ASEAN

IT IS said that Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] is composed of 10 precious and exquisite pearls that sparkle and stand on a class of their own. However, these pearls remain loose, and everyone agrees that the Asean region will be a more immense source of light and strength for the rest of the…

Main countries of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) need to increase their competitiveness in line with other member countries, an official said here on Thursday. “Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines face challenges to improve their competitiveness as other member countries such as Vietnam has emerged to be an important investment destination in…

The six major Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) countries have rebounded from the global economic crisis with average expected growth of 7.3 percent this year, and 6 percent over the next five years, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Tuesday. Vietnam is expected to post the highest average growth rate…

TOKYO, Japan—The six major Asean countries have rebounded from the global economic crisis with average expected growth of 7.3 percent this year, and six percent over the next five years, the OECD said Tuesday.

HANOI – China’s rise has altered the dynamics within the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and across Asia, as was on display at recently concluded summits in Hanoi.

In the year since the establishment of the Asean Intergovernmental Commission for Human Rights (AICHR), the overall human rights situation in the region has actually deteriorated. Worse still, nobody talks about it anymore because the conventional wisdom is that Asean now has a human rights body. According to normal procedure, it should be AICHR members…

The Philippines on Friday supported adoption of two Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) declarations—Enhancement of Welfare and Development of Asean Women and Children and Human Resources and Skills Development for Economic Recovery and Sustainable Growth.

HANOI, Oct 31, 2010 (AFP) – ASEAN’s attitude to Myanmar, and the harsh treatment of activists by the bloc’s chair Vietnam on the eve of its summit, highlight the group’s failure to confront human rights abuses, watchdogs say.

Bangkok. A year after its creation, a Southeast Asian human rights body has earned an unflattering label — that of being a window-dressing exercise to improve the image of a region that is home to governments notorious for suppressing political opponents.

MANILA, Philippines—A coalition of major international environment groups has called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take a stronger stand on climate change in the upcoming climate talks in Cancun, Mexico.

BANGKOK, THAILAND — Members of  human rights organizations in Southeast Asia  have given the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) a failing mark for its performance in its first year.

Oct. 19–The International Institute for Trade and Development has urged Thailand to prepare for its role as a major logistics hub as Asean economic integration is planned for 2015.

The ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) finally gets a think tank to help it carry out its duty, with the establishment of the Human Rights Resource Center for ASEAN (HRRCA).

ASEAN’s manufacturing exports have grown in recent years, due to increased productivity, proximity to large Asian markets, and recently implemented free trade agreements, according to a US International Trade Commission report issued in August. But challenges remain for future growth, including a shortage of skilled labor, an inefficient system of standards and assessment, and inadequate…

MANILA, Philippines—The Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights is preparing the drafting of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) for its next meeting in November in Thailand, it was learned.

The 17th ASEAN Summit, to be held in Hanoi in late October, will be a landmark event looking towards an ASEAN Community by 2015, a Vietnamese official has said.

“The world wants ASEAN to succeed,” says Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary General of ASEAN “The world wants ASEAN to succeed.” This buoyant statement put forth by Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of the Association for South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), presented a much cheerier prognosis of the regional bloc’s ability to survive and thrive than most…

ASEAN LABOUR CONTROLS TO EASE IN 2015 Thailand’s labour development policy is failing to equip workers with the skills they need for a free labour market in Southeast Asia over the next five years, academics say.

singapore_compactBy now is it well-known that the South-East Asian countries have joined hands to launch the ASEAN CSR Network during the International Singapore Compact CSR Summit held in Sentosa recently. During the launch, Singapore Compact for CSR president Olivia Lum said that ASEAN has recognised the importance of CSR “not just to achieve the socio…

The Association of Southeast Asian Nation’s (Asean) single market idea is taking shape and will continue to consolidate to facilitate free movement of goods and services, and people within the region, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Bloc raises concerns at WTO review THE PHILIPPINES and its ASEAN peers have taken issue with United States policies that reportedly restrict trade.

SOME OF Southeast Asia’s top economies will not only recover from the ill effects of last year’s financial crisis but may even post strong gains, topping most expectations, according to Standard & Poor’s.

In their first joint meeting on American soil, the leaders of the United States and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) took fresh steps to cement their growing engagement and pledged to cooperate more closely in key areas such as education and trade.

VnnNews – President Barak Obama and President Nguyen Minh Triet co-chaired the second ASEAN-US Leaders’ Meeting in New York on September 24, which was attended by ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan and leaders of ASEAN member states.

NEW YORK – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the US have come up with key commitments expected to revive the superpower’s presence and interest over the strategic region southeast of China.

LINGERING conflicts, fragile political situations and armed violence in Southeast Asia hamper the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

ASIAN businesses are consolidating and anticipating the creation by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations of an integrated marketplace that is expected to make the region economically independent from the West, especially in light of the continued failure of developed nations to show signs of recovery.

TO be precise, my analysis excludes Japan, which is in a situation (disastrous) of its own. The decoupling growth story between Asia ex-Japan and the West (USA and Europe) has been among the favorite topics of analysts for many years now. The difference in growth performance since the 2008 global meltdown has intensified that debate.

President Obama should close the political gap on regional engagement This coming Friday at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, President Barack Obama will host his counterparts from 8 of the 10 ASEAN nations for the second U.S.-ASEAN Summit. The luncheon is important because it institutionalizes American engagement in ASEAN on equal footing with…

The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), an international human rights organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday called on the newly-established ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to seriously address housing rights violations in the region.