Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), official donor agency of the Republic of Korea, organized a workshop ‘Saemaul Undong (SMU); Implication for Socio-Economic Development of Pakistan’ here on December 06, 2014 at KOICA office Islamabad. Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR), was the chief guest on the occasion.
 

The theme of the workshop was how to ensure KOICA’s grant aid-programme sustainability via SMU. The workshop presented the success story of initiating SMU in Punjab, where Saemaul Undong methodology was adopted to revitalise 2,000 rural communities, and shared development experiences of Korea for poverty alleviation and income generation.

In his address, Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, PMAS-AAUR, emphasized importance of capacity building and role of universities and institution, ‘Implication of Saemaul Undong for Development Aid Projects in Pakistan’. He said “We can continue sustainability of aid projects by adapting core elements of SMU such as Ownership, Participation of local residents, Leadership to Pakistan” and “AAUR has plan to support rural development projects, like training village leaders, dissemination of SMU, development of rural self-governing capacity, connected them with Pak-Korea Capacity Building Center for AAUR’ an ongoing project by KOICA”.

Earlier, Sung Choon-ki, the Director General of KOICA Pakistan, began the workshop with his opening remark, and said that “Saemaul Undong has high potential to be adopted in Pakistan and it will contribute greatly on social and economic development of Pakistan. Since, Pakistan particularly Punjab has vast human and natural resources that can be used to create income and eradicate poverty. Pakistan has similar industrial structure to Korea in 1970s”. He also added “I hope the workshop would be a chance for Pakistan to apply SMU to rural community actively”.

A large number of KOICA Pakistan Alumni members, project partner organization and department such as Pakistan Council on Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Construction Technology Training Institute, along with JICA, UNDP and TIKA representative and government departments participated in the workshop. KOICA alumni and partner organization assure their full support and commitment to work for strengthens the bilateral cooperation and friendship between Republic of Korea and Pakistan. Shields were presented to the speakers and certificates were distributed among participants

Currently, approximately 80 trainees participate in KOICA’s training program each year that now its alumni members reached over 1,000. Upon the workshop as opportunity, KOICA Pakistan is planning to cooperate in harness with both of Pakistan government, and the party concerned for the successful application of Saemaul Undong to Pakistan in a sustainable way.