I believe that we can make joint efforts to overcome poverty, one of the most prominent issues in the region
Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the planned integration of ASEAN`s 10 member countries into an ASEAN Community was also related to the poverty eradication efforts in the region.

In his address opening the 15 ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua here Friday, the President said the poverty eradication efforts in the Southeast Asian region should not be ignored.

According to the president, of the 1.4 billion people in the world who had a daily income of less than 1.25 dollars per day, 118 million were living in ASEAN countries.

"I believe that we can make joint efforts to overcome poverty, one of the most prominent issues in the region," President Yudhoyono said.

Therefore he said ASEAN countries should be able to cooperate in formulating an inclusive financial policy to all levels of society so that each person can get access to a variety of financial services such as insurance and banking.

Besides, the president said the governments of ASEAN countries should provide the remaining poor community with banking facility services so that they can get credit access to start with their small businesses.

"Through a greater inclusive participation of the people from various walks of life, we can reach more new ideas or innovations and we can even improve ASEAN meaning based on individual relationships," President Yudhoyono said.

In his speech the president pointed out People`s Business Credit (KUR) program, applied by the Indonesian government as one of the efforts in the country`s poverty eradication.

The KUR program which has provided banking access to 400,000 people of 4.1 debtors who previously knew nothing about banking services is believed by President Yudhoyono to serve as an example for ASEAN to encourage economic growth in a bid to eradicate poverty.

The Indonesian head of state also expressed that in the ASEAN Community in 2015, the economic cooperation among its member countries should touch the problem of development to addresses the gap.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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