meeting. This includes developing a participatory action plan, and strengthening subregional cooperation to address common problems.
WWF will also join a Southeast Asia Subregional Preparatory meeting for Rio+10 hosted by ADB from October 17 to 19. Representatives of civil society groups, the private sector, and governments will discuss, among other issues, the results of the WWF ADB supported consultation process.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a multilateral development finance institution owned by 59 members, mostly countries from the Asia and Pacific region. ADB's central goal is to reduce poverty in Asia and the Pacific. It helps improve the quality of people's lives by providing loans, technical assistance, advice and information across a broad range of development activities. Established in 1966, ADB's headquarters is in Manila, Philippines.
WWF is one of the world's largest and most experienced, independent conservation organizations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 90 countries. In Asia Pacific, WWF works in more than 20 countries, in partnership with local communities, governments, non government organizations, business and industry, and other organizations, WWF is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.