The ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) was inaugurated in April 2003 at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. Recognising an urgent need for inter-sector dialogue between the ASEAN private and public sectors, the ASEAN Leaders had earlier mandated the establishment of ASEAN-BAC at their 7th ASEAN Summit in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam in November 2001. As the official ASEAN linkage that provides private sector feedback, ASEAN-BAC aims to provide guidance and advice to ASEAN leaders to boost its efforts towards economic integration, and to identify priority areas for consideration by the ASEAN Leaders.