Colombo Plan at 57
by Upali S. Jayasekera
The origin of the Colombo Plan, dates back to the ‘Commonwealth
Foreign Minister’s Conference held in Colombo on January 9, 1950. Sri
Lanka’s (then Ceylon) ministerial delegation to the conference comprised
Prime Minister, D. S. Senanayake, Minister of Finance, J. R.
Jayewardene, Minister of Justice, Sir Lalitha Rajapakse, Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister of External Affairs, R. G. Senanayake.
10 - year plan
At this conference, Minister Jayewardene came out with the proposal
that a committee be set up to prepare a 10 year plan for the development
of the countries in South-East Asia through international collaboration.
His proposal, incidentally, had the same features as that put forward by
the Australian delegation led by Sir Percy Spencer.
Thus, credit for the formulation of the Colombo Plan concept should
as such go to President, J. R. Jayewardene and Sir Percy Spencer, the
then Australian Foreign Minister.
The draft resolution tabled by Minister Jayewardene read: “To ensure
a high and stable level of employment and to raise the standard of
living of underdeveloped countries in South-East Asia, whether within
the commonwealth or outside it, it is necessary to develop their
agricultural and industrial economies.
“This conference, therefore, agrees to appoint a committee of
officials of the countries concerned to obtain information and to
prepare a ten-year plan for the development of these countries. The
other members of the Commonwealth should consider means of providing
such assistance as may be necessary for the implementation of this plan
with money, guaranteed prices, technical skill and machinery.
“The plan should be examined by a committee of experts who after
visiting the countries concerned shall make recommendations with regard
to the help which the Commonwealth countries can give in carrying out
this programme,”
It is apparent that Minister Jayewardene’s proposal had been
motivated by a sincere desire to improve the lot of the peoples of the
South-East Asian countries as the living standards in those countries at
the time, were very low. For instance the average income per head, when
we were granted Independence in 1948 was about Rs. 20 and life
expectancy was around 50 years.
Elimination of poverty
The conference after discussing the resolution tabled by Sri Lanka
and Australia agreed to recommend to the respective governments about
means to promote economic development in South-East Asia.
The resolution in effect, gave vent to the situation prevailing in
South-East Asian countries at the time and the desire to eliminate
poverty and improve living standards through international co-operation
and collaboration. It was adopted at the conference thereby preparing
the stage for the launching of the Colombo Plan.
The leaders who attended the Foreign Ministers’ conference in Colombo
and who conceived the Colombo Plan concept, could therefore by rightly
called its founding fathers.
They were: Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake, Ministers J.R. Jayawardene, Sir.
Lalitha Rajapakse and R.G. Senanayake (Sri Lanka) Rt. Hon. Sir Percy
Spencer (Australia), Shri Jawaharlal Nehru (India), Frederick Diodge
(New Zealand), Rt. Hon. Lester Pearson, R.W. Mayhew (Canada), Ernest
Bevin, Rt. Hon. Philip Noel-Baker (Great Britain) and Paul Sauer (South
Africa).
In furtherance of the resolution adopted at the Colombo conference,
the first meeting of the Consultative Committee was held in Sydney
commencing May 10, 1950, as convened by the Australian government.
The preparation of a National Development Plan by each country
determining the priority of projects and stating the amount of
assistance needed for them, the setting up a Commonwealth Technical
Assistance Scheme to provide assistance to maximum value of 8 million
staggered over a period of three years commencing July 1, 1950, with
Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada contributing 80 per
cent of that amount, and the establishment of a Bureau in Colombo to
implement the Technical Assistance Programme, were the more important
decisions taken at the Sydney meeting, which recommendations were to be
put forward to the respective governments for approval.
Task of coordinating
The task of coordinating the preparation of the development plan,
while seeking the co-operation of non-commonwealth countries in Asia was
entrusted to the Australian government which work was completed by the
time the London conference commenced on September 25, 1950.
Two reports, prepared by officials in advance, one on economic
development in South and South-East Asia and the other on the technical
assistance scheme, were discussed at the London Conference. On agreement
being reached the report titled “The Colombo Plan for Co-operative
Economic Development in South and South-East Asia” was adopted
unanimously, which once again, was to be considered by the individual
governments in the Commonwealth.
Establishment of C Plan
On all governments agreeing, the Colombo Plan was launched on July 1,
1951 as a regional inter-governmental organization aimed at Cooperative
Economic Development in the countries of South and South East Asia.
The Colombo Plan embodies the concept of collective international
effort towards the economic and social development of member countries
in the Asia Pacific region.
It provides for a forum for discussion of the development needs of
member countries and for the exchange of information, and acts as a
catalyst for information on new ideas or existing concepts which need
further encouragement and support.
It is significant that all decisions are by consensus among the
member countries. In fact, the principles underlying the operation of
the Colombo Plan is amply demonstrated by its motto “Planning Prosperity
Together”.
It is to the credit of this body, that it has pioneered the
networking of international and regional organizations with a view to
ensure that their combined resources are put to effective use in the
region, and are shared, to meet the needs of the member countries..
Technical co-operation among developing member countries, a feature
once again pioneered by the Colombo Plan, has been substantial and
resulted in the transfer of expertise in different fields and
discipline.
The developed member countries have also contributed their share in a
larger measure where technical assistance is concerned. The Population
Programme, the Drug Advisory Programme, and the Technical Development
Projects initiated under the auspices of the Colombo Plan in the past,
have helped the developing countries in the South and South-East Asia
region, in their development efforts, especially in the fields of
Agriculture, Industrial Research, Power, Irrigation, Rural Development,
Water Management, Health, Education, Science and Technology.
Decrease in assistance
However, the assistance flowing through the Colombo Plan has been on
the decrease as a result bilateralism of international aid and the
surfacing of specialized international agencies. That situation led to
the reorientation of the activities of the Colombo Plan.
As at present the Colombo Plan concentrates only on permanent and
regular training programmes that are relevant to developing member
countries and programmes formulated on a project-by-project basis that
meets the development needs of the member countries in the areas of
social and economic development, the current programmes being: Programme
for Public Administration to train public servants in public
administration to meet the changing needs of a market oriented economy.
Programme for Private Sector Development focusing on small and medium
enterprises and entrepreneurship development. That involves skill
development of managers especially in the areas of business management.
Drug Advisory Programme aimed at eliminating drug abuse covering both
demand and supply reduction. South-South Technical Cooperation/Data Bank
to collect and disseminate information on activities of public and
private sectors of member countries.
Development of special projects that are of importance to member
countries and a Staff College for Technical Education based in Manila,
Philippines, functions as a specialized agency of the Colombo Plan where
training needs are met.
The Consultative Committee: The Consultative Committee which consists
of all member countries is the policy making body and meets every two
years. The Consultative Committee while reviewing the activities of the
Colombo Plan, decides on development issues in the region and technical
cooperation programmes.
Council
The Colombo Plan Council, which also consists of all member countries
meets in Colombo several times a year. The heads of the Diplomatic
Missions in Colombo represent their countries at the Council Meetings.
The Council identifies the necessary development issues and
recommends measures to be taken to the Consultative Committee and
follows up implementation of the Consultative Committee decisions and
directives. The present Chairman of the Colombo Plan Council is
Deshamanya Professor, W. D. Lakshman of Sri Lanka.
The Colombo Plan Secretariat, headed by the Secretariat General,
provides the administrative support for implementation of the programmes
decided by the Consultative Committee and assists the Colombo Plan
Council in discharging its functions. The Secretary General is in charge
of all administrative and financial matters on which he has to report to
the Council. Ms. Patricia Yoon - Moi CHIA is the present Secretary
General.
Present members
The Colombo Plan launched by seven Commonwealth countries Australia,
Canada, Great Britain, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (then
Ceylon) in 1951 after 57 years of existence, has now a membership of 25
countries, as aid givers and aid receivers, and is no more a
Commonwealth Organisation.
Two of the original nations, Canada and Great Britain, withdrew from
the Colombo Plan in 1991, while South Africa earlier lost membership on
leaving the Commonwealth.
The present members of the Colombo Plan are: Afghanistan, Australia,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Republic of
Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand,
Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
United States of America and Vietnam.
Conclusion
The Colombo Plan, no doubt, has made a significant contribution
towards the economic and social development of the Asia Pacific Region
and it has a role to play in the future too enhancing the prosperity of
the peoples of the region.
The writer is President, Colombo Plan International
Society |