1. ASEAN Health Ministers pledge for greater collaboration in achieving healthy ASEAN, ASEAN Secretariat, 30 July 2010
2. ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Support Stronger Collaboration on Health Cooperation, ASEAN Secretariat, 30 July 2010
3. ASEAN and China Agree to collaborate in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 30 July 2010
4. 1^st ASEAN Maritime Forum Convened, ASEAN Secretariat, 30 July 2010
5. OECD and ASEAN to Strengthen Cooperation, ASEAN Secretariat, 29 July 2010
6. Assisting Young ASEAN Scientists, ASEAN Secretariat, 28 July 2010
7. ASEAN Centrality on Centre-Stage, Ha Noi, 23 July 2010
8. Foundation Laid for Action-Oriented ARF in Future, Ha Noi, 23 July 2010
9. ASEAN SG Receives Ambassador of Turkey, Ha Noi, 23 July 2010
10. US Here to Stay, Says Clinton, Ha Noi, 23 July 2010
11. Canada Urged to Enhance Engagement, Ha Noi, 23 July 2010
12. ASEAN Focuses on Green Energy, Da Lat, 23 July 2010
13. ASEAN SG Meets DPRK FM, Ha Noi, 22 July 2010
14. Discussing Preparations for Timor-Leste Membership to ASEAN, Ha Noi, 22 July 2010
15. EAS Ministers Recommend Vision Statement, Ha Noi, 22 July 2010
16. ASEAN Seeks to Protect and Promote Migrant Workers Rights, Ha Noi, 21 July 2010
17. Communicating the ASEAN Brand to its Citizens and Beyond, ASEAN Secretariat, 20 July 2010
18. ASEAN Post-Nargis Humanitarian Mandate in Myanmar Concludes, Ha Noi, 20 July 2010
19. ASEAN Centrality and EAS Tops AMM Agenda, Ha Noi, 20 July 2010
20. 15^th Anniversary of Viet Nam’s Accession to ASEAN, Ha Noi, 20 July 2010
21. Significant Achievements, Much Remains to be Done, Ha Noi, 20 July 2010
22. Closer Coordination on the ASEAN Political-Security Community, Ha Noi, 19 July 2010
23. Awards Ceremony for Viet Nam Radio Contest, Ha Noi, 19 July 2010
24. ASEAN Foreign Ministers to Convene 43rd Meeting, ASEAN Secretariat, 16 July 2010
25. ASEAN to Strengthen ICT Regulatory Cooperation, ASEAN Secretariat, 13 July 2010
26. ASEAN Secretariat, InWent Hold Dispute Settlement Training, ASEAN Secretariat, 6 July 2010
27. ASEAN Energy Shift towards Green Energy and Low Carbon Growth, Hua Hin, Thailand, 3 July 2010
28. Game on! – ASEAN Launches Computer Game, Singapore, 3 July 2010
29. Seeking Local Knowledge on Conservation, ASEAN Secretariat, 2 July 2010
30. Austrians Learn About ASEAN, ASEAN Secretariat, 1 July 2010

ASEAN Health Ministers pledge for greater collaboration in achieving healthy ASEAN
ASEAN Secretariat, 30 July 2010

The Health Ministers of ASEAN concluded their 10^th Meeting on 22 July 2010 in Singapore. Under the theme “Healthy People, Healthy ASEAN”, the Ministers pledged their readiness for greater collaboration and solidarity towards achieving the Vision for Healthy ASEAN 2020.

The Meeting endorsed the ASEAN Strategic Framework on Health Development (2010-2015) which focuses on four major areas: (i) food safety; (ii) access to health care services; (iii) communicable diseases; and (iv) pandemic preparedness and response. The Strategic Framework provides guidance for achieving strategic objectives on health development set by the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint.

During the Retreat held in the morning of 22 July 2010, the Health Ministers exchanged views on the status of the H1N1 pandemic in ASEAN and agreed to heighten ASEAN’s effort in providing better response to the pandemic by endorsing the establishment of the ASEAN Risk Communication Resource Centre in Malaysia and adopting the Minimum Standards on Joint Multisectoral Outbreak Investigation and Response.

The Health Ministers also acknowledged the need to increase people’s awareness on the risk of dengue transmission in ASEAN and agreed to designate 15 June as ASEAN Dengue Day, starting from 2011 .

In addition, the Health Ministers also recognised the need to strengthen healthcare services to ensure affordable and equitable healthcare for all ASEAN people.

The Meeting was chaired by Singapore Health Minister, H.E. Mr. Khaw Boon Wan. It was preceded by the Preparatory Senior Officials Meeting on 19 July 2010.

The Meeting adopted the Joint Statement of the Tenth ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting “Healthy People, Healthy ASEAN”.

The 11^th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting will be held in Thailand in 2012.

ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Support Stronger Collaboration on Health Cooperation
ASEAN Secretariat, 30 July 2010

In conjunction with the 10^th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting, the Health Ministers of ASEAN and Plus Three Countries, i.e. China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, convened the 4^th ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting on 23 July 2010 with the theme “Healthy People , Healthy Region”.

During the Roundtable Discussion session, the ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers exchanged views on how to ensure universal healthcare coverage as part of ongoing healthcare reform. The ASEAN side also raised the issue of how to move forward the cooperation with the full engagement of the Plus Three countries. The agreed areas are health promotion, capacity building for health professionals, field epidemiology, human resource development, infectious diseases, and traditional, complementary and alternative medicines. The Meeting also recognised the need for greater collaboration between animal and public health sectors.

The Meeting supported the idea of convening a planning meeting between the ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials on Health Development to discuss in depth the operationalisation of the agreed areas of cooperation.

The Meeting adopted the Terms of Reference for the ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Meeting on Health Development and the Joint Statement of the Fourth ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting.

The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, the Minister of Health of Singapore and H.E Mr. Chen Zhu, the Minister of Health of China. It was preceded by the Preparatory Senior Officials Meeting on 20 July 2010 The 5^th ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting will be held in Thailand in 2012.

ASEAN and China Agree to collaborate in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
ASEAN Secretariat, 30 July 2010

In conjunction with the 10th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting, the 3^rd ASEAN – China Health Ministers Meeting was held on 23 July 2010 in Singapore.

The Health Ministers of ASEAN and China had a roundtable discussion to identify key areas for future cooperation. The Meeting agreed to continue working together in the area of traditional medicines, considering its deep-rooted nature in both ASEAN and China. Recognising the challenges in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), such as improving the health status for mothers and children, the Meeting was of the view that sound health policies play an important role in meeting those challenges. The Meeting agreed to strengthen collaboration in health policy development with specific focus on primary health care, maternal and child health, and HIV and AIDS.

The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, Minister of Health of Singapore and H.E Chen Zhu, the Minister Health of China. It was preceded by the Preparatory Senior Officials Meeting on 20 July 2010.

The 4^th ASEAN – China Health Ministers Meeting will be held in Thailand in 2012.

1^st ASEAN Maritime Forum Convened
ASEAN Secretariat, 30 July 2010

The complexity of maritime issues in the Southeast Asia region is regarded as one of the region’s major concerns. The Declaration of ASEAN Concord II (Bali Concord II) signed by the ASEAN Leaders in Bali, Indonesia on 7 October 2003, reiterated that maritime issues and concerns are trans-boundary in nature, and therefore shall be addressed regionally in a holistic, integrated and comprehensive manner. Hence, the establishment of the ASEAN Maritime Forum (AMF) as stipulated in the ASEAN Political Security Community (APSC) Blueprint.

As a follow up to this proposal in the APSC Blueprint, Indonesia held the 1st AMF on 28-29 July 2010 in Surabaya, Indonesia. The Forum was officially opened by the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Mr Triyono Wibowo.

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General of ASEAN, the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, Mr Bagas Hapsoro, acknowledged the multi-dimensional nature of maritime aspects, such as the protection of the environment, security, navigation, and other security-related challenges. DSG Bagas also underscored the necessity to further enhance efforts to address maritime issues urgently in a comprehensive manner.

Although maritime issues are not something new for the Member States, they remain crucial in ASEAN community building efforts, he said.

This inaugural meeting of the AMF discussed cross cutting matters related to maritime, including topics such as connectivity, maritime security problems and search and rescue to assist persons and vessels in distress at sea. The meeting also discussed and identified future work of the AMF which includes, among others: updating the AMF Concept paper, identifying topics and planning for the next AMF and exploring possible concrete cooperation on maritime for further implementation.

The establishment of AMF is timely, in that it coincides with the implementation of the APSC Blueprint to enhance regional linkages that will eventually contribute to the fostering of the establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015. The Forum is hoped to produce inter-sectoral recommendations for reference of ASEAN sectoral bodies in addressing maritime related issues within its functions and responsibilities.

The discussions were chaired by the Director General of ASEAN Cooperation, Mr Djauhari Oratmangun. Experts such as Dr So Umezaki from the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA); Mr Bantarto Bandoro from President University, Indonesia; and Mr Robert C. Beckman from the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore, took part in the Forum. The Forum was attended by the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), ASEAN senior officials and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat

OECD and ASEAN to Strengthen Cooperation
ASEAN Secretariat, 29 July 2010

In an effort to further strengthen cooperation between ASEAN and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Mr Richard Boucher, OECD Deputy-Secretary General, visited the ASEAN Secretariat today and met the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community, Mr S. Pushpanathan.

During the meeting, the two Deputy Secretaries-General discussed some activities that are currently being explored by the ASEAN Secretariat and OECD Secretariat, including cooperation in regulatory reforms, investment policies and economic monitoring. They also acknowledged mutual interests in other areas, such as competitiveness and sustainable economic development.

Since May 2007, when the OECD Ministerial Council adopted a Resolution to expand OECD’s relations with Southeast Asia, the OECD has pursued a strategy of engagement following a dual-track approach, combining regional initiatives with country-specific work. The OECD’s regional initiatives have so far been focused on corporate governance, labour and employment, science, technology and innovation, and regional integration.

To date, ASEAN and OECD have organised two regional forums to strengthen cooperation between the two organisations, namely the 1st OECD-Southeast Asia Regional Forum on “Peer Review Mechanism for Policy Reform” in January 2007 in Jakarta, and the 2nd OECD-Southeast Asian Regional Forum on “Enhancing Competitiveness through Regional Integration” in April 2009 in Bangkok.

Other joint-activities in the pipeline include “ASEAN Special Dialogues with the OECD” in October in Paris and the “ASEAN-OECD South East Asia Investment Policy Conference” in November in Jakarta. Preparations are also underway for the joint collaboration on “Southeast Asian Economic Outlook Report” in 2012.

Assisting Young ASEAN Scientists
ASEAN Secretariat, 28 July 2010

The Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, yesterday met Mr Arwin Rasyid, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Niaga, at the ASEAN Secretariat to thank the CIMB Group for their funding support to help ASEAN young researchers to take part in the 60th Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany, from 27 June – 3 July 2010.

Ten talented individuals from ASEAN studying and doing research in the fields of chemistry, physics and medicine/physiology were given a once in a lifetime experience to meet, discuss and exchange views with over 60 Nobel-prize winners from the three science disciplines. They also had the opportunity to connect with some 650 young scientists from all over the world.

Dr Surin said the students have provided very positive feedback on their experiences. He said, “Our ASEAN participants have told us that they had benefitted tremendously from the meeting, which left a deep impression in their minds. They felt very inspired and motivated by what they saw and heard, and took the opportunity to link with other young scientists for collaborative projects. This was the start of a lifelong friendship for many of them.”

“We are very grateful to CIMB for their contribution, without which some of these ASEAN students might have faced difficulties in participating in the meeting in Lindau. We hope that more companies and organisations will actively participate and join hands with us to build a strong science and technology community in this region to benefit ASEAN and beyond.”

To read about the participants’ experiences, please click here.

ASEAN Centrality on Centre-Stage
Ha Noi, 23 July 2010

The 43^rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings that concluded this afternoon in Ha Noi saw discussions on the evolving regional architecture taking centre stage. ASEAN Dialogue Partners, in all the fora throughout the series of meeting this week, reaffirmed their unequivocal support for ASEAN Centrality. In addition, they expressed the hope that ASEAN would continue to play a central role in the emerging regional architecture.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, kicking off the annual meetings, had called on the region to be more proactive in recommending and undertaking measures to enhance the operational efficiency of ASEAN-led wider regional cooperation frameworks. Premier Nguyen Tan Dung was referring to the ASEAN Plus Three, the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). “The guiding principle throughout this process is to support the goal of building the ASEAN Community and ensuring the central role of the Association,” he said in his Keynote Address at the Opening Ceremony of the AMM.

Taking the cue, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers welcomed the expressed interest of the Russian Federation and the United States to join the East Asia Summit (EAS). They will now recommend to the ASEAN Leaders at the 17^th ASEAN Summit in Ha Noi in October 2010 to formally make the decision on inviting the two countries to join the EAS. With this move, the Foreign Ministers reaffirmed ASEAN Centrality as well as the established objectives and principles of the EAS as a Leaders-led forum.

ASEAN Centrality was also reaffirmed in the regional security architecture when the Foreign Ministers supported the decision of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) to convene the first ADMM Plus in Ha Noi in October 2010. In their Joint Communiqué, the Foreign Ministers said that they reaffirmed the importance of the ADMM Plus as an important component of a robust, effective, open and inclusive regional security architecture. This mechanism would complement the work of the ARF and help ensure ASEAN Centrality in regional efforts to deal with security issues.

In recognition of the central role of ASEAN in the region and its constructive contributions, both the EAS and the 11th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting expressed their full support for Viet Nam as the current Chair of ASEAN to participate in the forthcoming G-20 Summit in the Republic of Korea later this year. They also reiterated their strong support for the regularisation of the participation of ASEAN Chairman in future G-20 Summits.

Meanwhile, the 17^th ARF Meeting reaffirmed that the ARF remained the key forum to discuss political and security issues in the region. The 27 Ministers gathered at the table supported ASEAN's role as the driving force in the ARF process and underscored the importance of the ARF in the evolving regional architecture. However, the ARF would need to become more action-oriented in addressing multi-dimensional challenges, especially the non-traditional security threats that directly impact peace and security in the region in order to maintain its relevance. The Ha Noi Plan of Action to Implement the ARF Vision Statement adopted at the Meeting aims to do this.

According to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, the reaffirmation by ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners was a clear signal that more countries appreciate ASEAN’s leading role in the regional architecture. “The week has again demonstrated our drawing power and that ASEAN can contribute,” said Dr Surin Pitsuwan.

Cooperation with ASEAN Dialogue Partners was evidently enhanced at this AMM. Both Canada and Turkey acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), signalling their commitment to strengthening cooperation with ASEAN and to peace and security in the region. A more inclusive nature of the TAC was heralded by the signing of the Third Protocol to the TAC during the week as the entry into force of the Protocol would enable regional organisations whose members are sovereign states to accede to the TAC. The Protocol would facilitate the accession of the EU/EC to the TAC. Other countries have also requested to accede to the TAC.

ASEAN’s engagement with its external partners is also expected to get a boost with the convening of several high-profile Summits in the coming one to two years and the adoption of Plans of Action. For example, the first ever ASEAN-Australia Summit and the ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit will be held back-to-back with the 17^th ASEAN Summit in October 2010. The 20th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations would be marked in 2011, while the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit will be held in 2012 to mark 20 years of relations. Plans of Action with China, India and the Republic of Korea are all scheduled to be adopted at the October Summit.

Aside from the political front, the 43^rd AMM also marked the successful conclusion of the mandate of the ASEAN-led post-Nargis coordination in Myanmar. The Foreign Ministers agreed to officially end the operations of the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force (AHTF) for the Victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar by 31 July 2010. In acknowledging the importance institutionalising the experience and knowledge gained, the Foreign Ministers agreed that the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) will be established in Jakarta in the first half of 2011. The responsibility of coordinating and utilising assistance from the international community in the post-Nargis recovery efforts will now be taken over by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement of the Government of Myanmar.

Foundation Laid for Action-Oriented ARF in Future
Ha Noi, 23 July 2010

The region’s premier security forum, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), today adopted a Plan of Action aimed at making the forum more action-oriented in the future. The Ha Noi Plan of Action to Implement the ARF Vision Statement, which contains policy guidance for the ARF to develop and implement concrete and practical actions toward the year 2020, was adopted by the 17^th ARF Meeting in Ha Noi.

The Plan of Action represents an evolution in the ARF, aimed at making the forum more action-oriented in addressing multi-dimensional challenges, especially the non-traditional security threats that have direct impact on peace and security in the region. Six areas of cooperation are identified in the Plan of Action as the basis for future ARF work, namely disaster relief; counter terror and transnational crime; maritime security; non-proliferation and disarmament; peacekeeping operations; and defence dialogue. The way forward for the ARF to implement preventive diplomacy and the enhancement of ARF’s institutional features are also given primary attention in the Plan of Action.

The Plan of Action is based on the ARF Vision Statement which was adopted at the 16^th ARF in Phuket, Thailand, in July 2009. The Vision Statement aimed to enhance cooperation and promote a more effective security partnership among the ARF participants.

Noting the going discussions on the various proposals on the regional architecture in East Asia and the Asia-Pacific, the ARF Ministers reiterated support for ASEAN's central role in the existing regional mechanisms as well as in an evolving regional architecture. The Meeting welcomed the convening of the 1^st ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) to be held in October 2010 in Viet Nam and underscored the importance of the envisaged ADMM Plus complementing the work of the ARF.

The 17^th ARF wrapped up the series of week-long meetings held here in Ha Noi. A Signing Ceremony was held for Canada and Turkey to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of 1976. In addition, the Third Protocol to Amend the TAC, which would allow the accession of international organisations, whose members are sovereign states to the TAC, was also inked. The Protocol would facilitate the accession of the EU/EC to the TAC.

ASEAN SG Receives Ambassador of Turkey
Ha Noi, 23 July 2010

Ambassador of Turkey to ASEAN, Mr Aydin Evirgen (left) presents his Letter of Credentials to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan (right), while the Foreign Minister of Turkey, Prof. Dr Ahmet Davutoglu, looks on.

The Secretary-General of ASEAN today received the Letter of Credentials of the Ambassador of Turkey to ASEAN, Mr Aydin Evirgen.

Ambassador Evirgen, who is the current Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey to Indonesia since 2005, was previously the Deputy Director General of South Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkey.

The presentation of credentials, which took place at the sidelines of the 17^th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), currently taking place in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, was witnessed by the Foreign Minister of Turkey, Prof. Dr Ahmet Davutoglu and the Ambassador of Turkey to Viet Nam, Mr Ates Oktem.

The 17^th ARF is being held in conjunction with the 43^rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Related Meetings, which concludes today.

US Here to Stay, Says Clinton
Ha Noi, 23 July 2010

The US has reiterated its strong commitment to ASEAN and reaffirmed its pledge to further strengthen ASEAN-US relations.

In a clarion call, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said, “If you may recall my message last year, I said that the US is back, and now here I am to confirm that we are back and we are here to stay!” Secretary Clinton relayed the message during the ASEAN-US Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) held in Ha Noi on 22 July 2010.

At the PMC, both ASEAN and US reviewed the overall progress of the ASEAN-US dialogue cooperation for the past one year since their last PMC +1 in July 2009 in Phuket, Thailand and expressed satisfaction over the successful implementation of the Plan of Action and the Joint Statement of the 1^st ASEAN-US Leaders Meeting.

The US, in reaffirming its commitment to assist ASEAN, including increasing its assistance, said that strong institutions like ASEAN could help the US in maintaining peace and stability in the region. The US also reaffirmed its stand to engage in the East Asia Summit (EAS) process and the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus mechanism with ASEAN playing a central role in these regional architectures.

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers, in the Joint Communiqué of the 43^rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on 20 July, had welcomed the expressed interest of the US, and the Russian Federation, to join the EAS. They will now recommend to the ASEAN Leaders at the 17^th ASEAN Summit in Ha Noi in October 2010 to formally make the decision on inviting the two countries to join the EAS. With this move, the Foreign Ministers reaffirmed ASEAN Centrality as well as the established objectives and principles of the EAS as a Leaders-led forum.

Canada Urged to Enhance Engagement, Ha Noi, 23 July 2010

Canada has been urged to enhance its engagement with ASEAN now that it would be acceding to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of 1976. In a bilateral meeting with Canada’s Minister of Foreign Minister, Mr Lawrence Cannon, at the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting/Post-Ministerial Conferences/17th ASEAN Regional Forum in Ha Noi yesterday, the Secretary-General of ASEAN said the region would welcome Canada’s greater involvement with ASEAN. Dr Surin Pitsuwan suggested that Canada consider cooperation with ASEAN on issues such connectivity, control of pandemic diseases and on human rights.

Earlier, at the Post Ministerial Conference with Canada, the Ministers adopted the Plan of Action to Implement the Declaration on ASEAN-Canada Enhanced Partnership for 2011-2015. They also agreed to work toward an ASEAN-Canada Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) to enhance trade and investment relations.

ASEAN welcomed Canada’s signing of the Instrument of Accession to the TAC, which, the Foreign Ministers said, marks another significant progress in the dialogue relationship, as well as Canada’s commitment to peace, stability and cooperation in the region.

A signing ceremony would be held just before the Closing Ceremony of the week-long meetings on 23 July 2010.

ASEAN Focuses on Green Energy
Da Lat, 23 July 2010

The ASEAN energy sector has been urged to focus on providing support for greener economic activities to maintain sustainable development in the region. This includes the region’s flagship projects on electricity, gas and oil pipelines, energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean development mechanism, the Prime Minister of Viet Nam said yesterday.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the 28^th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) in Da Lat, Viet Nam, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung commended the AMEM for setting “Energy and Climate Change” as the theme for the 28^th AMEM. This, he said, clearly demonstrated ASEAN cooperation priorities and commitment to action for sustainable development and in addressing global and regional pressing challenges. He also called for a stronger engagement with the private sector, dialogue partners and international community to develop low carbon economies.

In his Opening Remarks, the Prime Minister highlighted that “during the past years, ASEAN members have shown a strong sense of unity and been working closely together for the implementation of new initiatives and cooperation programmes in different fields and for realising the ASEAN Charter and building the ASEAN Community.” He wished the ASEAN Energy Ministers and Heads of Delegation fruitful discussions and looked forward initiatives and measures to realise the energy priority objectives in 2010.

The 7^th ASEAN+3 Energy Ministers Meeting and the 4^th East Asia Summit (EAS) Energy Ministers Meeting were also held back-to-back with the AMEM.

ASEAN SG Meets DPRK FM
Ha Noi, 22 July 2010

ASEAN is willing to contribute towards maintaining peace and security on the Korean peninsula, the Secretary-General of ASEAN said today.

At a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Mr Pak Ui-chun, at the sidelines of the 43^rd AMM/PMC/ARF meetings being held in Ha Noi, Dr Surin said, “We want to contribute in a small way. We think we can contribute.” Dr Surin said ASEAN is a friend of the DPRK and as such stands ready to assist in any way possible towards bringing peace and stability to the Korean peninsula.

Dr Surin also encouraged the DPRK to consider appointing its Ambassador to ASEAN following the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter which provides for the accreditation of Ambassadors to ASEAN from non-ASEAN Member States.

Noting that the Foreign Minister would be visiting Indonesia shortly, Dr Surin extended an invitation to FM Pak to also visit the ASEAN Secretariat, which is based in Jakarta.

FM Pak said ASEAN had achieved great success especially in economic development, unity, and regional peace and stability while respecting the principles of non-interference, equality and respect for sovereignty. ASEAN’s position over the last 43 years since its inception has been enhanced and its role has been influential, he added.

The Foreign Minister also informed Dr Surin that the DPRK has been celebrating ASEAN Day, which falls on 8 August, every year, and would continue to do so this year with all the ASEAN Ambassadors in the capital Pyongyang.

FM Pak is in Ha Noi to attend the 17^th ASEAN Regional Forum on 23 July. The DPRK joined the ARF in 2000.

Discussing Preparations for Timor-Leste Membership to ASEAN
Ha Noi, 22 July 2010

The Foreign Minister of Timor-Leste, Zacarias da Costa, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, met this morning to discuss Timor-Leste’s ongoing preparations to join ASEAN.

During the bilateral meeting held at the sidelines of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Ha Noi, Dr Surin emphasised the ASEAN Secretariat’s support to assist Timor-Leste in its preparations for ASEAN membership. “We are also happy to assist Timor-Leste’s participation in relevant functional cooperation activities of ASEAN,” he said.

The Secretary-General also welcomed the accreditation of Mr Manuel Serrano as Timor-Leste’s Ambassador to ASEAN. Ambassador Serrano is also Timor-Leste’s Ambassador to Indonesia. The accreditation is currently awaiting approval from the ASEAN Foreign Ministers together with several others.

Timor-Leste, which is a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum, is preparing to host the ARF Experts and Eminent Persons (EEPs) meeting in the capital Dili in December 2010.

EAS Ministers Recommend Vision Statement
Ha Noi, 22 July 2010

In marking the 5^th anniversary of the East Asia Summit (EAS), the EAS Foreign Ministers’ Informal Consultations held in Ha Noi yesterday recommended that the 5^th EAS in October 2010 issue an EAS Vision Statement. The Vision Statement, among others, will emphasise the fundamental principles of the EAS and chart out the future direction of the forum.

In addition, taking a cue from the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting held on 20 July, the EAS Ministers welcomed the interest of the Russian Federation and the United States to join the EAS. They also welcomed ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ recommendation to the ASEAN Leaders at the 17th ASEAN Summit in Ha Noi in October 2010 to formally make the decision on inviting the Russian Federation and the United States to join the EAS with appropriate arrangements and timing. They emphasised that such arrangements should be based on the promotion of existing EAS agenda and priorities.

The EAS Ministers, in a Chairman’s Statement released after the meeting, expressed their full support for the current Chair of ASEAN, Viet Nam, and subsequent ASEAN Chairs to participate in the forthcoming and future G-20 Summits. This was in recognition of the central role of ASEAN in the region and its constructive contributions.

In terms of specific areas, the Meeting agreed on the importance of promoting science and innovation cooperation aimed at raising the capability of research and development. The EAS currently has five priority areas, namely finance, energy, education, avian flu prevention and disaster management. They also supported the establishment of an East Asia Environmental Education Centre in Viet Nam as agreed by the 1^st EAS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in October 2008. They also agreed to work further on the initiative to convene an East Asia Forum on Climate Change as proposed by Viet Nam.

Meanwhile, at the 11^th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held earlier, the Ministers noted recent developments in the ASEAN Plus Three regional financial cooperation such as the realisation of the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) and the on-going preparation for the ASEAN Plus Three Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), which is to be set up in the first quarter of 2011 in Singapore. The agreement of the 13^th ASEAN Plus Three Finance Ministers’ Meeting in May 2010 to endorse the establishment of the ASEAN Plus Three Bond Market Forum and establish the Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility was also noted by the Ministers in the ASEAN Plus Three Chairman’s Statement.

The Plus Three Foreign Ministers reaffirmed the importance of ensuring food and energy security and in this regard welcomed the decision to create the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve as a permanent mechanism to ensure rice security in the region and intention to develop a comprehensive strategy on sustainable and integrated food and bio-fuels production and consumption. While they reaffirmed the need to strengthen cooperation in addressing threats of disease outbreaks, the Ministers expressed satisfaction with the successful completion of the ASEAN Plus Three Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Programme Phase II and looked forward to the commencement of the next phase. The Ministers also welcomed efforts to develop an ASEAN Roadmap on Control of Avian Influenza to ensure the attainment of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza-free ASEAN by 2020.

ASEAN Seeks to Protect and Promote Migrant Workers Rights
ASEAN Secretariat, 21 July 2010

About 13.5 million migrant workers from ASEAN Member States have fanned out to work in other countries across the globe. Of this number, over 5 million are working within ASEAN. As part of ASEAN’s commitment to protect and promote the rights of migrant workers, the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (ACMW) convened the 3rd ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour in Ha Noi from 19 to 21 July 2010. This year’s Forum carried the theme “Enhancing Awareness and Information Services to Protect the Rights of Migrant Workers”.

Participated by Labour officials and representatives of workers and employers organisations and NGOs from ASEAN Member States, in addition to experts from international organisations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Forum served as a platform for stakeholders to develop common understanding on the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders in enhancing awareness and information services to better protect and promote the rights of migrant workers. The Forum also provided the opportunity to highlight experiences in providing appropriate information services to promote and protect the rights of migrant workers, and in this process, encourage the documentation and sharing of good practices and lessons learned. In addition, participants to the Forum also developed recommendations with regard to the provision of information services on safe migration for decent work (pre-employment, pre-departure and at destination) by different stakeholders to safeguard the rights of migrant workers and to curb the trafficking and smuggling of migrant workers.

The recommendations, among others, called for ASEAN to ensure that information services are more accessible to migrants and reflect their specific and diverse needs. In this regard, ASEAN should pursue the use of varied delivery channels for pre-employment, pre-departure and on-site information, including schools and training institutions, migrant community representatives, the media and public information campaigns. ASEAN also needs to strengthen and raise the visibility of labour attachés and consulate staff in collecting and providing information, and responding to rights violations against migrant workers. These should be achieved through close engagement with the migrant community and employers, and in cooperation with authorities of the host countries.

The Forum also strongly encouraged the ASEAN Secretariat, national and regional stakeholders and international organisations to facilitate the sharing of good practices in the provision of information and services, promote the development and use of user-friendly information materials between and among ASEAN Member States. Increasing migrant workers’ ease of access to and understanding of publicly available information on laws, guidelines and other information materials produced by governments of sending and receiving states was also encouraged.

The Fourth ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour will be held in Indonesia in the second half of 2011.

Communicating the ASEAN Brand to its Citizens and Beyond
ASEAN Secretariat, 20 July 2010

Communicating the ASEAN message to its peoples is vital if the region is to achieve its vision of an ASEAN Community by 2015. The people of ASEAN would need to be connected and excited about ASEAN, but communicating the message remains a challenge, said the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

Ever since the coming into force of the ASEAN Charter and the establishment of the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community, there have been greater calls for ASEAN to improve its communication frameworks and implementation. “When our Leaders convened in Singapore, they said that ASEAN has to communicate the ASEAN Charter to its people. In order to do this, we need to have a unified message and an effective delivery mechanism to communicate our dream, our vision and our mission to the people of ASEAN and beyond,” Dr Surin Pitsuwan said when opening the Branding ASEAN Workshop held in Jakarta recently.

The workshop provided the participants an opportunity to brainstorm on defining the current perception of ASEAN, formulated the intended perception of ASEAN and defined the target groups of audience. The participants also discussed how they could help market ASEAN as a brand reflecting stability, peace and prosperity. It was attended by members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN; representatives from the ASEAN Foundation, the ASEAN Inter Parliamentary Assembly and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council; and staff of the ASEAN Secretariat.

The workshop was supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, through its implementing agency, InWEnt Capacity Building International, Germany. Dr Annika Bolten-Drutschmann, the First Secretary (Political Affairs) of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany said ASEAN’s determination will not go unsupported. “Our experience of regional integration in Europe suggests that for a strong regional body, public support and understanding are key. Hence, Germany strongly supports ASEAN’s desire to foster its expertise in public relations. Through branding and enhancing its communication with the people of ASEAN, the region will become an even stronger regional partner for Germany and the European Union,” she added.

The workshop was conducted by communication and branding experts from the Publicis Groupe, the world’s third biggest international communication network. The trainers, Mr Ralf Loeffler and Mr Franz-Josef Gemein, are the Managing Directors for Publicis Brand Consultancy and Publicis Public Conversation respectively.

ASEAN Post-Nargis Humanitarian Mandate in Myanmar Concludes
Ha Noi, 20 July 2010

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers today agreed to conclude the mandate of the ASEAN-led post-Nargis coordination in Myanmar. Noting the completion report of the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force for the Victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (AHTF), the Foreign Ministers agreed to officially end the operations of the AHTF and the Tripartite Core Group (comprising the Government of Myanmar, ASEAN and the United Nations) in Myanmar by 31 July 2010.

The ASEAN-led coordinating mechanism in Myanmar was established by the Foreign Ministers at their special meeting in Singapore in May 2008 in the wake of Cyclone Nargis that made landfall in Myanmar on 2 and 3 May 2008.

Commenting on the completion report delivered by the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, as the Chair of the AHTF during the AMM in Ha Noi, Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo, who had chaired the special meeting said, “Looking back, Nargis has helped shaped ASEAN today. This is something that we can be proud of and we thank Dr Surin and the people around him for the job well done.”

Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win also informed the other Foreign Ministers on the progress of recovery of the Nargis-affected population and on the role played by the TCG. On behalf of the Government, the Foreign Minister thanked the ASEAN Member States for all their contributions and support to the post-Nargis response.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa also expressed his gratitude to the Myanmar Government for allowing ASEAN to draw lessons from the entire exercise, saying that, “With the lessons learnt, we feel assured that ASEAN will be in a better shape to respond to future disasters.”

In their Joint Communiqué issued at the end of the AMM, the Foreign Ministers underlined the importance to institutionalise the experience and knowledge gained and agreed that the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre) be established in Jakarta.

The Foreign Ministers further noted that the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement of the Government of Myanmar will take over the responsibility of coordinating and utilising assistance from the international community in the post-Nargis recovery efforts.

ASEAN Centrality and EAS Tops AMM Agenda
Ha Noi, 20 July 2010

Interest in the East Asia Summit (EAS) was one of the major issues at the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) with the ASEAN Foreign Ministers today saying they would recommend to the ASEAN Leaders to formally make the decision on inviting the Russian Federation and the United States to join the EAS. The recommendations, detailing appropriate arrangements and timing among others, would be made to the ASEAN Leaders at the 17th ASEAN Summit in Ha Noi, said the Foreign Ministers in a Joint Communiqué issued at the end of the AMM. Both the Russian Federation and the US had expressed their interest to join the EAS.

Such arrangements should be based on the promotion of existing EAS agenda and priorities, said the Foreign Ministers, while reaffirming ASEAN Centrality as well as the established objectives and principles of the EAS as a Leaders-led forum.

The Foreign Ministers agreed to recommend the 5th EAS to take stock of the EAS achievements and set out directions for its future development and to issue a statement on its 5th anniversary.

In their deliberations, the Foreign Ministers also stressed the importance to maintain ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture. To this end, they agreed to intensify efforts to accelerate ASEAN’s integration and community building while proactively broadening and deepening ASEAN’s external relations and strengthening ASEAN’s role as the primary driving force in the existing regional mechanisms.

The Foreign Ministers welcomed the accession by Canada and Turkey to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). The accession, the Foreign Ministers said, characterised their commitment to strengthening cooperation with ASEAN and to peace and security in the region. They also welcomed the signing of the Third Protocol amending the TAC which is scheduled to take place on 23 July 2010 in Ha Noi. The entry into force of the Protocol will enable accession by the EU/EC to the Treaty.

Please click here for the Joint Communiqué of the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.

15^th Anniversary of Viet Nam’s Accession to ASEAN
Ha Noi, 20 July 2010

Viet Nam is happy and proud that it has joined hands with the other ASEAN Member States in laying down firm foundations for the realisation of an ASEAN Community by 2015, says Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

In his keynote address at the Opening Ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Related Meetings, the Prime Minister highlighted that the AMM currently taking place in Ha Noi coincides with the celebration of the 15th anniversary of Viet Nam’s accession to ASEAN. “Throughout our journey with ASEAN, Viet Nam has rapidly integrated into and positively contributed to the development of the Association,” he said today.

Highlighting the contribution of Viet Nam to ASEAN since its accession 15 years ago, the Prime Minister said that it is Viet Nam’s consistent policy to participate in ASEAN cooperation in a “proactive, positive and responsible” manner, thus contributing to building a strong and closely integrated ASEAN, serving as the core of an evolving regional architecture.

To mark the event, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Viet Nam News Agency co-organised a photo exhibition themed “Viet Nam – ASEAN, Imprints of 15 Years”. The Opening Ceremony held at the National Convention Centre - the venue of the AMM - was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Viet Nam, H.E. Pham Gia Khiem, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan.

Writing earlier for a congratulatory message on the 15^th anniversary of Viet Nam’s accession to ASEAN, Dr Surin had said that it is very timely that Viet Nam celebrates its 15^th anniversary with ASEAN while it is also holding the Association’s Chairmanship. With “Towards the ASEAN Community: From Vision to Action” as its theme, Viet Nam has made it clear that ASEAN is one of the main focuses of Viet Nam’s foreign policy. Elevating ASEAN’s profile and raising the Association’s voice and prestige in the international arena is high on Viet Nam’s agenda, wrote Dr Surin.

According to the Secretary-General, Viet Nam, true to its Chairmanship theme, has demonstrated the region’s ongoing efforts in integration. “Viet Nam is hand in hand with its nine other fellow Member States making ASEAN more and more recognised internationally as an effective regional body with practical accomplishments and resilience,” he noted.

“The peoples of ASEAN certainly thank Viet Nam and its strong leadership for all the contributions it had made for the past 15 years. We hope that Viet Nam will continue to play its role in making the region a better home for its 592 million people in the years to come,” said Dr Surin.

Significant Achievements, Much Remains to be Done
Ha Noi, 20 July 2010

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung today called on the region to undertake concrete measures to enhance intra-regional cooperation, and at the same time foster cooperation within wider regional frameworks. ASEAN must also actively contribute to the joint efforts of the international community, he said.

Delivering his keynote address at the Opening Ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Related Meetings, the Prime Minister of Viet Nam, as the current chair of ASEAN, said, “I hope that the Foreign Ministers will intensify discussions and effective cooperation with sectoral ministers and relevant partners in addressing these challenges”.

Being a responsible member of the international community, the Prime Minister outlined the financial and economic crisis, climate change, natural disasters, pandemics and the depletion of natural resources as current global challenges.

Noting that the achievements of ASEAN to date are enormous and of great significance, the Prime Minister, however, cautioned “that much remains to be done in order to realise the goals of the ASEAN Community, a community that is politically harmonious, economically integrated and socially responsible”. He also highlighted several other issues that he said would require the attention of the region, including the maintenance of peace and security in Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific and the promotion of ASEAN external relations.

Please click here for Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s Keynote Address at the Opening Ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Related Meetings.

Closer Coordination on the ASEAN Political-Security Community
Ha Noi, 19 July 2010

Closer regional cooperation on security matters is on the cards, after the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council meeting in Ha Noi today noted a proposal by the ASEAN Chair, Viet Nam, to host a Meeting of the ASEAN Chiefs of Homeland Security in the future. The region’s senior officials are now expected to flesh out the details of this new mechanism.

Among other issues, the 4th Meeting of the APSC Council today also reviewed the recent developments on areas under the purview of the APSC, which include the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus 8. The ADMM Plus 8 framework represents ASEAN’s efforts to engage its Dialogue Partners on regional defence and security issues. The APSC also welcomed the progress made on the ASEAN Security Outlook, which aims to promote greater transparency and understanding of defence policies and security perceptions.

Stressing the importance of enhancing coordination within the overall APSC pillar, especially on cross-cutting issues, the APSC called for the creation of synergies between the ASEAN Regional Forum and the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting.

The APSC also agreed to work on the ASEAN Declaration on Humanitarian Assistance to People and Vessels in Distress at Sea.

The APSC Meeting comes ahead of the beginning of the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, which will commence tomorrow. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers will proceed to the Informal Working Dinner this evening.

Earlier, the Commission for the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) met and reviewed the progress of implementation of the Plan of Action to strengthen the implementation of the SEANWFZ Treaty. The Plan of Action identifies measures and actions which State Parties to the Treaty shall endeavour to pursue from 2007 to2012.

Building upon the momentum of the global nuclear agenda currently over the past one year, the Commission decided to intensify efforts to encourage the accession to the Protocol of the SEANWFZ Treaty by the Nuclear Weapon States. The profile of the SEANWFZ in multilateral fora and international organisations was raised recently when Viet Nam, as the Chair of the SEANWFZ Commission, had on behalf of ASEAN delivered a Statement at the 2010 Review Conference of the Treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in New York on 4 May 2010. The Statement, among others, had expressed ASEAN’s belief that NWFZ’s constitute an important measure to strengthen nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament and that the ASEAN Member States would continue to work with the Nuclear Weapons States towards their early signing of the SEANWFZ Protocol and expand cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

This comes in the wake of the adoption of two ASEAN-sponsored Resolutions on the SEANWFZ Treaty at the 62nd and 64th session of the UN General Assembly on 5 December 2007 and 2 December 2009 respectively. Both Resolutions reiterate the important contributions of the Treaty towards strengthening the security of States in the region and towards enhancing international peace and security as a whole.

Awards Ceremony for Viet Nam Radio Contest
Ha Noi, 19 July 2010

Although the vision for the region is laid down by officials, its accomplishment would very much depend on the efforts of the people – and that would only be possible if the message is communicated efficiently to its citizens. That was the urgent call from the Secretary-General of ASEAN in Ha Noi today at the Awards Ceremony for the Voice of Viet Nam’s “ASEAN Community of Solidarity and Prosperity” radio contest.

“The dreams of an integrated ASEAN will not be a reality until the people get involved,” said Dr Surin Pitsuwan. “Hence, the significance of this radio contest, which aimed to propagate the idea and vision of ASEAN to the people of the region,” he continued.

As part of a series of activities to promote ASEAN awareness during Viet Nam’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2010, the Voice of Viet Nam (VOV), in coordination with the National Committee for ASEAN, had launched a radio contest from 8 January to 15 June with weekly quiz questions and essays. The contest, according to the Organising Committee of the contest, had drawn entries from different parts of the country, neighbouring Lao PDR and even as far as Yunnan in China. The participants came from the whole spectrum of society, including students, soldiers, pensioners and veterans.

Some of the winners said that through the contest, they had learnt a lot about Viet Nam’s ASEAN neighbours and also the vision of establishing an ASEAN Community by 2015. The VOV, with its coverage of more than 99 % of the country’s population, has said that they would be organising more such activities to contribute towards the improvement of ASEAN awareness among the Vietnamese people.

The awards ceremony was attended by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, dignitaries from the VOV, representatives from embassies of ASEAN Member States and members of the Vietnamese media.

Ha Noi is currently hosting the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the Post-Ministerial Conferences and the 17th ASEAN Regional Forum until 23 July.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers to Convene 43rd Meeting
ASEAN Secretariat, 16 July 2010

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers are to meet from 19 – 23 July in the Vietnamese capital of Ha Noi for the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM). The series of meetings will also see the convening of the Post Ministerial Conferences, where the ASEAN Ministers meet their counterparts from ASEAN Dialogue Partners, and the 17th ASEAN Regional Forum.

Discussions on ASEAN community building, the regional architecture and the implementation of the ASEAN Charter are all expected to feature on the agenda of the AMM on 19-20 July.

The five-year Work Plan of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) is also expected to be approved.

At the PMCs, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers will meet their counterparts from the Plus Three Countries (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea), in addition to Australia, Canada, the European Union, India, New Zealand, Russia and the United States. Among other topics, they will be discussing dialogue partnership commemorative Summits in the coming two years.

At the 17th ARF, ASEAN Member States and 17 other participating countries are expected to adopt the Ha Noi Plan of Action to Implement the ARF Vision Statement. The Plan of Action will drive the ARF’s deliberation and course of actions in the next decade. Six areas of cooperation are identified in the PoA as the basis for ARF future work, namely disaster relief, counter-terrorism – transnational crime, maritime security, non-proliferation and disarmament, peacekeeping operations and defense dialogue.

Looking forward to the series of meetings, the Secretary-General of ASEAN said that with the focus of the world on East Asia, the AMM and related meetings with ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners represents a testimony to the central role played by the region in the regional architecture. Dr Surin also said that the meetings demonstrated Viet Nam’s steering role as the Chair of ASEAN in the region’s ongoing efforts in integration and in making ASEAN more recognised internationally.

Click here for the 43rd AMM official page.

ASEAN to Strengthen ICT Regulatory Cooperation
ASEAN Secretariat, 13 July 2010

An efficient and strong cooperation on ICT would better serve ASEAN consumers in the future and at the same time accelerate the growth and development of the industry. With this in mind, a Record of Intent (ROI) on a Cooperation Framework for the ASEAN Telecommunication Regulators’ Council (ATRC) was adopted at the 16th ATRC Meeting, which concluded on 9 July 2010 in Ha Noi. The Framework is also expected to enhance the ATRC’s international visibility.

The scope of cooperation under ROI includes coordination of telecommunications standards and radio frequency; development of telecommunications regulatory practices; and development of international telecommunications policy strategies. The ROI also encompasses collaboration on projects and capacity-building initiatives, and sharing of experiences on telecommunications regulation.

In his Welcome Remarks at the meeting, the Permanent Vice Minister for Information and Communications of Viet Nam, H.E. Mr Le Nam Thang, stressed the strong commitment of ASEAN to advance ICT cooperation through the development of the ASEAN ICT Master Plan (2011 – 2015). He also highlighted the importance of ICT regulatory reform, broadband development and frequency management in the ever changing ICT landscape. The Vice Minister, in addition, called on the ATRC to identify more activities in these areas in the future.

The Meeting also endorsed the Work Plan for 2010 – 2011, which includes international mobile SMS and data roaming charges, infrastructure sharing, spam and phishing regulation, cooperation on spectrum, and the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for standards equivalence. During their talks, the ATRC Leaders also provided comments on the ASEAN ICT Master Plan and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, especially on organising the ATRC working groups to oversee implementation of the said Master Plans.

The ATRC also convened dialogues with their Chinese and Japanese counterparts on a number of areas of mutual interest, including ASEAN-China collaboration programme on human capacity building and ASEAN-Japan cooperation on a collaboration framework on information security. The 16th ATRC Meeting also saw the first engagement between ATRC and the European Union (EU), notably on the operational activities to move forward cooperation on spectrum management in the context of digital dividend and broadband for all.

The 16th ATRC was attended by representatives from ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN ICT Centre and from the private sector.

The ATRC meets regularly to discuss various regulatory issues, such as spectrum management, roaming charges, convergence, new media, network security and cooperation strategies toward 2015.

The next ATRC Meeting will be convened in Brunei Darussalam in 2011.

ASEAN Secretariat, InWent Hold Dispute Settlement Training
ASEAN Secretariat, 6 July 2010

Capacity-building initiatives for the ASEAN Secretariat continue to receive attention as officers upgrade their expertise and knowledge in order to better serve the ASEAN Member States. The latest initiative involved training for the ASEAN Secretariat's ASEAN Enhanced Dispute Settlement Mechanism (EDSM) Network.

The training brought together the ASEAN Secretariat’s economic and legal officers from 1 to 2 July 2010. During the sessions, the participants were presented with practical problems and exercised the procedures for settling such disputes. Their Training module was guided by the ASEAN Protocol on Enhanced Dispute Settlement Mechanism. Signed by the ASEAN Leaders in 2004, the Protocol aims to guide ASEAN Member States resolve disputes concerning the interpretation or application of ASEAN economic agreements. The EDSM Protocol has entrusted the ASEAN Secretariat with wide-ranging administrative and technical support for any EDSM case.

At the opening session, the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, Mr Bagas Hapsoro, emphasised the importance of having an EDSM Network within the ASEAN Secretariat. “The Network,” he encouraged, “should build on the existing Secretariat’s technical expertise and sectoral knowledge.”

The Training was conducted in cooperation with Germany’s InWEnt Capacity Building International, on behalf of the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany. InWEnt Senior Project Manager, Ms Silke Hildebrandt-Disch, in her opening remarks, emphasised InWEnt’s further commitment and continuous support for the ASEAN Secretariat’s capacity building on EDSM in the future.

The Training was provided by Brussels-based trade lawyers Mr Paolo Vergano and Ms Eugenia Laurenza of the FratiniVergano – European Lawyers.

ASEAN Energy Shift towards Green Energy and Low Carbon Growth,
Hua Hin, Thailand, 3 July 2010

ASEAN is to focus on green energy and low carbon growth through optimisation of energy sources indigenous to the region. More cooperation on clean coal technology and development of nuclear power as an energy option to meet future electricity demand in the region were also urged by the Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities Council (HAPUA Council).

The focus of their meeting, which concluded on 2 July 2010 in Hua Hin, Thailand, were on green energy investment, especially in renewable energy and new energy sources, and strategies to promote a balance among energy security, economic and social development, and environmental protection.

In his Welcome Remarks, the Minister of Energy of Thailand, H.E. Mr Wannarat Channakul, stressed the strong commitment of ASEAN to pursue the goals as stated in the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC 2010 – 2015), notably in clean and green energy technology, and concerted efforts in energy efficiency policies.

The HAPUA Council also recommended guidelines to speed up implementation of the ASEAN Power Grid, notably on the reliability of operation, safety standards and procedures in generation and transmission, and investment of the interconnection projects. Guidelines on a model framework for the cross-border sale and transmission of electricity, and effective enforcement of bilateral interconnection agreements between the contracting Member States were also recommended.

The HAPUA Working Committee will meet in Ha Noi in November 2010 to review the implementation of the HAPUA Council’s decisions and will report the progress to the 27th HAPUA Council Meeting in Da Nang, Viet Nam in July 2011.

For the Joint Press Statement of the 26th Meeting of HAPUA Council, please click here.

Game on! – ASEAN Launches Computer Game
Singapore, 3 July 2010

In the spirit of harnessing digital media to engage the region’s youths, ASEAN last week launched the ASEAN Computer Game, a project of the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (COCI). Called ‘The ASEAN Chronicles: The Legend of the Golden Talisman’, the game is meant to educate the youths about ASEAN in an exciting and enjoyable way that also meets with today’s trend. The game will be disseminated to all ASEAN Member States. It will also be uploaded on the ASEAN Media Portal.

The launch coincided with the convening of the 11th ASEAN COCI Sub-committee on Information (SCI) Meeting. Hosted by Singapore, the Meeting took place from 1 to 2 July 2010. The SCI Meeting is an annual meeting of officials from the information sector in ASEAN.

The Meeting’s participants were greeted by the angelic voices of the children of the North View Primary School, as they sung the ASEAN Anthem at the Opening Ceremony.

At the Ceremony, the Guest of Honour, Parliamentary Secretary for Information, Communication and the Arts, Mr Sam Tan, said that Singapore shared the same aspirations as the rest of the ASEAN Member States “to invest in our people, and especially our youths, who are important drivers for the media industry. We need to educate and prepare our citizens for the future wave of media as well as harness digital media to engage ASEAN citizens and support the growth of media technologies that will drive the economy.”

At the Meeting, the information officials also discussed the various projects to be implemented in 2011, including the holding of the 5th ASEAN Quiz at the national level to promote ASEAN awareness among the youths in the region.

Seeking Local Knowledge on Conservation
ASEAN Secretariat, 2 July 2010

The internationally-recognised biodiversity hotspot of the Wallacea region in eastern Indonesia provided a scenic location recently for youth from the ASEAN region to share local wisdom on preserving the environment. Some 30 youths from ASEAN Member States took part in a three-day expedition to Ternate located in the North Mollucas province of Indonesia. The expedition was organised to provide ASEAN’s future leaders a platform to appreciate the region’s natural heritage sites and learn about its biodiversity conservation.

During the expedition, the participants took a trip to sites such as Fort Orange, Telaga Nita and Tolira Lake, and explored Ternate’s flora and fauna species. Collecting specimen of Ternate’s bat and insects was also on their itinerary. They also engaged in discussions while sharing local knowledge on ways to preserve natural resources.

The youths, aged between 18-35 and who come from relevant educational background, also came up with recommendations to promote sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity; sustainable use of coastal and marine environment; and environmental education and public transportation. These recommendations will be submitted to the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (SOMY) scheduled for later this year in Viet Nam.

The ASEAN Secretariat’s Director for Socio-Cultural Cooperation Directorate, Dr Donald Tambunan, in his welcoming remarks to the participants, said, “We hope that the expedition will inspire you all, ASEAN’s future leaders, to join the region in its biodiversity conservation efforts.”

The ASEAN Youth Wallacea Expedition, held from 28 to 30 June 2010, was jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Indonesia, the local government of Ternate City and the ASEAN Secretariat with the support from the ASEAN Foundation, the ASEAN-Singapore Youth Fund, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences and the Wallacea Foundation.

* The Wallacea region is the area between the two ‘lines’ that describe the change from Asian to Australian flora and fauna as one travels east. It is named after Alfred Russel Wallace, a British naturalist and explorer who studied the biodiversity and wildlife of the Ternate region in the Moluccas (lndonesian name: “Kepulauan Maluku”). He developed the theory of evolution by natural selection, which then led his friend, Charles Darwin, to publish the renowned The Origin of Species.

Austrians Learn About ASEAN
ASEAN Secretariat, 1 July 2010

A group of over 30 students from the University of Krems in Austria, came to the ASEAN Secretariat today to find out more about the dynamic region. The notion that “ASEAN is not presented and understood in the European Union” inspired the group coordinator, Prof. Dr. Anis Bajrektarevic, to design the visit to “close the knowledge gap”.

The students were welcomed by the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, Dato’ Misran Karmain, who delivered a briefing on the recent developments in ASEAN.

Conveying his best wishes to the participants, Dato’ Misran said, “I hope the study trip will enhance your knowledge on ASEAN and widen your network with the people in this region.”

The students were also briefed by Ambassador Julian Wilson, Delegation of the European Union to Indonesia and Timor-Leste and EU Ambassador to ASEAN, and Dr. Klaus Wölfer, Austrian Ambassador to Indonesia and to ASEAN. Among others, the Ambassadors spoke on ASEAN-EU relations and the importance of maintaining the close partnership.

The group was also briefed by the ASEAN Secretariat officials on each of the pillars of the ASEAN Community before taking part in a lively Q&A session.

The visit to the ASEAN Secretariat is part of an annual study trip where a group of students spend two weeks in two countries in a particular region and take part in academic lectures and study/cultural outdoor visits. They also meet experts, government officials and members of the royalty.

The students will leave Indonesia for Malaysia on 4 July and spend another week there.