Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today participated in the  Nikkei Forum 29th Future of Asia to discuss and elaborate on the topic of  “Cross-Border Digital Synergy: Enhancing Asia-Pacific Cooperation. ” SG Dr. Kao underscored that digital technologies have become ASEAN’s new driver for innovation, productivity and economic growth and that the negotiations for an ambitious ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), that would be concluded in 2025, is projected to double the digital economy’s contribution to USD 2 Trillion by 2030. SG Dr. Kao, also shared ASEAN’s commitment in promoting the digital connectivity and digital inclusive initiatives to address the issue of digital divide in ASEAN as well as reinforced that cybersecurity cooperation among the ASEAN Member States is becoming more crucial than ever before for ASEAN to stay resilient to cyber threats and attacks.