Minutes
Of
Steering Committee Meeting, APSD

Date: January 24, 2018 ( 4 - 6 pm)
Busan, South Korea

Members present: Zia-Ur Rehman, Abid Gulzar, Harsh Jaitli, Jyotsna Pandey, Mags Katindig , Beckie Malay, Anselmo Lee, Pradeep Baisakh (Via Skype)

Tri Radhakrishnan of CHRI was also present in the meeting as a non-participating person who offered to minute the meeting.

Draft Agenda
1. Welcome and Introduction
2. Reading the annual report of APSD 2017 followed by discussion (Pradeep)
3. APSD Logo for approval and membership registration (Pradeep to inform)
4. Discussion on Action plan for 2018 (See draft shared by Pradeep. Members to share their plans vis-à-vis APSD)
5. Discussion on the perspective plan (2018 - 2022) (See draft)
6. MoU with Action4SD (Zia to brief): Discussion on three key issues:
a. Side event at APFSD, planned already?
b. Name two VNR countries for support this time (Sri Lanka, Laos, Vietnam, Bhutan)
c. Regional coordination by APSD
7. Issue of coordination of APSD: SG to take a call
(Zia to present a draft on role of coordinator)
8. Revisit the Steering Group - welcome new members
9. Registration of APSD?


Minutes:

" APSD annual report: Pradeep (via Skype) narrated the activities of APSD for 2017. Thereafter, the annual report was approved. The highlights of last year's activities are:

- ADA - APSD workshop on VNR in Bangkok in February 2017
- APSD Steering group meetings
- APSD statement on Agenda 2030
- APSD members' involvement in UNESCAP meeting on SDGs in March 2017 in Bangkok
- APSD involvement in the national level engagements in VNR
- Capacity building webinar on VNR
- Submission regional report to A4SD
- APSD in GCAP's side event at HLPF
- Sept 25 mobilisation - Global Day of Action
- APSD Logo and Membership registration process of APSD
- APSD-World Vision Toolkit on VNR

" Toolkit on VNR: Abid informed that the first draft of the toolkit on SDGs/VNR is place, along with case studies. However, case studies from the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia were to be finalized. Using best practices, the guidelines will provide the basis for taking the work forward.
" Beckie added that since Nepal in fact has created an effective SDG platform it would be worthwhile to keep the Nepal case study as part of the toolkit. Abid agreed to the suggestion.
" Abid stated that after finalising the toolkit, it would need to be tested, preferably in those countries presenting their VNR in 2019. Pakistan could be the testing ground for the toolkit as the country goes for VNR in 2019; also, Mongolia. The pilot project would be done this year and it can be used in next year's VNR.

" APSD logo: Harsh suggested removing non-Asian countries from the map in the logo. There was consensus on it. Further, the word 'Asia Partnership for Sustainable Development APSD' should be visible and highlighted. The colour combination is to be reworked. Pradeep would take the suggestion back to the designers for a final rendering.

" Action plans for 2018. The following are approved as the action plans.

1. There will be a side-event at APFSD, to be coordinated members like GCAP or ADA

- Beckie mentioned that although the concept has not been developed as yet, there indeed are studies of inequality that are present and GCAP would be interested in undertaking such a side-event on inequality at APFSD.

2. Side event on Abid apprised the group that World Vision (WV) and ACT Alliance are building a partnership of faith-based alliance. The objective is to mobilize faith-based organisations to partner with civil society organisations to meet on common ground of SDGs. Its TOR is being discussed and is planned to launch at APFSD 2018; civil society and government representatives, along with people of eminence will launch the initiative at APFSD. Abid offered this to be a side event in partnership with APSD.

- On the question whether it was within the APSD's mandate to be involved/collaborate with faith-based organisations, the APSD TOR clearly mentions faith-based organisations, among others, as actors for potential engagement.
- SC accepted the proposition of Abid and APSD will be partnering in this side event.

3. Statements at APFSD and HLPF 2018:

- It was argued that it is too early to decide on statement. Furthermore, the statements will be formulated at APCSFSD/APRCEM prior to the APFSD.

- Pradeep explained that last year we had a very robust statement submitted both to APFSD and HLPF. After discussion, SC agreed to take this as an action plan. How to develop this will be discussed in the next SC meeting planned in mid-Feb.

4. Side-event at HLPF 2018: there will be one. Will see who does it, GCAP or ADA or any other.
5. Webinar on capacity building for VNR and HLPF: GCAP will lead it.

6. Supporting two VNR nations: Under A4SD support, APSD will support two countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia for their upcoming VNR at HLPF 2018. It was decided that these two countries would be; Sri Lanka from South Asia, and Laos from Southeast Asia.

- The Steering Committee took note of the severely shrinking space in Laos for civil society.
7. Steering Committee meeting: it will be scheduled quarterly,. One will be in mid-February and another face to face meeting will be in March on th side lines of APFSD.
8. It was also agreed that there should be membership integration A4SD and APSD
9. There will be regular sharing of information by the secretariat
10. The Perspective Plan (2018-2022) to be discussed at APFSD or conducted online, followed up with face to face discussions during APFSD 2018.



" MoU between A4SD and APSD:

- Discussion took place on, who will be the regional coordinator of APSD for A4SD; what should be the governance structure; what are the two VNR nations to be supported etc.
- On questions of coordinating role, SC decided that Pradeep would coordinate APSD secretariat and therefore the A4SD activities in the region. 
- As far as parking the funds are concerned, one among the six coordinating organisations (GCAP, ADA, World Vision, ADN, ACT Alliance and Asia Dhara.) will receive the funds.
- After deliberations, it was decided that ADA or AsiaDHRRA will hold the funds.
- Jyoshna informed that she will get back for ADA after consulting the ADA board. There may be some complications as ADA received funds through Code-NGO, which is based in an OECD country (South Korea). Mags will get back for AsiaDHRRA. AiaDHRRA is considered as its based in Philippines and will be easier to hold funds.
- If things do not materialize with ADA, AsiaDhrra should hold funds, it was decided.
- There will be discussion on the APSD governance structure and finalized by March 2018.
- Zia and Beckie will oversee the activities, review budget and approve spending on behalf of APSD Steering Committee.
- So, Zia and Beckie will oversee the budget and activities for A4SD etc.
- It was again clarified that despite entering into a MoU with A4SD, APSD remains as an independent entity. It does not become the wing of A4SD in the region though it can coordinate A4SD matters in Asia. APSD will remain open and can sign additional MOUs with other global CSO entities to enhance impact of CSOs in the region.
Key decisions:

1. APSD Action Pan for 2018:

" There will be a side-event at APFSD, to be coordinated by members like GCAP and/or ADA
" APSD will partner with World Vision, Act Alliance and others in the side event organized by different Faith Based organisation in APFSD in March.
" There will be a APSD statement for APFSD and HLPF
" There will be a side-event at HLPF 2018 (GCAP or ADA)
" Webinar on capacity building for VNR and HLPF will be held led by GCAP
" Two VNR countries will be supported from A4SD fund: Sri Lanka and Laos

2. MoU between A4SD and APSD:

" APSD will enter into the MoU with A4SD
" Pradeep will coordinate A4SD activities in the region
" Either ADA or Asia DHRRA will hold the funds.
" Zia and Beckie will oversee the activities, review budget and approve spending on behalf of APSD Steering Committee
3. SC meeting:
" One meeting will be held in mid- Feb online to prepare for the APFSD and one face to face in March on sidelines of APFSD

Minutes prepared by Pradeep Baisakh