EAST- ASIA PACIFIC REGIONAL NGO WORKING GROUP ON THE WORLD BANK : A Briefer

The NGO Working Group on the World Bank, created in 1984, has become one of the major venue for dialogue among NGOs and the Bank which seeks to translate policy into practice through institutional change, locally based discussions, and intensive monitoring. Members from major regions of the world, majority from the developing countries, had taken part to this endeavor. Due to the increasing need to regionalize NGO efforts, the Fourth Asia Pacific Regional Meeting had paved way to the formation of the East Asia Pacific Region NGO Working Group on the World Bank (EAPR NGO WG on the WB). This meeting was held in Bangkok last 30 June to 03 July 1998, with some 83 participants from civil society groups and WB officials present in the event.

During the said meeting, it was clarified that the objective of the EAPR NGO-WG on WB will focus on broadening the participation and building in-country advocacy capacities of NGOs within the context of the financial crisis. As such, the major activities of the EAPR NGO-WG on WB will revolve around the following areas:

• Mapping of NGOs within the sub-region engaged in policy work with WB

•  Inventory on in-country NGO advocacy capacity needs

• Facilitate in-country building based on inventory

• Identification of thematic issues within the sub-region

• Monitor and documentation of social impact responses on key issues by various stakeholders

• Policy dialogue with WB on participation

Among the key issues to be prioritized by the EAPR NGO-WG on WB are:

• develop common methodology in assessing the impact of the crisis

• monitor and collate social impact of financial crisis on the marginalized

• monitor and collate responses to the crisis by various stakeholders (i.e., government, civil society organizations, multilateral development banks, business/private, etc.)

• provide forum(s) for sharing the above results for the purpose of policy dialogue

• monitor WB stakeholders� participation in CAS processes and policy work

• review long term implications of crisis vis-a-vis WDR 2000, CAS processes

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Members of the Steering Committee:

Mr. Emmanuel Haryadi, Indonesia  (Chairperson)
            Mrs. Pimpa Wongvorakul, Thailand
            Mr. Dang Ngoc Quang, Vietnam  
            Mr. Yeng Virak, Cambodia
            Mrs. Maria Theresa Diokno-Pascual , Philippines

The East Asia Pacific Regional NGO Working Group Met in Manila

The Steering Committee Members of the East Asia Pacific NGO Working Group on the World Bank met last 28-29 April 1999 at Sulo Hotel, Quezon City, Philippines for the first Steering Committee Meeting.

The said meeting was attended by NGOs from five (5) countries in South East Asia: Bina Swadaya of Indonesia, Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) of the Philippines, NGO Forum of Cambodia, NGO Coordinating Committee on Development  (NGO-COD) of Thailand, and the Rural Development Service Center (RDSC) of Vietnam.

Mr. John Clark represented the World Bank East Asia and the Pacific; while External Relations Officer, Ms. Leonora Gonzales, represented WB-Philippines.

The meeting was presided by Mr. Em Haryadi, Steering Committee Chairperson assisted by the steering committee secretariat, the Asian NGO Coalition (ANGOC). The objective of the steering committee meeting was to  discuss several organizational issues concerning the Steering Committee which were later raised and discussed by the body. Among the major resolutions include the term of reference of the Steering Committee, operating structure, scope of the Steering Committee Membership, priority issues in the region; and linkages with existing networks.

After the presentation of the individual country plans, the body agreed on a common Regional Plan geared towards facilitating between NGOs and the World Bank at the country level which include: 

1. Setting up of a functional secretariat

2.  Identification/confirmation of NGO Country Focal Points and mechanisms

3. Compilation of researches on the Impact of the Financial Crisis on East Asia Pacific Region

4. Mapping of NGOs for  World Bank Dialogue at the country level

5. Convening of a regional assembly ( late this year or early next year )  

To follow up on these targets, the body agreed to hold a teleconference on 29 July, 11 am, Manila time. Also expected to be discussed during the teleconference is the schedule of the Regional Assembly as well as share information on the updates on their respective country-level trialogue between WB, the NGOs and their respective governments.