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Regions and Countries Regional Cooperation Greater Mekong Subregion Publications Proceedings of Ministerial, Forum, and Working Group Meetings Second Meeting of the Working Group on Human Resource Development
Second Meeting of the Working Group on Human Resource DevelopmentIntroductionThe Second Meeting of the Working Group on Human Resource development (WGHRD-2) was held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 1-2 June 1999. The Meeting was co-organized by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The participants included delegations from Cambodia, the People's Republic of China (PRC), Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Representatives from Germany (Deutsche Gessellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit or GTZ), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Mekong Institute, the Mekong River Commission (MRC), UNAIDS, the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and ADB also attended. The list of participants is attached as Appendix 1. The Meeting was co-chaired by His Excellency, Mr. Pok Than, Secretary of State, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Royal Government of Cambodia, and Mr. Edward Haugh, Manager, Education and Health Division (West), ADB. The Meeting was divided into five sessions as follows: Session I - Introduction and Opening Session; Session II - Country Presentations; Session III - Stocktaking; Session IV - Future Agenda; and Session V - Conclusion. Two discussion groups were formed under Session IV—one in health and education, and the other in labor markets. The deliberations of the discussion groups were reported on and considered in the plenary sessions. The program of the Meeting is attached as Appendix 2. Opening SessionHis Excellency, Mr. Toh Lah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, welcomed the participants on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia. He thanked the ADB for organizing the WGHRD as the central forum to promote investment in HRD and to jointly address the crosscutting concerns. He reviewed the Working Group's terms of reference (TOR) and areas of priority endorsed during its Inception Meeting. He challenged the Working Group to continue carrying out its mission based on the shared conviction that HRD is the key to broad-based sustainable development. The lesson of the ongoing economic crisis shows that the GMS economies are closely linked. They should therefore continue to work together to enhance the competitiveness of the region by improving the skills and productivity of the labor force, improving living standards, providing social services and economic opportunities, and broadening the base of participation through the empowerment of grassroots communities and the private sector. He expressed the hope that the Meeting will result in a fruitful exchange of views and experiences on HRD. Mr. Someth Suos, Resident Representative, Cambodia Resident Mission, ADB, delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the Bank. He cited that the Bank has been working closely with the GMS countries, in partnership with bilateral and multilateral institutions, in supporting priority areas for GMS cooperation. Since 1992, the Bank's overall investment in the GMS Program has reached approximately $1 billion with about $38 million in technical assistance. Under the WGHRD, the Bank has supported a number of projects including those relating to the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, employment promotion and training, and addressing the health and education needs of ethnic minorities. There is scope for addressing other areas of common needs including skills training to meet market demand, and training in environmental conservation and management etc. He noted the presence of many international organizations at the Meeting and emphasized the importance of continuing partnerships with these organizations, as well as with NGOs and the private sector. These partnerships have contributed to the success of the GMS Program through cofinancing and other forms of contribution. The future agenda on HRD will require political stability, government commitment, and continuing improvements in the quality of the resource base. These are all vital components for sustainable economic growth in the region. Mr. Toru Tatara, ADB, also addressed the Meeting in his capacity as Head of the GMS Unit. He reported that the 32nd Annual Meeting emphasized poverty reduction as the overarching objective of the Bank, and identified human development and regional cooperation as two among five strategic areas. In the context of the ongoing economic crisis in Asia, there is an urgent need to improve the social protection system and address the issue of poverty reduction in the subregional agenda. The activities identified by the WGHRD, namely, education and training, labor market management, and health services, are largely country-based operations. However, within these broad areas, there are subregional dimensions that could generate economies of scale. These include information exchange, HIV/AIDS issues, drug control, labor migration, vaccine procurement, specialized education and training services, networking among institutes for higher education and training, and resource mobilization and inter-agency coordination. In particular, a discussion of ongoing and pipeline projects, both public and private, and national and foreign-funded, could form the basis for further inter-agency coordination. Citing the recent meeting in Mukdahan, Thailand, to discuss the East-West Transport Corridor Project, he informed the Meeting that HRD and skills training were identified as critical elements for the ultimate success of the economic corridor. Mr. Edward Haugh, Manager, Education and Health Division (West), ADB, introduced the context for the Meeting. He explained that the regional economic crisis has set back progress in the social sectors in GMS countries to varying degrees. Except for Thailand, the other GMS countries have been affected less directly by the crisis. The Meeting will take stock of the situation and try to develop an understanding of how the crisis affected the progress of human development in the subregion. Apart from the impacts of the economic crisis, the Meeting will also discuss other significant problems such as the spread of HIV/AIDS, the resurgence of drug resistant tuberculosis and malaria, the spread of illicit drug use, the growing use of tobacco by the young population, and weak labor markets. He proposed a review of the Working Group's TOR to focus on activities that are specific, achievable and affordable. Objectives of the MeetingMr. Haugh outlined the objectives of the Meeting as follows: (i) to revitalize the WGHRD so that it provides an effective forum of exchange of ideas and information on human development issues in the GMS; (ii) identify and prioritize a package of high priority, achievable and affordable subregional interventions that promote human development; (iii ) review progress to date of the WGHRD; (iv) review with the GMS countries, the impact of the Asian economic and financial crisis on human development in the subregion; (v) discuss and identify possible subregional approaches to the crisis; (vi) update the WGHRD on the overall direction of the Bank-sponsored GMS subregional economic cooperation program; (vii) discuss possible methods of improving coordination among donors active in subregional cooperation; and (viii) develop an improved HRD framework. Country PresentationsEach GMS country made a presentation on the prevailing conditions and policies in their health, education, and labor sectors; the impact of the Asian economic crisis on the social sector and mitigation measures by the government, and potential areas for subregional cooperation. The highlights of the country presentations are given below. Cambodia The Asian economic crisis changed the fundamentals of domestic economic activity in Cambodia with people's livelihood being affected by the continued stagnation of the economy. The fight against poverty is facing huge challenges despite its enormous success until 1996. Half-reduced earnings of vulnerable workers in the capital city, and high inflation impinged on the affordability of essential food and medicines. Many poor households were forced to withdraw their children from schools and many children were forced to work to support the families, thus increasing the concern for child labor. Enrolment in the lower secondary schools has dropped, both as a result of the crisis, as well as by other factors such as demographic change, poor agricultural production, and internally displaced population. In response to these problems, the government introduced austerity measures on public expenditures, and pursued reforms in the civil service to reduce the government payroll, and demobilized its security forces. In education, enhanced skills training, competency in mathematics and science, teacher training, promoting foreign language training, and programs for assisting the rural poor are the critical priorities. Post-secondary education and training is considered as a key strategy for strengthening human resource. In Cambodia, it is recognized that strengthening the skills base of the population should take place alongside the strengthening of the public service. Training programs must also be linked to formal education and improved to address the demands of both the domestic and international labor markets. Issues in the health sector are caused mainly by structural factors, with only a very limited number of health personnel remaining after the Khmer Rouge regime. The quality of services is poor and the distribution is concentrated in the capital cities. Low salaries result in low motivation, poor performance, and underutilization of health facilities. Cambodia sees the need to improve the present situation through the reform of the institutional and management structure, and the development and expansion of its health personnel. A number of priorities are aimed at meeting the basic health needs of the entire population in order to improve their well being. In order to meet the reform objective, training priorities (Basic Skills) have been given to the health staff at the lowest level of core e.g. Minimum Package of Activities (MPA) for health center staff and Complementary Package of Activities (CPA) for health staff working at district level. After the general elections in 1998, the number of factories increased to 174 providing jobs to more than 100,000 Khmer people generating an average wage income of about $4,000,000 per month. The Vocational Training Department is the only institution in charge of human resource development. The role and responsibility of the Department is to run some vocational training centers aimed at training unskilled people (including the poor, orphans, school dropouts, demobilized soldiers, and disabled persons). For this purpose, MOSALVY has decided and planned to transform 11 provincial orphanage centers into vocational training centers. An MOU signed with the ADB on 3 June 1997 included a plan to build 6 regional centers. PRC Although the Asian economic crisis has exerted pressure on China's economic reform efforts, employment, and social protection systems, its impact has been relatively moderate and indirect. There was evidence of declining export volumes, underutilization of industrial capacity, unemployment and low consumer demand, but overall, economic trends were generally maintained at levels during the last two decades. Economic and social security difficulties were caused by structural shortcomings rather than by the crisis itself. In the education sector, there is a mismatch between education and HRD on one hand, and the needs of economic and social development of the other. Higher education has lagged behind the requirements of economic development, teaching methods and curriculum content of basic education have not kept pace with modern trends, and prevailing educational concepts have hampered the development of vocational education. In addressing these issues, China's present strategy has placed more emphasis on developing higher education and innovating basic education targeted at transforming China's population into a viable human resource base. The economic slowdown resulting from the crisis however, has affected the education sector's ability to raise funds through multiple channels, especially in the rural areas. The tightening of the labor market has lowered the demand for college and university graduates, as well as graduates of secondary vocational schools. Some areas where international cooperation in the education sector can be explored include: (i) development of joint models for training of high level professional manpower and managerial personnel; (ii) training for the unemployed; (iii) education for the poor and the socially-disadvantaged; (iv) improvements in the quality and effectiveness of education programs and promotion of interdisciplinary exchange; and (v) development of distance education and centers of excellence. ILO has identified two centers of excellence in Yunnan Province. One of them, the Yunnan Normal University, is proposed to be the core of a subregional human resource network and a computer training center for Southeast Asia. In the health sector, the structural problems include: (i) reduction of access to health care especially in the rural areas; (ii) reduction in insurance; and (iii) weaknesses in the health care delivery and health finance systems. In the next century, new infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS will emerge as a serious threat to health; while chronic non-infectious diseases such as malignant tumor, and cardiovascular and respiratory disease will top the leading causes of death. From among these issues, HIV/AIDS holds great potential as a priority area for subregional cooperation. However, a fuller understanding of the relationship between HIV/AIDS prevention and economic development which would require multi-sectoral cooperation. Limited skill of medical staff and poor communication, especially in the rural areas remain some of the key obstacles to HIV/AIDS education. As regards unemployment resulting from overall output declines, decreasing foreign investment and exports, and a slowdown in construction, the government pursued fiscal measures, reemployment programs, training and retraining, and improvements in the social security systems. The priorities and cooperation areas in the subregion could be (i) job creation by developing small and medium enterprises; (ii) improvement of labor quality through employment services, especially training and retraining; (iii) how to maximize the use of the labor market information network that has been set up in job matching, training and retraining; and (iv) undertaking of research and studies on the impact of the economic globalization on employment and social security. Lao PDR Despite considerable progress in the social development, Lao PDR is still encountering limited development of human resources. Economic growth has not permeated the rural areas, resulting in wide rural-urban disparities in health, education and access to services. Development of human resources remains limited, which in turn results in underutilization of services and continued low productivity. Education issues include the provision of basic education for all (especially for girls and ethnic minorities); improved access to schools for rural dwellers, and the development of skilled labor force. Health issues include the need for provision of adequate health care and medical services, malaria prevention, improvements in child and maternal health, improvements in nutrition, continuing education on and treatment for STDs, (including for HIV/AIDS), and drug education. In the labor sector, issues include developing a trained labor force, requiring increasingly diverse skills, especially in information technology areas, maintenance of adequate salaries. The Asian economic crisis reversed some of the gains in the social development sector in Lao PDR. Increase in drug prices have affected morbidity and mortality rates; financial difficulties have resulted in delays in the construction of school buildings, and the cost of sending children to school have imposed higher burden on families. In response to these adverse consequences, the government has taken measures to reduce inflation, encouraged public health workers to intensify their activities among the grassroots population, expand education to the rural areas and promote private sector participation in the national educational development. Poverty alleviation is being addressed through urban and rural employment creation and training for small enterprises. In terms of areas for subregional cooperation, three specific priority areas were identified: (i) drug eradication and control; (ii) HIV/AIDS treatment and control; and (iii) skills development. The integration of HIV/AIDS/STD and drug prevention issues into the primary and secondary curriculum and the development of related instructional materials were proposed. In addition, regional cooperation on skills development could supplement domestic efforts to diversify skills that are in demand in the world market. The development of labor market information could provide a basis for planning skills development. Myanmar The impact of the financial crisis on Myanmar has been indirect and without dramatic consequences, unlike some of its neighboring countries. Secondary effects however, were experienced in terms of lower foreign direct investment and higher rates of inflation. Despite the unfavorable economic and investment climate, the economy grew by 5 percent in 1998-1999. The crisis almost had no impact on the health and education sectors. The government remains committed to the development of human resources, and the promotion of rights of workers, women and children. Plans and programs are in place to implement the goal of "Education for All for the Year 2001", focusing on narrowing the education gaps between male and female and rural and urban population. Special attention has also been given to upgrading the skills of the labor force. Myanmar has also cooperated with various international organizations to improve HRD planning, develop a labor information network, and promote centers of excellence in vocational training in the GMS. Myanmar has continued to emphasize the provision of equitable health care using a primary health care approach as part of its national policy. The approach involves promoting joint ventures and private sector participation in health care delivery and alternative health care financing. Programs for the development of women have emphasized the promotion of business for women. Measures to promote the quality of life in the remote border areas are undertaken with the help of non-governmental and other international organizations. An important initiative is the drug eradication program, consisting of measures to eliminate poppy cultivation, and provide alternative means of livelihood through cash crop substitution. Thailand The regional economic crisis has had notable impact on Thailand, resulting in displacement of workers, increased unemployment, increased dropout rates, reduction in the financial viability of private schools, and higher poverty levels. To mitigate the negative social consequences of the crisis, economic reforms were taken expeditiously by the Government in accordance with IMF-led policy guidelines. It was recognized that ineffective investment in the social sectors and Thailand's relatively weak human resource base have been major contributors to the economic downturn. In the area of labor and social welfare, government priorities were given to the following areas: (i) support for laid-off workers and the unemployed: (ii) protection of the poor in the informal sector through more effective poverty alleviation programs; (iii) promotion of private sector investment in training; and (iv) improvements in competitiveness of the labor force. A seven-point action plan, focusing among others, on employment creation, was also implemented. To protect the poor, the budget for health services was increased, and assistance schemes were expanded to cover even those who are not employed in the formal sector. Other measures included: (i) strengthening of health insurance schemes, particularly for the low income and underprivileged groups; (ii) improving the quality of health care services; (iii) encouraging the private sector to play a role in health care services; (iv) increasing the number of health personnel to meet future requirements, and improving their motivation; (v) strengthening the referral system to increase the use of resources at various levels. In the education sector, policy priorities include: (i) reduction in the incidence of drop-out rates; (ii) improvements in the quality of priority education programs through better allocation of resources; (iii) rationalization and decentralization of the bureaucracy; (iv) financial and management decentralization; and (v) promotion of private sector investment in the provision of education and training. Several priority issues for subregional issues were identified. These include: (i) the need to regularize cross-border interactions in the GMS in the area of labor movements; (ii) promotion of production-related investment, especially along the well-defined GMS economic corridors, through among others, co-production schemes based on the countries' comparative advantage; in this regard, technical skills training and national skills standards will be required; (iii) prevention and control of communicable diseases (such as malaria) along border areas; and (iv) strengthening disease surveillance in the GMS countries. The need for a regional technical assistance facility to support the implementation of priority GMS projects was observed. Viet Nam Unemployment has been the major consequence in Viet Nam of the Asian economic crisis. Unemployment and underemployment rates have increased as many enterprises retrenched workers. Underemployment was prevalent in the rural areas and seasonal labor migration has intensified. The decline in foreign investment flows is major factor that contributed to unemployment and higher incidence of poverty. Following the economic crisis, government intensified efforts to create new jobs, maintain existing jobs for workers, and protect the more vulnerable groups through more effective programs in health care, education, and employment and poverty alleviation. Vocational education also received support from the government as well as international institutions, including the ADB. One of the most important lessons from the crisis was the need to upgrade education and training systems. Among the priority issues to be addressed are: (i) prevention of illiteracy; (ii) promotion of universal lower secondary education; (iii) improvements in educational quality; (iv) standardization and internationalization of certificates and degrees; (v) curriculum improvement; and (vi) focus on the training of middle-level manpower (e.g. technicians and engineers). In the health sector, the medium-term targets for improving life expectancy, infant, child and maternal mortality, and nutrition levels have been well-defined. At present, the government is encouraging foreign investment in the health sector through joint ventures in hospitals, special techniques for curative care. Subregional cooperation in HRD was proposed in several areas. These include: (i) strengthening national capacities to monitor and evaluate the employment implications of macroeconomic policies; (ii) developing a regional employment scheme in the informal sector to promote self-employment; (iii) improvements in food inspection facilities as the borders; (iv) control and prevention of HIV/AIDS/STD especially among migrant workers across the borders; (v) control of malaria and other communicable disease among the borders; and (vi) standardization and internationalization of certificates and degrees, training technicians, and middle-level manpower. Discussion on the Country Presentations The Chair summarized the recurring themes in the country presentations that could be further considered for regional collaboration. These are (i) the situation of ethnic minorities and other vulnerable people; (ii) the spread of HIV/AIDS; (iii) labor market issues, including information systems; (iv) skills training and vocational education; (v) cooperation with the private sector; (vi) development of centers of excellence; and (vii) strengthening partnerships with other external donors. Review of Subregional Cooperation in HRDOverview Mr. Edward Haugh gave an overview of cooperation in the GMS HRD. He reviewed: (i) the TOR of the WGHRD; (ii) the status of the three flagship projects; and (iii) the status of other priority projects. He emphasized the need to ensure the TOR of the Working Group are achievable, implementable and affordable. In particular, the task of the WG to monitor and assist coordination and implementation of priority subregional projects might best be limited to those undertaken in the HRD sector. The role of the WGHRD to serve as venue for addressing the human resource requirements of subregional projects in other sectors may be difficult to carry out due to limited resources. The three flagship programs endorsed during the Inception Meeting of the WGHRD were reviewed and prospects for further development and implementation assessed. For the Centers of Excellence Network completed under RETA 5681, the WGHRD will have to decide on the next steps. Health Surveillance and Information Sharing Across Border Areas is a rather broad area which should be coordinated with WHO. As regards HIV/AIDS, a Bank technical assistance to mitigate the epidemic is planned in 1999, following the identification of 18 HIV/AIDS project proposals in an earlier phase. Technical Skills Training (with components on subregional training centers, small-scale training packages, etc,) would require loan financing; the Bank is already engaged in training activities in individual GMS countries. Other priority areas identified during the Inception Meeting included: (i) improving educational access in border areas; (ii) an annual workshop on employment promotion in the GMS; (iii) leadership on primary health care; (iv) vaccine production; and (v) health sector financing. Elements of these priority areas have been addressed in projects that have either been completed or ongoing. A project on Cooperation in Employment Promotion and Training in GMS Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS has been completed in 1997. A RETA for Strengthening Capacity for Addressing the Health and Education Needs of Ethnic Minorities in the GMS is ongoing. A project on prevention of HIV/AIDS in the GMS is scheduled for approval in 1999, and one on capacity building for higher education is scheduled for approval in 2001. A study of vaccine financing requirements in the GMS was also completed and is available to the GMS countries for further consideration. Cooperation in Employment Promotion and Training The project was completed in 1997. Its major outcomes included the sharing of expertise in the development of subregional skills standards and testing and certification, adoption of GMS accreditation criteria for technical and vocational training institutions; and development of a network of centers of excellence. Follow-on activities in these areas would be required at the level of the GMS countries. Strengthening Capacity for Addressing the Health and Education Needs of Ethnic Minorities Mr. Indu Bhushan, Project Economist, AWEH, ADB, reported the current status of the project on the study of the Health and Education Needs of Ethnic Minorities which was approved by the Bank in June 1998 in the amount of $850,000. The Bank and the United Kingdom are cofinancing the project. The focus on ethnic minorities, which constitute a large proportion of the GMS human resource base, is needed to protect the most vulnerable groups, while at the same time promoting sustainable development. The long-term objective of the project is to improve human development in the GMS countries by identifying the special needs of ethnic minorities, and sharing them with decision-makers. The project is ongoing and will be completed by August 2000. GMS Program on HIV/AIDS Mr. Myo Thant, Senior Programs Officer, PW3, ADB reported on the completion of the GMS Program on HIV/AIDS which established a framework for sustaining HIV/AIDS initiatives on a subregional basis and promote regional confidence in HIV/AIDS cooperation. Eighteen (18) project proposals have been identified based on extensive consultations with the GMS countries. Project selection focused on implementability, emphasis on knowledge, mutual learning, information sharing. Resources are being sought for the implementation of these projects, which were identified through AusAID assistance. The 18 proposals were categorized into five groups. Group I deals with policy, human resource development and institutional structures for promoting effective interventions on HIV/AIDS. Group II proposals focus on the role of NGOs and the economic determinants of women's vulnerability to the epidemic in the GMS. Group III projects involve private sector participation. Group IV proposals are about safe blood, involving both aspects of demand and supply, as well as intravenous drug use. Group V projects concern various aspects of care for people with AIDS, including cost-effective treatments using both conventional and new technologies. Mr. Indu Bhushan, ADB informed the Meeting that a regional technical assistance (RETA) project for preventing HIV/AIDS in the GMS is being developed and is targeted for approval in 1999. The RETA has the following objectives: (i) identify migration patterns, characteristics, and knowledge, attitudes and practices related to the HIV/AIDS of migrant workers; (ii) develop and information, education, and communication (IEC) plan for HIV/AIDS prevention among migrant workers in the GMS countries; and (iii) develop guidelines and toolkits for integrating HIV/AIDS prevention activities in infrastructure projects where large number of migrant workers are expected to work. The project cost is estimated at US$850,000. The Meeting endorsed the project on HIV/AIDS being developed by the Bank as addressing an important priority concern in the region. Regional Programs for Human Resource DevelopmentMekong Institute Prof. Vanchai Vatansapt, Director, and Mr. John Askwith, Course Director of the Mekong Institute briefed the Meeting on the underlying philosophy of the Institute (the "Greater Mekong spirit"), its objectives, programs, and accomplishments to date. The Governments of Thailand and New Zealand are jointly funding the Mekong Institute. The Institute is involved both in training and research, and conducts courses in both economic and non-economic fields (e.g. tourism, HRD, etc.) A specific proposal was tabled by Prof. Vanchai regarding the HRD needs for Route 9, a component of the East West Transport Corridor Project. HRD gaps in the development of the corridor were identified, namely: (i) inaccessibility of local people to resources and information; (ii) untapped local potential to cope with job requirements, generated by different activities within the corridor; and (iii) the need for an information system linked through reliable and up-to-date technology. Dr. Vanchai identified the specific contributions that could be provided by the Institute to address these gaps. He proposed a symposium to discuss the need for regional cooperation on HRD in the East-West Transport Corridor as an input to concrete recommendations that could be presented to the 9th Ministerial Conference. The Mekong River Commission (MRC) Mr. Suchat Katima, Human Resources Development Unit, MRC, described three basic programs, namely, the Basin Development Plan, the Water Utilization Program, and Sustainable Development that form of the core of the Commission's activities. As regards HRD, programs of the MRC are concerned with increasing intellectual capacity, promoting teamwork and building confidence among the countries in the Mekong Basin. It conducts a number of capacity-building activities in collaboration with other donors. UNAIDS Mr. Geoff Manthey, Country Programme Adviser, UNAIDS Cambodia, described UNAIDS operations at the national, regional and global levels. He focused on the activities of the Asia-Pacific Country Team at the regional level, which supports cross-border, multi-country interventions to add value to efforts at the national level. Activities at the regional level are in the areas of drug use, prevention, mobile populations, advocacy and information exchange. UNAIDS is also working closely with other regional and international organizations such as ASEAN, UNDP, UNICEF, Asian Red Cross, and GTZ. UNDCP Mr. Sanong Chinnanon, Institutional and HRD Specialist, UNDCP, explained UNDCP's mission to promote concerted action against illicit drug production, trafficking, and consumption. An MOU involving the six GMS countries has been signed and provided the framework for 12 subregional project initiatives. UNDCP takes a comprehensive approach to the problem of drugs which involves (i) reduction in demand and supply, (ii) law enforcement; and (iii) prevention of drug trafficking. HRD strategies and methods used in the subregional drug control projects were also presented to the Meeting. UNESCO Mr. Supote Prasertsri, Representative, UNESCO identified the areas where the organization is actively involved, namely education; the promotion of science as the foundation of development, with special focus on indigenous technology; information and communications; protection and preservation of culture, including the preserving world heritage sites and biosphere reserves; and the promotion of human and social sciences through information exchange, training, and research. He stressed the importance of building the Culture of Peace in nations, as well as in the minds of people in order to prevent war and conflict. UNICEF Ms. Carroll Long, Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF, cited a number of UNICEF-supported regional and subregional projects in the areas of nutrition, safe motherhood, and HIV/AIDS (focusing on mother to child transmission), malaria prevention, immunization and vaccine access, early childhood care and development protection of children and women, and education,. Several of these initiatives have been pursued in collaboration with various donors, including ADB. She stressed the importance and usefulness of regional cooperation as a strategy for action, but also cautioned on the difficulties. Clarity of roles and expectations are essential, and requisite institutional capacities must be in place to ensure that regional work adds value to national efforts and maximizes the comparative advantage of all entities involved. She identified ethnic minority issues, HIV/AIDS, migration and protection issues, as examples of areas appropriate for regional cooperation. WHO Ms. Bronwyn Hine, WHO Consultant in HRD in Cambodia, described the Human Resources for Health Programme which seeks to promote health for all through skilled policy advice and technical support for health work force planning, development and management. Priority activities are in the areas of health workforce planning in the context of health sector reform; health workforce production including distance education; standards and appropriate use of health personnel; and health workforce management. Some of the activities in these areas include fellowships, study tours for policy and decision-makers, and technical assistance. WHO works towards the development of human resources for health in partnership with governments, multilateral, bilateral, and nongovernment organizations, training and research organizations, and professional associations. Future AgendaThe Economic Corridor Concept and Its Implications for HRD Mr. Myo Thant, ADB, explained that the concept of economic corridors was developed to provide spatial focus to areas with the highest economic potential and where private sector investment is likely to succeed. At the 8th Ministerial Meeting, five routes have been identified with potential for development as economic corridors; the most advanced among these is the East West Transport Corridor which spans Mukdahan (Thailand), Savannakhet (Lao PDR) and Da Nang (Viet Nam). Employment growth along the corridors will result in higher incomes, which in turn will increase demand for health and educational services. To maximize the impact of economic corridors, it is important that basic needs be provided in the short-term, and labor productivity be improved in the medium-term. Over the longer-term, endogenous growth is needed to sustain the viability of economic corridors. The challenge for the GMS countries is to begin the process of using the economic corridor framework for planning future regional cooperation activities. More specifically, there is need to integrate HRD concerns, including labor migration issues, into the planning process for economic corridors. The private sector will be an important driving force in the development of the corridors, including for HRD interventions. Targeted interventions for some ethnic groups may be required and new economic roles for certain towns (e.g. Da Nang) have to be considered. Cooperation in labor standards, and the establishment of a university network are potential activities that the GMS countries could pursue along the corridors. In the discussion that followed the presentation, Cambodia raised the need to address different road regulations along the corridor. Bank informed the Meeting that in the case of the East West Transport Corridor, this issue is being addressed through cross-border agreements among the three countries involved. The Bank is providing technical assistance to support the studies and processes involved in negotiating and concluding the cross-border agreement. The representative from GTZ pointed out the need to also consider environmental issues along the corridors, citing that these also have implications on human development. On the whole, the Meeting felt the need to integrate the mainstream objectives of the Working Group into the economic corridor strategy. A Framework Strategy for Subregional Cooperation in HRD The Framework Strategy for Subregional Cooperation on HRD was discussed. The Meeting considered a proposal tabled by ADB to change the title of the Working Group to become the Working Group on Human Development (WGHD). This shift is intended to avoid confusion, add clarity, and promote consistency with the Bank's overarching goal of poverty reduction and human development. The Meeting decided not to change the title but to highlight the focus of human development. The Meeting agreed that the Working Group would be guided by the following principles: (i) it will be pragmatic and results-oriented; (ii) concentration will focus on human development issues in education, health, and labor markets; (iii) focus will continue to be on issues with subregional implications; (iv) there should be synergy created by addressing issues on a regional basis; and (v) HRD projects should promote complementarity with national programs. The Working Group will prepare an annual work plan, identifying specific key responsibilities and resource requirements. Over the long-term, the Working Group should endeavor to gradually shift responsibility to the GMS countries themselves. Setting Priorities for Subregional Cooperation in HRD Two discussion groups—one on health and education, and another on labor markets—were organized to consider (i) the proposed areas of focus of the Working Group; (ii) partnerships with external agencies; and (iii) the elements of the annual work plan. Based on the Groups' discussions, the following were endorsed. 1. Areas of Concentration Areas of concentration of the WGHRD will be on education (networking of universities and centers of academic excellence, distance education, and basic education for ethnic minorities); health (HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, dengue fever, drug abuse, vaccines, information sharing and policy research on malnutrition); vulnerable groups (mobile populations, ethnic minorities, and people in border areas); and labor market (information, skills development, vocational training, skills standards and certification, centers of excellence, labor mobility, and private sector mobilization). 2. Partnerships with External Funding Agencies and Other Institutions Partnerships would be promoted with external funding agencies (ILO, UNAIDS, UNDCP, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO etc.); regional institutions (the Mekong Institute, MRC); and bilateral donors (e.g. Germany, Japan). Partnerships with these institutions for regional projects, however, should not be at the expense of bilateral assistance. Work Plan 1999-2000 Key elements of the work plan for 1999/2000 would include the following Bank-supported initiatives: (i) completion of the project on education and health needs of ethnic minorities; (ii) initiation of a new project on prevention of HIV/AIDS in the GMS; (iii) continued exploration of the means to improve the availability of vaccines; and (iv) follow-up on the completed project on cooperation in employment promotion. In addition, the social implications of the economic corridors concept will be examined, and in this regard, the Meeting accepted the offer of the Mekong Institute to handle preliminary work in this area and report to the 9th Ministerial Meeting. The feasibility of establishing a website to continuously disseminate information on the Working Group's activities will be explored. Concluding SessionDate and Venue of the Next Meeting The Meeting proposed that the next meeting be held in Kunming, Yunnan Province, PRC, in July 2000. The delegation from the PRC welcomed the proposal and indicated that after consultations with the concerned authorities, the venue will be confirmed in due course. The themes for the next Meeting would be Human Development Needs of Ethnic Minorities and Social Dimensions of Transport Corridors. Closing Remarks Mr. Someth Suos, ADB, expressed appreciation to the Royal Government of Cambodia, in particular, the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports for the excellent arrangements made for the Meeting. He enjoined the participants from the GMS countries to forge even stronger cooperation in human resource development in order to meet future demands of economic growth and globalization. He also thanked the representatives of international organizations and looked forward to effective and fruitful partnerships with them in pursuing the goals of human development in the region. In his closing remarks, His Excellency, Mr. Pok Than, thanked all the participants for the extensive and productive exchange of views on human development. He emphasized that the regardless of the area of focus, the key is to forge stronger linkages and cooperation at all levels—at the inter-ministerial level within the respective governments; between the governments and the international agencies; and among the GMS countries. He expressed the hope that the GMS countries would continue the process of building trust, confidence and friendship as a basis for cooperation.
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