The Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) held its first online General Council Meeting on 12 December 2024. It was attended by 39 APRN member organizations and 1 associate member.
Ms. Julia Pauline Puno, General Secretary of APRN, formally opened the meeting with the agenda comprising of 7 points: (1) Roll Call and Quorum, (2) Acceptance of minutes of last General Council Meeting, (3) Report of the Board of Convenors (BOC), (4) International Situation, (5) APRN 2023 to 2027 Strategy Plan, (6) Acceptance and Delisting of Members, and (7) BOC Elections. Ms. Puno started with the first agenda by calling each of the Network members present in the call. She officially declared a quorum with more than 39 member organizations out of 49 members present.
Dr. Azra Talat-Sayeed (Roots for Equity), current BOC chairperson, reported on APRN activities since the Network’s last meeting in 2022. The report runs down network activities, secretariat updates, and membership updates. Dr. Sayeed presented what the Network has accomplished in relation to: a) research, education, and awareness raising; b) capacity building and development; c) advocacy and engagement; and, d) campaigns, mobilization, and support to movements. Some highlighted research and publications are on WTO and IUUF, NATO, primers on militarism, and impacts of climate change on children, and fisherfolk. Webinars and coffee table discussions focused on the themes carried by APRN in the last strategic plan – pro-people economy and trade, building democracy and claiming civic spaces, and communities that resist and rebuild. Some of the topics undertaken under these themes are the military-industrial complex, fascism, and imperialism. Capacity building on people’s research, advocacy and engagement, and CSO development effectiveness were conducted across the region. The Secretariat and the different members across Asia-Pacific joined various campaigns and mobilizations to voice their demands on a myriad of issues that impact communities.
Gearing the Network into the new year, Dr. Sayeed also provided an overview of the international situation. The presentation focused on how imperialists and/or imperialist blocs colonize, engage in geopolitics, and military alliances to create tensions in the Asia-Pacific to ensure hegemony and control of crucial natural resources. With the specific mention of the US, Dr. Sayeed noted that US military bases and advancements across the world are the US’ effort to contain China militarily and economically. Despite these challenges, people across the world resist imperialism in various ways. Dr. Sayeed stressed the Network’s urgent tasks to continue to educate people and build a united front against neoliberalism, militarism, fascism, and imperialism.
APRN’s strategic plan for the next four years was also presented. APRN Board Member Aaron Ceradoy (APMM) gave an overview of the strategic plan – its context, vision, mission, objectives, core values, and the approaches that APRN plans to implement. For the next 4 years, APRN will focus on the following themes: 1) pro-people economy and trade; 2) militarism and fascism; and, 3) climate justice and natural resources. Lastly, organizational ways of working and capacitating were run through. It was hoped that members would actively participate in the Network’s initiatives.
Two organizations were also introduced and approved as official members of the Network by the General Council: the Association of Comprehensive Studies for Independence of the Lew Chewans (ACSILs) in Okinawa and the Stars of Hope Society (SHS) in Palestine. APRN also welcomes into the fold the membership of Kyrgyzstan-based organization Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan and Nepal-based organizations Digo Bikas Institute (DBI), Beyond Beijing Committee Nepal (BBC Nepal), and National Campaign for Sustainable Development Nepal (NACASUD Nepal).
The General Council also elected a new set of BOC composed of Mr. Ajay Jha of CECOEDECON, Mr. Aaron Ceradoy of APMM, Ms. Renuka Kad of VAK India, Ms. Sarojeni Rengam of PANAP, Ms. Olga Djanaeva of ALGA, Ms. Rosario Guzman of IBON Foundation, and Ms. Mandkhaitsetsen Urantulkhuur of CHRD. The newly-elected BOC members expressed their appreciation to the APRN Secretariat for their work and the participants for their active engagement in the whole event.
Dr. Sayeed gave her parting words and emphasized the critical work of APRN in the region and the need for all forces to stand together for the people it serve. Closing the meeting, APRN members renewed their commitment towards genuine change and called towards international solidarity to face the challenges ahead in 2025.#
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