ASEAN Economic Community 2015 and its impact on the Security Architecture of South East Asia

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ASEAN Economic Community 2015 and its impact on the Security Architecture of South East Asia

Summary

Establishing a border-free ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is one of the three ambitious inter-related integration objectives set out by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The ASEAN integration blueprint also calls for the creation of an ASEAN Political-Security Community and an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. The aim is to create a border-free ASEAN Economic Community by the end of 2015, an ambitious goal in view of the comprehensiveness of the objectives involved: full economic integration through a single market, free flow of goods, services, skilled labour, capital and investment, the removal of all customs barriers and the implementation of a visa-free zone among the 10 ASEAN members.

About

About

With the end-2015 deadline for establishing a border-free ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) drawing closer, Friends of Europe’s debate on 4 November, co-organised with Hanns Seidel Foundation, reviewed achievements made to date and future steps in the process. “We need a strong, cohesive and self-confident ASEAN,” said Steven Everts of the European External Action Service. Joined by Rafael M. Alunan III, Chair of the National Security Committee of the Management Association of the Philippines, and Adrianus Meliala, Indonesian National Police Commissioner, and moderated by Shada Islam, Director of Policy at Friends of Europe, discussion explored the work that still lies ahead, especially in the drive to create an ASEAN political and security community. Alunan III admitted that progress on the AEC was faster than on political and security cooperation among ASEAN members, underlining: “there have been few solid achievements so far”. Ever-present rivalries in the South China Sea can lead to major steps forward in ASEAN security cooperation but only if ASEAN leaders stick together, invest in unity and bring the people along, said Everts, noting the similarity of these challenges to those of the EU. Meliala highlighted the new security challenges facing ASEAN across borders including terrorism, smuggling, human trafficking and internet hacking. Different mind-sets and cultural attitudes remain, but ASEAN is moving forward to meet its goals.

Schedule

Schedule

Registration and Light Lunch
Conference
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Welcome address by

Paul Schäfer

Resident Representative, Hanns Seidel Foundation Philippines

Steven Everts

Director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS)

Rafael Moreno Alunan III

Former Minister of the Interior and Local Government and of Tourism, Chair of the National Security Committee of the Management Association of the Philippines

Steven Everts

Director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS)

Prof. Adrianus Meliala

Police Commissioner, Professor for Criminology at University of Indonesia

Moderator

Shada Islam

Managing Director at New Horizons Project

Coffee Reception
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