Retrospect on 2005 and Prospect for 2006

——Zhang Lei
Managing Director of International Poverty Reduction Center in China

Distinguished Chairman and Trustees：
　　On behalf of International Poverty Reduction Center in China, now I report to the Board of Trustees and submit my proposal of adjusting the period of program for your assessment.

I.Retrospect on the work in 2005
　　In 2005, IPRCC operated under the circumstance that the Board of Trustees was yet to be established, the institutional system was not completed and not all the staff and fund were in place. In this context, IPRCC adopted a guideline of promoting institutional development while at the same time carrying on operation. Under this guideline, we have combined construction and improvement and solicited as much support as possible so that an early progress can be possible.
i. Institutional Development
　　First, complete the whole procedure of inspection and approval for the establishment of IPRCC. By the end of 2004, the Central Organization Committee issued the approval to establishing IPRCC. Since then, UNDP approved the program of Supporting the Establishment of IPRCC in April, 2005. And in May of the same year, the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, the Ministry of Commerce and UNDP officially signed the Program Document on the Establishment of International Poverty Reduction Center in China, in June, the registration of legal person according to Chinese law was completed, in July, the Inception Meeting of the Program was held and the 2005 annual work plan for the Program of Establishing IPRCC started to be implemented.
　　Second, complete the examination and approval of office building construction and prepare for the imminent construction. In November, 2005, China National Development and Reform Commission approved the Proposal of Building Construction which covers a total area of 22900㎡with a total investment of 217 million RMB. Up to day, the site for construction has been selected and we are now in the step of negotiating the design, construction and management of the capital construction program with prospective partners in terms of building construction and management. We are endeavored to speeding up the preparation for construction and get started as soon as possible.
　　Third, draft IPRCC Charter, identify its function and position, formulate five-year development program. The IPRCC Charter (draft) has come into being. On the basis of extensive opinions, we concluded the functions of IPRCC as training, exchanges and research, the mandate of IPRCC as disseminating poverty reduction experience, optimizing poverty reduction policies, strengthening international exchanges and promoting south-south cooperation. We aim at enhancing poverty reduction capability worldwide, smoothing the spreading of poverty reduction theory, information and practical experience to every corner of the world, facilitating the exchange and communication among policy-makers, researchers and practitioners. This positioning of IPRCC guided us in drawing the five-year development plan, in designing the fundraising mode, institutional management, operational mode, financial accounting and administration, which shall help develop it into an international anti-poverty institution with international influence. The five year development plan is to be done soon.
　　Fourth, institutional management system was preliminarily shaped. Staff members have partly come in place, temporary office has been rented, necessary office facilities have been purchased, relevant regulations have been installed, and the basic conditions for IPRCC to perform its mandate have all come into being. After the Inception Meeting, we kept in contact with relevant Chinese government agencies, international organizations and NGOs to discuss the establishment of the Board of Trustees so that the Board has been successfully built up and the Inception Meeting of the Board is now under way. We are in the process of setting up the Board of Advisors. The Chief Technical Assistant (CTA) for IPRCC is being selected through the incoming discussion with candidates.
　　Fifth, with great efforts, IPRCC gained the bid of housing the Secretariat of Poverty Analysis and Data Initiative (PADI). In the PADI Consultation Meeting held in May, 2005, participants arrived in a consensus that the PADI Secretariat shall be relocated from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies to IPRCC. From then on, IPRCC started its partnership with the World Bank Institute in proceeding with PADI work with some result achieved already.
　　Sixth, IPRCC website was built up and the logo is being designed. The website is in operation and constant adaptation to progress of IPRCC in terms of both service delivery and self development. The logo design is going along smoothly and now the options have come up for selection.

ii. Expand Operation
　　In 2005, IPRCC performed the three major functions as training, exchange and research.
　　In the aspect of training, there are three levels：
　　First, trainings targeting IPRCC staff. It mainly covered short-term training programs with subjects ranging from poverty theory, poverty monitoring and evaluation methodology, implementation and management of poverty reduction programs to financial accounting. All were aimed at enhancing IPRCC capacity building.
　　Second, trainings to plenish the pool of resource persons. The Basic Course of Poverty Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation co-organized with the World Bank Institute falls to this category of trainings which is aimed to produce resource persons for IPRCC. Participants to the seminar came from relevant government agencies, research institutes and some were IPRCC staff members.
　　Third, trainings to serve government officials from developing countries. The International Seminar on Successful Experiences of Poverty Reduction in China, from December 1 to December 15 last year, delivered specialized training for 53 medium officials from 27 countries in Asia, Africa, North America (the Caribbean) and Oceania (South Pacific Region). The seminar took on diversified forms from lecturing, experience sharing, case study and field trip to participatory discussion which have all proved rewarding.
　　In the aspect of exchange, an array of international activities have taken place with achievements：
　　First, the East Asia Seminar on Poverty Analysis and Data Initiative (PADI) was co-organized with the World Bank Institute from May 16 to May 17, 2005. The seminar was attended by 31 representatives from 13 Asian Pacific countries.
　　Second, the Regional Policy Seminar on Pro-Poor Growth and Scaling Up Poverty Reduction in East Asia was co-organized with World Bank from May 18 to May 19, 2005 which has an attendance of 80 from 17 countries and 4 international organizations. The subjects of the seminar extended from agriculture growth to micro-finance and from rural education to employment.
　　Third, exchange of visit with the International Poverty Center in Brazil (IPC)was conducted in which the both sides reached some consensus on future exchanges and cooperation and IPRCC benefited significantly from IPC’s experiences.
　　Fourth, the Seminar on Capacity Building for Poverty Reduction was jointly hosted with the World Bank Institute, the Ministry of Finance and Tsinghua University on September 15, 2005.
　　Fifth, the China Forum for Poverty Alleviation and Development co-hosted with the Dalian Municipal Government. The forum was titled “Poverty Reduction and Development in the Process of Building a Harmonious Society ” to commemorate the 13th International Day for Poverty Eradication. The forum was attended by over 500 participants from seven international organizations and other institutions.
　　Sixth, the Regional Seminar on Pro-poor Macro-Economic Policies co-organized with the UNDP Regional Center in Colombo from October 24 to October 28, 2005. The UNDP Headquarters and 20 countries have a total of 70 representatives to the event who are composed of agency managers, government officers and experts.
　　Apart from the above, IPRCC has been active in partnering with institutions at home and abroad. Up to now, a network of collaboration has come to shape.
　　In the aspect of research, research programs were designed and implemented to address practical demands arising from international training, exchanges and poverty reduction campaign in China：
　　First, Compilation and Translation of Poverty Reduction Materials in China. The program has four components: Poverty Reduction History in China, Transformation of Poverty Reduction Policies, Compilation of Poverty Reduction Literature, and Compilation of Poverty Reduction Case Study. The results are expected in June of 2006. They shall become important teaching materials and literature for international exchanges.
　　Second, Design the poverty database of IPRCC. The purpose is to design a database which, as is completed, shall equip training, exchanges and research programs with plentiful statistics and avail relevant institutions at home and abroad of statistical service. The result shall be submitted by March 2006.
　　Third, Research on Poverty Reduction Policies in Poor Bordering Areas of China. The purpose is to step up the debate on how to revise poverty reduction policies in poor bordering areas in China. A rough conclusion of the research has emerged and is now undergoing evaluation by experts for modification.
　　Fourth, Research on Viable Mechanism of Subsidized Loans Directly Accessible to Poor Households. The purpose is to analyze the most effective methodology and mechanism of subsidized loans for rural households in China and other countries so as to help poor households address the obstacle in their way to get finance. The result of research shall be submitted in April of 2006.

II.Work plan for 2006
　　2006 is the most critical year for IPRCC to bring forward its work. Based on the past efforts, we will carry on the principle of integrating the short-term and long-term demands in a proactive, prudent and pragmatic manner：
i. Implementation and management of cross-year programs
　　First, prepare and hold an International Seminar on the Mid-term Review of Poverty Reduction Program in Rural China (2001-2010). The program shall go along with the Mid-term Review of Poverty Reduction Program in Rural China (2001-2010) organized by China State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development. Based on the initial achievements accomplished over the past five years, we will solicit opinions extensively so as to identify the policies and measures for the next five years.
　　Second, strengthen the guidance, supervision and management for research programs including Compilation and Translation of Poverty Reduction Literature in China, Research on Viable Mechanism of Subsidized Loans Directly Accessible to Poor Households and Design for the poverty database of IPRCC. We shall provide quality services for the contractors to ensure the accomplishment of task on time.
　　Third, finish the modification of the five-year development plan (draft) at an early date, so that it can be a real guidance for the future development.
　　Fourth, finish the last steps of logo designing.

ii. Continue with institutional development
　　First, complete the management system of IPRCC. We shall: (1) organize a Board of Advisors, select board members, identify its function and approach according to the set principle and goals; (2) select and recruit the CTA; (3) complete and update the current management system and set up new program management and operational system; and (4) clarify labor division and go through the business in detail.
　　Second, recruit relevant experts as technical advisors. We plan to recruit a number of experts specialized in research, training, technology, law, capital construction and consultation who shall work on part-time basis to assist institutional development and program implementation.
　　Third, further expand the network of cooperation. This can pool fund and intellectual resources and besides, search for new business.
　　Fourth, equip IPRCC with necessary facilities to create a favorable climate.
　　Fifth, manage the capital construction with the utmost efforts. We will forge ahead to the practical construction by concluding at an early date the negotiation with developers, the design of construction schemes, and signature of official contract with the developers. We will engage experts into the supervision of the whole construction project to ensure that the progress and quality are both up to standard and that the capping of the main structure can be completed within this year.

iii. Continue with the training and capacity building
　　International training and capacity building is one of the major functions for IPRCC and an important approach to attain the four missions of IPRCC. There shall be two highlights for this year：
　　First, continue with the poverty reduction training for developing countries. In the Fundraising Summit of UN 60 Anniversary, the Chinese President Hu Jintao announced that to train talents, especially talents specialized in poverty reduction for developing countries is one of the five new measures that China would take to honor its international commitment. IPRCC will undertake to deliver more external assistance trainings this year. The first International Seminar on the Best Practices of Poverty Reduction in China shall be reviewed. And on this basis, we shall, by contacting the External Assistance Department of the Ministry of Commerce, design relevant curriculum, expand the content of training and innovate the training approaches according to the specific demands of trainees from different countries and regions so that better effect can be attainable.
　　Second, accomplish all the activities stipulated by the IDF Grant Program which shall include: (1) events of exchanges and trainings hosted by PADI in Asian Pacific Region; (2) capacity building activities titled “Poverty Monitoring and Evaluation” and “Basic Poverty Theory”;(3) International seminars with the subjects covering poverty evaluation and monitoring, management of poverty reduction programs and poverty theory for IPRCC staff.

iv.Expand international exchange and collaboration in the area of poverty reduction
　　Four activities are programmed to upgrade the existing scope of collaboration and exchanges：
　　First, the International Forum on Poverty Reduction in 2006 co-hosted with International Food Policy Research Institute. The forum shall focus on Poverty Reduction Strategy in Developing Countries and discuss what other countries can learn from poverty reduction success in China. The event is programmed for May 2006 in Beijing which shall be followed by a week of field trip.
　　Second, host the Second Regional Seminar on Poverty Reduction in ASEAN+3. The seminar will invite government officials in ASEAN countries, Japan and Korea, representatives from UNDP, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other international organizations to review poverty reduction experiences in ASEAN countries and discuss regional collaboration in poverty reduction. IPRCC has acquired the approval by China State Council of hosting the event in September 2006.
　　Third, collaboration with the International Poverty Center (IPC) in Brazil in co-hosting an array of exchange activities. These activities shall include seminars and training programs with the subjects involving the Approaches and Boundary of Future Collaboration between IPRCC and IPC, Experiences in Poverty Reduction from China and Brazil and Analysis on Poverty Issues, etc.
　　Fourth, collaboration with the World Bank in the First Meeting of IPRCC Board of Trustees and PADI Regional Consultation Meeting which will take place in March 2006.

v. Carry out research programs to address the demands arising from training and exchanges.
　　First, macro-policy research on pro-poor development in rural China. The findings of research shall also be used as a foundation for introducing poverty reduction experience in China to the international community.
　　Second, comparative study on poverty reduction mode between China and other developing countries or regions. The study shall cover the following topics: (1) poverty features, poverty determinants; (2) poverty standard; (3) policies, measures and implementation mechanism of poverty reduction. The research is to explore an appropriate approach that disseminates poverty reduction experience in China and in turn feed back China with valuable experiences from other countries.
　　Third, design and compile training curriculum and teaching materials. Some specialists shall be invited to design and compile training curriculum and teaching materials for the international training programs in 2006. One of the tasks is to complete the four sub-projects of the Program of Compiling and Translating Poverty Reduction Literature in China and the output shall be the documents in English.
　　Fourth, conduct specialized research that combines international poverty reduction theory and practice.
　　Fifth, develop IPRCC database on poverty and put it into operation.

vi. Step up advocacy of IPRCC.
　　First, complete the website system for IPRCC and build linkage with relevant partnering institutions.
　　Second, fabricate advocacy brochures to make known the IPRCC and various programs that it is engaged in; catch every opportunity of international activities for this purpose.
　　Third, edit and publish findings of IPRCC research and trainings.

　　Mr. Chairman, distinguished trustees: In 2005, IPRCC attained almost all its targets set. In 2006, we look forward your continuous care and support. We will keep the momentum and push it to a higher level.