INTRODUCTION
ASEAN
On 8 August 1967, five leaders - the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand - sat down together in the main hall of the Department of Foreign
Affairs building in Bangkok, Thailand and signed a document. By virtue of that document, the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was born. The five Foreign Ministers who
signed it - Adam Malik of Indonesia, Narciso R. Ramos of the Philippines, Tun Abdul Razak of
Malaysia, S. Rajaratnam of Singapore, and Thanat Khoman of Thailand - would subsequently
be hailed as the Founding Fathers of probably the most successful inter-governmental
organization in the developing world today. And the document that they signed would be
known as the ASEAN Declaration.
Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and
Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten
Member States of ASEAN.
The original ASEAN logo presented five brown sheaves of rice stalks, one for each founding
member. Beneath the sheaves is the legend "ASEAN" in blue. These are set on a field of
yeyellow encircleled by a blue border. BrBrown stands for strstrength and stability, yeyellow for
prosperity and blue for the spirit of cordiality in which ASEAN affairs are conducted. When
ASEAN celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 1997, the sheaves on the logo had increased to ten -
representing all ten countries of Southeast Asia and reflecting the colours of the flags of all of
them. In a very real sense, ASEAN and Southeast Asia would then be one and the same, just as
the Founding Fathers had envisioned.
ASEAN Motto - The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.
11 ASEAN Day -- 8 August is observed as ASEAN Day.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
1.1. Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, eqequality, territritorial integrity, and
national identity of all nations;
2.2. The right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference,,
subversion or coercion;
3.3. Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another;r;
4.4. Settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner;
5.5. Renunciation of the threat or use of force;
6.6. Effective cooperation among themselves.
AIMS AND PURPOSES
1.1. To accelerate the ececonomimic growtwth, social progreress and cultural dedevelopment in the
region through joint endeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to
strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian
Nations;
2.2. To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule
of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles
of the United Nations Charter;
3.3. To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interestt
in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields;
22 ASEAN Day -- 8 August is observed as ASEAN Day.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
1.1. Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, eqequality, territritorial integrity, and
national identity of all nations;
2.2. The right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference,,
subversion or coercion;
3.3. Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another;r;
4.4. Settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner;
5.5. Renunciation of the threat or use of force;
6.6. Effective cooperation among themselves.
AIMS AND PURPOSES
1.1. To accelerate the ececonomimic growtwth, social progreress and cultural dedevelopment in the
region through joint endeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to
strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian
Nations;
2.2. To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule
of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles
of the United Nations Charter;
3.3. To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interestt
in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields;
22 4.4. To provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities in the
educational, professional, technical and administrative spheres;
5.5. To collaborate more effecectivelely for the grgreater utilislisatiation of their agagriculture and
industries, the exexpansion of their trade, including the study of the problems of
ininteternrnatatioionanal cocommododitity trtradade, ththe imprprovovemenent of ththeieir trtrananspsporortatatition anandd
communications facilities and the raising of the living standards of their peoples;
6.6. To promote Southeast Asian studies;
7.7. To maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regionalal
organisations with similar aims and purposes, and explore all avenues for even closer
cooperation among themselves.
33 Environment and Democracy
At the turn of the 21st century, issues shifted to involve a more environmental perspective. The
organisation started to discuss environmental agreements. These included the signing of the
ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in 2002 as an attempt to control haze
pollution in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful due to the outbreaks of the
2005 Malaysian haze and the 2006 Southeast Asian haze. Other environmental treaties
introduced by the organisation include the Cebu Declaration on East Asian Energy Security the
ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network in 2005, and the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean
Development and Climate, both of which are responses to the potential effects of climate
change. Climate change is of current interest.
Through the Bali Concord II in 2003, ASEAN has subscribed to the notion of democratic
peace, which means all member countries believe democratic processes will promote regional
peace and stability. Also, the non-democratic members all agreed that it was something all
member states should aspire to.
The leaders of each country, particularly Mahathir Mohammad of Malaysia, also felt the need
to further integrate the region. Beginning in 1997, the bloc began creating organisations within
its framework with the intention of achieving this goal. ASEAN plus Three was the first of
these and was created to improve existing ties with the People's Republic of China, Japan, and
South Korea. This was followed by the even larger East Asia Summit, which included these
countries as well as India, Australia, and New Zealand. This new grouping acted as a
prerequisite for the planned East Asia Community, which was supposedly patterned after the
now-defunct European Community. The ASEAN Eminent Persons Group was created to study
the possible successes and failures of this policy as well as the possibility of drafting an
ASEAN Charter.
4 In 2006, ASEAN was given observer status at the United Nations General Assembly. As a
response, the organisation awarded the status of "dialogue partner" to the United Nations.
Furthermore, on 23 July that year, José Ramos-Horta, then Prime Minister of East Timor,
signed a formal request for membership and expected the accession process to last at least five
years before the then-observer state became a full member.
In 2007, ASEAN celebrated its 40th anniversary since its inception, and 30 years of diplomatic
relations with the United States. On 26 August 2007, ASEAN stated that it aims to complete all
its free trade agreements with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand by
2013, in line with the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. In
November 2007 the ASEAN members signed the ASEAN Charter, a constitution governing
relations among the ASEAN members and establishing ASEAN itself as an international legal
entity. During the same year, the Cebu Declaration on East Asian Energy Security was signed
in Cebu on 15 January 2007, by ASEAN and the other members of the EAS (Australia,
People's Republic of China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea), which promotes energy
security by finding energy alternatives to conventional fuels.
On 27 February 2009 a Free Trade Agreement with the ASEAN regional block of 10 countries
and New Zealand and its close partner Australia was signed, it is estimated that this FTA would
boost aggregate GDP across the 12 countries by more than US$48 billion over the period
2000–2020.
5 Decolonisation and Critical Reception
In the 1960s, the push for decolonisation promoted the independence and establishment of
sovereign nations such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Since the beginning phases of these nations,
efforts were made to implement independent policies with a unifying focus of refrain from
interference in regional domestic affairs.
There was a move to unify the region under what was called the ‘ASEAN Way’ based on the
ideals of non-interference, informality, minimal institutionalisation, consultation and
consensus, non-use of force and non-confrontation. ASEAN members (especially Singapore)
approved of the term ‘ASEAN Way’to describe a regional method of multilaterism.
Thus the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia adopted
fundamental principle:
• Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and
national identity of all nations
• The right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference,
subversion or coercion
• Non-interference in internal affairs
• Settlement of differences or disputes in a peaceful manner
• Renunciation of the threat or use of force
• Effective regional cooperation
The ‘ASEAN way’ is said to contribute durability and longevity within the organization, by
promoting regional identity and enhancing a spirit of mutual confidence and cooperation.
ASEAN agreements are negotiated in a close, interpersonal process. The process of
consultations and consensus is designed to engender a democratic approach to decision making.
6 These leaders are wary of any effort to legitimize efforts to undermine their nation or contain
regional co-operation
The ASEAN way can be seen as divergent from the contextual contemporary political reality at
the formative stages of the association. A critical distinction is made by Amitav Acharya that
the ‘ASEAN Way’ indicates “a process of ‘regional interactions and cooperation based on
discreteness, informality, consensus building and non-confrontational bargaining styles’ that
contrasts with ‘the adversarial posturing, majority vote and other legalistic decision-making
procedures in Western multilateral organizations.
However, critics argue that the ASEAN Way serves as the major stumbling-block to it
becoming a true diplomacy mechanism. Due to the consensus-based approach every member
has a veto, so contentious issues must remain unresolved until agreements can be reached.
Moreover, it is claimed that member nations are directly and indirectly advocating that ASEAN
be more flexible and allow discourse on internal affairs of member countries.
Additionally, the preference for informal discussions to adversarial negotiations limits the
leverage of diplomatic solutions within ASEAN.
7 Progress and developments in ASEAN
The Year 1982 - 1983 was a successful one for ASEAN. ASEAN continued to pursue the task
of giving breadth and scope to its regional cooperation endeavours. Steady progress was
attained over a broad front. New programmes were launched and achievements in existing
programmes consolidated.
The year under review was also a year of reflection, of stock taking, and of evaluation. Special
attention has been devoted in the past year to reviewing and appraising the entire ASEAN
cooperation, including the organizational machinery, with a View to strengthening cooperation
and increasing its effectiveness. As a dynamic organization, institutional linkages in ASEAN
have sprung up spontaneously at every level - official and non-governmental, particularly
private sector. Every such tie is valuable as it expresses the ASEAN concept and strengthens its
cooperation. Similarly, with the growing maturity of ASEAN's various dialogues and relations
with third countries, a comprehensive evaluation of ASEAN's third-country relations has also
been initiated.
Economic Cooperation
Economic cooperation continued to occupy the bulk of ASEAN's efforts, and 1982-1983 saw
notable developments.
The ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) held their Fourteenth Meeting in Singapore on 11-13
November 1982 to review the work of the various Economic Committees and to provide
direction and impetus to the full range of ASEAN activities under their charge. In addition, the
ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry held their Fourth Meeting in Kuala Lumpur
8 Malaysia on 8-9 October 1982 and the AEM on Energy Cooperation held their Fourth Meeting
in Singapore on 19 January 1983 to discuss matters pertaining to their specific portfolios.
The Recent Economic Integration
The ASEAN Heads of States and Government have promulgated the ASEAN Vision 2020
charting a new direction for ASEAN through the turn of the century towards the year 2020.
That vision is of an outward and forward looking ASEAN, living in peace, stability and
prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of
caring societies.
To realize the ASEAN vision, the Hanoi Plan of Action (HPA) was adopted by the ASEAN
Heads of States and Government in Hanoi in December 1998. The HPA is the first in a series
of plans of action aimed at operationalizing the vision. The HPA lays down specific steps and
measures to be taken during the years 1999-2004 in order to strengthen macroeconomic and
financial cooperation, advance economic integration and promote social, science & technology
and information technology infrastructure as well as human resources development.
Taken together, these two major accords represent ASEAN countries’ resolve to look beyond
the immediate economic and financial challenges and regain the momentum of growth and
prosperity.
Recognizing the immediate need to quickly regain business confidence and hasten recovery
from the regional contagion that hit many East Asia countries, the ASEAN Leaders issued the
Statement of Bold Measures in December 1998 containing concrete measures further
liberalizing and integrating ASEAN economies. In a recent speech, ASEAN Secretary-General
Rodolfo C. Severino, Jr., said that "It is clear that ASEAN leaders have made regional
9 economic integration a primary component of the region’s response to the economic troubles
that have hit it."
The Statement of Bold Measures involve an acceleration of the establishment of the ASEAN
Free Trade Area or AFTA and ASEAN Investment Area or AIA including the provision of
special incentives and privileges to qualified foreign investors for a limited period. To further
encourage investment, the leaders agreed to waive the 30% national equity requirement for
firms wishing to take advantage of the ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Scheme or AICO.
Finally, they agreed on a new round of negotiation in services beginning in the year 1999 and
ending in 2001, in all services sectors and all modes of supply.
On AFTA, the six original members agree to achieve a minimum of 90% of their total tariff
lines with tariffs of 0-5% by the year 2000 and bring forward the implementation of AFTA
from 2003 to 2002.
On investment, ASEAN investors can now invest in manufacturing sector in any member
country subject to certain exclusions, which shall be phased out by 2003 instead of 2010 as
previously agreed. Non-ASEAN investors can also invest in the manufacturing sector and
enjoy special privileges if they come in between now and the end of year 2000. These
privileges include income tax exemption, full foreign equity ownership, duty-free imports of
capital goods, domestic market access, and at least 30-year long-term lease for industrial land.
They can also hire foreign personnel and enjoy speedy customs clearance. These privileges stay
for the life of the investment and are additional to incentives each ASEAN country already
offers to foreign investors.
On industrial cooperation, those who qualify and opt for ASEAN Industrial Cooperation
Scheme during the same two-year window will also be waived the 30% national equity
10 requirement in addition to being given full AFTA treatment. A number of large Japanese and
European multinational companies, many in the automotive industry, have already taken
advantage of the scheme.
In addition to accelerating liberalization in trade through tariff reduction and liberalization in
investment through the opening up of industries and the granting of national treatment,
integration is being fostered through trade facilitation measures in customs, harmonizing
product standards and facilitating goods in transit.
In the area of customs, ASEAN countries are scheduled to implement the WTO Valuation
Agreement in the Year 2000. We are also working on a common tariff nomenclature at the 8-
digit Harmonized System level to be implemented by the year 2002. The Green Lane has been
expanded to cover all ASEAN products. There is a strong commitment on the part of customs
administrations in ASEAN to work towards world-class efficiency through automation and
modernization of customs procedures.
Economic integration has also been complemented by the considerable progress made on
financial cooperation. The ASEAN surveillance process has been established and the first
peer review conducted early this year. Under the surveillance process, ASEAN is developing
an early warning system to keep track of macroeconomic trends and provide early detection of
any adverse development. Another integrated component of the surveillance process of equally
importance if not more is the peer review in which ASEAN countries exchange views with one
another on economic developments and measures being undertaken to address the crisis as well
as jointly formulate policy responses to pending problems. Together with the early warning
system, it provides safeguard against future crisis by providing an opportunity to take early
unilateral or collective action against minor but potentially disastrous disturbances. It also
11 promotes closer coordination of macroeconomic policies and facilitates peer support or in some
cases exerts peer pressure for necessary economic and financial reforms.
To mitigate the adverse impact of sudden shift in capital flows, ASEAN shall pursue an
orderly and well-sequenced approach to capital account liberalization in tandem with the
degree of the development of the domestic financial sector and supervisory regime. There will
be greater use of ASEAN
Currencies trade and services. The possibility of an ASEAN exchange rate system including a
common ASEAN currency will be explored.
To eliminate technical barriers to trade, a Framework Agreement on Mutual Recognition
Arrangements or MRAs was signed in December 1998. MRAs allow countries to recognize
one another’s product standards or regulations and make it easier to trade. Efforts are currently
under way to formulate specific MRAs in three important areas – telecommunication
equipment, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics.
A Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Goods in Transit was also signed in
December 1998. This will allow goods to be moved by road or rail across ASEAN countries
with minimum customs inspections, vehicle specifications and regulations for drivers.
Work is also proceeding on bringing down barriers to investment. Studies will be conducted to
identify and suggest ways to eliminate investment impediments. Investment application
processes are being streamlined and made more transparent.
ASEAN is also strengthening its cooperation to foster the development of small and medium
enterprises. Annual match-making workshops are being organized to promote SME joint-
12 ventures. Various forms of funding support are being explored including regional export
financing and credit guarantee schemes, and an ASEAN Investment Fund.
Beyond trade in goods, ASEAN is bringing down barriers to trade among member countries in
seven services sectors – air transport, business services, construction, financial services,
maritime transport, telecommunication and tourism. A new round of negotiations on trade in
services has already started and will eventually be expanded beyond the seven sectors above to
cover all services and all modes of supply.
Supporting economic integration in trade and investment are the development of regional
infrastructure and closer cooperation in developing human resources and science and
technology, particularly information technology. Transport linkages are being streamlined
through landmark agreements on goods in transit and multi-modal transport. An agreement on
inter-state transport is being worked out. Plans for road or highway networks, railway links and
trans-boundary gas pipelines have been laid. Framework and modality for the ASEAN Power
Grid are being developed.
Telecommunications networks will be integrated through greater interconnectivity,
coordination of frequencies and mutual recognition of equipment-type approval procedure,
providing an infrastructure for the ongoing coordination to develop cross-border electronic
commerce in ASEAN.
ASEAN economic integration will be gradual in nature and cater to individual country’s own
capacity. This is particularly true for the liberalization process as it would allow ASEAN
countries to develop their regulatory structures, trade, finance and investment regimes as well
as legal framework to adequately support the more open and competitive systems. ASEAN
companies can also build up their competitiveness in stages as they are gradually exposed to
13 increased competition from regional to international level. The economically less developed members are given more time to liberalize their trade and investment regimes. At the same time they will also be given assistance to build their capacity to integrate into ASEAN.
In the years ahead, cooperation will intensify between ASEAN and its major trading partners, northeast Asian neighbors, as well as other countries participating in larger groupings such as,
East Asia-Latin America Forum (EALAF), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
Regional economic cooperation is a fundamental principle steadfastly enshrined in major
ASEAN accords since its establishment over 30 years ago. There is no alternative to regional economic cooperation and integration. It is the only way for countries such as those in
Southeast Asia to make their way in the world. Individual countries would find it difficult to thrive in a globalized economy and in an uncertain configuration of power in the region. In
Hanoi, the ASEAN leaders reaffirmed their commitment "to the greater integration of our economies as a primary expression of our cooperation and solidarity."
14 Social, Cultural and Information Cooperation
To intensify and accelerate cooperation in the various fields of labour, the ASEAN Labour
Ministers met biannually. The Fourth Meeting of ASEAN Labour Ministers, held in Singapore
on 6-7 September 1982, decided to establish a Technical Working Group (TWG) to oversee all
labour cooperation programmes and activities in between the Annual Labour Minister's
Meetings. The TWG would also consider ILO matters and formulate ASEAN common stand
on ILO issues as well as oversee the training programmes in the various fields of labour
cooperation.
The Meeting agreed to continue the dialogue between the Asian and Pacific Labour Ministers
and the International trade secretariats. It reminded the ILO to study how conflicts between
trade secretariats and member countries could be averted. It also urged the ILO to give more
autonomy to the ILO area of f ices in the region and gave support to the Asian Governments'
draft protocol and the principles of distributing seats in the ILO Governing Board. I t aIso
agreed in principle to the proposed project to establish an ASEAN Centre for Industrial
Relations and to refer to the ASEAN Committee on Social Development (COSD) the detailed
project proposal.
Cooperation in the field of social development within COSD continued on the basis of an
integrated plan of action that covers the broad scope of projects and activities in this field of
endeavour. This includes education, population, control of dangerous drugs, health and
nutrition, natural disaster. Women's programmes continued to receive strong support. One
notable development during the year was the reactivation of cooperative programmes on youth.
15 In the field of education, the ASEAN Development Education Project has been progressing
satisfactorily and a mid-term programme evaluation is being carried out.
The ASEAN Heads of Population Programme (AHPP) held their Sixth - Meeting on 23 August
1982 in Jakarta. The ASEAN Population Coordination Unit (APCU) which serves as the
Secretariat of the AHPP continued to monitor the implementation of the ASEAN Population
Projects. It has relocated its Headquarters from Manila to Jakarta With effect from 1 August
1982.
In the field of cooperation regarding the prevention of drug abuse in ASEAN, an important step
taken this year was the appointment of the ASEAN Narcotics Desk Officer at the ASEAN
Secretariat in September 1982. This office was set up to serve as a central coordinating body
for narcotics activities within ASEAN and strengthen cooperation in narcotics control among
member countries.
In the field of health and nutrition, various programmes were formulated to strengthen
technical cooperation among member countries.
To strengthen cooperation in mutual assistance in the event of natural disasters, the ASEAN
Natural Disasters Centre was established on 22 March 1982 in the Philippines.
The ASEAN Women's Programmes (AWP) held the Second Meeting, in Bangkok, on 12-14
January 1983 and formulated seven projects; ASEAN Women's Programmes on Arts and
Culture; Clearing House on Women in Development; the Establishment of the Network of
ASEAN Women Vocational Training Programme; Population Development Project - Single
16 Parent Family Aid Centre; Young Women in Population Development Programmes, Legal
Literacy and Legal Aid, and Programmes for the Ageing and elderly.
The ASEAN Experts Group on Youth was established in 1983 and held its first meeting in
Yogyakarta, Indonesia on 16-19 February 1983. it formulated five projects : Youth
Development, Research and Information; Youth External Cooperation; Youth Cooperation with Youth NGOs Youth Exchange Programme, and Youth Camps and related activities.
In the field of human resources development, an ASEAN Human Resources Development
Project (AHRDP) was established. This comprises five sub- projects, one located in each member country as follows:
Indonesia :Centre for Vocational and
Extension services Training (CEVEST)
Malaysia :Centre for Instructors and
Advance skills Training (CIAST)
Philippines :Rural Development Programme
through Strengthening Agro Industrial
Livelihood Activities (KKK)
Singapore :Productivity Development
Project (PDP)
17 Thailand :Training Centre for Primary
Health Care (TCPHC)
On the Japan Scholarship Fund for ASEAN Youth, member countries have drawn up their
respective 1982/1983 programmes. Application for scholarships, fellowships and training
programmes have been forwarded to the respective coordinating agencies. The main thrust of
the project is to help needy students in the rural areas, and to enable educational institutions to
continually reinforce and contribute to the national development of member countries. These
scholarships cover studies in the fields of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, computer engineering
and science.
Cooperation in culture and information has maintained steady progress with the
implementation of various projects. Funded by the ASEAN Cultural Fund, the projects cover
activities such as cultural exchanges, ASEAN studies, festivals, performances, exhibitions,
traditional cultures, mass media, etc.
The Committee on Culture and Information (COCI), which is responsible for drawing up
projects to be funded out of the Cultural Fund, has also implemented the approved "Basic
Framework of Cooperation in Culture and Information" and related activities. Five programme
areas have been drawn up by COCI for implementation, namely: Visual Arts, Performing Arts,
Literary Works, ASEAN Studies, and Communication Media.
Welfare Developments
18 Health - Emerging and resurging infectious diseases such as dengue, cholera, tuberculosis
and typhoid fever continued to be priority concerns for ASEAN health ministries, alongside the
prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. In the past twelve months, ASEAN has taken steps to
strengthen cooperation on health issues, both within ASEAN and between ASEAN and
Dialogue Partners.
Prevention and control of communicable diseases
The outbreak of avian influenza in 2004 reiterated the importance of concerted regional action
to prevent and control communicable diseases. Health officials in ASEAN drew on the
experience of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2003 and the
networks that had been established to confront this health threat.
With support from the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Programme (ADDCP) and
close cooperation from the World Health Organisation (WHO), ASEAN implemented the
ASEAN Plus Three Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Programme. The programme’s Phase
I Work Plan commenced in August 2004 and will conclude in mid-2005. Long-term measures
to prevent similar outbreaks escalating into pandemic proportions are being discussed,
including the means to facilitate the deployment of multinational ASEAN outbreak response
teams.
ASEAN bodies dealing with health and agriculture have been working together to address the
various aspects of avian influenza affecting ASEAN Member Countries. Several ASEAN
forums had been convened to devise cooperative measures for dealing with avian .u under the
EID programme and with concerned international organisations. An ASEAN task force on
highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was set up by the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture
and Forestry in October 2004 and met for the first time in December 2004.
19 ASEAN and China are finalising the rules of procedure for an ASEAN-China Fund for Public
Health to strengthen cooperation in the area of public health, in particular, on epidemics such as
SARS and avian influenza.
HIV/AIDS
ASEAN and UN Joint Programme for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) signed a Letter of Agreement in
June 2004 to jointly undertake activities that address the priorities of the ASEAN Work
Programme on HIV/ AIDS II (AWPII). These include activities that would mitigate the socio-
economic impact of HIV/AIDS, strengthen inter-country activities on the mobile population,
and strengthen the network of sharing information and research studies among ASEAN
Member Countries, among others. The United States Agency for International Development
(USAID) has prepared a package of proposals addressing AWPII priorities, to be jointly
implemented with ASEAN Member Countries, complementing the ASEANUNAIDS
cooperative activities.
Implementation of AWPII was reviewed by ASEAN during the 12th Meeting of the ASEAN
Task Force on AIDS (ATFOA) held in November 2004. UNAIDS is also providing technical
assistance to ATFOA to conduct a review of the AWPII that would also include inputs from
stakeholder groups (e.g., civil society, national and international NGOs, business sector, and
people living with HIV/AIDS) to ensure a “bottom-up” multi-sectoral process. UNAIDS will
also assist ATFOA on preparing a framework for a third ASEAN Work Programme on
HIV/AIDS (AWPIII).
The ASEAN-Rockefeller Foundation Project on Intellectual Property Laws Review and
Capacity Building on IPRs Related to Public Health in the ASEAN Region convened its .nal
regional workshop in December 2004. Coordinated by ATFOA and the ASEAN Working
20 Group on Technical Cooperation in Pharmaceuticals (AWGTCP), with technical support from
WHO, this project has supported capacity building through a series of in-country workshops
held from May to August 2004. The project helped Member Countries thoroughly assess
national intellectual property laws, identify available legal options for increasing access to
affordable medicines and enhance local legal capacity with regard to intellectual property rights
and public health. A regional report on the outcomes of the study was published and
disseminated to relevant stakeholders in the region.
Rural Development and Poverty Eradication
ASEAN Ministers on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (AMRDPE) adopted a new
Framework Action Plan in October 2004 at the 4th Meeting of the AMRDPE. The plan which
spans 2004-2010 will address priorities such as globalisation; narrowing the digital divide;
social protection; employment and income generation; partnerships, decentralisation, local
participation; narrowing the development gap; the exchange of young professionals and
volunteers; and information-sharing/exchange.
Knowledge-sharing on viable strategies to ensure community participation in rural
development and poverty reduction continued under the ASEANWorld Bank Programme on
Local Participation and Rural Poverty Reduction. Participating ASEAN country teams prepared
country action proposals which focused on initiatives to address the economic viability of rural
communities, capacity building to facilitate community participation in rural poverty reduction
and strengthening central and local government communication. Progress of each country
team’s effort was shared throughout several World Bank-facilitated video-conferences (VCs) in
2004. The programme concluded with a .nal regional workshop in October 2004 which
involved agencies such as the ADB, FAO, UNDP, ESCAP, JICA, USAID, AusAID and the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Participants drew up a list of follow-
21 up learning needs and the Tokyo Development Learning Centre has agreed to work with
ASEAN to provide a series of focused VCs to address some of the identified learning needs.
Children
ASEAN and UNICEF continued their work planning process highlighting child protection and
early childcare and development, among other priorities. The two-phase ASEAN-UNICEF
joint activity in addressing aspects of early childcare and development practices in the region
has been progressing and will conclude in 2005.
ASEAN Ministers responsible for social welfare and development also participated at the 7th
East Asia and Pacific Ministerial Consultation on Children, organised by the UNICEF and
hosted by Cambodia in March 2005 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Older Persons
ASEAN Senior Of.cials on Health Development and the ASEAN Senior Of.cials on Social
Welfare and Development continued to coordinate their efforts in addressing priorities for the
elderly. These priorities are set out in the ASEAN Work Programme on Community-Based
Care for the Elderly and the Framework ASEAN Work Programme on Social Welfare, Family
and Population. ASEAN also worked closely with Dialogue Partners in this area.
ASEAN and Japan discussed the development of human resources and the implications of
aging societies at the 2nd High-Level Of.cials Meeting on Caring Societies from 29 August to
2 September 2004 in Japan, organised by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The
focus was on possible collaboration in areas such as professional support in the health and
welfare sectors in addressing the needs of the elderly and disabled, as well as skills
development and training for the elderly and disabled.
22 The joint ASEAN-ROK project, “Home Care for the Older People in ASEAN Member
Countries”, continued its second year of implementation (having started in October 2003). Both government and NGOs are involved in the project. A partner NGO in each Member Country coordinates the work of project teams which implement homecare pilot projects at the national level. In April 2005, a regional-level training workshop was conducted in Seoul.
Youth
ASEAN’s priorities on youth continued to be guided by the Manila Declaration on
Strengthening
Participation in Sustainable Youth Employment and the ASEAN Work Programme on
Preparing ASEAN Youth for Sustainable Employment and Other Challenges of Globalisation.
Two projects under the Work Programme were implemented in 2004,namely, the ASEAN
Youth Leadership Development Programme’s activity on Training of Trainers and the 11th
ASEAN Youth Day Meeting held in August 2004 in Brunei Darussalam. In addition, the
Youth@ASEAN regional website (www.aseanyouth. org), set up under the work programme, continued to provide information on national and regional activities on youth development.
Officials responsible for youth affairs from ASEAN, China, Japan and the ROK convened their first ASEAN plus Three Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (SOMY) meeting in November
2004, following the 2nd SOMY. They agreed on the three areas to guide cooperation on youth development: (i) regional awareness and understanding; (ii) promoting youth employability and entrepreneurship; and (iii) youth leadership development. Specific ASEAN-China cooperation in the area of youth was also strengthened with the signing of the Beijing Declaration on
ASEAN-China Cooperation on Youth and the adoption of a joint action plan at the 1st
ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting on Youth held in September 2004 in Beijing. Youth exchanges facilitated through the Ship for South East Asia Youth Exchange Programme
23 (Japan) and the ASEAN-ROK Youth Exchange Programme (ROK) continued to be important
activities for youth development and networking.
Women
The Declaration on Elimination of Violence Against Women in the ASEAN Region, initiated
by the ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW), was adopted by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers
at the 37th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in June 2004. The ACW will now work with UNAIDS
to implement relevant priorities of the Declaration.
The ACW has prepared a work plan on women’s advancement and gender equality,
undertaking to address priorities such as gender integration, protecting vulnerable women,
promoting employability of women, and preparing women for globalisation over the next five
years (from 2005 to 2010).
The on-going project on Livelihood Management Training Programmes for ASEAN Women
will implement its final two activities in 2005, namely, on ICT Employment Opportunities and
Skills Development for Women and Training in Curriculum Development and Teaching and
Learning Aid Preparation.
Education
The activities of the ASEAN Committee on Education (ASCOE) and the ASEAN University
Network (AUN) complement ongoing regional initiatives to promote ASEAN awareness,
solidarity and identity in education institutions.
24 ASCOE remained focussed on its mission to promote ASEAN awareness in schools through
several recurring projects, for instance, the 5th ASEAN Students Exchange Programme at the
Secondary School Level in December 2004 and the ASEAN Mathematics and Science
Olympiad in December 2004.
Working with ASCOE, the secretariats of ASEAN and the Southeast Asia Ministers of
Education Organisation (SEAMEO) have been engaged in close consultations on SEAMEO-
ASEAN collaboration, in the context of pursuing the goals in line with the ASCC Plan of
Action.
University Networking
The AUN Programme effects networking among its seventeen member universities as well
with partner institutions in China, the EU, India, and the ROK. Student and faculty exchanges
were carried out through the AUN Educational Forum and the AUN Distinguished Scholars
Programme, on a cost-sharing basis among the participating AUN members. To date, seven
AUN Educational Forums and three AUN Distinguished Scholars Programmes have been
conducted. AUN participating universities also continued to offer scholarships to
undergraduate students of AUN/ASEAN universities. In addition, the AUN also organised
activities such as the ASEAN Youth Cultural Forum and the ASEAN Young Speakers Contest,
which now features as a key activity of AUN Educational Forums.
The AUN continues to address quality assurance (QA) in higher education through its AUNQA
Network which recently produced a set of guidelines for on AUN-QA practices for reference
by the AUN universities. The guidelines include common policies and criteria for quality
assurance in universities, benchmarking procedures, and QA assessment tools.
25 Two AUN-facilitated pilot research projects, with financial support from the ASEAN
Foundation, were completed in 2004 and two more projects are under preparation.
Human Resource Development
The ASEAN S&T Ministers signed the Declaration on the Establishment of the ASEAN
Virtual Institute of Science and Technology (AVIST) in November 2004. Since the launch of a
pilot project of the AVIST in May 2004, three training programmes covering the topics of
bioinformatics, ecotourism, and technology and innovation management were developed and
successfully tested. These three courses will be offered to public as of October 2005.
In the past year, COST and its sub-committees implemented ten training activities, including
two activities covering HACCP and Biotechnology HRD that were speci.cally designed for the
CLMV.
Science and Technology Cooperation
Cooperation in the field of science and technology was implemented on the basis of the
ASEAN Plan of Action on Science and Technology.
In the field of food sciences, the Protein Project continues to make progress. The Project on
Management and Utilization n of Food Waste Materials has been extended for another five
years ( 1983 - 1988 ). The Food Technology R & D Project started in July 1 982 for a period of
three years, the major objectives being to adapt, develop and apply appropriate technology for
the development of food processing industries in ASEAN.
The Project on the ASEAN Climatic Atlas and Compendium of Climatic Statistics/Map of
ASEAN was successfully finalised and a two-volume set containing the Climatic Atlas and
26 Compendium of Climatic Statistics were presented to the Fifteenth Ministerial Meeting in
Singapore.
The Project on the Environment has published "ASEAN- Heritage and Reserves" and finalised
the Action Plan on Environmental Education and Training.
In the field of energy cooperation, ASEAN is pursuing projects on biomass for heat and power,
energy conservation technologies, coal technologies and water pumping technologies.
HANOI, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The 62nd Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Science and
Technology (COST-62) opened on Wednesday in Vietnam's southern Ho Chi Minh City,
attracting more than 100 delegates from ASEAN member countries, reported the Vietnam
News Agency.
Addressing the conference, Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology (MOST) Nguyen
Quan said, ASEAN member countries have strong powers in science and technology, so they
can cooperate with one another. However, their path to develop science and technology is
different, so those with more developed level can support and assist the others.
The conference is a chance for regional science and technology ministers to review their
cooperation, as well as set forth plans of action to support activities in the fields, Quan said.
Evaluating Vietnam's development in science and technology, he said that the country is now in
the middle level of ASEAN countries. However, it has a contingent of staff having been trained
systematically in the developed countries.
The country's economic growth is not high, and its scientific and technological development is
modest compared to those in the region. That's why Vietnam needs to cooperate with their
27 partners for experience exchange and mutual support. Right now the country is in a shortage of
investment for its fast and sustainable development in science and technology, Quan added.
As scheduled, the COST-62 will be working on Wednesday and Thursday; on Friday there will
be a consultative meeting on cooperation in science and technology between the ASEAN and
New Zealand. The 14th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology (AMMST-
14) will take place on Saturday.
Vietnam chairs the ASEAN COST for the 2011-2012 term, which helps further highlight the
country's role and boost scientific and technological cooperation between Vietnam and ASEAN
member countries in the context that the bloc is facilitating its integration in all fields, reported
the MOST.
CONCLUSION
“The bilateral partnership between ASEAN and our partners is very important, very productive,
and both sides certainly take the relationship very seriously,” said Dr Surin Pitsuwan,
Secretary-General of ASEAN.
“Sound, more dynamic and sustainable economic relations with our partner countries has
28 benefitted our people in a lot of aspects,” he said at the 44th ASEAN Economic Ministers
(AEM) Meeting and Related Meetings in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
This benefit was evident during the sideline events of the AEM yesterday, as the economic
ministers from ASEAN Member States and Dialogue Partners. Dr Surin took the honor of
opening the ASEAN Garment and Textile Fair 2012 in Angkor COEX, where more than 100
companies from all over ASEAN region took part. Although all the companies are based in
ASEAN countries, not all of them originated from ASEAN.
“We are from Japan, but we have representative office in every country in ASEAN. We train
the locals to fix the machine, sew, and even build the machine. ASEAN is an important
investment destination for us, and capability building for the people is one of our investments,”
said Mr Felix Wong, Assistant Manager for Juki Singapore, supplier for sewing machine
technology, sewing equipment, and related products.
Artisan d’Angkor is a Cambodian company. With the help of the European Union, the
company has been able to provide young Cambodians with professional skills that could meet
market needs and thus allow them to find an interesting occupation.
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Asean.org. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
Kavi Chongkittavorn (16). "New chair Cambodia can reset Asean power". The Nation.
Retrieved 25 March 2012.
"IMF DataMapper". Imf.org. 4 December 1999. Archived from the original on 23 July
2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011
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