1. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE POLICY ISSUES CONCERNING THE RCA PROGRAMME PRINATH DIAS RCA COORDINATOR

2. OVERVIEW OF RCA AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN 17 IAEA MEMBER STATES IN EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION ESTABLISHED FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION IN RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING IN NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ROLE OF THE IAEA NOT A PARTY TO THE AGREEMENT FUNCTIONS AS THE SECRETARIAT PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR RCA PROJECTS THROUGH THE TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMME PROVIDES TECHNICAL BACKSTOPPING TO THE PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED

3. RCA STAKEHOLDERS NATIONAL RCA REPRESENTATIVES THEMATIC SECTOR LEAD COUNTRY COORDINATORS PROJECT LEAD COUNTRY COORDINATORS NATIONAL PROJECT COORDINATORS PROJECT TEAMS REGIONAL RESOURCE UNITS (RRUs)

4. RCA PROGRAMME IN 2003/2004

5. RCA PROGRAMME PROPOSED FOR 2005/2006

6. TECHNICAL COOPERAION PROGRAMME OF THE AGENCY FUNDED THROUGH VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF MEMBER STATES TOTAL ANNUAL BUDGET 73 MILLION $ (TARGET) EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC SECTION 13.0 MILLION $ PER YEAR RCA PROGRAMME -18 % OTHER REGIONAL PROJECTS - 17% NATIONAL PROJECTS - 65%

7. RCA BUDGET FOR 2005/2006

8. CHALLENGES FULFILLMENT OF THE RCA VISION ENSURING THE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAMME

9. RCA VISION THE RCA SHALL STRIVE TO BECOME A RESPECTED REGIONAL RESOURCE COMMUNITY IN NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, COMPETENT AND COST EFFECTIVE IN PROVIDING HIGH IMPACT SOLUTIONS ON A SUSTAINABLE BASIS TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS FOR IDENTIFIED END-USERS WITHIN THE REGION AND MEMBER STATES

10. FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY HIGH DEGREE OF DEPENDENCE ON THE TECHNICAL COOPERATION FUND OF THE IAEA (80%) NEED TO INCREASE ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF FUNDING THROUGH ESTABLISHMENT OF PARTNERSHIPS

11. NEEDS STRENGTHENING THE CAPABILITY OF IDENTIFYING PROJECTS THAT LEAD TO HIGH SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT STRENGTHENING THE CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS EARNING RECOGNITION AS A PARTNER IN DEVELOPMENT

12. STRENGTHENING THE ABILITY TO IDENTIFYPROJECTS LEADING TO HIGH SOCIO- ECONOMIC IMPACT RCA PROJECTS SHOULD ADDRESS THE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF PARTICPATING MEMBER STATES ENJOY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT LEAD TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT BE SUSTAINABLE BE LINKED TO MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS PROMOTE TCDC AND DEMONSTRATE THE OTHER ADVANTAGES OF REGIONAL COOPERATION DEMONSTRATE THE ADVANTAGES OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY

13. ACTION TAKEN ADOPTION OF CRITERIA FOR RCA PROJECTS REVISION OF THE PROCEDURE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF RCA PROJECTS IDENTIFICATION OF MEDIUM TERM PRIORITIES OF EACH THEMATIC SECTOR (TO BE UNDERTAKEN)

14. PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OF PROJECTS SUBMISSION OF CONCEPT PAPERS BY RCA STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITIES BY NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES DEVELOPMENT OF DETAILED PROJECT PROPOSALS BY THE PROJECT LCCS APPROVAL BY THE NRS AT THE GC MEETING SUBMISSION TO IAEA OR TO DONOR AGENCIES

15. STRENGTHENING THE CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS NEED FOR NATIONAL WORK PLANS APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT TEAMS PROGRESS MONITORING ON A REGULAR BASIS ( 6 MONTHLY PROJECT REPORTS) PROGRESS REVIEW BY LEAD COUNTRY COORDINATORS AND NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

16. PUBLICIZING ACHIEVEMENTS TO EARN RECOGNITION AND TO ATTRACT DONOR FUNDING TO THE PROGRAMME ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGIONAL OFFICE OF RCA FOR IMPROVING RCA VISIBILITY AND VIABILITY PUBLICATION OF SUCCESS STORIES RCA PUBLIC WEB-SITE (www.rcaro.org) E-MAILING SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT OF LINKS WITH POTENTIAL DONORS

17. IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES PARTICIPATION IN PROJECTS NATIONAL NEEDS AVAILABILITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND HUMAN RESOURCES PARTICIPATION IN RCA EVENTS DELAY IN SUBMISSION OF NOMINATIONS INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION LACK OF CLARITY HOSTING OF RCA EVENTS

18. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION