Chapter: Gist of Press Information Bureau Articles

Topic: India and AARDO in Search of New Horizons

Q. Afro-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO)?

• Afro-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) is the culmination of a unique camaraderie and resolve in exploring innovative and effective ways and means to strengthen cooperation between Asia and Africa in the field of rural development.

• AARDO is one of the earliest examples of South-South cooperation in rural development in the Afro-Asian region. It is an autonomous inter-governmental organisation.

• As a natural corollary, AARDO in its New Delhi Declaration of 2007 undertook to achieve the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and agreed to carry forward the spirit of cooperation for rural development, to begin with, among AARDO member countries and strive to enlarge cooperation with others in the year to come.

• The principal objective of AARDO has been the promotion of understanding among member countries for better appreciation of each other’s problems.

• AARDO also aims to help the member countries in obtaining financial and technical assistance for rural development programmes from the financial and other specialised institutions like World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), African Development Bank (AFDB) etc.

• The formation of Afro-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) (earlier known as Afro-Asian Rural Reconstruction Organisation) in 1962 underscored the far-sightedness of the social and political leaders of Asia and Africa in recognising the need for cooperation among the countries in the field of agriculture and rural development.

• The forthcoming Golden Jubilee celebration of AARDO being held in New Delhi on 5-6th, March, 2012 shall provide a new fillip and also an apt platform to the 29 member nations to share their experiences and explore new areas of cooperation.

Go Back To Main Page