BRUNEI Darussalam recently sent a delegation – led by Dato Paduka Dr Haji Affendy bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports – to the 9th Asean Ministerial Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication and Related Meetings (9th AMRDPE) at the Lao National Cultural Hall, Vientiane, Lao PDR.
The 9th AMRDPE was held on October 17 and was preceded by the 12th Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (12th SOMRDPE) on October 13-14 and the 8th Asean Plus Three Senior Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (8th SOMRDPE+3) on October 14.
Officiated by Thongsing Thammavong, Prime Minister to the Lao PDR, the meeting was held in a plenary session and provided an avenue for Brunei Darussalam and the other Asean member states to focus their attention on the progress of implementation of the Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication of 2011-2015 and the Development of the Asean framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication 2016-2020.
In line with this, the meeting has deliberated and adopted in principle the 2016-2020 Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication and has also expressed its appreciation to the member states and the Asean Secretariat in strengthening cross-eradication initiatives at the local, national and regional levels through improved coordination mechanism, policy coherence and effective localisation of RDPE programmes and actions.
Dato Paduka Dr Haji Affendy bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, Perma-nent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (5th from R) in a group photo with ministry representatives and heads of delegations from Asean member states on the official opening ceremony of the 9th AMRDPE
Linking with the theme, the meeting further reiterated the Asean Forum on RDPE to be continued as a regular platform for dialogue and sharing of information among governments, non-government organisations and private sector, towards closer relations and cooperation on shared the RDPE agenda.
Meanwhile, the 2nd Asean Leadership Award on RDPE, presented during a gala dinner on October 16, saw Datin Hajah Dayang Siti Hajar binti Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Awang Mohd Yusof, President of the Council of Women of Brunei Darussalam (CWBD) – who appeared as a panel speaker for the Asean Forum on RDPE – accepting the award on behalf of CWBD.
The award was presented by Bounheuang Douangphachanh, Minister to the Government’s Office as the Chairman of the National Leading Committee for RDPE and Le Luong Minh, Secretary General of Asean.
The award given was based on their significant role and exemplary NGOs profiled in championing the cause and welfare of the community, in enabling the local community to flourish and henceforth becoming productive members of the society.
The 10th Asean Ministerial Meeting in Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (10th AMRDPE) will be hosted by Malaysia in 2017.