BANGKOK, Nov 28 – The Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency (TICA) and the United States Agency for International Development/Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Trilateral Cooperation.
The signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by TICA Director General Piroon Laismit and USAID/RDMA Mission Director Michael Yates.
According to the ministry’s statement, Thailand has had a long collaboration with the US on technical cooperation in various fields through USAID.
The formal USAID programme ended in 1995. However, there are a number of targeted assistance programmes which continue in areas of mutually defined importance, including: health and HIV/AIDS programme; refugee assistance; and trafficking in persons through USAID’s regional development programme.
Currently both countries will expand their cooperation to the joint partnership for sustainable development for developing countries in the Southeast Asian region, which is reflected in the depth and diversity of cooperation of the pact.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and US President Barack Obama met on November 18 at Government House in Bangkok, on the eve of the anniversary of 180 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and the United States, when the two leaders welcomed the signing of the MoU on Trilateral Cooperation between TICA and USAID/RDMA to support human resources development in the region.
This collaboration will support the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Busan Declaration, based on mutual interest such as health, environment, agriculture and food security, trade, policy reforms and capacity building, made through TICA, USAID/RDMA and Thai authorities concerned.
