3rd Corean International Forum – Seoul November 28 -December 2nd, 2011
Section Alternatives
Eradicate the scourge of world poverty through world ecotourism
Nguyen Dac Nhu-Mai
Member of the Society of Geography, Rochefort, France
Member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for 21st Century Korean Research
The 3rd Corean International Forum is the best place to discuss and debate issues related to poverty by the international impact of ecotourism.
Why? Because in Seoul, representatives of civil society, citizens coming from five continents are aiming to take over their life plans.
As it has been celebrated the day of poverty on October 17, 2011 proclaiming the message every October 17: “Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. Uniting to enforce them is a sacred duty. “
So let us come together to express solidarity with the Poor of the world and offer alternatives such eradicate the scourge of poverty through ecotourism worldwide
According to South Korean president, Mr. Lee Myung Bak : “We must also avoid the danger that the financial crisis affects the real economy and not cause an infection in the world. The G20 is now the best forum for discuss global issues. Given the current crisis, my first message is that the situation is more difficult the longer it takes to fight against protectionism. It may lead us to the recession. It is imperative to maintain the policy of the openness and trade liberalization. My second message is that we continue to focus on the development of poor countries. I fear that the crisis will not make them into the background. While we are in a difficult situation, we must pay attention to them. We must support their economic growth to support the global economy forward “
What is poverty? An individual (or household) is considered poor when living in a household living below the poverty line. INSEE, such as Eurostat and other European countries, measured in relative poverty while other countries (like the U.S. or Canada) have an absolute approach. In the approach in relative terms, the poverty line is determined from the distribution of living standards of the general population. Eurostat and European countries generally use a threshold of 60% of the median standard of living. France favors also the threshold, but publishes poverty rates by other thresholds (40%, 50% or 70%), as recommended by the report of the CNIS on measuring inequality.
Comparison is not right, true, but the comparison remains essential to the decision. Today, public policy must always be based on statistical science. And according to statistics from the 2005 World Fact book up-dated May 17, 2007, the population below the poverty line, in particular, Belgium is 4% in 1989, Brazil’s 22% in 1998; Bulgaria 13.4% in 2002; Burkina Faso 45% in 2003; Ivory Coast 37% in 1995; China 10% in 2001; Egypt 16.7% in 200; France 6.5% 2000; India 25% in 2002; Indonesia 27% in 1999; Russia 25% in January 2003 and Vietnam 28.9% in 2002.
These figures show a big difference between the population below the poverty line in Northern countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, France and Russia) and South (Brazil, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Vietnam). But since the beginning of the twenty-first century, there is a net economic progress for some countries such as newly industrializing countries (NIC), BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) or the Four Dragons, still known as Asian Tigers , South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan which are made noticed in the last century for their rapid economic growth. In 2011 they became developed countries with living standards similar to European countries. So there is a clear disconnection between the Northern states also called the Triad (EU, USA, Japan) which dominates the global economy, the BRIC and the Four dragons and large parts of the world population living in extreme poverty, on less than a dollar a day, and located mostly in the states of sub-Saharan Africa. Finally, the issue of economic and social inequality affects all states, leading some to speak of a Fourth World, including the neglected development in rich countries (the case of “homeless” Homeless in France).
The case of South Korea: First emerging country to host the G20 in November 2010, South Korea, is understood to be part of the first developed countries before 2025 . With a current gross domestic product of nearly a trillion dollars, it could be the third largest economy in the world in 2050, surpassing Germany and France. South Corea has recently “cut cruppers of” winning the provision of nuclear complex (20 million) in the UAE.
Nevertheless, according to Mr. Deok Stephen Cho “the economic crisis in 2008 skyrocked the exchange rate and the stock market took nose-dive and constricted South Corean economy to bring on a fear of the nation’s bankruptcy through dollar shortage. After that, 2008’s economic crisis permitted hedge funds to go ahead, the purchase of stocks and bonds and the possibility to shear from a sheep again”. Thus, the hidden truth of South Corean Economy (ie subordination and distortion) has lead to a significant event that could change the game in 2012. Mr. Park Won-Soon, the independent candidate progressive opposition party won the municipal election and became mayor of Seoul in the elections on October 26, 2011 with 53.3% of votes against 46.3% for Ms Na Kyung-won, Conservative candidate in the great national party. The high participation rate reached 48%. The win in the capital bringing voters to a fifth of the population of South Korea and is the result of the gathering of progressive forces and the alliance of the Democratic Party (DP) and left parties (KDLP, NPP) is a first step would announce a change feasible for legislative and presidential elections in April 2012 to December 2012. The defeat of the Grand National Party, the second in six months this year, is the result of a harsh anti popular discontent rising dissatisfaction and increasing at the same time the clear response of the people who gather and progressive forces that unify. The possibility of a victory for progressive forces in the elections of 2012 is significantly increased” (ICR information).
The question to raise would be how South Korea has eradicated poverty?
Ecotourism versus poverty in Vietnam. A recent theme is the evaluation of public policies against poverty. The study of poverty is very diverse. The situation in Vietnam is unique, the comparison with other countries is difficult. The system of Vietnam has a real impact on poverty reduction. Mr. Ngo Huy Liem says (in Days of Tam Dao, 2009). ” We can do without spending but we must simultaneously increase the budget. In this time of crisis, the programs against poverty must be sustained. The cuts should be allocated to other areas. The achievements of Vietnam in the fight against poverty are also linked to economic growth.i.e. Do not cut spending in social sectors. How we will overcome or not depend on the challenge of governance?”.
But Vietnam has developed eco-tourism to curb poverty. In the country, eco-tourism training was given to ethnic minorities in remote and poor areas to better accommodate visitors and educate villagers to organise markets and sales of handicrafts, such as Sapa in the north. The women weave beautiful cloth and then make traditional costumes for sale to tourists and also to tribes as Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang and Lai Chau. In this way, their life projects are transformed by obtaining financial independence with respect to their husbands who went to work in the city. In addition they are at the initiative of local exchange by growing flowers and vegetables to be sent to the cities.
In areas where Agent Orange / dioxin still leaves a disastrous impact, victims who can still work are trained in crafts and gardening. For example, deaf and mute in Thai Binh make wooden toys. Victims who can use their hands gather in sewing workshops in Bac Giang, those of the Friendship Village in Van Canh near Hanoi are gardening organic for their own consumption.
However, questions were raised at the International Symposium on “sustainable tourism and the fight against poverty” by invited participants . Do we talk about economic poverty? Ecotourism is there one activity among others? Do the actions fit into the time? Do restaurants, hotels and temporary residents consume local products, agriculture, fisheries, handicrafts? If a close partnership between private and national authorities is essential, there has so far committed to the logic of local development? Are Ethnic communities and victims of Agent Orange / dioxin at the heart of a process of change that values, making them responsible if not at least at the initiative of choice for the future?
However, ecotourism is a solution for Vietnam for the population of relative poverty and a strong social marginality. But the fact is wellcoming that ecotourism is growing in the three regions of Vietnam. Does this alternative be chosen to eradicate world poverty?.
Fight against protectionism or intervention of international organizations in the world? It seems that the 2nd solution is most favored by international organizations. The UN has set up a plan to reduce poverty in its Millennium Goals, ratified in 2000 by the Member States, which has been a global priority. The first Millennium gives two targets: 1) reduce, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than a dollar a day, which covers more than one billion people 2) a reduction in populations suffering from hunger between 1990 and 2015. It concerns, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) about 840 million people, a figure steadily increasing especially with the global population explosion. The World Bank’s mission is to fight against poverty by financing projects that reduce poverty. UNICEF in particular fight against child poverty. Some NGOs also struggle against
Beyond the monetary aspect, poverty is expressed in the dimensions connected under the term “human poverty”. These are the dimensions of health, educational, social, cultural, and political poverty.
Urgent solutions should be proposed at the 3rd Corean International Forum to not only for eradicating poverty but also curbing the migration of the South to the North. Ecotourism might internationalize commercial communications in the South to those of the North as part of sustainable development and solidarity.
