1
DOC. NO. AGENDA ITEM
03 3
A
TTACHMENT
2: R
EPORT OF THE
37
TH
AEM
THE 3
rd
ACCSQ-WB PWG MEETING
Bangkok, Thailand, 15-16 December 2005
2
REPORT OF THE THIRTY-SEVENTH MEETING OF THE ASEAN ECONOMIC MINISTERS
VIENTIANE, LAO PDR, 28 SEPTEMBER 2005 INTRODUCTION
1.
The Thirty-Seventh Meeting of the ASEAN Economic Ministers AEM was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR on 28 September 2005 and was preceded by the following meetings:
a Preparatory Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting Prep-
SEOM, 24-26 August 2005; b 8
th
AIA Council Meeting, 27 September 2005; and c 19
th
AFTA Council Meeting, 27 September 2005; 2.
The Meeting was attended by: a
H.E. Mr. Soulivong Daravong, Minister of Commerce, Lao PDR and Chairman of the AEM;
b
H.E. Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Brunei Darussalam;
c
H.E. Mr. Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce, Cambodia;
d
H.E. Ms. Mari Elka Pangestu, Minister of Trade, Indonesia;
e
H.E. Dato’ Seri Rafidah Aziz, Minister for International Trade and Industry, Malaysia;
f
H.E. U Soe Tha, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development, Myanmar;
g
H.E. Mr. Peter B. Favila, Secretary of Trade and Industry, the Philippines;
h H.E. Mr. Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore;
i H.E. Mr. Somkid Jatusripitak, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Commerce, Thailand; j
H.E. Mr. Truong Dinh Tuyen, Minister of Trade, Viet Nam; and
k
H.E. Mr. Ong Keng Yong, Secretary-General of ASEAN.
3.
The list of delegates appears as ANNEX 1. OPENING CEREMONY
3 4. The
37
th
AEM Meeting was formally opened by H.E. Mr. Bounhang Vorachit, Prime Minister of Lao PDR on 28 September 2005.
5. In his opening remarks, the Prime Minister underscored the great significance of the
Meeting because not only does it provide a platform for further laying a firmer ground to enhance internal integration but also a forum where measures to overcome challenges that
the region is and will be facing will be identified and decided on. The Prime Minister also emphasised the importance of convergence of the national and community interest which
largely depend on the extent of ASEAN integration. The success of ASEAN integration also hinges on narrowing the development gap among ASEAN Member Countries and between
ASEAN and other regions. One way to address this development gap is by focusing common efforts in the development and utilisation of information technology. He called on
Member Countries to assist each other in the area of human development, i.e. entrepreneurship and infrastructure development through technical cooperation, among
others. 6.
Noting that ASEAN is facing many challenges such as the oil price hike, ASEAN would need to go beyond trade liberalisation to create a favorable and stable environment to
stimulate more FDI and promote tourism into ASEAN. The Prime Minister also called for the promotion of SMEs being important engines of growth. He proposed for the setting up of a
fund to help the SMEs get better access to resources. 7.
The Prime Minister also stressed that it is important for the AEM to work closely with the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Energy Cooperation to enhance cooperation in the
various areas of energy, especially those linked to agricultural development, through the identification of appropriate measures. In addition, the role of the AEM should be further
expanded so that they can play the coordinating and advisory role for meetings of other economic-related sectoral bodies in ASEAN.
8.
The text of the Prime Minister’s Opening Address and the Welcome Remarks of H.E.
Soulivong Daravong jointly appears as ANNEX 2. AGENDA ITEM 1:
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN
9. The Meeting elected H.E. Mr. Soulivong Daravong, Minister of Commerce, Lao PDR
as Chairman and H.E. Dato’ Seri Rafidah Aziz, Minister of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia as Vice-Chairman.
AGENDA ITEM 2:
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
10.
The Meeting adopted the Agenda, which appears as ANNEX 3. AGENDA ITEM 3:
BUSINESS ARRANGEMENTS
11. The Meeting was held in plenary.
AGENDA ITEM
4: REPORT OF THE ASEAN SECRETARY-GENERAL TO THE THIRTY-SEVENTH MEETING OF THE ASEAN ECONOMIC
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