21 August 2007

UNIC/PRESS RELEASE/112-2007

 

Indonesia’s Aceh province seeks expertise from UN in India

 

Inspired by the networks of development practitioners facilitated by the United Nations in India under its Solution Exchange initiative, the tsunami-hit Aceh region of Indonesia has reached an agreement with the United Nations Country Team in India to seek expertise for establishing similar networks for disaster recovery and rehabilitation.

 

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 20 August in New Delhi by the Governor of Aceh Province representing the agencies for recovery and rehabilitation in Aceh region and the UN Resident Coordinator in India.

 

After the signing of the MoU, the Governor of Aceh Province, Dr. Irwandi Yusuf commented, “Earlier I had five advisors to provide me with policy making advice and now, with the establishment of Solution Exchange Communities of Practice, I will have five million advisors with me in Aceh.”

 

The United Nations Country Team’s Solution Exchange concept which was established in India in 2005 now has eleven Communities of Practice, offering development practitioners in India a forum for sharing knowledge and experience of development challenges in pursuit of the MDGs. This knowledge management partnership of the UN in India has offereds expertise and experience to assist in the development of the Solution Exchange model to foster communities of practice in Aceh and Nias.

 

At the signing of the MoU the Resident Coordinator for UNCT India, Dr. Maxine Olson said: “The UN in India has been very enthusiastic about Solution Exchange as a new role for the various UN agencies that taps its convening power and offers an impartial space for practitioners to share knowledge and experience. We are sure that the operations in Aceh and Nias will find these networks to have the same effect, and will add more value to the rehabilitation and reconstruction work of the UN Agencies in Indonesia.”

 

The Solution Exchange initiative in Aceh and Nias which will be initiated in November 2007, will catalyze in multi-level coordination in recovery and rehabilitation efforts, minimizing gaps, providing linkages and strategic policy advice.