Afro-Asian Rural Development Organization to focus on climate change

New Delhi, Jan 9 (ANI): The Afro-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) member countries has agreed to include technical cooperation in the domain of adaptation strategies for climate change as a function of the organization.

Accordingly during the triennium 2009-2011, the technical support programme would focus on the areas of poverty alleviation, employment generation, infrastructure development, housing, sanitation, drinking water, rural health, education, water and natural resource conservation, entrepreneurship development, gender equity, micro credit plan, women's empowerment, climate changes and rural livelihoods.

At a concluding session of the 16th General Session of the Afro-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO), it was also decided to hold the next conference be in Egypt during the year 2011.

Union Rural Development Minister Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh while briefing media persons on the outcome of the General Session said that the implementation process of NREGA, PMGSY and other flagship programmes run by his Ministry has influenced the participating delegates, and they have sought further details in this regard so as to carry such programmes in the respective countries also.

The conference, which began on January 6, elected India as President of AARDO for the triennium 2009-2011 with Syria and Nigeria as Vice-Presidents from Asia and Africa regions respectively.

Among the important agenda items deliberated in the conference were member relations, membership contribution, review of activities, technical work programme and income and expenditure for the next triennium 2009-2011.

The conference also elected ten new members of the Executive Committee. The new members of the Committee are: Egypt, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Zambia, Jordan, Malaysia, Oman, Republic of Korea and Lebanon.

The conference decided to enhance number of training and fellowship programmes from 579 to 672 in the next triennium.

The conference also ratified admission of two new members, namely Gambia and Malawi.

The conference was attended by Ministers from 14 other countries - Burkina Faso, Egypt, Jordan, Gambia, Libya, Mauritius, Malaysia, Oman, Sudan, Syria, Malawi, Chinese Taipei and Sri Lanka.

In all, 79 delegates from 30 member countries participated in the AARDO Conference. (ANI)