LocationsUNDP Regional Director Visits Brunei to Strengthen Strategic Partnership
April 22, 2025
The UNDP delegation with the Honorable Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf Bin Haji Metussin, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Brunei Darussalam.
Bandar Seri Begawan, 22 April 2025: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is strengthening its partnership with Brunei Darussalam to deliver future-ready, sustainable and inclusive growth.
The UN Assistant Secretary-General, and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Ms. Kanni Wignaraja arrived in Bandar Seri Begawan over the weekend for high-level discussions to strengthen UNDP’s partnership with the nation, in line with Wawasan Brunei 2035 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Brunei is committed to upskilling its labour market and increasing prosperity; the Government’s vision of diversifying economic opportunities emphasises education, youth action, and innovation to ensure longer-term sustainability and global competitiveness. UNDP’s extensive technical capabilities and decades of experience will assist Brunei access world-leading technical expertise to enhance national policy settings, design innovative programmes and deliver deeper analysis of current and future trends that the country will need to navigate to achieve its national aspirations.
Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General, and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, receiving a token from The Honourable Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II, Brunei Darussalam.
In her meeting with The Honourable Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II, discussions included how the partnership could be deepened to ensure Brunei Darussalam remains on track to achieve its goals. The meeting highlighted the importance of the SDGs in driving economic transformation, inclusive growth, and strengthening national capacity. It also noted progress in supporting youth entrepreneurship in Brunei and advancing climate action through innovative financing solutions.
Brunei Darussalam’s human development index ranking is amongst the highest in ASEAN, second only to Singapore. The last three decades have seen significant improvements in education and healthcare. The nation boasts a 99.9% literacy rate, 100% primary school enrollment, 98% immunisation rate and growing life expectancy which today stands at 76.6 years. However, challenges remain in reducing long-term economic reliance on oil and gas as the energy transition progresses, ways to strengthen climate resilience, and enhancing workforce future-readiness.
“Action to diversify the economy, climate adaptation strategies, and skills development programs, will ensure inclusive and sustainable national growth. With UNDP’s assistance, we aim to remain on course to deliver on Government’s stated objectives to ensure Brunei remains peaceful and all its people enjoy ongoing improvements in well-being,” said Honourable Minister Dato Seri Setia.
Ms. Kanni Wignaraja reiterated UNDP’s readiness to partner with Brunei Darussalam on its journey towards Wawasan 2035, supporting economic diversification, climate resilience, and social well-being.
“UNDP is committed to collaborating with the Government closely on advancing innovation, action for longer-term economic diversification, and delivering sustainable prosperity for all. A deeper partnership will assist Brunei in fostering longer-term resilience in a growingly dynamic region,” Ms. Wignaraja said.
Ms. Kanni Wignaraja’s visit also included engagements with key national stakeholders from the government, youth, and private sector to foster dialogue on shared priorities and explore new areas of strategic cooperation in support of Brunei Darussalam’s development
The UNDP delegation met with the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank team and its Managing Director, Ms. Rashidah Sabtu as well as Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) Managing Director, Junaidi Masri.
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