CAIRO, March 10, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – A summit meeting of the Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development kicked off in Indonesia on Thursday, March 10, to discuss promoting sustainable development in developing countries, especially in tsunami-affected South Asia.

The meeting was opened by Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono with the participation of 500 delegates from more than 40 countries.

He said experts from the UN and developed countries would present their papers on how to promote sustainable development.

The speakers include UN Habitat chairwoman Anna Tibaijuka, UN Environmental Program (UNEP) Executive Director Klaus Toepler and UN Institute Training and Research (UNITAR) Executive Director Marcel Boisard.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, said more than 236,002 people have been confirmed dead or missing in the tidal waves triggered by a 9.0 magnitude underwater earthquake – the world’s biggest earthquake in 40 years.

North Sumatra Governor T. Rizal Nurdin said Wednesday, March 9, that delegates of regional governments from developed countries would share their experience and expertise with participants from the disaster-hit provinces on how to rehabilitate and reconstruct their affected areas.

“The summit is an important forum for local administrations in Aceh to exchange information on how to spend huge funds from donor countries to rebuild the affected areas, resettle their survivors and promote an environmentally friendly development program,” he said after opening a cultural event held in line with the summit.

Nearly 4 billion dollars have been promised so far to the Asian countries hit by the killer tidal waves.

The governor also hoped regional government leaders and businessmen both from other provinces in Indonesia and other countries taking part in the three-day gathering would see many industrial potentials in North Sumatra.

“All delegates, especially from developed countries, have been asked to share with Indonesian participants their experience and expertise on how to promote sustainable development,” he said.

Indonesia would also seek the developed countries' commitment to promote sustainable development in tourist resorts around Lake Toba, he added.

Participants would be grouped into three discussion panels on the second day before they present their recommendations and action plans on the concluding day.

The government panel will discuss networking among regional governments within the UN system on disaster prevention and risk management, said the summit steering committee chairman Nico Barito.

“It will also discuss how to create quality human resources to empower local administrations and regional legislatures.”