26 June, 2013 --- The opening ceremony of the “Seminar on Rural Development and Poverty Reduction for Developing Countries in 2013”, sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and organized by IPRCC, was held at Beijing Fraternal Cooperation International Hotel. The ceremony was chaired by Director Zhang Huidong of the Training Division of IPRCC. Deputy Head of IPRCC Mr. Huang Chengwei attended and addressed the opening ceremony. Mr. Biraahwa Stephen Adyeeri Mukitale, Deputy Director from the Ministry of Finance of Uganda, made a speech on behalf of the participants.

Themed on “Rural Development and Poverty Reduction”, the 15-day seminar consists of three parts: thematic lectures, country-specific presentations and field trip. Experts and scholars from China will give lectures on a range of topics including An Overview of the Chinese National Economic and Social Development, Agricultural Development, Rural Development and Poverty Reduction in the Developing Countries, Chinese Rural Development Policies and Practices, Health, Education and Social Security Policies and Practices of Rural China, as well as Chinese Rural Financial Policies. For the country-specific presentations, the seminar will invite the participant representatives to introduce the policies and experience of rural development and poverty reduction in their own countries. A field trip to Shanxi Province will also be arranged for the participants to investigate into China’s special rural poverty reduction and development programs, rural education, health, environmental protection, integrated agricultural development, and the construction of new countryside in China.

　　 A total of 16 participants from 9 countries, including Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, the Maldives, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Nepal and Uganda, participated in the seminar. They work for the related government departments in charge of poverty reduction and development in these countries and regions.