The 29th AFMGM+3 Meeting, 3 May 2026
Yang Mulia Awang Haji Asrul Adrain bin Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr. Haji Ahmad, Acting Permanent Secretary (Fiscal I) attended the 29th AFMGM+3 Meeting which was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 3 May 2026. Also present at the 29th AFMGM+3 Meeting was Yang Mulia Awang Mardini bin Haji Eddie, Deputy Managing Director (Monetary Operations, Development and International) of the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB).
The 29th AFMGM+3 Meeting was co-chaired by His Excellency Joven Z. Balbosa, Undersecretary of the Department of Finance of the Philippines and Her Excellence Rosalia V. De Leon, Monetary Board Member of the Bangko Sentral ng Philipinas, as well as Her Excellency Katayama Satsuki, Minister of Finance of Japan, and His Excellency Himino Ryozo, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan.
The Meeting commenced with discussions on economic outlooks and policy recommendations to respond to global risks and challenges presented by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund and the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office. Subsequent deliberations were focused on progressing the ASEAN+3 financial cooperation such as Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM), Asian Bond Markets Initiative (ABMI), Disaster Risk Financing Initiatives (DRFI) and the ASEAN+3 Future Initiatives.
During the meeting, Yang Mulia Awang Haji Asrul Adrain, Acting Permanent Secretary Fiscal (I) shared that amid the current global uncertainties, the ASEAN+3 cooperation is vital for sustaining regional stability and resilience which is supplemented by member countries’ national initiatives. Yang Mulia Awang Haji Asrul Adrain, Acting Permanent Secretary Fiscal (I) thereafter shared that in monitoring the impacts of these global development to the domestic economy, Brunei Darussalam sustains its efforts in pursuing pro-growth policies whilst strengthening prioritizing fiscal sustainability that will collectively support economic resilience and intergenerational equity
The Meeting endorsed the Joint Statement of the 29th AFMGM+3 which appears as Annex A.
The AFMGM+3 is held annually and brings together Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from ASEAN+3 member authorities to discuss global and regional financial and economic developments and efforts to boost regional cooperation and collaboration.
The 59th ADB Board of Governors Annual Meeting, 4 – 6 May 2026
Yang Mulia Awang Haji Asrul Adrain bin Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr. Haji Ahmad, Acting Permanent Secretary (Fiscal I) at the Ministry of Finance and Economy attended the 59th Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors Annual Meeting which was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 4 to 6 May 2026.
Under the theme “Crossroads of Progress: Advancing the Region’s Connected Future”, key discussions at the 59th ADB Board of Governors Annual Meeting focused on connectivity, digital innovation finance as the region strives for resilient
and sustainable growth.
During the Business Session of the ADB Board of Governors Annual Meeting held on 5 May 2026, discussions were centred around ways to advance practical solutions to regional connectivity, digital innovation and development finance. In its statement, Brunei Darussalam:
- in acknowledging ADB’s ongoing support in ASEAN priorities in energy, capital market and sustainable infrastructure, called for deepened engagements in integrating climate resilience and digital innovation in other regional agenda like food security, green industrial development and resilient supply chains;
- encouraged ADB’s partnership in supporting strategic approaches targeting financing and investments, resource mobilisation and capacity building that will expedite the enabling environment for the development of economic corridors and new industrial clusters in Brunei-Indonesia—Malaysia- Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area; and
- looked forward to strengthened engagements that will support domestic priorities like economic diversification, green transition and innovative growth.
At the sidelines of the ADB Board of Governors Annual Meeting, Yang Mulia Awang Haji Asrul Adrain Acting Permanent Secretary (Fiscal I), also attended the 2026 Constituency Senior Officials’ Meeting for Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand and Türkiye.
Prepared by: International Affairs Division, Ministry of Finance and Economy.
Email: b2bhepa@mofe.gov.bn
Date: 7 May 2026