13th Meeting of the AICHR

The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) convened its Thirteenth Meeting on 16 to 18 December 2013 in Brunei Darussalam. The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Pehin Dato Dr. Awang Hj. Ahmad bin Hj. Jumat, the Representative of Brunei Darussalam and the Chair of the AICHR.

The Meeting discussed and agreed on ways and means to promote AICHR visibility and public awareness of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD). They also discussed the implementation of the AICHR Five-Year Work Plan and the way forward regarding cooperation on human rights with external partners. The Meeting also discussed and provided additional inputs to the concept paper on the thematic study on the Right to Peace for its subsequent consideration.

Additionally, the AICHR met and discussed with the representative of the EU delegation based in Jakarta and the Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (READI) team for the development of the Overall Work Plan (OWP) April 2014 – August 2017 and First Annual Work Plan (AWP1) April 2014 – March 2015 for the READI Component 6 – human rights.

As this was the last AICHR meeting for 2013, the Meeting concluded with the handover of the chairmanship of the AICHR from H.E. Pehin Dato Dr. Awang Hj. Ahmad bin Hj. Jumat, the Representative of Brunei Darussalam to the Representative of Myanmar, H.E. Amb. Kyaw Tint Swe. The AICHR Representatives expressed their high appreciation to the Representative of Brunei Darussalam for his hard work and leadership over the past year. The Meeting also thanked the Government of Brunei Darussalam for the hospitality and excellent arrangements extended to all the delegations.