The Regional Consultation on the Vision of a People-Centred ASEAN Community

           On 24 September 2015, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism co-hosted a Regional Consultation on the Vision of a People-Centred ASEAN Community to discuss the way forward for ASEAN to realise a people-centred Community. The event was held at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, Bangkok.

           Delivering the Opening Remarks was H.E. Mr. Noppadon Theppitak, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. H.E. Mr. Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and Former Secretary-General of ASEAN, was also present to deliver a Keynote Address, which highlighted the opportunities and benefits the ASEAN Community brings. He also stressed that the commitment towards ASEAN must not waver and that economic development will pave the way for systematic social development.

           ASEAN is in the process of developing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025, which will be the ASEAN Community’s ten-year plan (2016-2025) after its formal establishment at this year-end. In this process, Thailand has been engaging various sectors of society, including business people, academia, ASEAN specialists, students, civil servants, civil society organisations (CSOs) and media, to give inputs and exchange views on the Vision of ASEAN.

          Besides national consultations, Thailand recognises the importance of reaching out to stakeholders at the regional level. Around 120 representatives of regional CSOs, CSOs from ASEAN Member States, and international organisations based in Bangkok such as UN ESCAP, UNDP and UN OHCHR participated in the Regional Consultation.

          The focus of the Regional Consultation was on how to mainstream the inclusive and people-centred concept into the workings of ASEAN and how to overcome the challenges on this front. One of the major challenges identified was a lack of knowledge and understanding about ASEAN. Awareness raising activities and dissemination of information would enable the people to participate in and contribute meaningfully to the Community. Engagement between ASEAN and civil society organisations should be regularised or institutionalised to provide more space for interaction, dialogue and partnership. Stakeholders should also have a role in the implementation, monitoring and review of the ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025.

         Another way forward is to strengthen the solidarity among the ASEAN Member States to adhere to the principles of ASEAN as stipulated in the ASEAN Charter and to international norms and standards. The CSOs also called for transparency and accountability in the workings of ASEAN so that economic advancement is well balanced with social development. It was also underscored that ASEAN has to improve its work processes and coordination among the three pillars, as well as strengthen the ASEAN Secretariat, to fully implement the inclusive and people-centred concept and ensure that no one is left behind and everyone has a voice in this Community.