The ASEAN Secretariat convened the 13th Coordinating Conference for the ASEAN Political-Security Economy Community (13th ASCCO) on 6 May 2021 via Videoconference. The purposes of the Conference were to review the implementation of the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint 2025 and to provide updates on recent developments of cross-sectoral and cross-pillar issues.
Representatives from the ASEAN SOM Leaders, ASEAN SEOM Chair, ASEAN SOCA Chair, ASEAN Directors-General, Members of the Committee Representatives to ASEAN, Chair of APSC Bodies and Relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies and Entities, also Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN Economic Community Department and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Department participated at this annual Conference.
R.M. Michael Tene, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for APSC delivered the Opening Remarks by conveying a brief explanation on the progress of work for the APSC Blueprint 2025. The mid-term review of the Blueprint disclosed that most of the activities evaluated are having high-impact, expecting to be sustained, and having irreversible effects.
The Conference updated the priorities of the ASEAN Chair 2021, the work on the development of ASEAN Post-2025 Vision, the cross-sectoral and cross-pillar issues, ASEAN’s initiatives in response to COVID-19, and other matters such as updates of Timor-Leste’s application for membership of ASEAN.
During the event, ASEANSAI has also invited to share the works relevant to the implementation of the APSC Blueprint 2025. Mr. Bahtiar Arif, as the Head of ASEANSAI Secretariat and Secretary General of BPK, conveyed that since the establishment of ASEANSAI in 2011, the organization has embraced ASEAN’s principles and sought to promote good governance and rule of law, as well as public accountability, transparency, and therefore better government within each country.
ASEANSAI has thus developed the institutional capacity to address issues of anti-fraud as discussed in point A.2.3 of the Blueprint and Joint Events in point A.2.4, and note the specific mention in the 2025 Blueprint of the role of Supreme Audit Institutions in point A.2.6 ii and section B.2. To conclude the session, ASEANSAI offered support in addressing the professional services needed to meet the 2025 APSC Blueprint targets.
