Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development

Following the Global Summit for Public-Private Partnerships on Energy, on June 2 at the UN, the Public-Private Alliance Foundation will hold a Partners Against Poverty meeting also at the UN on Friday, June 3.  This will cover specific business prospects for community-scale electricity in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Madagascar.  The meeting will discuss issues arising from the Summit and introduce two technology companies with relevant business interests.   Seating for the June 3 meeting is limited.  If you would like to learn more, contact David Stillman, ppafoundation@gmail.com

“Global Perspectives on Gold Mining: Evaluating Potential and Constraints” headlined a May 3 panel discussion at the United Nations, in a side event to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.  The Pueblo Viejo Dominicana mine in the Dominican Republic was a special focus; it is expected soon to become the world’s 4th largest gold mine.  Jean-Marie Wolff, president of the (Haitian-American) SImACT Mining Holding Inc. joined David Stillman and PPAF board member George Garland at this.  SImACT controls a property in Haiti with both gold and copper potential. 

Gold Mining Consultations

  Read more…

On Friday, July 2 the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted a resolution that includes establishment of “UN Women,” the new gender equality agency at the UN. The formal name is the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. (A/64/L.56).  This momentous action is the result of years of negotiations between UN Member States and advocacy by the global women’s movement. 

PPAF works to promote the advancement of women in its activities in its focus countries and welcomes this new important agency. 

UN Women will function as a secretariat and also will carry out operational activities at the country level; it brings together four parts of the UN system:

• the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), established in 1946;
• the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), established in 1976, and with its headquarters in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic;
• the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI), established in 1997; and
• the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), established in 1976).

The new body will be headed by an Under-Secretary General who will be a member of all senior UN decision-making bodies and will report to the Secretary-General.  [Keep reading for more information on UN Women and on Ambassador Cuello's statement concerning a role for UN Women in the Dominican Republic.]

Read more…

by Bojana Koljancic, PPAF Intern

On Friday, July 2, four Dominican Republic organizations held a conference at the United Nations about the “Empowerment of Young Women through Youth Delegates to the United Nations.”   This was a side event to the 2010 Substantive Session of the UN Economic and Social Council which took place on the day that the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted Resolution A/64/L.56, which establishes “UN Women” as the new gender equality entity at the UN. 

These were the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), La Fundacion Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), the United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic (UNA-DR) and the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the UN.

Convinced that empowering women and youth fuels thriving economies, and spurs productivity and growth, the Public-Private Alliance Foundation welcomes their involvement on national delegations.  PPAF regularly involves young women and men from different origins and cultures as interns.   PPAF also welcomes the creation of UN Women, which will be operational by January 2011.   PPAF further seeks to help achieve the aims of UN Women, to work for all women and girls toward achieving the goals of equality, development and peace all over the world.

Panelists at the July 2 event were:  Federico Alberto Cuello Camilo, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations in New York; Kerry Stefancyk, Program Coordinator for GFDD; Anik Kohli. UN Swiss youth delegate in 2008-2009; Fruzsina Molnar Straus, Communication and Program Officer at the World Federation of UN Associations (WFUNA); and Yamile Eusebio, Director of Formative Activities in FUNGLODE and Director of the New York GFDD office.  Pilar Sandoval, the Executive Director of UNA-DR was unable to join the panel.

The main theme of the meeting was to promote and show the value of youth delegates at the United Nations, and the extent youth representatives, in particular young women, are involved. Read more…

PPAF‘s renewable energy seminars, held in the Dominican Republic in cooperation with the National Energy Commission (CNE) and others in 2009, emphasized the importance of Law 57-07 to make the D.R. a potential leader in the Caribbean in renewable energy, and to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.  Law 57-07 grants numerous incentives and tax exemptions to investors in renewable energy.

PPAF is very happy to learn that the Dominican Corporation of State Electrical Companies (CDEEE) recently signed its first contract, with Grupo Eolico Dominicano, to buy wind energy that will be carried by the Interconnected Electrical System (SENI). The system currently carries only energy from conventional sources.

The energy will come from Grupo Eolico Dominicano’s 34 mega watt wind park, which will join SENI in 2011. 

Speaking to the newspaper Dominican Today, Grupo Eolico Dominicano representative Wilfredo Gonzalez, who participated in PPAF’s 2009 seminars, called the deal “historic.” He said that the group will continue to make renewable energy investments in the Dominican Republic.

The power will be sold to the CDEE according to the price formula found in Law 57-07 on Incentives to the Development of Renewable Energy Sources and Special Regimes.

http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/economy/2010/7/5/36209/Dominican-Republics-1st-wind-energy-park-to-operate-in-2011

Ing. Máximo Nicolás, president of the Dominican Association of Aquaculture (Asociacion dominicana de acuacultores, Inc.), has announced the redesign of ADOA’s website.   Included is the announcement of an upcoming training course on tilapia, to be held in August, in conjunection with the American Soy Association. 

PPAF has worked with ADOA since 2007 in strengthening fish farming in the Dominican Republic.

email info@adoard.com
Edificio CONAPROPE
Feria Ganadera
Santo Domingo
República Dominicana

The World Summit for the Future of Haiti was held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on June 2, 2010   It was hosted by Dominican President Leonel Fernandez who opened summit along with Haitian President Rene Preval,  U.N. special envoy to Haiti former president Bill Clinton and Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive.  This was a follow up to the summit held in New York on March 31 in which a total of almost 10 billion dollars was pledged by the various countries and international organizations that attended.

The June 2 summit was organized in effort to begin to review the funds that had already been pledged in the months following the New York summit. The day was spent discussing ways to create and implement initiatives aimed at rebuilding the Haitian infrastructure after the devastating earthquake of January 12. The focus was on projects that would restore some of Haiti’s most basic systems such as water, sewage and electricity, as well as building housing for the many displaced Haitians.

Fifty-four donor countries and 35 international organizations attended the summit. According to President Fernandez, by its close, a total of 7.81 billion was promised to help aid in the reconstruction of Haiti- still short of the 10 billion originally pledged in New York.  Most of these funds have not yet been delivered.

“ All this leads to the figure of US$6.71 billion. If we add the US$1.30 billion offered by the United States in the Summit in New York to that, we’ve already identified US$ 7.81 billion in pledges for Haiti’s reconstruction” (President Fernandez) .

 Former President Clinton and Prime Minister Bellerive are charged with using $ 5.3 billion of those dollars to fund various reconstruction projects over the next 18 months. The new Interim Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti (ICRH), will have their first meeting on June 14th to discuss further details.

Another concern was the safety of the million or so Haitians who are now homeless and susceptible to the 2010 Hurricane season which began June 1. Efforts are being made to ensure their protection and secure housing for the refugees in order to shield them from the effects of the harsh season and prevent further tragedy.

“We have more than one million people that are currently living in very precarious conditions, in camping tents,” stated Clinton, who is the United Nation’s Special Envoy to Haiti. “We can not allow for people to die during this Hurricane Season because they inhabit temporary dwellings.”

PPAF y SImACT, Inc. llevará a cabo un evento sobre la reconstrucción en el sur de Haití, en Cap Lamandou Hotel en Jacmel en junio 12 a 13. El evento se centrará en áreas de desarrollo elegido por los participantes. Posibles áreas: agricultura, infraestructura, incluyendo puertos y aeropuertos, las estufas de etanol, energía, vivienda y construcción, distribución, turismo, transporte / logística, el distrito histórico de Jacmel, capital de riesgo social, la salud, la educación, la microfinanciación, el arte y la artesanía y otros temas identificados por los solicitantes de registro. Los participantes podrán reunirse con las autoridades gubernamentales locales y nacionales, se familiaricen con las necesidades y oportunidades en el sur de Haití y se reunirá con inversionistas potenciales y socios de negocios y organizaciones no gubernamentales.

Gastos de viaje lado Jacmel es de $US 100, a pagar a Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF). Ver la ficha de inscripción, que debe ser presentado y pagado por 01 de junio. Este evento tendrá lugar inmediatamente después de la conferencia “Construyendo un Nuevo Haiti” celebrará del 9 al 11 de junio en el norte de Port-au-Prince (Club Indigo, Costa Arcadin, Montrouis). PPAF / SImACT proporcionar transporte Club Indigo en Jacmel en la mañana del Sábado, 12 de junio y volver a Port-au-Prince el 13 de junio, aquellos que se inscriban en este tema. Favor de registrarse antes de 01 de junio de usar este formulario de registro.   email: ppafoundation@gmail.com para el formulario en espanol.

NOTA: Si usted desea permanecer días adicionales, por favor escriba a ppafoundation@gmail.com para más detalles.

The Dominican Aquaculture Association (ADOA) and its partners held a workshop on March 23-24 called  “Estrategias para el Desarrollo de la Acuicultura Dominicana 2010-2015.“    The workshop focused on achievements of the earlier strategic planning process and worked to develop a new strategic plan for 2010-2015.    The Organizing Committee was composed of a representative from each of the following institutions and agencies: IDIAF, CONAPROPE, ADOA, CODOPESCA, FAO-RD, University ISA and the TAIWAN Mission.  

 Rafael Pérez Duvergé , the Executive Director of IDIAF – the Dominican Institute for Agriculture and Forestry Research – opened the workshop.    Featured speakers included Dr. James Tidwell, chair of the aquaculture program of Kentucky State University and Dr. Darryl Jory, a professional with the American Soybean Association.  The Public-Private Alliance Foundation was a co-sponsor of the event.  

As a result of presentations to the U.S. Peace Corps staff in January by Maximo Nicolas, President of ADOA,  David Stillman, Executive Director of PPAF and former Peace Corps Volunteers Bill Miller and Dan Mizroch, Peace Corps has agreed to add fish farming as a priority in its future programming and volunteer assignments.  

The workshop included working groups on research, training, finance, marketing, promotion, and quality control.   The working groups developed presentations that are currently being distilled into a report of the meeting and a contribution to the National Strategic Plan. 

 Highlights at the meeting were announcement by the Taiwan Technical Mission and the Agricultural Development Bank of the DR (Bagricola) that a lending program for small farmers had been agreed and would soon begin.  This would be managed by ADOA.  Kentucky State University announced cooperation with IDIAF and others for research and training.  KSU has offered to facilitate exchanges of students and young professionals, both Dominican and from KSU.  The American Soybean Association announced its support for continued seminars and for nutrients for fish stock.

See the Dominican online newspaper El Nuevo Diario for an article on the aquaculture conference.  (en espanol)   Also see PPAF”s blog for March 6. 

Aquaculture Strategic Planning Workshop Participants

 

Ricardo Colon, CODOPESCA, speaking at opening session

Finance Workshop including representatives of the Taiwan Technical Mission and Bagricola (Dominican Agriculturel Bank), with workshop participants

Leaders of ADOA, Technical Mission of Taiwan, PPAF and American Soybean Association

Several recent articles have mentioned PPAF’s work:

FUNGLODE, the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development of the Dominican Republic, featured PPAF’s work in Haiti, at the UN Department of Public Information / NGO Forum  “NGOs Responding to Crisis: Meeting New Challenges, the Case of Haiti” held on February 24, 2010.  Press release dated March 1, 2010.

The Dominican newspaper El Nuevo Diario  wrote in “Expertos nacionales e internacionales revisarán estrategia en acuicultura“ about the fish farming conference  held by the  Dominican Aquaculture Association ADOA on March 23-24, 2010.  Article dated February 23, 2010.

The April newsletter of the Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions of the University of South Florida included an article about David Stillman’s March 22 talk on Alternative Energy in Developing countries.  See page 4 of the newsletter:   http://patelcenter.rc.usf.edu/documents/newsletters/1004Apr.pdf