UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Becomes YU Partner
Signed aide memoir and pledged to jointly pursue 'Global Saemaul Undong'
Cooperation in emerging country support such as developing rural towns and eradicating global poverty by sharing the Saemaul Undong
[Sep 11, 2014]

 The 'Global Saemaul Undong' that YU (President Noh Seok-kyun) has been pursuing is gaining speed as it stirred up a big issue in the international society.

 Governments of emerging countries, NGOs, the UN, WB (World Bank), AARDO (Afro-Asian Rural Development Organization), and other international organizations expressed their intent to participate in the goal of the global Saemaul Undong of developing rural towns of emerging countries and eradicating global poverty by sharing Korea's experiences with development and the Saemaul Undong.

 Recently, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under the UN became a new partner of the global Saemaul Undong. YU International Development Cooperation Center Director (YU Vice President) Choi Oe Chool and IFAD Asia Pacific Regional Director Kim Hoon-ae exchanged an aide memoire to construct partnership after the 'Joint Seminar on Plans to Link Saemaul Undong and International Rural Development' that they co-hosted at the Gyeongju Hotel Hyundai on the 26th.

 Accordingly, the two institutes agreed to cooperate on △leading the improvement of quality of life and sustainable development policies to strengthen the capacities of people in rural areas around the world and △to jointly search for plans for improving international understanding and developmental directions for the importance of rural development.

 Photo after signing aide memoire between YU and IFAD
(left to right - IFAD regional director Kim Hoon-ae, YU Vice-president Choi Oe Chool)

 The IFAD is a special organization (international financial institute) of the UN established in 1977 for improving agricultural development and food production of emerging countries following the 1974 World Food Conference. The main purpose is to provide support for the development of rural areas of emerging countries where the population in poverty are concentrated in. Its base is located in Rome, Italy and there are currently 172 member countries that are divided into A, B and C groups (as of June 2014). Korea joined in group C.

 IFAD carried out a total of 948 programs and projects with 120 governments around the world since 1978. Beneficiaries reached 420 million people. Current programs and projects include 52 programs in 22 countries in West Africa and Central Africa, 44 in 18 countries in East Africa and South Africa, 60 in 18 countries in Asia and the South Pacific, 41 in in 19 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 44 in 19 other countries.

 Regarding the partnership with IFAD, Choi Oe Chool said, "This is meaningful since the experience of Korea that successfully made developments in the local societies by overcoming poverty for rural areas through the Saemaul Undong in the 1970s was recognized by the international community including the UN to have great implications for solving the rural and agricultural issues of emerging countries who failed to overcome their problems even in the 21st century and to rise out of global poverty." He added, "YU and IFAD will spare no efforts to jointly develop the Saemaul Undong and Korea's development experience as a program for sustainable rural and agricultural development of emerging countries."