Phnom Penh, May 29, 2015 — Successful development in Asia requires a healthy balance of cooperation and competition amongst development partners, or ‘coopetition,’ according to participants at a joint Korea Development Institute (KDI) and The Asia Foundation conference, Asian Approaches to Development Cooperation (AADC). Current investment, trade, and development cooperation, spearheaded by Asia’s rising powers, is transforming development prospects for the region.
This week, government officials, policy specialists, and development experts representing more than 10 countries convened in Cambodia for the 12th meeting of the Asian Approaches dialogue, an ongoing series designed to address the development prospects and challenges facing the region. This knowledge exchange also opens the door to opportunities for South-South Cooperation (SSC) between and among “emerging” and “traditional” development actors.
The Phnom Penh conference, in particular, focused on partner country perspectives on South-South Cooperation in Asia. More specifically, it explored how SSC has or has not contributed to national development priorities in South East Asia and South Asia, opportunities and strategies for Triangular Cooperation in Asia, how provider and partner countries measure the impact of SSC, and the diverse experiences and strategies of Asian provider countries like China, Thailand, and India.
In his keynote speech H.E. Sok Siphana, advisor to the Royal Government of Cambodia, described the transformation of the aid landscape in Cambodia as largely a result of the increase of resources from non-traditional partners like China. He also welcomed the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with its aim to address the infrastructure deficit within the region. Within this changing environment he emphasized that traditional donors are needed to support Cambodia to navigate and manage these new sources of funding.
Dr. Swarnim Waglé Honorable Member, National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal, reflecting on his experience of Nepal’s recent earthquake, commended the collaborative and agile efforts of both India and China, who responded with emergency helicopters within hours of the disaster.
“Emerging powers are changing the norms and institutions of global governance, including development cooperation,” remarked Dr Gulshan Sachdeva, from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India.
Countries participating at the Phnom Penh dialogue included: Cambodia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, the U.S., Myanmar, China, India, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Australia, and others. Representatives from multilateral and bilateral agencies, academia, and international organizations also participated in discussions, including the Council for Development of Cambodia, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), USAID, Australia’s DFAT, professors from various universities including De La Salle University in the Philippines and Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, and many others.
Participants also gained first hand exposure to issues in a national context. The program included a visit to the Cambodia-Thai Skills Development Center, which trains 150 to 300 trainees per year in six skills: welding, electricity, air conditioner machine repair, small engine repair, construction and automotive repair. In its second decade of operation, the Center is now facing sustainability challenges including a changing employment market and competition from other training centers. Both Cambodia and Thai government partners are therefore strategizing on its next phase of operation.
Past years’ dialogues have focused on the changing aid landscape, rising inequality and pro-poor growth, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and social mobility. The 2011-2014 meetings were convened in various Asian cities, including Beijing, Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi, Bangkok, Hoi An, and Seoul. Dialogue participants visited with Songdo, Korea’s smart, green city masterplan, a Chinese-supported highway construction project in Sri Lanka, and the Baan Khun Samut Chin area in Thailand to study coastal erosion.
