(VOVworld) - ASEAN countries consider rural development and poverty reduction a key issue toward building a sound social welfare system to improve local people’s living conditions. The Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyen Dang Khoa emphasized this at an ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in Danang City on Wednesday. Khoa called on ASEAN member countries to further strengthen cooperation and exchange experiences to work out proper and creative measures appropriate with each country’s condition: “As the world and regional economies are encountering climate change, each nation and the whole region need to boost the exchange of experiences in rural development and poverty reduction to seek appropriate solutions. To do so, each nation needs to study measures and continue discussions on new way of cooperation within ASEAN and the region in rural development and poverty reduction.”

During the two-day event, representatives from ASEAN countries will meet with senior ASEAN officials and attend an ASEAN forum with governmental and non-governmental organizations on rural development and poverty reduction.