C'wealth may support institutional capacity building projects
Monday, 12 November 2007
Naim-Ul-Karim
The Commonwealth Secretariat will consider extending more support to Bangladesh's institutional capacity building and socio-economic development related programmes if the country approaches with specific projects.
"If Bangladesh approaches with any specific project aiming at poverty eradication and institutional capacity building obviously that will be taken into consideration…," Ram Venuprasad, an adviser to the Special Advisory Services Division (SASD) of the Commonwealth Secretariat told the FE during his recent visit to Dhaka.
The SASD of the Commonwealth focuses its assistance in four areas --Debt Management, Economic and Legal Services, Enterprise and Agriculture, and Trade -- of the member states.
The debt management section extends an integrated programme of assistance on debt management offering the benefit of its own debt recording and management software.
The Economic and Legal and Trade sections provide technical assistance that focuses on reform of regulatory environments in the Commonwealth countries to encourage increased investment, private sector development and export growth with particular emphasis on trade and the financial and natural resources sectors such as maritime, mining and petroleum and the development of capital market.
Besides, the enterprise and agricultural section aims to strengthen agricultural and enterprise competitiveness, particularly at the level of SMEs, and strategy development for costal fisheries.
Venuprasad, referring to his meeting with government officials, said: "I requested them (officials concerned) to submit formal proposal when the Commonwealth's support was sought in capacity building of the SME foundation."
When asked, he said during the last few years the Commonwealth's annual development budget for 53 member states on an average stands approximately at over $50 million.
He said the Commonwealth already launched an experimental pilot project at a cost of Tk12 million to help the SMEs in the rural areas of Bangladesh.
Under the pilot project, Venuprasad said, three 'spoken centres' -- two in Rajshahi and one in Bogra -- were established with its hub in the capital.
Rural level SMEs engaged in farming and others will be provided information from the spoken hub in the city through videoconference as and when required, he said.
Based on success of the pilot project, Venuprasad said the Commonwealth Secretariat will consider establishing more spoken centres across the country.
Earlier in 2004, he said, the Commonwealth helped the government with £153,000 for implementation of a project on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for development of SMEs.
The Commonwealth Secretariat will consider extending more support to Bangladesh's institutional capacity building and socio-economic development related programmes if the country approaches with specific projects.
"If Bangladesh approaches with any specific project aiming at poverty eradication and institutional capacity building obviously that will be taken into consideration…," Ram Venuprasad, an adviser to the Special Advisory Services Division (SASD) of the Commonwealth Secretariat told the FE during his recent visit to Dhaka.
The SASD of the Commonwealth focuses its assistance in four areas --Debt Management, Economic and Legal Services, Enterprise and Agriculture, and Trade -- of the member states.
The debt management section extends an integrated programme of assistance on debt management offering the benefit of its own debt recording and management software.
The Economic and Legal and Trade sections provide technical assistance that focuses on reform of regulatory environments in the Commonwealth countries to encourage increased investment, private sector development and export growth with particular emphasis on trade and the financial and natural resources sectors such as maritime, mining and petroleum and the development of capital market.
Besides, the enterprise and agricultural section aims to strengthen agricultural and enterprise competitiveness, particularly at the level of SMEs, and strategy development for costal fisheries.
Venuprasad, referring to his meeting with government officials, said: "I requested them (officials concerned) to submit formal proposal when the Commonwealth's support was sought in capacity building of the SME foundation."
When asked, he said during the last few years the Commonwealth's annual development budget for 53 member states on an average stands approximately at over $50 million.
He said the Commonwealth already launched an experimental pilot project at a cost of Tk12 million to help the SMEs in the rural areas of Bangladesh.
Under the pilot project, Venuprasad said, three 'spoken centres' -- two in Rajshahi and one in Bogra -- were established with its hub in the capital.
Rural level SMEs engaged in farming and others will be provided information from the spoken hub in the city through videoconference as and when required, he said.
Based on success of the pilot project, Venuprasad said the Commonwealth Secretariat will consider establishing more spoken centres across the country.
Earlier in 2004, he said, the Commonwealth helped the government with £153,000 for implementation of a project on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for development of SMEs.