GMS Countries Affirm Strategic Priorities for Cooperation in Human Resource Development
Yangon, Myanmar, 16-17 June 2004
GMS HRD officials from Cambodia, China PCR, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam met in Yangon, Myanmar on 16-17 June 2004 to plan regional collaboration in the social sector.
The meeting followed up on the strategic framework agreed upon during Fourth Meeting of the Working Group in Human Resource Development (HRD) held in Vientiane last year, the HRD directives of the 12th GMS Ministerial Meeting, and the HRD directions of ADB’s GMS Regional Cooperation Strategy and Program (RCSP), 2004-2008.
Adopting the motto “Think Regionally, Act Locally” the participants to this Fifth Meeting of the Working Group on Human Resource Development, presented progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in their respective countries, reflecting the commitment to MDGs and progress made in the region. During the next sessions, participants identified priorities and proposed priority projects for the health, education, and labor sectors in the region.
The meeting succeeded in redirecting and updating the GMS HRD Program, and highlighted opportunities for weaving in the program common and cross-cutting issues such as poverty, gender, ethnic minorities and trafficking. Participants also proposed sector specific capacity building for regional cooperation to better plan and implement regional collaboration in each sector.
The priority projects identified show that there is substantial scope for collaboration, particularly in policy analysis, standard setting and HIV/AIDS prevention and control.
The next WGHRD meeting will be held in Thailand in 2005. In the meantime, ADB will provide support for follow up of the outcome of the meeting and initiate funding activities in the region.
News and Events 
Top of page