December 2007 - The 28th AFSRB Meeting endorsed results of JCM
1. The 28th AFSRB Meeting endorsed results of JCM.
The 28th Meeting of ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB) held on 12-13 December 2007 in Singapore supported the decisions of Joint Consultative Meeting (JCM) AFSRB Project Steering Committee (PSC) EAERR conducted on 4 October 2007 in Phuket, Thailand. The Meeting considered and supported recommendation for establishment of a new ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) Agreement as a legal foundation of future permanent scheme of EAERR to undertake activities which are now being carried out by the Pilot Project.
The Meeting further agreed to support the decision made by Special PSC EAERR Meeting that key issues such as institutional arrangement, technical aspects and financial arrangement should be further addressed. The AFSRB Meeting was attended by all Board Members from ASEAN countries, representatives of AFSRB Secretariat, AFSIS and EAERR. As follow up of AFSRB decision, EAERR would work together with AFSRB Secretariat and ASEAN Secretariat to come up with a detailed proposal for further consideration and discussion at AFSRB and other relevant ASEAN/ ASEAN Plus Three meetings. Such collaborative work would certainly strengthen cooperation between AFSRB Secretariat and EAERR which has been initiated since the last three years.
2. Tier 1 Arrangement between Viet Nam and Philippines has finally signed.
The Purchase Agreement to mark to utilization of earmarked stock of Viet Nam to support Philippines to augment its national emergency rice reserve has been signed on 26 November 2007. The signing was culmination of nearly long and tedious discussions and negotiations between the two countries represented by National Food Authority of Philippines, National Reservation Department (NRD) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Viet Nam facilitated by EAERR. With this agreement 10,000 metric tons of white rice 25% brokens a part of Viet Nam earmarked stock would be shipped to Manila not later than January 2008. The signing was carried out at NRD headquarter in Hanoi between Administrator of NFA Mr. Jessup P. Navarro and Vice General Director NRD, Mr. Duong Thanh Trung witnessed by Mrs. Pham Thi Tuoc, MARD and Dr. Mulyo Sidik, EAERR.
