Secretary General of ASEAN
at the
First Asia – Europe ICT Ministers’ Meeting
Ha Noi, 30 November – 1 December 2006
“Promoting ICT applications in HRD and Capacity Building”
Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
1. First and foremost, on behalf of the Secretary-General of ASEAN, HE Mr. Ong Keng Yong, let me congratulate Viet Nam for hosting the First Asia Europe ICT Ministers’ Meeting. It is a great honour for me to address this important meeting and I would like to thank the Government and the People of Viet Nam for the hospitality extended to me and my delegation since we arrive in this beautiful city of Ha Noi.
2. The theme “Promoting ICT applications for HRD and Capacity Building” is a very timely one and I am very pleased to see that the program contains highly interesting discussion points. I firmly believe that the outputs of the Meeting will help to map out a guiding framework to increase cooperation between both sides.
3. On the part of ASEAN, the Ministers in charge of ICT have endorsed several initiatives to strengthen capacity building through increased skills training and promotion of ICT education, for example through the Hanoi Agenda and Brunei Action Plan.
4. Many of these initiatives are supported by ASEAN Dialogue Partners, notably China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and India. To date, many workshops, seminars and related programs have been jointly implemented, covering a wide range of areas from strategic and policy concerns to regulatory issues in almost all dimensions of the information society. The European Union has been active recently in the ASEAN ICT sector. The First Euro-Southeast Asia Information and Communications Technology Forum 2006 (EUSEA2006) was convened in Singapore in June 2006. This laid a foundation for the Second ICT Research Collaboration Conference in Jakarta in September 2006 and also the Euro-Southeast Asia 2006 ICT Forum on 21 – 23 November 2006 in Helsinki.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
5. I sense at this moment the signs of a growing interest from an expanding pool of partners to complement the ASEAN works in ICT. ASEAN Member Countries and ASEM partners will discuss here further on concrete measures and activities to implement the 5th ASEM Initiative on the ICT Applications for HRD and Capacity Building.
6. In line with the enlargement and important image of ASEM, we now need to move ahead of the dialogue forum and grow into a more substantial partnership with action-oriented initiatives and work plans. In this regard, it would be desirable for ASEM ICT sector to expand and deepen its cooperation to meet the global challenges. I would like to focus on four important issues, namely:
7. First, there should be a reaffirmation of the strategic importance and relevance of ASEM ICT issues for both Asia and Europe. Both sides share a common interest in many concerns, for example the appropriate and effective working mechanism for global public policy and regulation issues. I believe that both sides are open to new ideas, such as workshop or information-sharing forum, to tune our common language and define our joint position in today’s multi-stakeholder ICT environment.
8. Second, we should design a practical approach with clear target and measures in the stages of cooperation. While it is important to draw the direction and commitment, it is equally important to mobilize and promote our strengths and experience in handling similar concerns and interest. And if possible, a joint project can be initiated. With the support of private sector and business communities, we can realize our work programs and activities without further delay and avoid some of the pitfalls.
9. Third, the cooperation in ICT sector shall be designed to support economic cooperation and social development. In the global economy, ASEAN Member Countries have to move up the technology ladder and focus on enhancing their capability for technological innovation, entrepreneurship, productivity and quality of services to maintain our competitiveness. ICT should be used in its maximum potential to support trade, economic development and for empowering local communities. In ASEM, we are talking about improving the lives of more than 60 percent of world population and the market for more than 50 percent of world GDP.
10. Fourth, it is important to facilitate and strengthen our partnership in ICT education and research institutions. The strategic partnerships between public research organizations and industry could be established to facilitate technology development, joint R&D undertakings and technology transfer. We, in ASEAN, understand that mutual recognition and cross-sector recognition of ICT skill certificates are important to encourage multi-disciplinary studies. The development and deployment of digital content and e-services for public interest, network and information security, standardization, new regulatory regime are just some of many examples we can work together.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to conclude my remarks by offering my sincere thanks to the Minister for Post and Telematics of Viet Nam, H.E. Prof. Dr. Do Trung Ta, the sponsors, and all of you who have made this Meeting possible. Let us develop this milestone event into a sustainable and practical collaboration between Asia and the Europe.
Thank you.
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*Opening Remarks delivered by Mr. Nicholas Tandi Dammen, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN on behalf of HE Mr Ong Keng Yong, Secretary-General of ASEAN
