The cooperation of ASEAN Countries on rural development and poverty eradication at the regional level was coordinated by a Sub-Committee under the ASEAN Committee on Social Development (COSD) in the past. The 1997-1998 Asian financial and economic crisis brought a stronger focus to poverty eradication efforts and policies within ASEAN and the subsequent Ha Noi Plan of Action called for the mitigation of the impact of this crisis. In 1997, the ASEAN Ministers for Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (AMRDPE) met for the first time and adopted the Framework Plan of Action on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication and the Action Plan on Social Safety Nets which have since framed poverty reduction initiatives in ASEAN.

In response to the challenges of globalisation, trade liberalisation and regional integration, the ASEAN Ministers for Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (AMRDPE) adopted the new Framework Plan of Action for Rural Development and Poverty Reduction (2004-2010) during the 4th Meeting of the AMRDPE in October 2004. The Plan of Action, which was adopted in concert with the UN Millennium Development Goals, serves to guide regional cooperation activities in key priority areas including the social impact of globalisation, narrowing the digital divide, social protection, employment and income generation, narrowing the development gap, and partnerships and local participations.

The ASEAN Plus Three cooperation continues to expand and deepen in many areas including rural development and poverty eradication and the Senior Officials met in January 2007 to discuss areas of future collaboration.

Over the years, there were also several joint efforts with key international organisations:

UNDP:

• Training Programme for Strengthening of Facilitators’ Skills of Development Related Programme for Poverty Alleviation of ASEAN Countries (2001);

• ASEAN-UNDP ASP6 Project on Recommended Alternative Strategies for ASEAN Member Countries in Designing and Implementing Effective Social Safety Nets Programs (2001);

• Regional Workshop on ASEAN Cooperation in Poverty Reduction and the MDGs (2005).
  

World Bank:

• ASEAN-World Bank Video Conference Series on Mainstreaming Social Development in the National Development Agenda (since 2001 and is ongoing);

• ASEAN-World Bank High Level Conference on Social Development in the National Development Agenda (2002)
  

AusAID:

• ASEAN-Australia Social Safety Nets project (2001-2002)
  

The European Union:

• Regional Workshop on Strengthening Social Protection Systems in ASEAN (2006).