A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Islamic Development Bank and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was signed recently outlining the framework of partnership between the two institutions for the promotion of economic and social development and alleviation of poverty in their common constituencies. The MoU specifies that cooperation between the institutions includes capacity building in the areas of Health, Education, Halal Food Supply and Agriculture; investment promotion and economic cooperation. ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan and IDB President Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali signed the MoU at IDB Group headquarters in Jeddah after discussing the bilateral relations between ASEAN and IDB in order to finalize the areas of cooperation. Dr. Pitsuwan expressed his enthusiasm with working alongside IDB to strengthen one another and emphasized the mutual benefit that will materialize from partnering. “ASEAN can be one of the vehicles IDB can use to implement its 1440H vision, " said Dr. Pitsuwan. --MORE
