by Irene Wijaya | Mar 15, 2022 | MSME & private sector engagement, Technical Reports
The establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 has opened up numerous business opportunities for the regional community with its vision of ASEAN as a single market and production hub characterised by the free flow of goods, services, and investments, as well as a more liberal movement of capital and skills. The AEC Blueprint 2025 characterised by its objectives to create a highly integrated and cohesive economy and nurture a dynamic ASEAN through enhanced connectivity and sectoral cooperation. The blueprint envisaged greater participation of the business community especially the private sector and the community at large that will lead to a resilient and people-oriented ASEAN. ASEAN has been successful in broadening coverage and reducing limitations on market access through AEC. It is working towards establishment of ASEAN wide attractive investment regime and has been successful in paving the way through various agreements such as CEPT, ATIGA, AFAS and ATISA. Regular pulse checks on the integration efforts are crucial to ensure that the targeted objectives are met on timely fashion as well as identifying challenges that may be a hindrance to achieving the objectives. It is imperative to regularly solicit feedback from all the stakeholders especially the business communities which is the key beneficiary of the AEC efforts. The ASEAN Secretariat commissioned a survey to gather insights on the AEC implementation from the viewpoints of the ASEAN indigenous enterprises, which forms the backbone of the business ASEAN community. The survey focuses on the services sector, particularly financial, distribution, and tourism sector. The survey indicates that: Indigenous enterprises in general have a positive outlook on AEC. They acknowledged the...
by Irene Wijaya | Mar 8, 2022 | Cross Cutting Issues, Technical Reports
The e-commerce sector has proven to be a big driver of economic growth in ASEAN, with the size of ASEAN’s digital economy expected to reach 8.5% of the region’s GDP in 2025 as compared to 1.3% in 2015. This digitalisation trend is further accelerated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – online transactions are increasingly becoming the norm given the frequent movement restrictions or ‘lock-downs’ imposed by governments in order to curtail the spread of the disease. ASEAN has long recognised the potential of e-commerce in the region. The initiative to implement an ASEAN Trust Mark Scheme was specifically set out in the 2020 ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) in recognition of the value it will bring in, amongst others, harmonising the ASEAN Member States governments’ respective e-commerce legislations and reducing uncertainty and cost of online transactions for consumers which will in turn bolster the volume of transactions with e-shops awarded under the Scheme. ASEAN has commissioned this Study to determine the costs and benefits of the Scheme, obtain an understanding of existing national trust mark mechanisms within ASEAN, and receive policy recommendations for operationalising the Scheme. This Study concludes that there is currently no operational regional e-commerce trust mark scheme at the ASEAN level, and that the characteristics, scope, degree of implementation, compliance and level of enforcement of national e-commerce-related trust mark schemes vary across the different AMS. This is notwithstanding that a regional e-commerce trust mark scheme will likely be beneficial to both consumers and e-shops. This Study recommends that the Scheme be operationalised as a dual-layered accreditation scheme, where a trusted regional body such as ASEAN (or...
by Irene Wijaya | Mar 8, 2022 | Services, Technical Reports
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought considerable challenges to the tourism sector in ASEAN and globally. While the region has done relatively well in containing the spread of the virus, tourism activity is still considerably low. Strategic measures are being undertaken to welcome travelers back to the region. To better ensure the health and safety of travelers, ASEAN has created safety and health protocols to reduce possible exposure to viruses and keep everyone healthy. The ASEAN Guidelines on Hygiene and Safety for Professionals and the Communities in the Tourism Industry was developed specifically to ensure health and safety of travelers, service providers and professionals, and the communities involved. The Guidelines are designed for several communities in the tourism industry, covering 8 tourism and tourism-related sectors: accommodation, restaurants, facilities, spa and wellness, ecotourism/community-based tourism, travel and tour operation, and theme parks and convention centers. This set of Guidelines, along with the ASEAN Safe Travel Stamp, may be utilised by tourism industry players to assure travelers of hygiene and safety standards to raise the competitiveness and attractiveness of Southeast Asia as a preferred tourism destination. Download the ASEAN Guidelines on Hygiene and Safety for Professionals and the Communities in the Tourism Industry: Accommodations (front office and housekeeping) Restaurants (food and beverage services, food production) Facilities inside Hotels and Resorts (gym, yoga, swimming pool) Spa and Wellness Facilities Travel and Tour Operation Ecotourism and community-based tourism Theme Parks Convention Centers In addition, checklists are provided for use by business operators and service providers for each of those sectors: Accomodations (front office and housekeeping) Restaurants(food and beverage services, food production) Facilities inside hotels and resorts (gym, yoga,...
by Irene Wijaya | Jan 24, 2022 | Connectivity, Technical Reports
This report presents the proceedings of the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum, which was held online on 6-8 October 2021. ASUF was organised as part of ASEAN’s efforts in contributing to sustainable urban development and accelerating the implementation of the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Strategy (ASUS) framework. The three-day forum aims to: a) Connect: Enhance connectivity and increase engagement and partnerships between AMS, cities, and relevant stakeholders to advance the implementation of sustainable urbanisation and foster collaborative and constructive approaches across ASEAN; b) Share: provide a platform to disseminate knowledge and share best practices and lessons learned on urban development in ASEAN to support the development of sustainable and inclusive policies and programmes in ASEAN; and c) Learn: provide guidance to ASEAN cities and interested urban practitioners to implement the ASUS framework (Figure 1) and build capacity in developing viable, sustainable and inclusive urban projects. The ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum was a collaboration between ASEAN and the UN-HABITAT. Download the Report on ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum [12,595 kb] Recording of the Forum is also available online: ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum 2021 – COVID 19 Recovery in ASEAN (1:18:41) ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum 2021 – Policy Roundtable (1:31:53) ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum 2021 – Financing Opportunities for Urban Development (1:00:54) ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum 2021 – GEDSI in Cities (1:01:14) ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum 2021 – SDGs Localisation (58:31) ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum 2021 – Closing...
by Irene Wijaya | Nov 15, 2021 | MSME & private sector engagement, Technical Reports
The ASEAN Strategic Action Plan for SME Development 2016-2025 (SAP SMED 2025) was launched at the sidelines of the 27th ASEAN Summit in November 2015. This report evaluates progress of the implementation of the first phase of SAP SMED 2025. It highlights some key initiatives of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) and the impact of these initiatives towards the advancement of MSME development noth regionally and nationally. The report also looks at changes in contexts and landscape, and propose steps to promote effective implementation in the second phase, highlighting the the importance to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Download the Evaluation Report (2774...
by Irene Wijaya | Oct 28, 2021 | Cross Cutting Issues, Technical Reports
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is reshaping economies and societies around the globe. The opportunities arising from its evolution in ASEAN are limitless. The 4IR offers people the opportunity to grow better connected, helps economies grow and become more competitive, empowers ASEAN’s citizens and improves their livelihoods through digitalising the provision of basic social services, and helps society decarbonise to meet sustainable development challenges confronting the region. Turning these opportunities into reality requires that stakeholders work to develop and implement coordinated initiatives to embrace fully the 4IR while addressing potential risks that might arise. Leveraging the 4IR’s technological advances and building on existing initiatives across the region, the Consolidated Strategy on the 4IR for ASEAN aims to provide policy guidance in building the ASEAN Digital Community across the three Pillars of ASEAN: the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASSC). This Consolidated Strategy on the 4IR for ASEAN identifies three focus areas, namely Technological Governance and Security; Digital Economy and Digital Transformation of Society. To operationalise the key focus areas, the Strategy proposes three immediate, medium-term, and longer-term priorities for cooperation. Download the Consolidated-Strategy-on-the-4IR-for-ASEAN [4,943...
