STAFF REPORT: KOICA Alumni Association of Pakistan (KAAP) and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), official donor agency of the Republic of Korea held an Annual Alumni reception 2014. More than 120 higher government officials from different Government Ministries attended the program.
The government of Korea, through its aid agency KOICA, has endeavored to support and assist developing countries around the world, including Pakistan. In Pakistan, KOICA activities have focused on the vocational skills development, education, health, water and sanitation related sectors.
Addressing on the occasionDirector General of KOICA Pakistan, Sung Choon-ki said that I am very pleased to share with you that number of our alumni is over 1000 this year. We have established a KOICA-KAAP Education Support Fund to help deprived student in Pakistan. We have donated some amount and hopeful that with the support of our alumni we will be able to sustain this program for a better future of those children. Further, the regional association will also start same program in their respective provinces.
We are smoothly running our ongoing five projects in water, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development, ICT and Textile with our alumni support and guidance. This year, we have successfully organized and established two regional alumni associations in Karachi (Sindh) and Lahore (Punjab) and next year we are planning to arrange Baluchistan and KP alumni associations for enhancing bilateral relations between the two nations.
H.E the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Prof. Dr. Song Jong-hwan while addressing to the alumni said Republic of Korea and Pakistan celebrated 30 years of friendly diplomatic ties and this year the Korean Prime Minister and Speaker of parliament visited Pakistan for the first time in history. This is indeed a milestone in our historic relations remarkable achievement for both of our nations. I want these friendly relation to be closer and deeper for the better, safe and prosperous Pakistan.
Dr. Muhammad Akram Shaikh, President KOICA Alumni Association of Pakistan said that This year is the first time regional alumni associations are formed and activated to impart their important role in enhancing bilateral relation between Korea and Pakistan. With collaboration of KOICA and KAAP and executive members this year we have also formed five advisory groups in the area of water and sanitation, Education, Health, Agriculture and Rural Development, ICT and Textile. The groups are committed to support and guide for the timely completion and sustainability of the completed and ongoing KOICA projects. This year we also organized a workshop on Saemaul Undong; Implication for Socio-economic Development of Pakistan with the help of KOICA office.
Addressing the KAAP Annual Alumni reception, Abdul Rehman Khan Training Coordinator said that currently, approximately 100 trainees participate in KOICAs training program each year and as you know KOICA alumni members reached over 1,000. These training programs contribute to strengthening Pakistans human resource capacities of the Government official by providing trainings in to their respective field and areas aligned with Pakistans development priorities.
KOICA implements projects related to “e-government” to promote the administrative efficiency and transparency of developing partner governments. Since narrowing the digital divide in a knowledge-based society expedites poverty alleviation and promotes sustainable economic development, KOICA has made continuous efforts to reduce the digital divide and facilitate economic development.
The Ministry of Communication, Government of Pakistan, and KOICA is establishing Pak-Korea Information Communication Technology Center of Excellence in Islamabad with CTTI (Construction Technology Training Institute). To provide high skilled ICT training to the youth of Pakistan and to make them well groomed so that they can avail market focused job opportunities in multi-national companies in Pakistan and abroad.
With the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of Pakistan, KOICA is constructing an institute For Water Quality Management in Islamabad to provide water quality monitoring and analysis skills; Increase knowledge about and utilization of various water disinfection and treatment for Public officials and experts in private sectors related with water quality and supply.
KOICA is also establishing a Pak -Korea Capacity Building Center for Arid Agriculture and Live Stock Technology Rawalpindi to contribute to the empowerment of the Agriculture University.
In partnership with the Ministry of Textile, Government of Pakistan, KOICA has recently established a “Garment Technology Training Center” in Karachi Pakistan dedicated to the professional training of core engineering in the textile industry.