For the past year, the Asia Pacific region witnessed its vulnerability to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict and fragility, and the climate emergency. The global pandemic has exacerbated systemic inequalities in the region, which calls for an urgent effort to scale up development finance. Yet, the aid system falls short as resource flows stagnate, and as donor economic, political and military interests determine the disbursement of these much-needed funds.
Against this background, The Reality of Aid Report 2020/2021: Aid in the Context of Conflict, Fragility and the Climate Emergency sets out a narrative in support of a transformative shift in the international aid system taking stock of persisting global crises and posing the question of whether this moment is an opportunity for donor countries and development actors in general to demonstrate political will in eradicating poverty and reducing inequality in all its forms.
On August 31, Tuesday, at 2:00 PM (Manila), the Reality of Aid-Asia Pacific (RoA-AP) will be holding the regional launch of the RoA Report 2020/2021. The regional launch will feature chapters situated in the Asia Pacific, and a discussion will be conducted to discuss the findings of the report.
The launch will include a panel discussion, moderated by Marie-José Saade of the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), and with the following authors:
- Rodolfo Lahoy, Jr. and Agatha Canape (IBON International), “Donor interests over effective development cooperation? Usaid and the “triple nexus” approach in the Philippines”
- Firas Jaber (Al-Marsad), “Vision on social protection systems and social security in Palestine”
- Jiten Yumnam (Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur), “Climate change and development cooperation in South Asia”
- Mara Bonacci (Aid/Watch Australia), “A Pacific Compact”
- Akio Takayanagi (Japan NGO for International Cooperation), “Increases in Japan’s ODA/GNI ratio: Should we celebrate it?”
The regional launch is open to the public and will be live-streamed via Facebook. To participate, register here: https://bit.ly/roareport-aplaunch.
This launch is the kick-off of RoA-AP’s Regional Meeting, “Accelerate Efforts; Amplify Voices: Bolstering Solidarity toward People-Centered Development Cooperation”, which will be held on August 31, September 2 and 7. The regional meeting aims to facilitate peer-learning and dialogue among members, donors and development actors, as well as bolster solidarity toward a more effective development cooperation engagement.
Aside from the RoA Report launch, the regional meeting also consists of two other events:
RoA-AP Regional Meeting (for members only)
September 2, 2021, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Manila
Register here: https://bit.ly/RoA-AP-RM2021
Nexus Research Launch & Multi-stakeholder Dialogue (open to the public)
September 7, 2021, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM Manila
Register here: http://bit.ly/nexus-launch