On June 10, 2019, the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) Governing Board (GB) met for its 107th session at the CPSC Headquarters in Manila, Philippines. In addition to the Adoption of the Agenda, Adoption of the Minutes of the 106th GB Meeting held on January 31, 2019, and Summary of Actions Taken based on Board Decisions and Business Arising, the Board took up three agenda items as follows: Annual Report for FY 2018-2019, Report of the Standing Committee on the Proposed Operational Plan and Budget for FY2019-2020, and the Turnover of the CPSC Governing Board Chairpersonship and Vice Chairpersonship.

107th GBM Members and Representatives (L-R): Mrs. Sharifah Ezneeda Wafa Syed Mohd Zulkarnain Wafa, Minister-Counsellor, Embassy of Malaysia; H.E. Win Naing, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; H.E. Betty Palaso, Ambassador of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea; Dr. Ramhari Lamichhane, Director General, CPSC; H.E. Dr. Aman Rashid, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; H.E. Asad Alam Siam, Ambassador of People’s Republic of Bangladesh and GB Chairperson; H.E. Jaideep Mazumdar, Ambassador of the Republic of India and GB Vice Chairperson; Ms. Gladys Rosales, Deputy Director General for TESD Operations, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Philippines; H.E. Aruni Ranaraja, Ambassador of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; H.E. Gerard Ho Wei Hong, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore; Mrs. K.G.T.P. Dissanayake; Minister of the Mission, Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; Mr. Wendell Gaa, Desk Assistant, United Nations and other International Organizations Office, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippines; Mr. Nawi Bokuik; First Secretary (Consul), Embassy of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea

The Chairperson of the CPSC GB / Ambassador of Bangladesh, H.E. Asad Alam Siam, called the meeting to order. It was attended by the Ambassadors of India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and Sri Lanka; Director General of CPSC; representatives from the Embassies of Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka; and representatives from the Office of the United Nations and other International Organizations, Department of Foreign Affairs and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The Board welcomed its new members from the Embassies of Papua New Guinea and Singapore, and from TESDA, before going through the agenda items. The session continued with the preliminary items and proceeded to first agenda i.e. the presentation of the Annual Report FY2018-2019. The Director General reported that CPSC made a number of milestones this fiscal year after getting the ISO 9001:2015 certification and being on track to achieve its targets on the Operational Plan. Subsequently, the Chairperson invited the Vice Chairperson and the Director General to present the Report of the Standing Committee on the Operational Plan and Budget for FY2019-2020. The Director General went on to provide the highlights. Following the Board’s approval on the Operational Plan and Budget, the meeting carried on to the Turnover Ceremony of the Chairpersonship and Vice Chairpersonship. The outgoing Chairperson, H.E. Asad Alam Siam gave his Valedictory Address and took the opportunity to extend his appreciation to all the members of the Governing Board and the Secretariat. Meanwhile, the incoming Chairperson, H.E. Jaideep Mazumdar and incoming Vice Chairperson, who was represented by Mrs. Sharifah Ezneeda Wafa Syed Mohd Zulkarnain Wafa, both delivered their acceptance speech and pledged to support CPSC in the best of their capacities.

All the agenda items presented were disposed. The 108th GB Meeting is tentatively scheduled on January 30, 2020 (Thursday).