The minister said that the Afro-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) be utilised for offering human resource development programmes to its personnel. We must strive to network the centres of excellence that exist in different member countries and also link them up with the best institutions in the world. We may identify one or two centres, in each of our countries for this purpose which would not only conduct research into areas, of our interest but also offer training programmes. Such institutions should be suitably strengthened, he said. The minister who is also the current president of AARDO, said that globalisation of the economy has brought with it new opportunities and challenges. The biggest opportunity is the growing incomes and greater consumption levels. The large populations of Afro-Asian countries offer very attractive markets. The member countries should ensure that the trade potential amongst them are maximised.

Complimenting the AARDO's effoorts to reduce poverty,illiteracy and drinking water problem in the region, Mr Naidu asked the member nations to evolve networking with bilateral and multilateral agencies, working in this sphere. He appealed to the member countries to hold an inter-ministerial summit sometime next year for more fruitful coordination among them.