JAKARTA, 9 OCTOBER 2025 – The ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) convened the Regional Workshop on the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan (ACSP) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Operational Guide on 8 – 9 October. The Regional Workshop was conducted through a hybrid format and supported by the Australian Government through the Australia for ASEAN Futures Initiative (Aus4ASEAN Futures), with technical assistance from the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) and Ernst & Young.
The two-day workshop brought together a total of 110 representatives from the ACCC, 25 relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, ASEC desk officers, and National Coordinators—key stakeholders in the ACSP M&E mechanism. Participants reflected on lessons learned from implementing the M&E framework for the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and discussed key components of the ACSP M&E framework and Operational Guide.
These components include indicators, data sources, and implementation mechanisms. Deliberations also examined ways to align the ACSP M&E framework and guidelines with other regional initiatives from across all ASEAN Community Pillars to ensure coherence and synergy.
In her opening remarks, the Chair of ACCC, Ambassador Sarah Al Bakri Devadason, emphasised that M&E remains one of the critical elements to the ACSP. A well-designed M&E strategy that is holistic and practical will provide, among others, a mechanism that periodically assesses progress and timeliness of project implementation, as well as enabling adaptive planning and timely response to any implementation strategies. Hence, the Operational Guide that is currently being developed seeks to provide practical steps and enhance accountability across implementing stakeholders for the ACSP M&E to be meaningfully undertaken.
Lara Franzen, Development Counsellor of the Australian Mission to ASEAN, highlighted that the ACSP M&E Operational Guide is the compass that will help ASEAN stay on course, tracking progress, adapting to challenges, and ensuring that the Strategic Plan delivers real and lasting results.
The ACSP succeeds the MPAC 2025 and provides strategic direction for enhancing the ASEAN Connectivity beyond 2025. The ACSP was adopted by ASEAN Leaders at the 46th ASEAN Summit in May 2025, alongside the Strategic Plans for ASEAN Political-Security, ASEAN Economic, and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Pillars.
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Photo credit: ArkMedia and Aus4ASEAN Futures.
