- Myanmar Joins the ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism, Jakarta, 27 April 2006
- ASEAN Eminent Persons Canvass Civil Society for Ideas on the ASEAN Charter, Bali, Indonesia, 17 Apr 2006
- Revised Guidelines on ASEAN’s Relations with Civil Society Organisations (CSO) are now available, Jakarta, 6 Apr 2006
Myanmar Joins the ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism
Jakarta, 27 April 2006
The signing ceremony was held at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta
Myanmar Ambassador to Japan, H.E. U Hla Myint, signed the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism (or the ASEAN-Japan Centre) on 27 April 2006 in Jakarta. This marked the complete accession of all ASEAN Member Countries to the ASEAN-Japan Centre since the centre was established in 1981.
The signing ceremony was held at the ASEAN Secretariat and witnessed by H.E. Dr. Wilfrido Villacorta, Deputy Secretary-General, the ASEAN Secretariat, Mr. Masato Watanabe, Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of Japan in Jakarta, several ASEAN ambassadors and representatives from the ASEAN and Japanese embassies.
The ASEAN-Japan Centre is located in Tokyo, Japan, and aims to promote trade, investment and tourism between ASEAN Member Countries and Japan.
H.E. Dr. Wilfrido V. Villacorta, Deputy Secretary-General, the ASEAN Secretariat
receives the signed agreement from H.E.U Hla Myint, Myanmar Ambassador to Japan
The Agreement was first signed on 25 May 1981 by the five original Members of ASEAN (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand) and Japan. Brunei Darussalam acceded to the Agreement in 1990, followed by Viet Nam in 1998, Cambodia in 2001 and Lao PDR in 2002.
ASEAN Eminent Persons Canvass Civil Society for Ideas on the ASEAN Charter
Bali, Indonesia, 17 Apr 2006
As part of their efforts to frame an ASEAN Charter that would reflect the philosophy of a people-centric ASEAN, the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on the ASEAN Charter met with civil society organisations (CSOs) over two sessions on 17 April 2006 in Bali, Indonesia, to hear their ideas on what elements should be reflected in the ASEAN Charter.
CSOs present their views to the EPG on the ASEAN Charter
The EPG has been tasked by the ASEAN Leaders to provide recommendations on the direction and nature of the ASEAN Charter. The actual drafting of the ASEAN Charter will not be done by the EPG but by a High Level Task Force in 2007.
Organisations taking part in this consultative dialogue included the ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN-ISIS), as well as CSOs such as the Human Rights Working Group, Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy, Third World Network and the Migrant Forum in Asia, among others. The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation also presented its views.
Philippine EPG Member Fidel Ramos chats with members of some CSOs
Discussions topics, among others, ranged from how CSOs and other organisations outside the formal ASEAN structure could regularly and effectively channel their views to ASEAN, the promotion and protection of human rights, and the importance of maintaining the competitiveness of ASEAN.
Following the consultations, the EPG held its third meeting on 18-19 April 2006 to deliberate on the principles and objectives they would recommend to be included in the Charter. The EPG will convene for a fourth time in Singapore in June 2006. It expects to meet a further two times before it presents it recommendations to the ASEAN Leaders in December 2006.
EPG Chairman Tan Sri Musa Hitam briefs the press
_______________________
Related Article
Revised Guidelines on ASEAN’s Relations with Civil Society Organisations (CSO) are now available, Jakarta, 6 Apr 2006
In line with one of the ASEAN’s goals to promote a people-centered community, ASEAN has revised the Guidelines on Relations with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Effective since 6 April 2006, the new Guidelines seek to foster closer relations and cooperation between ASEAN governments and civil society towards the goal of building the ASEAN Community.
Nearly twenty-years after the initial Guidelines were implemented, ASEAN has attracted a wide range of CSOs from the region. These CSOs cover a wide range of interests, for instance, healthcare, business, law, technology and sport, to name a few. For the past decade, some of these affiliations have created fruitful relationships between the ASEAN’s bodies and CSOs, particularly in facilitating the exchange of information.
ASEAN-affiliated CSOs receive updated information on ASEAN’s major policies, directives and decisions. They are also given the opportunity of participating in selected ASEAN activities and can submit project proposals for Third Party Funding through ASEAN. ASEAN-affiliated CSOs are expected to, through their activities, demonstrate a commitment to help promote the goal of community-building in ASEAN.
- Click here to learn more about the revised Guidelines and become an ASEAN-Affiliated CSO
- Click here for the complete list of ASEAN-Affiliated CSOs
