1) Promote economic, social and cultural development of the region.
2) Protect the peace and stability of the region
3) Provide opportunities for member countries to discuss and
resolve differences peacefully
ASEAN's Initiatives
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)
Southeast Asia is facing intense
competition from new economic
powers such as China and India
ASEAN countries realize economic
integration is necessary
Thus, ASEAN launched AFTA in
1992 to remove import taxes
among Souteast Asian countries
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
Created in 1994 to maintain peace by
promoting political and security dialogue
and cooperation among countries
Aims to provide an avenue for countries in the region to
discuss and resolve different issues and conflicts peacefully
Participants include : China, Japan, North Korea,
India, New Zealand, Austrailia, USA and Canada
What does the ASEAN logo symbolise?
The colors blue, red, white and yellow represents
the main colors of the crests of all the ASEAN
countries
Blue : Peace and stability
Red : Courage and dynamism
White : Purity
Yellow : Prosperity
10 stalks of Padi - represents all the 10 countries in Southeast Asia bound together in friendship and solidarity
The circle : Unity of ASEAN
Organisations of ASEAN
ASEAN Political-Security Community
Aim : to ensure countries region live at peace with one another and the world
A just, democratic and harmonious environment
ASEAN Economic Community
Aims :
A single market and production base
A highly competitive economic region
A region of equitable economic development
A region fully integrated into the global economy
ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
Aims to contribute to realising an ASEAN community that is people-oriented and socially responsible
Seeks to forge a common identity and build a caring and sharing society that is inclusive
and where the well-being, livelihood and welfare of the people are enhanced
Successes : Food
Food Security
Each ASEAN member state should establish an ASEAN Emergency Rice Reserve
(AERR) maintained by each Member Country within its national border.
Presently, the total earmarked quantity for the AERR stands at 87 metric tons
Food Handling
ASEAN established guidelines that serves as a practical reference for food
industry in the production and handling of Halal food for more effective presence
in the regional and international market.
Food Safety
ASEAN developed a website to provide useful information on food safety
How Singapore benefits from ASEAN membership
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)
The AFTA removes import taxes among Southeast Asian countries to integrate the
Asian economies into a single production base, create a regional market of 500
million people and remove all import taxes among member countries by 2015
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
The ARF helps to maintain peace by promoting political and security dialogue
thus maintaining stability and peace among the countries to prevent the
possibility of armed conflict
How Singapore contributes to ASEAN
Education and professional exchange
Singapore contributes technical knowledge and expertise for member countries, providing
training to 1700 officials from Laos since 1993. Training included information technology skills,
learning the English language and handling trade promotions.
Singapore offers scholarships to students of ASEAN countries under the Singapore
Cooperation Programme (SCP). They study courses offered in our local universities
and return to their country at the end of there studies.
Economic cooperation and assistance
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong launched the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) to
help narrow the econonic gap between member countries such as Vietnam and
Cambodia. Singapore offered a five-year aid package of over $80 million to selected
member countries
Failures : Haze
The forest fires in Indonesia created a serious haze problem in the region and is a recurring problem.
However, even after cooperating to tackle the problem, the haze has still been
affecting the region