Asia Recovery Information Centre Goes Live

MEDIA RELEASE

Released By:
Downer

I am pleased to announce the launch of the Asia Recovery Information
Centre (ARIC), a joint initiative between Australia and the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) which aims to speed up and strengthen recovery in East Asia.

ARIC is a web site which provides a consolidated information service
on economic and social developments, recovery strategies and national
and international programs. It will help coordinate efforts by donors
and regional governments to promote sustained recovery and improve the
effectiveness of their operations. ARIC will be an important resource
for policy-makers, development practitioners, academics, business, media
and the general public.

The need for a facility to improve management of information on the recovery
process was proposed by Australia, and endorsed by the international community
at the Meeting on Development Cooperation: Responding to the Asia Crisis
which I convened in Sydney in March this year.

Australia has contributed $1.6 million to cover the centre's establishment
and operational costs. An Advisory Committee with representatives from
Australia, the ADB, World Bank, IMF, ASEAN and APEC will oversee the functions
of the centre.

This initiative is a further example of Australia's ongoing commitment
to rapid and sustainable recovery in East Asia.

ARIC was launched at the ADB today during the Manila Social Forum, a
major international conference convened by the ADB and World Bank on strengthening
social frameworks in central, east and south-east Asia. The forum, to
be held from 9-12 November in Manila, will bring together about 200 high-level
policy makers, operational experts and external partners from academia,
non-government organisations, local governments and the donor community.

The Asia Recovery Information Centre's internet site has seven core elements:
ARIC Recovery Watch, Social Dimensions, International Assistance, Country
Focus, ARIC Indicators, Meetings and Conferences, and Key Hyperlinks.
The web address for the centre is http://www.aric.adb.org