Singapore: Senior officials meet on rural development and poverty eradication

Joint press statement

Singapore hosted the 6th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (SOMRDPE) and the First SOMRDPE + 3 from Oct. 13–15, 2008 at the Carlton Hotel, Singapore.

It was attended by delegates from Brunei Darussalam, Kingdom of Cambodia, Republic of Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Union of Myanmar, Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Kingdom of Thailand, Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the ASEAN Secretariat, on Oct. 13–14 October.

On Oct. 15, delegates from the People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea joined the First SOMRDPE + 3.

The Meeting was opened by Mrs. Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Singapore.

In her opening address, the Minister of State noted that the Meeting was important and relevant in meeting the pressing needs of rural development and poverty eradication in the region.

She noted that narrowing the development gap remains an important task which will ensure that the benefits of ASEAN's integration efforts are fully realized.

She emphasized that narrowing development gaps within and between member-states must be done in tandem with larger ASEAN goals of community-building.

The meeting the completed, ongoing and planned activities undertaken by member-countries since the 5th meeting of ASEAN Ministers on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication, held in Thailand in January 2007.

The meeting also discussed further activities to be implemented under the Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (2004–2010).

Likewise, the meeting discussed and endorsed the sections of the draft ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint related to poverty.

In addition, the meeting discussed the implementation of the ASEAN Roadmap for Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

The First SOMRDPE + 3 meeting was held to facilitate closer collaboration between ASEAN Plus Three countries in matters relating to sustainable development and poverty reduction.

The ASEAN Plus Three countries reaffirmed the importance of the exchange of information, ideas and expertise to the process of narrowing development gaps and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

The meeting noted the joint actions and measures set out under the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan (2007–2017) adopted by the Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Plus Three countries in Singapore in November 2007 at the 11th ASEAN Plus Three Summit, and also the priorities set out under the Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (2004–2010).

Proposed projects to be undertaken were on the areas of micro-financing; climate change adaptation in the context of rural development and poverty alleviation; addressing poverty among the socially vulnerable groups; engaging community leaders; rising food prices, natural disasters and poverty reduction.

The meeting agreed that details of these proposed joint projects and activities should be developed for further discussion and brought before the Second SOMRDPE+3 for consideration.

The ASEAN Secretariat will assist in compiling the details of the proposed projects and activities and working towards matching them under the Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (2004–2010) and the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan (2007-2017).

The 7th ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication is scheduled to be held in 2009 in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, while the 8th SOMRDPE is scheduled for 2010.

The 2nd SOMRDPE + 3 will be hosted by Thailand in 2010, immediately following the 8th SOMRDPE.
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