Bali, Indonesia, 10 November 2011
A set of key recommendations for advancing the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity was developed by stakeholders, and this will be presented to the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) when they convene for their third meeting on today in Bali.
Among the recommendations were to intensify collaboration with key stakeholders to enhance capacities in developing bankable proposals for physical infrastructure projects; to encourage awareness of inherent values among the peoples of ASEAN; to leverage on and provide affordable access to ICT and its infrastructure, and to develop a pipeline of ready projects to facilitate the mobilisation of resources.
The recommendations were the result of a two-day ASEAN Connectivity Symposium held on 8 to 9 November 2011 where close to 200 participants representing the various stakeholder constituencies came together to discuss key issues in the three dimensions of ASEAN Connectivity – physical, institutional and people-to-people – and in financing the implementation of the Master Plan. The participants were also informed on the latest developments in the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity.”
“TIn her keynote address, Prof Armida S. Alisjahbana, Minister of National Development Planning of Indonesia and Head of National Development Planning Agency raised two main points – first to consider the different characteristics of ASEAN countries and their varying levels of development when implementing the Master Plan, and second on project financing. She pointed out the importance of embracing all stakeholders to ensure the sense of ownership, and of enlisting their participation so that they can benefit from the fruit of growth.”
The ASEAN Connectivity Symposium is one of the flagship outreach activities of the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) this year under the chairmanship of Indonesia. Mr Ngurah Swajaya, current Chair of and Indonesia’s representative to the ACCC, said in his opening remarks that the aims of the Symposium are to raise awareness and promote participation from all levels of stakeholders to support the implementation of the Master Plan.”
This was also articulated by Mr S. Pushpanathan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community who in his remarks spoke on the need to be inclusive in approach and to bring ASEAN Connectivity to the stakeholders. “Our stakeholders are everyone from the peoples of ASEAN to friends of ASEAN. ASEAN Connectivity should become a common phrase in every home, school, company, community centre, embassy, etc.,” he said.
“He added that businesses which bank on ASEAN as a well-connected region will stand to benefit. Besides being a growing infrastructure development market, ASEAN is positioning itself as a single production base and is fast becoming a single consumer market. ”
The Symposium themed “Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity to Support ASEAN Community 2015″ is organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia with the ASEAN Secretariat and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
Among the stakeholder constituencies who participated in the Symposium are the National Coordinators, national government agencies, various ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, sub-regional arrangements that are operating in the region, the business community, ASEAN Dialogue Partners, and other external parties.
