The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Think Tank Forum opened Monday in Singapore, discussing lessons learnt from the grouping's past and challenges to face to build economic community.
The two-day forum, with the theme of ASEAN at 40: Achievements and Challenges, was co-organized by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and the Institute of Policy Studies. Held for the first time, it attracted 150 experts and leaders from think tanks and academic institutions in the region.
ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong provided an insider's perspective of the 10-member bloc at the forum, saying the ASEAN Charter, which is expected to transform the grouping into a more efficient rules-based organization, is being revised to take into account the foreign ministers' views at the recently concluded ASEAN Ministerial Meetings in Manila.
He expected that the final draft Charter will be ready at the end of September and will be submitted to the leaders attending the Singapore summit in November.
Founded on August 8, 1967, the ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. And it is today a key regional organization in development.
In an age of interdependence, the governments of ASEAN have agreed to create an ASEAN Community with pillars in economics, security and social-cultural issues.
Apart from analyzing economic community and competitiveness, the forum also offered insightful discussions on security community and the success of the Charter in transforming ASEAN and making it a more united, effective and competitive community.
Participants will also discuss issues on environment, energy and climate change, aiming to look at the challenges that ASEAN face in energy needs and the opportunities and dangers in biofuels and nuclear energy.
Source: Xinhua
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