วันศุกร์ที่ 24 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2556

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Calls on Asia to Direct Its Investments to Build Connectivity

(24/05/2013)

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has proposed that Asia should direct its investments to build connectivity, both on land and sea, since Asia is mostly a large land continent covering two oceans, the Indian, and the Pacific.

In her keynote address at the Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia, held in Tokyo on 24 May 2013, Prime Minister Yingluck cited rail link as the most effective and efficient on land.

From ASEAN on the Southeast Asian mainland, she said, Asia must build links to North and Northeast Asia, and on the opposite end, to South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. A modern Silk Road to connect the region with high speed trains, and feeder tracks for cargo and passengers will become the new Asia-Euro land bridge linking the two continents, while opening up new growth areas along the way.

At the same time, she pointed out that Thailand would continue to develop road links, airports, and sea ports. The Dawei deep seaport in Myanmar will create maritime connectivity within the Indian Ocean, and through land links to Laem Chabang port in Thailand, to connecting South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

On the Indian Ocean side, Dawei will link up Southeast Asia with the Middle East and Africa. The port, industrial estate and transport infrastructure will help drive economic growth and development throughout Southeast Asia. Moreover, it will also add value to the production bases in ASEAN of many countries, in particular Japan.

In other words, Prime Minister Yingluck said, Dawei is an investment in the future of Asia. In the long run, it can become a major point for transportation and connectivity to complement other port and industrial estates in Myanmar.

She said that Thailand looks forward to participation from foreign partners for investment and also multilateral institutions, such as the Asian Development Bank, to help consult and assist in this regional project.

The Prime Minister stated that another contribution to the region’s future is Thailand’s 66 billion U.S. dollar in infrastructure development, which includes a high-speed rail link between Thailand, Laos, and China. Thailand plans to link this with infrastructure investment projects of other Asian countries, as well.

She also suggested that Asia promote closer cooperation on win-win issues that will add value to the region as a whole. Such issues include food and energy security. The Prime Minister said that Thailand is restructuring its agriculture production with zonings and post-harvest management to produce higher quality food and at the same time ensure food security, for Thailand, Asia, and the world.

Thailand is also investing in water management system that will provide enough supply for agriculture, industry and household uses. Effective measures to build water and food security, as well as protection against natural disasters, will provide a stronger foundation for growth and social harmony within the Asian region. Complementing this is the issue of energy security which Thailand hopes to achieve through green growth and by relying more on alternative energy. As Asia plans toward the path of sustainable growth, she said, Asia will demand for a large amount of energy.

For Asia, the Prime Minister believed that there is great potential in cooperation between the regions, whereby food could be exchanged for energy between ASEAN countries in Southeast Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the Middle East.

Also, since a rising Asia is outward-looking, Prime Minister Yingluck stressed that cooperation in trade and investment must also be extended to other regions, such as Africa, which is also rising. That is why Thailand is launching a Thai-African Conference to enhance engagement with Africa. The bottom line is that Asia and other regions: Africa, the Americas, and Europe, need to work together to grow together.

Thailand and Japan Discuss Investment in Dawei Special Economic Zone Project

(24/05/2013)

Thailand and Japan have discussed possible Japanese investment in the Dawei Special Economic Zone project in Myanmar.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand, Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, discussed the issue with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Fumio Kishida, on 23 May 2013.

Mr. Surapong is accompanying Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to attend the 19th International Conference on "The Future of Asia," organized by Nikkei Inc. and the Japan Center for Economic Research in Tokyo.

Concerning the Dawei Special Economic Zone project, Mr. Surapong noted that Japan as well as other countries in the region would benefit from the linkage of the Indian and Pacific Oceans through the East-West Economic Corridor, which would lower logistics costs and allow tighter supply chains.

During the discussion, both Mr. Surapong and Mr. Kishida expressed their satisfaction with Thai-Japanese relations and their determination to strengthen this important partnership, which is built not only on mutual economic interests but also shared values. The two sides also exchanged views on regional issues and discussed cooperation to strengthen regional peace and prosperity.

Mr. Surapong expressed Thailand’s wish to step up cooperation with Japan in the area of human resource development to build a more highly skilled workforce in Thailand, which would also benefit Japanese investors. He also hoped to see the participation of the Japanese private sector in Thailand’s 2.2-trillion-baht infrastructure development projects, where emphasis would be on transparency and application of appropriate technologies.

The two sides noted with satisfaction that the 40th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Dialogue relations in 2013 would be marked by several commemorative activities and were pleased that Prime Minister Yingluck would attend the ASEAN-Japan Commemorating Summit Meeting toward the end of the year.

Mr. Kishida said that Japan was bidding to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and hoped to receive Thailand’s support in this endeavor.

Lao PDR Awarded World's Best Tourist Destination

(22-05-2013)

Lao People’s Democratic Republic was recognized as the World's Best Tourist Destination for 2013 by the European Council on Tourism and Trade (ECTT). Tourist arrivals are surging—up 22% on a per annum basis—with last year's estimate at 3.3 million. At present, the tourism sector is the second largest income earner in Lao PDR.

The country received the prestigious citation following its initiatives at preserving culture and history and raising the quality of tourism services. Preservation of the country’s historical, cultural and religious patrimony includes the UNESCO Heritage Sites of  Luang Prabang and 12th century Wat Phu, as well as the Plain of Jars from Neolithic civilization and Wat Xieng Thong. Care to quality of tourism embraces a new concept of community-based tourism that is nature friendly. This comprises facilities and safety for tourists, access and investments to sites of historical and cultural significance, and the benefits of tourism to grassroots communities.

The ECCT, a non-profit organisation which promotes tourism outside the European Union, specified that the “World Best Tourist Destination is  the highest honor  to be awarded for a country for achievements in tourism. This award is offered to the countries that are complying with United Nations Tourism Division, UNESCO and European Council on Tourism and Trade (ECTT) principles on fair tourism, ethical tourism and safety standards and historic preservation of cultural sites.”

Lao, the recipient for this year, has also been conferred other commendations including New York Times' list of world's top tourist destinations.

Myanmar Readies for the ASEAN Chair 2014

(22-05-2013)


Fifteen Myanmar senior diplomats and other senior government officials are currently in Jakarta to prepare the country as Chair of ASEAN 2014. The 13-24 May programme includes consultations with officials from the Republic of Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs – KemLu, the sessions at the ASEAN Secretariat, among others.

The two-week visit is aimed at exchanging expertise and experiences carried out between stakeholders relevant to Myanmar’s ASEAN Chair in 2014. This included:
  • Introduction to working processes and procedures of ASEAN and the ASEAN-Secretariat with focus on the functions of an ASEAN Chair and identification of priority topics and so called “deliverables” of the ASEAN Agenda under the Myanmar chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014;
  • Exchange of experiences on Indonesian Chairmanship in 2011;
  • Consultation with the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) with focus on the expectations associated with the ASEAN Chair and identification of priority topics for Myanmar chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014;
  • Consultation with representatives of  the Plus Three Ambassadors to ASEAN;
  • Discussions with representatives from the EU delegation; and
  • Two-day training module “Public and media relations” focusing on dealing professionally with representatives of international media, requirements (technical, logistical) in the context of media coverage from Myanmar and organising the accreditation process for representatives of international media.
Further, it provides contacts and network of relevant key stakeholders within ASEAN to the training participants for further facilitating their work during the 2014 Chairmanship of Myanmar.

This programme will be completed with a tailor-made two-week training module of the “International Training for Diplomats” program at the Foreign Service Academy of the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin/Germany and Brussels/Belgium in late June 2013.

The visit of Myanmar delegations is organised by the German Federal Foreign Office commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), in close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia (KEMLU) and the ASEAN Secretariat.

ASEAN Enhances ICT for Disaster Management

(21-05-2013)

The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) initiates the “Establishment of an integrated Information and Communication Technology to strengthen the operation of AHA Centre-Phase II (the AHA Centre ICT-Phase II)”. This 18-month project aims to establish connectivity of the AHA Centre with all of national disaster management offices (NDMOs), to ensure that all necessary data and information can be exchanged between the AHA Centre and NDMOs during disaster and non-disaster situation and to enhance capacity of the AHA Centre related to ICT and connectivity.

This USD 4,926,247 project, supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), will develop special software to facilitate the offer of assistance from ASEAN Member States upon the request of disaster-affected countries in the region and coordination by the AHA Centre. Training programs will also be provided to the staff of both the AHA Centre and NDMOs to manage and operate the ICT system developed under the project. ICT – Phase II is a continuation of Phase I of the AHA Centre’s ICT development funded by the Government of Japan through JAIF. Phase I of the project concentrated on establishing ICT platforms, systems, and equipment for the AHA Centre. These tasks have been accomplished and the AHA Centre now has a fully equipped operations room with sophisticated ICT.

On 17 May, the First Project Steering Committee meeting was held at the AHA Centre. The Steering Committee which consists of Singapore (the Lead Shepherd Country), the AHA Centre, the ASEAN Secretariat and Mission of Japan to ASEAN, performs as a decision making authority with respect to the overall implementation of the project. The meeting discussed the practical steps to move forward the AHA Centre ICT Phase II project, and officially began the ICT-Phase II Project.


It is hoped that the project will enhance disaster response capability of ASEAN and ASEAN member states and further develop the function of the AHA Centre as a regional hub for disaster management in ASEAN region.

ASEAN and Cyprus Reaffirm Commitment

(21-05-2013)

During the courtesy call on ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh on 20 May 2013, H.E. Andreas Mavroyiannis, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, congratulated SG Minh for assuming the post and stressed Cyprus' commitment in strengthening relations with ASEAN.

SG Minh and Secretary Mavroyiannis exchanged views on the recent developments in ASEAN and Cyprus. Both agreed on the importance of strengthening relations between ASEAN and EU, and between ASEAN and individual EU member states, including Cyprus.


The Secretary-General of ASEAN is appointed by the ASEAN Summit for a non-renewable term of office of five years, selected from among nationals of the ASEAN Member States based on alphabetical rotation. H.E. Le Luong Minh is from Viet Nam and has been appointed for the 2013 -2017 period.

Tackling Development Gaps in ASEAN

(20-05-2013)

ASEAN and partners have initiated tireless efforts to address the development gap in ASEAN. To promote awareness and understanding on the importance of narrowing the development gap (NDG) in ASEAN, the “NDG Lecture Series” are taking place and the diplomatic community, research institutions, and media took part in the launching of a new publication “Narrowing the Development Gap in ASEAN: Drivers and Policy Options” at the ASEAN Secretariat on 17 May 2013.

With measures based on the universally accepted Human Development Index, the new publication states that this development gap has been narrowing in the last decade, but more needs to be done.

“This new publication will enhance our understanding of the development gaps, provide an important context for decision makers to identify strategic needs of the region, and suggest policy options to narrow the development gap,” said H.E. Le Luong Minh, the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

A collaboration of ASEAN and Australia through the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Programme Phase 2 (AADCP II), the publication communicates the latest findings on the status of progress in ASEAN’s efforts in narrowing the development gap between the newer four Member States (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam) and ASEAN-6.

"Australia's longstanding aid program in this region is an expression of our support to ASEAN's efforts to build a resilient - and equitable - ASEAN Economic Community,” remarked Dr. David Engel, Deputy Head, Mission of Australia to ASEAN.

ASEAN has made great strides towards establishing the ASEAN Community. However, the potential uncertainties in ASEAN remain the current status of development gaps in the region.

“Differences in the level of development can cause inequality and limited opportunities to obtain benefits from an effective integration,” pointed H.E. Vu Dang Dzung, the Permanent Representative of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to ASEAN and Chair of the IAI Task Force. “It is impossible to build a community if the gaps persist among the member countries.”

Ambassador Rodolfo C. Severino, Head of the ASEAN Studies Centre at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore and Former Secretary-General of ASEAN added how “the ASEAN leaders understood the political, as well as the economic, importance both of building the CLMV countries’ capacity to take part in integrating the region and of regional integration and community building in advancing those countries….The development gap between ASEAN members was accounted for not only by the difference in per-capita income but, more significantly, in terms of human resources and institutional capacity.”

Co-author Professor Mark McGillivray described the uniqueness of the first NDG book ever to have undergone the ASEAN process. The book also serves as a point of reference for ASEAN and partners in understanding the disparities, and seeks to incite further deliberation on policy options to enhance inclusive and equitable growth in the region.

While the book enunciates ASEAN’s efforts in narrowing the development gap and examines development strategies, the NDG Lecture Series explore salient issues in narrowing various forms of development gaps in ASEAN. Convening a set of expert practitioners, academics, and decision-makers, the series create a venue to share theoretical and evidence-based observations, policy suggestions and practical solutions to addressing NDG issues.

The first NDG Lecture Series: Regional Overview and Policy Issues Facing CLMV growth was kicked-off by Dr. Kensuke Tanaka, Head of the Asia Desk of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Centre in March 2013. He elaborated on the main drivers of growth in the Asia and the ASEAN region in particular, the untapped potential of ASEAN’s newer Member States of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam, and the policy challenges they each face.

The second NDG Lecture Series: Implementation of Regional Cooperation Initiatives to Narrow the Development Gap and the third NDG Lecture Series No.3: Defining the Gap, Zooming in on the Health Sector were held on 16 and 17 May 2013, respectively. The former tackled the more practical aspects on the modes and systems of development cooperation for NDG in ASEAN, while the latter examined health disparities in ASEAN.

As an active partner of ASEAN, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) knows the importance of effectively delivering the Blueprint measures to build an ASEAN Community. JICA co-organised the second NDG Lecture Series.

“From a development partner perspective, the implementation of ASEAN measures entails involvement of entities, such as the national development planning agencies, alongside line agencies and the national secretariat in member countries,” said Dr. Sachiko Ishikawa, Senior Advisor of the Japan International Cooperation Agency. “This will ensure smooth coordination and achieve effective outputs of projects at the ground level and importantly, sustainability of the outcome.”

But given the CLMV countries’ resource and capacity constraints, there are lessons that can be learned and applied in operationalizing regional programmes’ at the national level. Just as national decisions are required to formulate regional policy, laws are needed to implement them at the country level. National governments must ensure the commitment of required resources to enable local and provincial governments to transpose regional policy into effective and appropriate rules and regulations.

“The nature of regional programmes requires specific actions by national agencies to allow for broad-based support at the country level.” pointed Dr. Peter van Diermen, Chief Technical Adviser, Indonesian National Team for Accelerating Poverty Reduction.

The third installment of the NDG Lecture Series, co-organsied by AusAID, tackled development gap indicators in Health as a case study together with health sector experts Dr. Khanchit Limpakarnjanarat of the World Health Organisation (Indonesia representative) and Dr. Ferdinal Fernando, Head of the Health and Communicable Diseases Division of the ASEAN Secretariat.

Millennium Development Goal indicators show some CLMV countries lagging behind, with more deaths per 1,000 live births among infants, children under five, and women giving birth than most ASEAN-6 countries.
Dr Fernando emphasized that the state of health and non-health related initiatives that are being undertaken in ASEAN act as each other’s enablers and can affect not only the success of initiatives but also the outcomes that can be gained from them. There are several potential points of cooperation between health and non-health sectors to address the development gap. He mentioned convergence in the areas of governance, policy, microfinance, food security, disaster risk management, and social protection. Everyone needs to be involved in what he referred to as a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach.

Dr Limpakarnjanarat discussed the World Health Organization’s initiatives in the region and the state of health in the CLMV countries. Apart from the development gap in life expectancy, he tackled existing gaps in ASEAN in terms of human capacity in implementing policies in the sector. CLMV countries require more support to equip them in handling the spread of communicable diseases, including cross-border transmission, testing for HIV and AIDS, and increasing health coverage. “Spending for health is an investment, not an expenditure.”

The ASEAN Secretariat and the WHO have a standing MOU aimed at training ASEAN health officials in various medical fields of technical cooperation where the modalities of collaboration are pursued at the country, regional and global level.


ASEAN's launch of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) in 2000 was specifically meant to deal with issues on narrowing the divide where equitable and inclusive development will be a defining feature of ASEAN's integration efforts. The IAI Work Plan II (2009-2015) serves as the main tool to remove obstacles standing in the way of an equitable growth path; 42% of its prescribed actions to support CLMV’s integration in the ASEAN Community, including those related to improving health and social protection, are socio-cultural in nature. Other cited activities are related to ASEAN’s economic and political security pillars. Strides have been made in Narrowing the Development Gap in ASEAN, but regional integration could benefit from further well-targeted, concerted efforts.

Promoting Vehicle Fuel Efficiency in ASEAN

(16-05-2013)

ASEAN’s oil use for road transport forecast to grow rapidly in future years, resulting in potentially bringing serious economic, environmental and energy security consequences for Member States. In this regard, ASEAN and the United States are expanding their energy cooperation to promote vehicle fuel efficiency in the region by organising the “U.S.-ASEAN Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Workshop” in Jakarta, Indonesia, this week.
The workshop brought together forty ASEAN Member States officials responsible for energy efficiency and conservation to examine lessons-learned from both the United States’ experience of setting minimum vehicle fuel efficiency standards and the U.S. “Cash-for-Clunkers” program to encourage the removal of inefficient vehicles from the roads. 
“This type of ASEAN-U.S. cooperation represents the way that technical experts from our countries can roll up their sleeves together and talk about practical ideas,” said U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN David L. Carden.  “It is so important for Southeast Asia and the United States to consider the whole picture of how to protect the environment and use fuel resources more efficiently.”
“In the U.S. we have seen government programs promoting vehicle fuel efficiency substantially reduce oil consumption,” said Mr. Tom Cutler, Director of European and Asia Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy. “It is our sincere hope that by expanding U.S.-ASEAN Energy Cooperation we can assist ASEAN to work through some of the challenges and policy solutions to reduce transportation energy demands while encouraging economic growth,” he added.

The workshop was held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency & Conservation Sub-Sector Network.  Sessions during the day covered the U.S. experience with transportation energy, removing old vehicles from U.S. roads along with fuel efficiency standards for new vehicles, present and projected transportation energy demands in ASEAN, and presentations by government officials on existing and planned vehicle fuel efficiency programs in ASEAN Member States.

“Efficiency is necessary, both in the form of appeal and regulation, to promote a change of mindset toward the awareness of energy efficiency, “said Mr. Edy Hermantoro, the Director General of Oil and Gas of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia in his Opening Remarks of the workshop.

The workshop was planned as part of the U.S.-ASEAN Energy Cooperation Work Plan and conducted in support of the new United States Asia Pacific Comprehensive Partnership (USACEP), announced in November 2012 at the 7th East Asia Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, by President Obama in partnership with Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei. USACEP offers a framework for expanding energy and environmental cooperation across existing regional forums to advance efforts to ensure affordable, secure, and cleaner energy supplies for the region.

The U.S.-ASEAN Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Workshop was organized by the U.S. Government-funded ASEAN-U.S. Technical Assistance and Training Facility in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Transportation, and the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia.

Co-Chairs’ Press Release ASEAN-EU Senior Officials’ Meeting

(15-05-2013)

The ASEAN-EU Senior Officials’ Meeting was held in Ho Chi Minh City on 14-15 May 2013. The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Pham Quang Vinh, Deputy Foreign Minister of Viet Nam and H.E. Viorel Isticioaia-Budura, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific, European External Action Service (EEAS), EU.

The Meeting reviewed ASEAN-EU cooperation, including the implementation of the Bandar Seri Begawan Plan of Action to Strengthen the ASEAN-EU Enhanced Partnership for the period of 2013-2017 and discussed substantially the future direction and recommended numerous substantive and practical measures to further strengthen the ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations. In this regard, the Meeting also highlighted the areas of priority for cooperation between ASEAN and the EU. The Meeting also exchanged views on a wide range of international and regional issues of mutual interest such as the East Asian regional architecture, global financial and economic situation, climate change and disaster management, counter-terrorism and transnational crimes, food and energy security, maritime security, human rights cooperation, trade and investment, connectivity, narrowing development gap, etc.

In this regard, the Meeting agreed to enhance the effective implementation of the Plan of Action through, inter alia, prioritising in annual Work Plans the areas of cooperation and in support of ASEAN’s community building and connectivity.

The Meeting also discussed preparations for the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) Session with the EU to be held early July 2013 in Brunei Darussalam. They agreed to hold the next ASEAN-EU Senior Officials’ Meeting and the 20th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in 2014 in Europe.

AIPA Pledges Support for ASEAN Community Building Efforts Attention to Green Growth while Narrowing the Development Gap

(14-05-2013)

By:
Danny Lee, Director for Community  Affairs Development at the ASEAN Secretariat & Desi Hanara, AIPA, ASEAN Foundation, AICHR and Entities Associated with ASEAN Division

The delegates from the ASEAN legislatures held active discussions  at the 5th Caucus Meeting of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on 12 – 13 May 2013. The Caucus is mandated to recommend legislative initiative to harmonize the law of ASEAN countries in the areas of common interest. The Caucus discussed the progress made by each ASEAN Member States in implementing Resolutions adopted at the 33rd AIPA General Assembly in Lombok, Indonesia in 2012. Best practices in the various member states on Green Growth and Poverty Reduction for Sustainable Development were also shared.

During the discussion session, the meeting discussed the three aspects of Green Growth, namely the building of Green Growth legislative capacity; the improvement of the national Green Growth implementation capacity through monitoring, verification and reporting; and the possible integration of joint Green Growth initiative, in particular the Low Carbon Instruments in the ASEAN region. Pertaining to topic of Poverty Reduction, the meeting focused the discussion on 5 aspects, namely poverty reduction policy mainstreaming process; the coordination in implementing poverty reduction policies/programmes, the application of multi-dimensional poverty approach in national policies, international and national resources mobilization for poverty reduction and national coping strategies during economic crisis to support the poor.

“The recommendations at this meeting are important inputs for the 34th AIPA General Assembly in Brunei Darussalam,” said Mr Tran Van Hang, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. “Sustainable development is a goal that many countries in the world as well as AIPA members have been striving for. ASEAN parliamentarians have been maximizing their significant roles in law-making, policy-planning, and incorporating the international commitments in sustainable development into domestic laws,” he noted.
Speaking at the opening of the Caucus a day earlier, ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh had briefed the meetings on the efforts, challenges, action plans regarding green growth, as well as efforts to tackle this two big issues. He also commended AIPA’s contribution towards the realisation of the ASEAN Community by 2015. He remained optimistic that the 5th AIPA Caucus would be contributing to the enhancement of related legislative and policy initiatives in the region, as well as to the sharing of best practices in the two aforesaid areas in order to improve the citizens' living quality and sustain the national ecosystems.

Host Viet Nam had gave a lot of thought in organising the Caucus.

The highland city of Da Lat was the perfect meeting site. This cool, green city - which is also known as the city of thousands of pines – is a reminder of the many natural  treasures which ASEAN Member States must strive to protect, even when we pursue economic growth and jobs for our people. A popular summer get away for past imperial regimes, Da Lat’s elegant mansions and beautiful hotels completes a serene, beautiful getaway that is vastly different from many bustling ASEAN cities.  The city does not have traffic lights. As you breathe in the cool, crisp air in the chilly morning, you just wonder how the residents manage when many smaller towns and cities are bursting with traffic.

Our young, enthusiastic Liaison Officers is another reminder that policies today will convert into legacies for subsequent generations. Despite their hectic and tiring schedules for the two days, the youngsters delighted their guests, with three beautiful and charming dances. Their charm and good nature were infectious. By the end of the Gala dinner, virtually every guest – regardless of office – were thoroughly “infected” and joined  their young hosts in the singing and dancing.

By the end of the evening, some of us do have one regret. And that is we wished the Caucus had lasted longer than the three short days. We have been smitten by Da Lat.

Twelfth Meeting of The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights

(13-05-2013)

The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) convened its Twelfth Meeting at the ASEAN Secretariat from 6 to 10 May 2013.  The Meeting was chaired by H. E. Pehin Dato Dr. Awang Hj. Ahmad bin Hj. Jumat, the Representative of Brunei Darussalam and the Chair of the AICHR. The AICHR welcomed the new Representative of Cambodia to the AICHR, H.E. Mr. Srun Thirith. The AICHR held several bilateral meetings, including with the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), the Secretary-General of ASEAN, the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism and the representatives of relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, namely the ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Women and Children (ACWC).

The joint annual meeting between the AICHR and the CPR takes place during the regular AICHR meetings. This practice of a joint annual meeting began in 2010 when the AICHR held its first meeting in the ASEAN Secretariat. The AICHR and the CPR discussed how both ASEAN bodies can work together in the implementation of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD). It was agreed by both parties that a joint event on the AHRD would be held in conjunction with the celebration of the 46th ASEAN Day in August 2013.

With the Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Le Luong Minh, the AICHR discussed how human rights could be mainstreamed into the ASEAN community building efforts with the involvement of all the ASEAN community pillars and the unique role the Secretary-General has with regards to the promotion and protection of human rights. The Secretary-General of ASEAN shared his views on the challenges of ASEAN, which resonated with the challenges faced by the AICHR in the promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the AHRD. The Secretary-General also shared the ASEAN Secretariat’s efforts on mainstreaming human rights by conducting human rights training for the ASEAN Secretariat’s staff. He further expressed his readiness to consider the proposal for a dedicated unit to support the work of the AICHR in the context of the reorganisation of the ASEAN Secretariat’s structure.

The AICHR warmly welcomed the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis, and exchanged ideas of possible cooperation between the AICHR and the EU. The AICHR also met with the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, led by Dr. Sriprapha Petcharamesree, and was informed of the activities and efforts conducted by the Working Group in support of the AICHR’s mandate. The Working Group reiterated their support to the AICHR in the implementation activities on the AHRD and looked towards further future cooperation.

The Meeting was informed of the latest developments from the work plans of the ACW and the ACWC. The AICHR commended the work of the Sectoral Bodies and discussed how to enhance cooperation in the promotion of human rights and avoid duplication.

The AICHR Meeting finalised the AICHR’s Annual Report for 2013 and their Priority Programmes/Activities for 2014 for submission to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in June 2013. The AICHR Representatives also had an extensive discussion on the need to establish a dedicated unit within the ASEAN Secretariat to support more efficiently the increasing work of the AICHR.

The Meeting expressed their appreciation to the ASEAN Secretariat for the hospitality and excellent arrangements. The AICHR plans to conduct a special meeting in August 2013 in Viet Nam.

The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights Meets With the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights

(13-05-2013)

The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) chaired by H.E. Pehin Dato Dr. Awang Hj. Ahmad bin Hj. Jumat, the Representative of Brunei Darussalam and the Chair of AICHR welcomed Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis, the European Union (EU) Special Representative for Human Rights. This was the first dialogue between the AICHR and the newly established EU Special Representative.

Mr. Lambrinidis stated that his meeting with the AICHR symbolises the strong recognition by the EU of ASEAN’s centrality and the AICHR in promoting and protecting human rights in the region, as well as of ASEAN’s evolution on human rights, through the establishment of the AICHR as the first regional human rights mechanism in Asia. He said that human rights are the fundamental cementing block that created the EU, and human rights are now integrated as a component in the EU foreign policy. Although he is mandated to implement the EU’s human rights foreign policy based on a recently adopted strategic framework, Mr. Lambrinidis explained that one of his priorities is to collaborate with regional organisations around the world, including ASEAN through the AICHR.

The meeting exchanged views with Mr. Lambrinidis on the possible cooperation between the AICHR and the EU, and will try to exchange views and communications regularly, in line with the Bandar Seri Begawan Plan of Action to Strengthen the ASEAN –EU Enhanced Partnership (2013 – 2017). The meeting discussed developing a concrete work programme of cooperation covering several areas, such as the fulfilment of the AICHR Five Year Work Plan, and the implementation of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD).
The AICHR and the EU Special Representative were appreciative of the opportunity to meet and wished for continued regular communication.

ASEAN Regional Forum Gears Up for a Stronger Civil Military Coordination and Disaster Relief Operation

(13-05-2013)

The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) members, including the ten ASEAN Member States, gathered for the third ARF Disaster Relief Exercise (DiREx) in Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand from 7 to 10 May 2013. Using a scenario of 8.9-magnitude earthquake and typhoon, disaster management agencies and emergency responders from civil and military institutions of ARF members exercise their coordination and disaster relief mechanisms. Key actors in disaster relief operation in the Asia and Pacific region, including the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assitance on disaster management (AHA Centre), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, also actively participate in this event.

For the purpose of the exercise, AHA Centre manages an on-site coordination centre, to provide assistance for emergency rapid assessment, facilitate information sharing, and coordinate with ASEAN Member States on resources deployed. The ASEAN-Emergency Rapid Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT), which consists of experienced assessment personnels from ASEAN Member States, were also deployed to the field exercise to simulate post-disaster assessment and provide detailed information from the field to the Emergency Operations Centre led by the Government of Thailand.  The AHA Centre’s onsite coordination centre is co-located with the United Nations (UN) On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC). ASEAN-ERAT is also deployed together with the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Team managed by the UN OCHA.

ARF DiREx 2013 focuses on inter-agency coordination and civil-military coordination. “ARF DiREx is unique as it is by far the most inclusive simulation exercise in the Asia Pacific region. ARF DIREX involves multiple agencies from the ARF members, the civilian and military actors and the international humanitarian players. Coordination issues and complexity of the international humanitarian architecture as exercised in ARF DiREx represent the actual situation when a disaster occurs in the region. Therefore, this unique character of inclusiveness should be mantained in future exercises as part of ARF’s efforts to improve civil military coordination and disaster relief operations among the ARF participants”, Ms. Adelina Kamal, the Head of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (DMHA) Division of ASEAN Secretariat said during the after-action review.

“ARF DiREx provides as a good opportunity to exercise our ASEAN’s disaster response procedures and mechanisms”, remarked Said Faisal, the Executive Director of AHA Centre. “From this exercise, we are able to identify some useful lessons to improve our support to the ASEAN Member States  and strengthen coordination with other humanitarian players in real disaster situations.” It is the first time for the AHA Centre to play a significant role in the ARF DiREx, following the official launch of the Centre at the 19th ASEAN Summit in November 2011.

Sharing his views on the on-site coordination centre managed by the AHA Centre, Pengiran Hj Shaharuddin Bin Pengiran Hj Metali, a delegate from Brunei Darussalam reflects on his past deployment experience, “I have been deployed to some disaster response missions before, and we did not have such an onsite coordination centre. Now disaster responders from the ASEAN Member States can have a place where we can report to, a workspace, a place where we can get to know responders from our neighboring countries, and where we can get the information that we need. This will help us work better. ”

The event is co-hosted by the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of Korea. ARF DiREx is held on a bi-annual basis to strengthen civil-military coordination and disaster relief operation among the 27 ARF members.

ASCC Department Holds Strategic Planning Workshop

(13-05-2013)

In preparation for the ASEAN Community in 2015, the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Department of the ASEAN Secretariat held its strategic planning workshop this month in Bogor, Indonesia. The workshop aimed to assess the Department’s capacity and articulate opportunities in the Department’s role in assisting in the implementation of the Roadmap to the ASEAN Community 2015, specifically the ASCC Blueprint.

The ASCCD workshop was participated by all the core ASEC staff, including the Project Officers and Attachment Officers. Through the 3-day workshop, the ASCC Department undertook organisational analysis as well as discussed the strategy maps and a balanced scorecard --- at the division, directorate and department levels. Key measures discussed include: setting clearer directions and focus areas for greater implementation and visibility; strengthening intra-department as well as inter-pillar coordination; and initiating and sustaining learning and growth opportunities for the staff.

The workshop is part of the overall efforts of the ASCC to enhance the implementation, oversight and monitoring of the ASCC Blueprint. Aside from strengthening the utility of the ASCC Scorecard and the ASCC Blueprint Implementation-focused Monitoring System, a mid-term review of the implementation of the ASCC Blueprint will also be undertaken this year to assess ASCC’s progress and to provide recommendations towards ASCC’s effective contribution towards the realization of an ASEAN Community by 2015.