JAKARTA, 4 August 2025 – The 77th Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force Meeting was convened today at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Ambassador Tôn Thị Ngọc Hương, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to ASEAN, and attended by IAI Task Force Members from all ASEAN Member States and Ambassador of Timor-Leste to ASEAN. The IAI National Coordinators from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam (CLMV) and Timor-Leste, as well as representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat and Attachment Officers were also in attendance.
The Meeting accredited two (2) new projects, bringing the total number of projects to 114. The Task Force noted steady progress and key achievements in the implementation of the current Work Plan across five strategic areas: food and agriculture; trade facilitation; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); education; and health and well-being. IAI National Coordinators also shared country-level updates virtually, highlighting both accomplishments and ongoing challenges in implementing IAI projects.
The Meeting further reviewed the progress of the development of the successor IAI Work Plan V (2026-2030), which includes the initial inputs gathered through national consultations in CLMV and Timor-Leste.
The ASEAN Secretariat provided updates on the preparations for the upcoming Regional Workshop to support the drafting process. The IAI Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to finalising the IAI Work Plan V, which is targeted for adoption in October 2025.
For more information on the IAI, please visit https://asean.org/our-communities/initiative-for-asean-integration-narrowing-development-gap-iai-ndg/
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