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Friday, November 05, 2004
Donors urged to invest in Mindanao peace, dev't
STRATEGIC investments for peace and development in Mindanao are now ready for taking from interested members of the international donor community with the recent launching of the Mindanao Investment Program (MIP) publication.
The MIP, which contains priority programs and projects supportive of peace and development in Mindanao, was presented to the donor community, government and private sector representatives during the 3rd Mindanao Working Group (MWG) Meeting recently held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel.
A joint initiative of the World Bank, the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) and the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco), MWG is a mechanism under the Consultative Group of the Philippines, which provides a forum for donors and Philippine government officials to exchange information and discuss collaboration on foreign-assisted development efforts in Mindanao.
The MIP particularly highlights the proposed peace and development programs and projects for official development assistance (ODA), including the list and status of major donor-funded development initiatives in Mindanao.
With a total of 121 programs and projects lined up so far as of October 27, 2004, the MIP contains strategic interventions for Mindanao, which were prioritized through a series of agency consultations, taking into account President Arroyo's 10-Point Agenda and the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).
The projects cited in the MIP are seen to positively respond to the President's legacy agenda on job generation, SME and agribusiness development; improving access to education, provision of electricity and water supply to the barangays, formation of new government centers and achieving a just end to the peace process.
In a recent meeting with Medco representatives here last month, the President lauded the MIP as it embodies her strategic "affirmative actions" for Mindanao's peace and development in the medium term.
"It is encouraging to see that many of the ideas that were discussed as planned last year have become a reality. Today, Medc was able to present the MIP as a basis for coordinating our efforts in support to Mindanao's development," according to Joachim Von Amsberg, World Bank country director and co-chairperson of the MWG.
Amsberg added that the completion of MIP is aptly timed with the conclusion of the Joint Needs Assessment for the setting up of the Mindanao Trust Fund (MTF), which the Philippine government hopes to provide US$10 million counterpart fund.
Led by World Bank, MTF is a separate initiative that aims to mobilize resources from foreign funding institutions to support rehabilitation work and capacity-building projects in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao once a peace settlement is forged by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Secretary Jesus Dureza, Medco chair and MWG co-chair, noted that the release of the MIP publication is a big step towards consolidating peace and development efforts in Mindanao, with an encouraging impact on moving the peace process forward.
"Development initiatives on the peace process are very important since these provide the common thread that will move Mindanao," Dureza stressed, adding that, "the peace process is a very important component of the Mindanao agenda under the leadership of President Arroyo."
Attended by some 200 donor agencies, government offices and private sector representatives, the 3rd MWG meeting discussed the next steps in strengthening foreign-funded development efforts in Mindanao and presented updates on the peace process as well as security situation in Mindanao.
(November 5, 2004 issue)
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