The Oceania Development Network team recently attended the 12th Annual Global Development conference held in Colombia's capital, Bogotá. This marked ODN as the Regional Network Partner with the highest representation at the conference as the ODN team comprised of an array of disciplines.
The Secretariat of the Oceania Development Network (ODN) is currently based in Fiji at the University of the South Pacific. The Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics at USP, Professor Biman Chand Prasad also serves as the ODN Chairperson.
ODN contributes to an effective Pacific Island research community through the promotion, generation, sharing and application of multidisciplinary knowledge for the purpose of development by investing in research by Pacific Islanders.
The conference was organized by the ODN's parent body - the Global Development Network (GDN)
The GDN conferences which are held every year in different regions of the world provide the venue for exchange on issues of sustainable development and poverty reduction.
The conference which was held from 13 - 15 January, 2011 was officially opened by the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos.
Various parallel sessions were organized at the conference by GDN in connection with the Awards and Medals Competition, GDN’s Regional Network Partners as well as external partners. ODN organized the parallel session on the topic: 'Financing for Development: What Opportunities for Pacific Islands States'. According to Professor Prasad, the conference addressed some of the key challenges facing developing countries in the aftermath of the global economics crisis. There are lessons for small developing countries such as our in the Pacific where good financial regulations will have to be balanced with good market based policies to promote effective development.
The session was well attended and it drew interesting comments and created lively discussions. Those that attended included: Mr. Guillermo Perry, Chief Economist of the Latin America and Caribbean Region at the World Bank; Mr. Steve Taylor - AusAID representative, Ms. Savi Mull and Ms. Niharika Verma of the GDN Headquarters at New Delhi, Caribbean researchers, students of the Andes University and other invited members to the conference.
ODN showcased some of their emerging and promising researchers. The ODN also held a special executive committee meeting chaired by Professor Biman Prasad, which was also attended by GDN representatives.
In 2010, the ODN Secretariat organized the ODN Research Capacity Building workshop which was held at USP's Laucala Campus.
The next GDN global conference will be held in Beirut, Lebanon. The themes of the conference will be "urbanization and development"
