The Myanmar delegation led by Dr Wah Wah Maung, Eminent Person (EP) of Myanmar and Deputy Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations attended the 16th Meeting of High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision (HLTF-ACV), which was held in Melaka, Malaysia, on 31 July-3 August 2024, accompanied by Deputy Director-General U Mang Hau Thang and an official from the Department of ASEAN Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A high-level representative drafting session of the 16th Meeting of the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision (HLTF-ACV) was held prior to the 16th Meeting of HLTF-ACV.
The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Sitsangkhom, Alternate Eminent Person (EP) of Lao PDR as the ASEAN Chair and Mr Dato’ Zainuddin Yahya, Eminent Person (EP) of Malaysia and former Malaysian ambassador, as the permanent shepherd Member State and it was attended by eminent persons, high-level representatives and officials from ASEAN Member States and Timor Leste as an observer, as well as officials from the ASEAN Secretariat.
At the meeting, the HLTF-ACV had an interface with the ASEAN Mayors Forum and the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, and the respective stakeholders updated their works and contributions to the ASEAN Community Vision and shared the priorities and challenges to be addressed in the future ahead and provide their recommendations. The meeting exchanged views on the emerging challenges and recommendations made by the respective stakeholders on the development of the APSC Strategic Plan in a friendly, cordial and candid manner.
In addition, HLTF-ACV also had an Interface meeting with the Chair of the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration (HLTF-EI), Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Development of ASCC Post- 2025 Strategic Plan and Chair of the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) and the respective pillars have updated their progress in developing their respective ASEAN Vision 2045 strategic action plans. The meeting exchanged views on the development of the respective strategic plans, placement of the elements of institutional strengthening-related strategic measures and cross-cutting issues.
At the meeting, the deputy minister commended comprehensive and informative presentations made by the respective stakeholders’ community pillars, including connectivity and acknowledged the significant role of stakeholders, including the ASEAN Mayors Forum (AMF), who are present today in the tangible implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. She underscored the importance of promoting not only horizontal cooperation but also vertical cooperation so as to ensure the inclusive ASEAN Community and support to enhance the capacity building of CMLV, especially MSME development. During the interface meeting with ASEAN Community Pillars, including connectivity, the deputy minister also highlighted the urgent need to promote cross-pillar coordination and explained the different natures of the APSC and AEC pillars.
The meeting noted with satisfaction the completion of the second reading of the APSC Strategic Plan of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. It tasked the ASEAN Secretariat to develop the progress report on the development of ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its Strategic Plans. The meeting underscored the importance of consistency among the Strategic Plans of ASEAN Community Pillars and Connectivity and expected the possibility of the completion of the respective Strategic Plans in the end of this year. The meeting adopted the Summary Decisions and Summary Reports of the 15th HLTF-ACV.
HLTF-ACV was established in 2022 to develop the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and attendant document(s) in close consultation with the three ASEAN Community Pillars and ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee in accordance with the Ha Noi Declaration on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision and the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community’s Post- 2025 Vision. — MNA
