“The ASEAN Economic Community, or AEC, is the best strategic response we have so far in preserving the region’s competitive strength,” Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, told the ASEAN economic ministers during the 44th Meeting of the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) this week.
“As the AEC draws near, it has become clear that countries need to redouble their efforts and take active steps to realize the AEC by 2015,” said Dr Surin.
The 44th Meeting of the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) was held on 27th and 28th August, in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The meeting was chaired by Cambodian Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce, Mr Cham Prasidh. Siem Reap also hosted the joint meetings with the 26th ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Council and the 15th ASEAN Investment Area (AIA) Council.
The ministers discussed the economic performance in ASEAN, implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint, Trade and Investment, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and other economic-related issues.
To see the full Joint Media Statement, please click here.
To see the pictures from the 44th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting and Related Meetings, please click here
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The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by 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.Menu - WHAT WE DO
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
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ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
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The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
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