56. One of the important focuses of the new regional framework is to strengthen cooperation and collaboration among Governments at the subregional level. Countries in the same subregion share common concerns, aspirations and constraints and are in the best position to provide mutual support and collaboration. In this regard, Governments in each subregion are requested to formulate their own subregional priorities and a plan of action to seek mutual support in the implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action.
Strategy 11. Governments, in cooperation with relevant NGOs, such as the Asian and Pacific Disability Forum, and self-help organizations of persons with disabilities in each subregion of Asia and the Pacific, should establish, by 2004, subregional mechanisms to support governments to achieve targets and strategies contained in the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action.
Strategy 12. Governments in each subregion should collaborate with relevant NGOs in establishing focal points within appropriate subregional organizations with a view to coordinating subregional activities on disability.
1. Collaboration with the Asian and Pacific Development Center on Disability
57. The Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability will be established towards 2004 at Bangkok, as a legacy of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, to promote the empowerment of persons with disabilities and a barrier-free society in the Asian and Pacific region. The Center will serve persons with disabilities and persons working with them in training and information support in the Asian and Pacific region.
Strategy 13. Governments, the United Nations system, civil society organizations and the private sector should collaborate, support and take advantage of the training and communication capability of the Center in the field of disability in the region. Capacity-building of persons with disabilities in the Pacific should be also clearly addressed by the Center.
2. Networking among centres of excellence in focused areas
58. There are government institutes and agencies, as well as civil society and private organizations involved in research and development, implementing new approaches in the field of disabilities in the Asian and Pacific region. It would be useful to identify those institutes/agencies/organizations as centres of excellence and to facilitate the exchange among them of information, experiences and personnel to promote networking, with a view to maximizing cooperation and collaboration. The Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability could play a supporting role in establishing and maintaining such a network.
Strategy 14. Governments, civil society organizations and the private sector should establish a network of centres of excellence in focused areas to maximize cooperation and collaboration.
Strategy 15. ESCAP and other United Nations agencies should assist in the establishment of a network of centres of excellence in focused areas through the identification and promotion of such centres.
Strategy 16. Governments of the region should enter into a suitable agreement on trade, technology transfer and human resource development for fast and efficient sharing of resources. Governments should also promote regional cooperation, share information and document good practices on the achievements of he Biwako Millennium Framework targets.
59. The Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002, has influenced developments at the international level, in particular in countries in Africa. The African Decade of Disabled Persons, 2000-2009, was declared in 1999. It is also expected that the Arab Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012, will be declared, which will coincide with the newly extended regional framework on disability in the Asian and Pacific region. In order to strengthen regional programmes, learn from other regional experiences and create synergy among the regional frameworks on disability, interregional exchange activities are important.
Strategy 17. The Asian and Pacific region, the African region and the Western Asian region should strengthen their cooperation and collaboration to create synergy in implementing regional decades through interregional exchange of information, experiences and expertise, which will mutually benefit all the regions.
