Released on Tuesday during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur, the five-year strategy to achieve the economic goal aims to boost regional integration and better address complex issues.
“Carrying on with business as usual will not suffice for this highly dynamic economic region,” the statement said. “For Asean to become the fourth-largest global economy by 2045, countries in the region will need to deepen their economic integration and enhance their agility to address multifaceted challenges.”
The plan’s announcement, which called for increased energy security, transport security, and strengthened supply chains, came after the bloc finalised negotiations on an upgraded Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) on Monday.
First implemented in 2010, ATIGA removed tariffs on 98.6 per cent of goods traded among member states. The upgraded version – expected to be signed in October – aims to further boost intra-Asean trade by eliminating remaining duties and removing non-tariff barriers, such as complex customs procedures and licensing rules.
ATIGA is one of three major agreements that form the foundation of the Asean free-trade area, which seeks to lower trade barriers and build a unified regional market.
