MYANMAR delegation led by the Union Minister for Information attended the opening ceremony of the 17th ASEAN Ministers’ Responsible for Information and its related Meetings (17th AMRI) in Bandar Seri Begawan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday.
The ceremony was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Ibni, Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam and Senior Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, and officials from the Brunei Darussalam government, Ministers of Information, Deputy Ministers, Information Officers and delegations from ASEAN member countries and the three dialogue partners, U San Lwin, Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Social and Cultural Community (ASCC), and officials from the ASEAN Secretariat, while members and officials from Timor-Leste attended as observers.
The 17th ASEAN Information Ministers’ Meeting’s rotating chair Mr Pehin Dato Halbi Yussof, Minister 2 of the Ministry of Defence and the Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei Darussalam, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Senior Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office delivered welcoming remarks, followed by the Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, delivering remarks.
The 17th AMRI focused on the theme “Media Advancing Joint Understanding: Transforming Media’s Role in Advancing Cooperation and Mutual Understanding”. The theme of the meeting was discussed and recommended by the Ministers of Information, Deputy Ministers and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN from ASEAN member countries.
Union Minister U Maung Maung Ohn discussed the crisis situation, such as the Mandalay earthquake, and the media plays a crucial role in disseminating accurate and timely information. The effective reporting of news by ASEAN media channels has helped raise awareness of the needs of the people and has helped secure international and regional support.
He also continued that, as stated in the theme of this year’s meeting, through the joint efforts of the media, all can promote mutual understanding and tolerance and bridge differences. All should not be satisfied with cross-border cooperation in the ASEAN media landscape that all will jointly implement, but should also work together to bring many benefits to future generations.
The meeting then continued with the review and approval of the reports of the 21st ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting on Information and Communications and the 22nd ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting on Information and Communications, the implementation of the Action Plans on Media and Communications Cooperation between ASEAN and the three dialogue partners, the reading and discussion of the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (COCI) Progress Report on Media and Communications, and the adoption of the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration, the ASEAN Ministers of Information Declaration on the Safe and Responsible Use of Social Media Platforms, and the Joint Statements of the 17th ASEAN Ministers of Information Meeting and Related Meetings.
The 8th ASEAN and Dialogue Partners’ Information Ministers’ Meeting (8th AMRI+3) was held and attended by the Ministers of Information and Representatives of ASEAN Member States, Dialogue Partners China and Japan, the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN and officials, and a delegation from Timor-Leste attended as an observer.
In the evening, a dinner was held in honour of the representatives of ASEAN member states attending the 17th ASEAN Ministers of Information Meeting and related meetings, hosted by the Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam and the Senior Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office.
The 17th ASEAN Information Ministers’ Meeting was held on 7 May, and the 22nd ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting on Information and related meetings were held on 5 and 6 May.
MNA/KTZH
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