In view of the social impact of the financial and economic crisis, the Sixth ASEAN Summit held in Hanoi in December 1998 proclaimed its resolve to safeguard the welfare of the poor and disadvantaged. The Hanoi Plan of Action mandates that ASEAN shall implement the Plan of Action on ASEAN Rural Development and Poverty Eradication and, in view of the financial and economic crisis, implement the ASEAN Action Plan on Social Safety Nets to ensure that measures are taken to protect the most vulnerable sectors of our societies.
The newly established Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (AMRDPE) will have a prominent role to play in coordinating the implementation of these measures. The Action Plan on Social Safety Nets (SSN) adopted by the Informal AMRDPE Meeting in Jakarta in December 1998 aims to build capacity in participating countries in: (a) assessing and monitoring the social impact of the financial and economic crisis and identifying the target groups affected and their needs; (b) developing and implementing social safety net programmes for the disadvantaged and vulnerable; (c) monitoring and improving the effectiveness of economic and social services delivery; and (d) promoting public awareness of the impact of the crisis particularly on the poor. The Ministers urged the international agencies attending the Informal AMRDPE, such as the UNDP, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank, to support ASEAN in implementing the Action Plan on Social Safety Nets.
