The UNDP delegation was led by Mr. Nicholas Rosellini, Deputy Assistant
Administrator and Deputy Regional Director at the Regional Bureau for
Asia and the Pacific and included Ms. Dipa Bagai, Capacity Development
Practice Leader, Mr. J. David Galipeau, Knowledge Management Team
Leader, and Mr. Arndt Husar, Capacity Development Programme Specialist.
Mr. Rosellini elaborated on the key focus areas of UNDP including the
achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDG), climate change,
gender equality and social protection.
Prof. Said Irandoust, President, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
while welcoming the delegation elaborated on the initiatives organized
by the Institute on social issues and development. He sought greater
collaboration with UNDP in furthering the cause of development.
The delegation evinced keen interest in AIT, particularly in the
activities of ASEAN Regional Center of Excellence for Millennium
Development Goals (ARCMDG). The UNDP delegation was visiting AIT to
learn more about ARCMDG as well as other similar initiatives of AIT
relevant to capacity development. UNDP is working closely with ASEAN
MDG to establish the MDG roadmap for the ASEAN region and is supporting
the workshop organized by ASEAN on MDG achievements. The workshop is
expected to witness participation from country officials from various
sectors relevant to the MDGs. Mr. Rosellini suggested that AIT could be
involved in this initiative through the ARCMDG.
Mr. Rosellini was also interested in the projects under the Wetland
Alliance Program (WAP), Yunus Center at AIT, and AIT Extension.
UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (APRC) is keen to engage with AIT
on its training and outreach programs. AIT can work with available UNDP
data by converting and archiving it into “case studies”. UNDP is
preparing a report titled “Climate Change Report from Human
Perspective” focusing on the impact of climate change on human
development, which is closely linked to activities of AIT’s Center of
Excellence on Sustainable Development in the Context of Climate Change
(SDCC). UNDP also evinced interest in AIT’s work on “social protection”
and how there could be synergies in this important area.
Apart from the AIT President, the meeting witnessed participation and
discussion from AIT represented by Prof. Sudip Kumar Rakshit, Vice
President for Research; Dr. Weerakorn Ongsakul, Dean, School of
Environment, Resources and Development (SERD); Dr. Jonathan Shaw,
Director, AIT Extension; Prof. Ajit Padmakar Annachhatre, Director
AIT-UN Office; Prof. Jayant K. Routray, Director, ASEAN Regional Center
of Excellence for Millennium Development Goals (ARCMDG); Mr. Christer
Holtsberg - Interim Director of Yunus Center at AIT; Mr. Hans Guttman,
Coordinator, Wetlands Alliance Program (WAP); and Dr. Pritam Krishna
Shrestha, Head, External Relations and Communications Office (ERCO).
Prof. Annachhatre will initiate follow-up on the various initiatives
discussed during the meeting.
