Union Minister, Dr. Kan Zaw led the coordination meeting (1/2024) of the Working Committees on the implementation of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2025 which was held on 1 April at the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, Nay Pyi Taw. The meeting was attended by Deputy Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Director Generals and Officials, total of about 70 people from 22 Working Committees.
At the opening remark, Union Minister Dr. Kan Zaw shared the outcomes of the 30th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting Retreat which was held in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR on 8-9 March, 2024. Union Minister also explained the current and future situation of regional and global economic growth. He also underscored the importance of supply chain network and global production network in the region.
Union Ministers highlighted 14 Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) that will be prioritized under Lao PDR Chairmanship in 2024, as well as 113 Annual Priorities Measures to be implemented in 2024. Union Minister underscored the importance of preparation to seize the opportunities for country development in implementing and participating in regional activities. Moreover, he emphasized to review the country’s implementation status especially in the trade in goods, trade in services and investment sectors, in accordance with country’s current policies. In addition, he urged the working committees to participate in the implementation of the AEC measures more practically and to continue the remaining works.
Director General of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations under the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, and ASEAN Senior Economic official Meeting (SEOM) Lead explained the follow-up of the 30th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting Retreat and the detailed measures and plans that ASEAN Economic Community will be prioritized in 2024.
Afterwards, Deputy Ministers and Permanent Secretaries who are the Chairperson of the Working Committees and Director Generals who are the Secretaries of the Working Committees discussed the activities and plans to be carried out in 2024 including participation in the ASEAN's Sustainable Development Initiatives, cooperation in the areas of Food, Agriculture and Forestry, Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, Investment and Intellectual Property Right, promoting private sector cooperation, development of MSMEs, nurturing skilled labours, participation in regional financial integration, the status of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement negotiations, cooperation in research and innovation sector, activities in infrastructure development, cooperation in minerals and energy sector, cooperation for the avoidance of double taxation in the region, initiatives for Good Regulatory Practices (GRP), cooperation in competition and consumer protection sector, and the activities for narrowing development gap.
Then, Deputy Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations briefed the progress of the development of AEC Strategic Plan (2026-2030), the coordination for the effective implementation of future ASEAN activities, preparation for the review of the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 by the ASEAN Secretariat.
In conclusion, Union Minister provided the guidance on the reports of the working committees and urged the working committees to implement AEC measures in a timely manner, to participate in the future works of ASEAN continuously, to raise Country’s stand firmly in the Meetings and to consider the regional measures which can support National Development.
