Malaysia Views Seriously Importance Of Rural Infra Development Post-COVID-19 - Minister Mahdzir

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia views seriously the importance of infrastructure development, including providing internet access to rural communities in the recovery phase following the COVID-19 pandemic. Rural Development Minister Mahdzir Khalid in a statement Wednesday said rural economic development was an important element of the recovery process. "This includes aspects of rural economic development with the introduction of training on the use of the latest technology in agriculture, empowerment in the digital economy through Technical and Vocational Education and Traning (TVET) and rural entrepreneurship as well as the empowerment of rural youth and women leaders," he said in conjunction with the 20th Africa-Asia Rural Development Organization (AARDO) Conference held online Wednesday. The ministerial-level conference is to discuss rural development issues and cooperation among AARDO member countries from Africa and Asia. At Wednesday’s conference, Malaysia also handed over its position as chairman of AARDO to the Government of Ghana after leading the organisation for 3 years from 2018 to 2021. The 2021 to 2030 Strategic Plan Framework was introduced by Ismail Sabri Yaakob while he was the Minister of Rural and Regional Development during the 19th AARDO Conference in 2018, which took place in Kuala Lumpur. -- BERNAMA