European Union commits €53billion aid a year, make it count say NGOs

The world's biggest aid donor, the European Union, should stand up for ambitious proposals to tackle global poverty at the Busan High Level Forum(HLF4) aid summit say NGOs. CONCORD, Europe’s Relief and Development NGO confederation present in Busan, urges European leaders to make its extensive aid programme more effective at the conference. CONCORD insists $4billion could be saved per year by the EU if it implements better aid refroms and in this context, 62% of European citizens are in favour of increasing development aid to at least 0.7% of EU Gross National Income by 2015. Yet despite Europe’s global contribution to aid and its citizens support, NGOs express concern that the EU is going into Busan with weaker ambitions compared to the strong leadership it showed in 2008 at the last summit of its kind in Accra, Ghana.
“The EU has a positive role to play in supporting more effective aid policies. But we are disappointed to see that greater aid transparency is being blocked by certain EU countries.” says CONCORD President Justin Kilcullen. Also he urged that "EU hasn't show commitment of untying aid and improving local procurement of aid.
Along with EU, coutries attending HLF4 should wake up and strengthen the unity and willingness to improve aid effectiveness between countries in order to show advanced results since the previous HLF conference.

Nothing at Busan for African Women, Children

Some 250,000 mothers are estimated to die in Africa every year, leaving behind infants with reduced chances of making it beyond five years of age. Statistics by Save the Children, an international non-government organisation, reveal that African countries claim nine out of ten bottom places in a worldwide maternal health ranking that involves 164 countries. As HLF4 opens up, one of the questions that is being raised is whether African mothers and children can acquire substantial aid from the conference. Ben Philips of Save the Children says, "Unfortunately, the Busan Outcome document, which basically summarises the Forum’s platform for action beyond the conference, isn’t ambitious enough to improve aid effectiveness. For instance, there is no strong commitment to untie aid."
In additon, experts on aid in Busan say that if donors had shown a strong commitment to untie aid as an outcome of the ongoing conference, this would have increased aid by 15 to 30 percent, consequently increasing the value of aid. And this is not the only way in which donors are letting African women and children down. Although the G-8 countries, comprising the world’s richest nations, committed to ensuring that 0.7 percent of their budget goes to aid. None of them has actualised this commitment. "There’s a clear aid deficit that makes it difficult for poor countries to channel money into sector budgets towards improving health services by employing qualified nurses and even having more health facilities in areas where the poor can easily access them," said Dan Badoo, a policy researcher.
Lastly, Philips emphasized, "When we say that this is the HLF 4, it all sounds so technical and elitist, but what the ordinary, poor persons really need is to experience how healthy aid can improve their lives, can give them better quality livelihoods and save dying mothers and infants."

Absence of the International Leadership on International Development

   In Paris in 2005 and Accra in 2008, donors around the world agreed on a set of key proposals. With the Busan Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF4) underway, donor countries must do better. For instance, some donor countries try to remove commitments on aid transparency from the Busan outcome document. While aid transparency is not going to solve all the problems of the development world, it is fundamental to being able to solve them - transparency will not stop corruption but it is a lot harder to beat corruption without it. It is vital not only for getting results but also for providing accountability to our taxpayers. Donor  countries have agreed to the basic principles set out in the Paris Declaration and Accra Agenda, so Busan must be about the next steps.  Donors need to agree a further timetable for implementation and a monitoring framework. Crucially, all countries need to work together - HLF4 must be a multilateral effort. If one country pulls out of the transparency commitments, the basic principlse and overall effect of mutual aid policy will be fundamentally undermined. HLF-4 should not just be another photo opportunity where leaders substitute rhetoric for action. It has to become effective aid's opportunity for action.

Joint conference about Busan HLF-4

Angel Gurria OECD secretary general and Kim Sung-hwan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade will hold a joint news conference in 11:45A.M. before the closing ceremony of Busan HLF-4.

Announcement of the 'Political Statement' by the leaders of the countries participating in the High Level Forum On Aid Effectiveness, Busan.

1. At the High Level Forum On Aid Effectiveness, Busan on 30th Nov, our government announced the 'Political Statement' which states the support and the implementation of the results achieved during the forum, by the representatives of various countries including the president Lee Myung Bak, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the US secretary of state Hilary Clinton, and the representatives of various international organisations and agencies.
 o Support on the result document at the Busan Forum.
 o With the appearance of the emerging countries and new private sector, clarification of the establishment of the new comprehensive partnership covering the introduction of new development model like South-South cooperation and the geographical change in development cooperation.
  - Tolerance of variety and approval of the role of the emerging groups.
  - The development cooperation through new partnership will act as a catalyst to mobilize various resources for the pratical development of developing countries.
 o Regulation of Shared Principle and Actions between various developers, and emphasis on the political leadership for development.
   ※ 4 Shared Principles: The ownership of the developing countries, results-oriented, comprehensive partnership for development, mutual transparency and responsibility.
 o Realization of the effect of the development on the global security and prosperity, and set the development as the prior policy goal.
 o Implementation of the result documents arisen at the Busan Forum, especially emphasis on the leadership and mutual responsibility for the each country's implementation.

2. This 'Political Statement' is evaluated as the opportunity to unite the political wills of the various representatives of the globe to establish new comprehensive 'development partnership' which will provide effective development cooperation beyond simple aid.

3. Also, through explanation of the result documents of the Busan Forum in simple words, public understanding and support will be achieved, which will in the expansion of the public support on the development cooperation.

HLF4 Gender Equality Session

At this moment in the High Level Forum On Aid Effectiveness, Busan, a special session for the gender equality is being held which has its attendance including, the US secretary of state Hilary Clinton and the president of East Timor Jose Ramos Horta.
In today's session, enhancement of gender equality for developmental outcome and the strengthening of female capabilities will be discussed.
It seems that the US secretary of state Hilary Clinton, in her speech, will emphasize the importance of investment on female and strengthening economies for the development of developing countries.

The Keynote speech of the president Lee Myung Bak at the High Level Forum On Aid Effectiveness, Busan

The president Lee Myung Bak promised that South Korea would become the true partner with the developing countries for the global development, sharing its experiences of success and failure.
He said that the history of the development of South Korea since the Korean War, is the vivid experience for hardworking Koreans who tried to achieve better lives to come out of poverty.
He also said that despite the poverty, South Korea has successfully developed education and, achieved industrialization and democratization with the help of foreign aids. And now, it is time to move forward along with the world.
The president Lee Myung Bak said that the global economic crisis in 2008 could be overcome by policy cooperation of developed and developing countries, and emphasized that the developing countries are not the objects for aid but the important partners to achieve the sustained growth and the balanced development of the global economy.

Opening of the 4th High Level Forum On Aid Effectiveness, Busan on 29th Nov.

The forum discussing on 'empowering ability to developing countries' and 'South-South co-operation', will attract the attention as this forum will attemp to change the international trend of aid from 'aid effectiveness' to 'development effectiveness'.

In the 'South-South co-operation' forum, the active discussions will take place on the topics of the change of the role of the developed countries and the improvement of the southern hemisphere countries' co-operation which is gaining its importance lately for the development.

4th High Level Forum will be held in Busan!

HLF-4 will be held for the fourth time in Busan followed by the previous three forums which were held in 2003 Rome, in 2005 Paris and in 2008 Accra and the first country to become the donor country from the beneficiary country.

Since the end of the Korean War, when its per capita national income was only $67, Korea has achieved tremendous development with the help of the foreign aid to become the top 10 largest economy in the world. Last Year, Korea became the 24th member of the Development Assistance Committee(DAC), the subordinate body of the the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD), becoming the donor country to aid other nations.

Particulary, with the help of the foreign aid, Busan developed as the international city being the world's top 5 port city, where HIL-4 will be held. After the Korean War, Busan was the city unloading the foreign aid goods, but now it became the world's top 5 port city, which gives symbolic meaning to the recipient countries.

KDI & KAIDEC holds HLF-4 advance conference

Korea Development Institute(KDI) in collaboration with the Korean Association of International Development holds a HLF-4 advance conference to discuss new agendas of the world which are aid and development effectiveness, co-responsibility for development cooperation, differentiated approach, sharing knowledge for empowerment , and development cooperation on 28th of Nov at Busan Centum hotel ntum hotel

An Interview with Jeffrey Sachs about HLF-4

Jeffrey Sachs from Columbia University who will be participating in 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness(held in Busan, South Korea) as a main speaker says that "a social imbalance can be overcome by IT industry, so we expect the contributions of the Korean Government and corporations."

HLF4 Official Poster

4th High Level Forum on Aid Effecticeness

29 Nov - 1 Dec 2011, Busan, Republic of Korea

Building a New Global partnership for Effective Development Cooperation

Aid ambitions not diminished, insists Commission

Ahead of the fourth OECD High level forum on Aid Effectiveness, the European Commission continues to push for more streamlined, accountable aid programmes, while critics accuse the EU of watering down its ambitions for development.

The forum (HLF4), which takes place in Busan, South Korea, between 29 November and 1 December, will, in addition to addressing the general effects of aid effectiveness in the developing world, will also seek to strengthen partnerships between developing countries, emerging economies, donor countries, NGOs and the private sector.

As well as being billed as the most important international development for some time, the commission is also keen to highlight its inclusiveness. According to the commission, two main points will dominate the agenda: a refocus on commitments already made to aid effectiveness, and ensuring democratic ownership.

The first looks at improving the impact of aid and deliver accountability to the taxpayer, seen as increasingly important in these economic times, while the second aims to guarantee transparency, and the predictability of assistance. “In these difficult financial times, aid effectiveness is more important than ever. It is vital that taxpayer's money goes to where it is needed most in the most efficient way. That is why we’re doing all we can to work closely with developing countries and other partners on the ground,” the spokesperson for Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, told New Europe, while behind the scenes there is cautious optimism that the commission can contribute positively to the ongoing debate, and reduce the “fragmentation” of aid, by broadening the agenda and actors taking part to the widest possible variety of partners.

This approach is not without its critics, who see private sector involvement as counterproductive, and who demand to know exactly who speaks for the big corporations, however the commission is keen to have as wide a partnership base as possible (although there has been mixed success with getting some of the foundations on board); insisting that “we are trying to get them round to our agenda,” and that no one gets to the table without having established a firm corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme first.

Perhaps more controversially, the commission is also keen to enhance, as it puts it, “democratic ownership” of aid by continuing to peruse its policy of budget support, and “the use of country systems.” Essentially, this means providing money directly for government’s to work on specific projects, for example, in education. Recipients are only eligible for this kind of support upon provision of thorough plans and the guarantee of transparent auditing procedures, however, not everyone is convinced, not least within the commission itself; Piebalgs is said to be more cautious than predecessor Louis Michel about the policy’s possible success rate.

Despite the apparent confidence, not everyone is convinced that the EU is in a position to deliver on its promises. A recent open letter sent by CONCORD, the European development NGO confederation, accused member states of weakening their collective ambitions. “EU member states provide around half of global aid and the world's poorest people and EU citizens will therefore rightly be looking for EU Governments to lead donor efforts at HLF4 to agree to ambitious action to maximise the development impact of their aid,” read the letter.

“Such action must of course focus on making aid programmes more transparent and effectively scrutinised... it must also focus on tackling a range of practices that undermine aid’s long term impacts and potential for helping countries to end their dependence on it. These include tied aid, unpredictable aid, inappropriate use of conditions, the bypassing of local systems and approaches to aid that fail to strengthen democratic ownership and gender equality.

“Unfortunately,” it continues, “the EU’s common position for HLF4 contains few concrete proposals in these areas. In addition a number of EU member states have been prominent in opposing ambitious proposals made by others on these issues, using a lack of ambition from the likes of new donors such as China as an excuse. This lack of political leadership is in stark contrast to that displayed by the EU at the Accra HLF in 2008 and is likely to undermine the success of HLF4.”

The commission, however, is standing on its record as the world’s largest overseas aid donor, and insists that ambition has not been diminished. “The European Commission is already amongst the most transparent and effective donors.” says Piebalgs’ spokesperson. “We help to reduce poverty in over 150 countries. Yet better coordination amongst European donors could help to save around €5 billion per year.”

“In Busan, [the commissioner] will be calling for donors to better coordinate their actions to avoid duplication, fragmentation and to achieve better impact. With just over three years left to meet the Millennium Development Goals, time is running out. Busan will be a key opportunity for all donors to act together to improve the efficiency of aid.”

http://www.neurope.eu/article/aid-ambitions-not-diminished-insists-commission

New agenda for economic development: Hafeez may attend fourth HLF in Korea

In order to set up new agenda for economic development, Pakistan has decided to attend Fourth High Level Forum (HLF) on aid effectiveness and transparency as well as challenges presented by today's uplift landscape.

The forum, to be held in Bosan, Korea, from November 29 to December 1, is likely to be attended by Finance Minister Abdul Hafez Sheikh, Secretary of Economic Affairs Division (EAD) Abdul Wajid and Parliamentary Secretary of EAD Zill-e-Huma.

Sources told Business Recorder here on Monday that delegations from all over the world, including the Heads of State and representatives of developing and developed countries, heads of multilateral and bilateral institutions, representatives of different public, private, inter-parliamentary, local and regional organisations would sign the 'HLF-4 Outcome Document' on aid effectiveness in Bosan.

Key themes for aid effectiveness include climate change finance, promoting gender equality, delivering effective aid in fragile situations, private sector participation, ownership and accountability beyond the state, south-south and triangular co-operation, aid transparency and capacity development.

Sources said that to set up a new agenda for economic development, almost 2000 delegates from all over the world would be reviewing the steps taken globally for improving the effectiveness of aid.

The First High Level Forum on aid effectiveness was held in Rome in 2002 in which the principles for aid effectiveness were outlined in a concrete declaration.

The Second High Level Forum (Paris, I 2005) marked the first time that donors and recipients both agreed to commitments and to hold each other accountable for achieving these.

The commitments were laid out in the 'Paris Declaration'.

At the Third High Level Forum (Accra, 2008) the need to deepen implementation towards the goals set in 2005 was identified, along with a set of priority areas for improvement.

At the Fourth High Level Forum in Bosan, the world leaders would examine the opportunities and challenges presented by today's development landscape.

Their aim is to build wide consensus on a new framework to support global development.

In preparation, a group of 'sherpas' is shaping a document that contains the main commitments to be endorsed at Bosan.

The sherpas include a) three (3) representatives of low-income countries, to be nominated by the Partner Country Caucus; b) three (3) representatives of middle-income countries, whose nomination will be co-ordinated by Korea; c) representative of civil society organisations, to be nominated by civil society participants of the Working Party on Aid Effectiveness (WP-EFF); d) representative of the United Nations Development Group, on behalf of the UN system; e) and the representative of Korea.


http://www.brecorder.com/business-a-economy/single/672/189/1253425/

4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness Article

The three-day High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF-4), which is scheduled to take place at BEXCO, Busan from November 29th to December 1st, will provide a new vision and a strategy for international development cooperation and will be a milestone in enhancing Busan’s position on the global stage of development cooperation.

About 2500 representatives, including ministerial delegations from 160 countries, leaders of major international organizations and civil associations, and members of the academia are expected to attend the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness to discuss internationalprinciples and rules to eradicate poverty and realize development. The biennial/triennial High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness is the most prestigious and largest forum in the area of international development cooperation. The 4th Busan HLF-4 follows previous forums held in Rome (Italy) in 2003, Paris (France) in 2005, and Accra (Ghana) in 2008.

Especially as the forum is coming at a critical time while global challenges such as financial crises, food security, and climate change are emerging, it will serve as a historical opportunity to cast a new perspective on development cooperation for the 21st century. In addition, by emphasizing Busan as a historical venue for international development cooperation, the forum will create a significant economic impact for Busan, positioning this city as an even more competitive venue for majorinternational conferences and events.




http://www.moneylife.in/business-wire-news/4th-high-level-forum-on-aid-effectiveness/29154.html

International Children's Peace Art Festivial

For celebration of 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, introduce prevention of nuclear terrorism & importance of nuclear security, promote understanding  and interest of domestic and overseas citizens of peaceful usage of nuclear energy
Winner's art will be displayed at 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit exhibition
Domestic winner's art will be displayed along with art works of elementary school children from 50 countries

1. NAME OF THE EVENT
『 International Children's Peace Art Festivial』in celebration of 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit

2 TARGET
Elementary school childen

3.FIELD
Painting & Poster (each applicant can submit multiple applications)

4.TOPIC
●Choose one topic out of two topics

●Wish for 'peaceful and Safe world'
(Sending Message to the representatives of 50 countries who gathered to prevent nuclear terrorism)
● Peaceful usage of nuclear energy

5.DEADLINE
2011.12.1(Thu) ~ 2012.1.13(Fri)  (mail received on 13th is accepted)

6.HOW TO APPLY

POST

Individual : After filling a registration form from the foundation homepage, print it out  and attach it on backside of the art work

Organization(more than 10 people) : After Downloading a group entry table from foundation homepage, fill and submit Group a registration form, and attach the application form which has the application number in the front of art work collection and submit  (Each art work put name of school & student and grade)

Div                             Work standard                                        How to apply

Painting                      272X394mm size
                                                                                                     POST
                  All materials can be used, No limitation on colors
Poster        Fold once ,put in a big envelope and submit  

* When you submit an art work, A student who is guided by a teacher should also fill out the name of teacher(applicable to teachers from relevant schools)  

[2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit] Appointment of Honarary Ambassador

[2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit] Appointment of Honarary Ambassador -singer Park Jung-hyun, actor Jang Geun-suk, and child actors Jin Ji-hee, Wang Seok-hyeon. 1. Preparation and Planning Committee(Director: Kim Sung-hwan, minister of foreign affairs and trade) appointed singer Park Jung-hyun, actor Jang Geun-suk, and child actors Jin Ji-hee, Wang Seok-hyeon as the Honarary Ambassadors of [2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit]. 2. In the appointment of the Honarary Ambassadors, Preparation and Planning Committee has considered the basic purpose(Achievement of World's peace and security by preventing nuclear threat) and the purpose for the future generations, of the Nuclear Security Summit. Their popularity and activities in the international stage will involve public support and interest, further promoting [2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit]. - Honarary Ambassadors' activities include singing 'Peace Song', appearance in its music video, and modeling in the International Children's Peace Art Festival. The child honarary ambassador will send a peace message to the future generations. Honarary Ambassadors' Career Singer Park Jung-hyun

- Born on March 1976 - English Literature Department, Columbia Unversity Graduate Actor Jang Geun-suk

- Born on August 1987 - Theater and Film Department, Hanyang University Child Actress Jin Ji-hee

- Born On March 1999(12 years old) - Heukseok Elementary School Child Actor Wang Seok-hyeon

- Born on June 2003(8 years old) - Dogog Elementary School

Winners of 2012 Nuclear Summit Idea Contest

Winners from 2012 Nuclear Sumimt Idea Contest



First Place (Summit award)

Participant ID 윤이: Five Senses of Korea
Exhibit Korean culture which contains our unique color with a theme, Fives Senses of Korea (touch, smell, sight, taste, hearing).
You can experience the senses(taste for Korean traditional foods, hearing for Korean traditional music, sight for potteries, touch for wearing Korean traditional clothes) in the exhibition center.



Second Place (Peace award)

Participant ID Jane Lee: The color of Korea
Introduce Republic of Korea with five Korean traditional colors(yellow, blue, white, red, black) which contain many interesting meanings.
Yellow symbolizes "center and the king", so we can introduce Seoul and the glorious history of Korea.
Blue symbolizes "water, an indigo sky, and spring", so we can introduce our mood with beautiful nature and through Korea's famous attractions and natural landscape pictures.
White symbolizes "integrity, innocence, and life", so we can introduce our traditional culture and food which represent our ethnicity.
Red symbolizes "passion and affection", so we can introduce our solidarity which has been proved by Red Devils during the World Cup.
Black symbolizes "death", but we can introduce the great men in history and their achievements.


Participant ID Gwang Il An : Korea's various cultures
-Set KOREA as a title, and introduce Korea by setting each character as one theme and connecting them

K K-POP zone. Introduce history of Korean music from past to the present
O Orient zone. selecting oriental beauty as a theme
R Remarkable zone. Introduce Korea's high-tech IT, and own nuclear reactor
E Energy zone. Introduce our international activity
A Art zone. Introduce Korea's art


Participant ID hisujie : Streets in Korea
-Introduce Korea's history and fame spot by presenting streets in Korea which history and urbaneness coexist
-Make introducing film about Korea's beautiful Streets which sense of history and urbaneness stay put together, such as street with old castle walls like Bukhansan Dulegil(Bukhan Mt. Dule Course), Samchungdonggil(Samchungdong Street), HanokMaeul(Traditional Korean House Village), Naksan Park(Nak Mt. Park), and streets with great night view like Bukak Skyway, Namsan Tower, and some famous regional trails called "olle gil" and "dule gil".
-Giving bright image of Korea's future by putting the phrase "This Gils(streets) are connected to the future of Korea" or similar image in the last cut of the film.


Participant ID Min Jeong Chang : Four seasons in Korea
-Make a experiencing exhibit space called "Korea's Four Season wall", which people can choose any seasons of Korea that they want to see. By choosing a season in this "wall" they can see scenic view from the season they selected.
(It is recommended to use d strict's stickus)

-If possible, make some points where they can choose from themes such as Korea's Four Seasons and Korea's National Dish.


Participant ID Jubok Lee : Strong IT nation, Korea
Display world peace forum and window for future hope happening in colorful and sense-enriched strong IT nation, Korea, in 5 types of ubiquitous digital contents

-Digital Beautiful
Display LED digital 12-fold(representing year 2012) folding screen that is divided into categories such as history, culture, traditon, 4 season, Hangul, artwork, sports, Korean-wave, pottery, Taegeukgi(national flag of Korea) and Mugunghwa(national flower of Korea) which reacts to audiences' touch and movement
 
-Digital Peaceful Mosaic
To encourage participation of diverse classes internally and externally,  grant various effects on world peace messages and relevant pictures sent using cellphones or SNS and visually display them on LED screens

-Digital Thinkful Screen Wall
Installation of outdoor Screen Wall displaying DMZ(emphasis on tragic division of Korea and preservation of ecosystem) and the Achievement of Nuclear Security linking with the safety, technology and weather conditions of nuclear energy.

-Digital Power Library
Live Display by LED Screen about Peacekeeping effort and on/off line Peace activities(Policies, Events, Publications, Forum, etc) of various nations and their peace delegations.

-Digital Wonderful Hangul Light
Display Hangul's consonant and verbs on the screen which when touched, lights up and shows the past-present-future of Dynamic Korea.



Third Place (Extraordinary Award)
- Overlapped Prizewinners acceptable only once.

소진숙
Sul Art
Insoon HA
김영학
yunikim
laulpark
sajangpark
리미
Youna Shin
지현우
Andrew Lim
Yujin Jung
Clara Yoo
Sungjoong Cho
Mu-Jin Steve Lee
Taejoon Park
정원임
신보경
미정정
Hyelim Ahn
Bunkuy Choi
Yoo Jongsun
algml6803
임철현
김선중
Yangwon Lee
JeeSun Park
한수현
황영빈
nahanuki
김영진
Yuri Choi
최아름
Andy SungHo Park
Hyunji Kim
Haerim Jung
브이쟁이
Yusuk Shin
강신두
Sujin Jang
병아홉개
sayanythingx
나나
혜연아빠
Hiyong Shin
choi_julie
빠리
9999cc
ulaannet
조대성
Elle
Cathy Paik
pedroJeong
truffle06
나망고
blueribbon122
kitosan
고사목
2011am0216
Youngwoong Choi
Junghee Kim
kangsangha
Ben Heo
Jungmin
Sun Kim
이선인
wayforambulance
박민지
이초록
해말
나나
김진하
윤하
수혀니
보라미
성니
서효진
박희선
수현
염동호
철이
김나원
강민구
Yeonju Kim
장인슬
이영호
지윤미
윤성준
문준우
김수민
jang
Jihye Kim
Gieun Chae
In-jae Kim
박애
윤형상
Haesol Won
nawon
민규
Blue Lagoon
최진희
정우현
sudden69
CN
문혜령
박희선
김영호
장성진
김재원
릉이
Jiwoo Kim
Kyungduc Kim
Sungjoong Cho
withshinhye
윤성
joonwoo
Choeyoon
Dong-hwi Kim
daaecco
길선
정원일
김나영
Eunjean Jung
19980303
charismaly
Seung-kyu Lee
Yangwon Lee
Hana Ji
Kim Jina
JMVP_KR
문준우
손병구
yunwonmi
임영지
한수현
mirangpark
김성윤
컨시트
나워니
yaeja
yastella
한수현
dido1001
seongyoon
주정호
e_shallot0
EmmaJang
최은희
Unhee Lee
김예형
Lexi Hwang
KisssJin
JinAh Kim
ebyway
hana yoon
Hyosung Kim
이종근
조대성
이윤섭
박애자
이지현
김지희
sungoksoo
Gyoungjoon Noh
mhpark

Analyzing The Obama-Lee Relationship

Why does U.S. President Barack Obama get along with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak so well?

One of the closest observers of U.S.-Korean relations in Washington, Gordon Flake, executive director of the Mansfield Foundation, has a different take on the relationship between the two presidents.

Mr. Flake says that Mr. Obama sees in Mr. Lee a leader who has clear ideas and doesn’t waste Mr. Obama’s time. As well, says Mr. Flake, South Korea as a country is clearly rising upward in its political, economic and cultural power.

“President Lee meets Obama and sets things in a strategic context, says this is what I’m doing and this is what I need the U.S. to do,” Mr. Flake said over coffee on a recent visit to Seoul for a nuclear disarmament conference. “For President Obama, that’s extremely refreshing, especially coming from an Asian leader.”

What’s often overlooked in both countries, Mr. Flake said, is how much the U.S.-South Korea relationship has come to encompass matters beyond South Korea’s security.

When Mr. Lee visited Washington last month (and was accorded a state dinner, the highest level of diplomatic hosting), the topic of North Korea was far down the agenda, below a number of economic items, Afghanistan and even piracy off the African coast.

“This is all a reflection of Korea’s growth and its rising stature around the world,” Mr. Flake said. He added he objects to the “prevailing narrative” with some South Koreans that the country is led around by the United States and that Lee does whatever Obama wants.

Instead, he said, “There is a national trajectory happening for South Korea. The country is seen in Washington and by other countries as hitting on all strides.”

Japan’s leadership appears lethargic, by contrast, and China’s appears stretched to the limits by the self-created problem of maintaining authoritarian politics in an increasingly free-wheeling economy.

For all of Mr. Lee’s difficulties in domestic politics, on the international stage, he’s created a strong image, helped in part by the natural forces of Korea’s rise and the difficulties being faced by neighboring countries.

“Who is more of a leader in Asia than Lee Myung-bak?” Mr. Flake asks. “There’s no one out there.”

HLF4 Better Aid Campaign

25^th October 2011 - Civil society organizations from across the globe have officially launched the ‘campaign, mobilizing public support for civil society’s asks towards the upcoming High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness’.

Sign the petition asking for better aid and development cooperation!  that will take place in Busan, Republic of Korea in November. Events are taking place in Uganda, Liberia, Ghana, Malawi, Cameroon, Sri Lanka, India, Argentina and Nicaragua, encouraging the public to sign the petition asking governments to ensure that citizens’ voices are heard in development and aid decisions.

Signatures will be collected on the campaign postcards as well as online. The campaign is part of the wider ‘The World We Want’ campaign led by the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.

http://www.betteraid.org/campaign/