USAID: From the American People | ASIA
 
collage of images from Asia:(1)a fern on Don Inthanon mountain in Thailand (2)Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang (3)a Karen mother sewing near Mae Sariang (4)a monk in Beautiful Sky Village Thailand (5)a novice monk in Mae Sariang (6)a young boy making peace sign near the Thai/Burma border (7)a Karen elder in Thailand (8)a water lily near Chiang Mai Thailand

Updates

Six ASEAN Countries Eliminate Tariffs to Boost Regional Trade
Economic integration for Southeast Asia came closer to reality on January 1 when Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand agreed to import and export most goods across their borders without tariffs. The USAID-managed ASEAN Technical Assistance and Training Facility was instrumental in promoting the dismantling of tariffs to support trade.

Health Experts Attend Field Epidemiology Training Course
Responding to the spread of infectious diseases from animals to humans, veterinarians from 10 East and Southeast Asian countries are attending a USAID-sponsored, month-long course in Bangkok. The program in animal disease surveillance and outbreak response is being held in collaboration with Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development and its Ministry of Public Health, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. At least six of the 20 participants will be selected to join the USAID-funded, two-year Field Epidemiology Training Program for Veterinarians in Bangkok.

National Geographic Commends Wildlife Enforcement Network
An article in the January edition about Asia's illegal wildlife trade and the world’s most notorious wildlife dealer, Anson Wong, states “one cause for hope may be…the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network…with much of its funding provided by USAID. It's a testament to ASEAN-WEN's potential that Anson Wong subscribes to its newsletter." ASEAN WEN is an intergovernmental law enforcement network to combat wildlife crime.

USAID to Provide Energy Efficiency Strategy to Kunming, China
USAID's U.S.-China Sustainable Buildings Partnership (SBP) will provide Kunming, in Sichuan Province, with energy and emissions reduction strategy for its buildings sector. SBP estimates that 10% annual energy savings could result in a reduction of 800,000 tons of carbon dioxide, equal to removing 138,766 cars from the road each year. Kunming, with a population of 6 million people, is one of the fastest-growing second-tier cities in China.

USAID-Funded Film on Human Trafficking Launched in Burma
The MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) film "Traffic," narrated by Burmese pop star Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein, tells the stories of real people who unwittingly became part of the trafficking chain. They include a man from Burma who was trafficked to Thailand and imprisoned in a factory for two years. The USAID-MTV EXIT partnership draws on the brand appeal and global reach of MTV to reach tens of millions of people. In 2009, more than 300,000 people attended MTV EXIT concerts in Asia, and millions more watched them on MTV networks and terrestrial broadcasters.


USAID's Regional Development Mission for Asia

Map of South and South-East Asia USAID's Regional Development Mission for Asia (RDMA) oversees a broad portfolio of programs addressing numerous regional and transnational issues, such as responsible use of natural resources, improved access to clean water, reducing the incidence of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, prevention of human and wildlife trafficking, facilitating trade, and resolving political and economic conflict.

The Mission's regional approach to development projects provides a cost-effective way to manage services and programs. It strengthens regional institutions and helps to engage regional and international partners. RDMA was established in Bangkok in 2003 to manage bilateral USAID programs in Asian countries without USAID Missions, including Burma, China, Laos, and Thailand. It now oversees bilateral and regional programs that benefit all of East Asia and much of South Asia.

About RDMA  |   RDMA countries


Feature Photos


Australian pop star Kate Miller-Heidke warned 15,000 fans that they were at risk of being trafficked at a recent USAID-sponsored MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) concert in Pokhara, Nepal.
Australian pop star Kate Miller-Heidke warned 15,000 fans that they were at risk of being trafficked at a recent USAID-sponsored MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) concert in Pokhara, Nepal. Miller-Heidke and her band travelled from Australia to Nepal raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking. She was joined by Nepali singer Nima Rumba who told the crowd, "Take care. Beware." He performed for nearly 40 minutes before being joined by female singers Nalina Chitrakar and Sereya Sotang, who launched the concert with solo sets. Pop singer Kranti Ale also performed. The MTV EXIT Live in Nepal concerts were staged in four cities, including the capital of Kathmandu. MTV EXIT concerts have already been held in Cambodia, Nepal, Thailand, Laos and the Philippines, and more are planned for Indonesia and the Philippines this year.
This page last updated on December 30, 2009  Digg this page : Share this page on StumbleUpon : Post This Page to Del.icio.us : Save this page to Reddit : Save this page to Yahoo MyWeb : Share this page on Facebook : Save this page to Newsvine : Save this page to Google Bookmarks : Save this page to Mixx : Save this page to Technorati : USAID RSS Feeds