JAKARTA, 30 MARCH 2023 – ASEAN and the UK reaffirmed their commitment to advance their dialogue partnership at the 2nd ASEAN-United Kingdom Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting held at the ASEAN Secretariat today.
At the meeting, officials from both sides exchanged views on the developments in ASEAN and the UK and reviewed cooperation between both sides. The meeting noted the progress in the implementation of the ASEAN-United Kingdom Plan of Action (POA) (2022-2026) which serves as a guide to further substantiate the partnership with a focus on areas of mutual interest and benefit. The meeting hoped that the effective implementation of the POA will contribute to further enhancing cooperation between the two sides.
The meeting also took note of Indonesia’s 2023 ASEAN Chairmanship priorities, the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan IV, progress on the ASEAN Smart Cities Network initiative, and ASEAN’s effort to promote sustainable development.
Both sides deliberated on ways to deepen the ASEAN-UK cooperation in areas such as transnational crime; peacekeeping operations; counter-terrorism; financial services; digitalisation; climate change and environment; renewable energy and energy transition; food security; education; health; women, peace and security; science, technology and innovation; youth; culture; tourism; and ASEAN Connectivity initiatives.
The meeting touched upon four key economic partnership priorities that ASEAN aims to further advance with the UK through economic cooperation and integration efforts that are fit-for-purpose for the 21st century environment, namely strengthening market integration; sustainability and decarbonisation; digital transformation; and inclusivity, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and Public-Private Partnership.
On the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), ASEAN encouraged the UK to develop and support cooperation projects and activities which dovetail with the areas of cooperation of the AOIP such as on maritime cooperation, connectivity, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, as well as economic and other areas of cooperation.
Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to ASEAN Latifah Zaini and UK Ambassador to ASEAN Jon Lambe co-chaired the meeting. The Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community together with their respective delegations were in attendance. The Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Indonesia attended as observer.
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