The Director General of CIRDAP stated that policymakers are not interested in ideas that do not have donor support. Dr. Durga P Paudyal reflected on his eight-year tenure in Bangladesh, where the institute is located, and discussed the challenges of convincing policymakers to act on new policies and ideas without adequate funding. He made these comments during a briefing with journalists about the institute's upcoming anniversary celebration. CIRDAP was established on July 6, 1979 through the joint efforts of countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the UN's FAO to collaborate on rural development and poverty alleviation. Initially consisting of six members, the organization has since grown to include 15 member states as of 2010, with Fiji as the most recent addition. The members are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Fiji. Dr. Paudyal emphasized the importance of south-south cooperation, stating that it is more beneficial to learn from neighboring or developing countries rather than developed ones. Regional dialogues and meetings are organized to facilitate the sharing of best practices among the member states. He stated that CIRDAP helped governments in various ways, some of which may not be immediately visible. When discussing climate change and rural development in the region, it is important to consider all 15 countries that are members of the institution, not just Bangladesh. While programs organized in Iran may not be well-known in Bangladesh, CIRDAP primarily operates at the policy level rather than at the grassroots level. The Director General mentioned that CIRDAP played a role in developing Bangladesh's current system for monitoring and analyzing poverty. He also praised the current government for showing interest in CIRDAP as a form of regional cooperation. "We received more than USD 2 million from Bangladesh to construct an international conference center here," he stated. The Director General mentioned that they would be hosting a 'Founding Day' lecture as part of their anniversary celebrations, where former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam will discuss sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region. Dr. Cecep Effendi from Indonesia will take over for Dr. Paudyal on July 6, according to a statement from CIRDAP.