11^th ASEAN Summit Highlights
Leaders back charter, urge further action to build ASEAN Community
 

The Leaders of the 10-member countries Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed at the 11^th ASEAN Summit on December 12 in Kuala Lumpur, the declaration that will establish the new ASEAN Charter, a constitutional document that will make Member Countries adhere to the association’s values and principles. They also called on the ministers and senior officials to intensify efforts toward community building, by identifying problems that affect the implementation of initiatives and decisions taken at the previous Summits

To decide the final shape of the charter, the Leaders agreed to form the Eminent Persons Group (EPG), comprising of distinguished personalities in ASEAN.  The EPG is expected to work on the charter soon, which could be signed in 2007.  The charter will not only establish ASEAN as a legal entity, but will also incorporate many of the principles already enshrined in earlier ASEAN declarations.   A High-Level Task Force is expected to be established to draft the charter based on the recommendations of the EPG.

The Leaders noted the progress made in the on-going efforts of community building since the Bali Concord II in 2003.  In particular, they welcomed the steady implementation of various measures under the ASEAN Economic Community, including the recent signing by the ASEAN Economic Ministers of the Agreements on Mutual

Recognition Arrangement for ASEAN Harmonized Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulatory Regime, Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Engineering Services and the Agreement to Implement the ASEAN Single Window.  Recognizing the challenges of integrating the region’s economies, they also urged officials to address implementation bottlenecks and tasked them to explore the possibility of advancing the target date for realizing the AEC by 2015.  They further urged action to promote energy efficiency in the  region in the face of rising world oil prices, and in mobilizing resources for agriculture and rural development to eradicate poverty in ASEAN.

Meanwhile, the Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to address the problem of avian influenza through coordinated efforts to control and eradicate the spread of the disease.  As part of the collective response by the region, ASEAN Member Countries resolved to cooperate through the different initiatives being implemented such as the establishment of Regional Avian   Influenza Research and Reference Centre and the Regional WHO Collaborating Centre for Influenza as proposed by Malaysia.  To realize the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, commitment to other areas of concern for the region such as disaster management and emergency relief, combating transnational crimes and prevention of other diseases such as HIV and AIDS was also stressed.  They further agreed to bridge the development gap in the region, by broadening the scope of the existing Initiative for ASEAN ....more

In This Issue:

Why tourism investment in ASEAN matters?

In recent times, the tourism industry has undergone challenging periods due to the combined effects of terrorism, oil price hikes, and health hazards such as the bird flu. Despite these challenges, ASEAN needs to look ahead and build on its competitive advantage. This entails new investment in both soft and hard tourism infrastructure as well as reinvestment in existing tourism attractions.

Implications of RTAs for ASEAN economic integration

Regional and bilateral trade agreements (RTAs) were an exception rather the norm up to the 1980s.  They have since proliferated across the globe so that one-third of world trade now takes place between (reciprocal) RTA members. Currently, ASEAN countries have been negotiating with a number of Dialogue Partners, not to mention the bilateral agreements entered by some individual members with countries outside ASEAN.  What are the implications of these RTAs to ASEAN economic integration?

Since the recent episode of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or bird flu, ASEAN Member Countries have responded with a number of initiatives to address and control this disease.  Last September, a Regional Framework for Control and Eradication of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been put in place, covering eight strategic areas, from disease surveillance to diagnostic capabilities to public awareness.  But despite some progress, the challenges of eradicating the disease remain immense.