Background
and Further Information
RPS Contact Details
Useful Links
Summary of
RPS funded projects
AADCP Homepage
RPS Homepage
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The ASEAN Australia Economic Cooperation Program was established in 1974
to promote cooperation between Australia and ASEAN in areas of agreed
regional development priority. The program has evolved to keep pace with
economic progress in Southeast Asia and the maturing nature of the ASEAN-Australia
relationship.
Ministerial approval for the development of a future
phase of the program (the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program
[AADCP]) was obtained and subsequent discussions between ASEAN and AusAID
resulted in the "AADCP-Regional Partnerships Scheme" (AADCP
- RPS).
The overarching goal of the Regional
Partnerships Scheme is to promote sustainable economic and social development
within the ASEAN region in line with the objectives and priorities of
Vision 2020, the Hanoi Plan of Action and subsequent summit meetings.
The purpose of the Regional Partnerships
Scheme is to: strengthen the capacity of ASEAN to address regional development
challenges, in particular, greater/deeper economic integration so as to
better participate in the global economy, through supporting project partnerships
between appropriately skilled institutions in Australia and ASEAN institutions.
Projects are required to support or contribute to developing:
- integrated regional policy initiatives
- harmonised institutional frameworks within ASEAN
- capacity building across ASEAN to implement the harmonised policies
- the move towards the realisation of the ASEAN community as outlined
in Bali Concord II.
The objectives of the Regional Partnerships Scheme are:
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to promote partnerships between Australian and
ASEAN entities to undertake regional development and economic cooperation
activities based on the concept of mutual interest and benefit, by
supporting cooperative and joint project activities involving public,
private and academic institutions as well as Non Government and Non
Profit Organisations in Australia and public institutions in ASEAN,
as well as ASEAN-affiliated NGOs and institutions,
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to help promote enhanced cooperation and collaboration
between ASEAN and Australia in priority areas leading to long-term
poverty reduction and sustainable development in the region. It is
expected to play an important complementary role in creating an enabling
environment for poverty alleviation by advancing the formulation of
growth-oriented policies, helping to develop the conditions for sustainable
economic growth and enhanced economic integration, and by advocating
for and assisting with the introduction of policies and programs to
reduce the vulnerability of the poor.
It was agreed that the Regional Partnerships Scheme should:
- Provide grant funding of between Australian Dollars (AUD) $50,000
- $500,000 for regional development activities targeting the prescribed
thematic elements of AADCP which are consistent with the development
cooperation policies of ASEAN;
- Hold funding rounds approximately three times per year in the first
few years of the program and twice per year in the latter two years
of the program;
- Be open to applications from ASEAN and Australian public, private,
academic or non-government organisations;
- Fund activities of no more than two years in duration; and
- Require applicants to meet at least 20 per cent of the eligible
costs associated with the activity.
Shortly after Australia and ASEAN formally signed a Memorandum
of Understanding for AADCP on 1st August 2002, the AADCP-RPS commenced
with the contractual appointment by AusAID of an Australian Managing Contractor
(AMC) - Cardno ACIL Pty Ltd – on 13 August 2002.
Cardno Acil Pty Ltd manages the AADCP-RPS from both
Australia and Indonesia. Cardno Acil has a dedicated RPS Coordination
Unit (RPSCU), based within the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, which is
staffed by ASEAN nationals. This team works closely with the Bureau for
External Relations and Coordination of the ASEAN Secretariat, Ministries
of Foreign Affairs throughout the ASEAN region, and ASEAN Project Implementing
Partners. The Australia-based team works closely with Australian partners
involved in implementing RPS activities and AusAID representatives based
in Canberra, Australia, and throughout the ASEAN region.
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