1^st SOMRDPE+3, 2008

Singapore hosted the 6^th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (SOMRDPE) and the 1^st SOMRDPE + 3 from 13 – 15 October 2008, at the Carlton Hotel, Singapore. The 6^th SOMRDPE 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 13 – 14 October 2008. They were joined by delegates from the People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea for the First SOMRDPE + 3 on 15 October 2008.

The First SOMRDPE + 3 meeting was held on 15 October 2008 to facilitate closer collaboration between ASEAN Plus Three countries in matters relating to sustainable rural development and poverty reduction. The ASEAN Plus Three countries reaffirmed the importance of the exchange of information, ideas and expertise between our countries to the process of narrowing development gaps and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

The meeting exchanged ideas on furthering the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation on rural development and poverty eradication. 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 11^th ASEAN Plus Three Summit, and also the priorities set out under the Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (2004 – 2010). The meeting also discussed joint projects and activities that were proposed in these areas which included micro-financing; narrowing the development gap; 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; and the feminization of poverty. 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 6^th ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication is scheduled to be held in 2009 in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, whilst the 7^th SOMRDPE is scheduled for 2010 in Thailand. The 2^nd SOMRDPE + 3 will be hosted by Thailand in 2010, immediately following the 7^th SOMRDPE.