Parliament of Brunei Darussalam strengthens stakeholder collaboration to advance ASEAN RAI Implementation

On 19 June 2025, the Legislative Council of Brunei Darussalam convened a National Parliamentary Dialogue to promote the ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (ASEAN RAI), reaffirming the country’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable agricultural development.

The dialogue was organized under the framework of a collaboration between the FAO and ASEAN Interparliamentary Assembly (AIPA), aimed at enhancing the role of parliaments in advancing responsible agricultural investment at both regional and national levels.

The event brought together over 70 participants, including parliamentarians from Brunei Darussalam, representatives from the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, academic institutions, the private sector, and the ASEAN Secretariat. Delegates from the parliaments of Cambodia and Malaysia also joined, sharing their countries’ experiences and efforts in promoting responsible agricultural investment.

Opening presentations by FAO and the ASEAN Secretariat provided an overview of the ASEAN RAI and its relevance to regional development goals. The Legislative Council and the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism highlighted Brunei Darussalam’s ongoing efforts to promote agricultural growth and economic diversification, in line with Brunei Vision 2035.

A panel discussion, moderated by the FAO Representative to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, as FAO focal point for ASEAN, featured insights from Honourable Awang Lau How Teck, a member of the Legislative Council and a strong advocate for ASEAN RAI. He was joined by a youth entrepreneur, and an Assistant Director of Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, Ministry of Primary Resources & Tourism. This dialogue marks a significant milestone in Brunei Darussalam’s leadership in championing stakeholder collaboration under the ASEAN RAI Parliamentary Implementation Framework 2024–2030, adopted at the 45th AIPA General Assembly in 2024.