Bandar Seri Begawan: His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, delivered a sabda reaffirming the commitment of His Majesty's Government to strengthening cooperation and contributing significantly to enhance unity and resilience for future challenges. This declaration was made at the Opening Ceremony of the 17th Conference of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) and Related Meetings, hosted at The Empire Brunei.
According to Radio Television Brunei, upon arrival, His Royal Highness was received by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Retired Major General Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Defence, serving as the Chair of the 17th AMRI. The event commenced with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat, led by Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Salim bin Haji Besar.
In his welcoming address, the Chair of the 17th AMRI highlighted the crucial role the information sector plays in enhancing literacy across ASEAN. The Crown Prince's sabda emphasized that the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, set to be adopted during the 46th ASEAN Summit, should transform from a policy framework into a shared aspiration to succeed.
His Royal Highness also expressed a desire for AMRI to collaborate with other sectors in addressing technological advancements proactively. His San Lwin, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, representing the ASEAN Secretary-General, also highlighted the rapid changes in the information and media sector.
Brunei Darussalam's leadership of the 17th AMRI and Related Meetings is underscored by the theme 'MAJU - Media Advancing Joint Understanding.' The ceremony saw the participation of Ministers Responsible for Information from ASEAN Member States, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, the People's Republic of China, and Japan. The AMRI conference is a biennial event.