Unified ASEAN for Anti-poverty in the Context of Economic Crisis

With the theme “A Unified ASEAN for Anti-poverty in the Context of Economic Crisis”, the Sixth ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (6th AMRDPE) was held on 27 May 2009 in Hanoi, Vietnam, preceded by the Preparatory Senior Officials Meeting on 25-26 May 2009 and the Second ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication on 26 May 2009.

 

In the Opening Remarks, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung highlighted the need for a stronger commitment and greater investments in rural development and poverty eradication and to formulate effective strategies to realise the ASEAN Community by 2015 in the context of the current global economic crisis. Dung informed that the Government of Vietnam had adopted stimulus packages to stabilise the national macro economy and financial system, control inflation and maintain economic growth at 6.2 percent in 2008 and 3.1 percent in the first quarter of 2009.

 

The Ministers noted with satisfaction the continued efforts made in addressing the priorities under the ASEAN Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (2004-2010).

 

The Ministers called for more concerted efforts by Member States in the spirit of “ASEAN-help-ASEAN” in addressing issues pertaining to rural development and poverty eradication and in narrowing the development gap in the region.

 

The Ministers welcomed the convening of the Second ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Meeting on 26 May 2009. The Ministers noted that new initiatives had been put forward by ASEAN and the Plus Three Countries to strengthen joint efforts in the area of rural development and poverty eradication.