Patricia, head of Colombo Plan Secretariat

By Sarath Malalasekera

Ms. Patricia Yoon-Moi Chia of Malaysia assumed duties as the 20th Head of the Colombo Plan Secretariat.

She is the first Malaysian to hold this post and also the first Asian woman to do so in the 56-year of Colombo Plan history.

Patricia brings her new post 32-years of service in the Government of Malaysia and more than a decade in the field of International Cooperation.

Patricia was born on November 9, 1952. She received a bachelor's Degree in English from the University of Malaysia in 1975. In 1985 she earned a Master's Degree in Development Economics from the University of Vanderbit, Tennessee, USA.

She was awarded a Fullbright Scholarship under the Hubert H. Humphrey programme to the American University in Washington DC in 1991-1992.

Patricia was the Senior Director of International Technical Cooperation (Bantuan Luar), in the Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister's Department, Malaysia.

She served in Malaysia coordinating all bilateral (JICA, DANIDA), multilateral (including Un agencies) technical assistance programmes and spearheading the expansion of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation program (MTCP).

Her long tenure in the EPU included being an integral part of the management team for the preparation and finalisation of seven Malaysian five year Development Plans and long-term Prospective Plan.