World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2016

In 2016, the World Economic Forum will celebrate 25 years of shaping the regional agenda in South-East Asia. In that time, the region has achieved great progress, culminating in the recent launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The AEC demonstrates the region?s aspiration to remove barriers to the free flow of goods, services and people while improving sustainability, infrastructure and livelihoods. But, while ASEAN has much to be proud of, it also faces many serious challenges. The global economic context has become much tougher, from the slowing and rebalancing of China and the normalization of monetary policy in the US, to the recessions in many emerging markets and the attendant slump in global trade. Then there are the tidal waves of new technology sweeping the globe and uprooting business models, development paths, industrialization policies and labour force competitiveness. Just as important are the changing economic architecture and geo-economics of the region, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and China?s One Belt, One Road initiative. The rapid rise of South-East Asia?s economies also reinforces the imperative of ensuring growth with a purpose, giving social inclusion and environmental protection the same priority as competitiveness. As chair of ASEAN in 2015, Malaysia successfully ushered in the arrival of the AEC. This year, the country plays host to the World Economic Forum on ASEAN. In the Forum?s capacity as the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation, this meeting will be an ideal platform for senior decision-makers from a range of sectors to facilitate greater collaboration between industry, government and civil society, and to address regional challenges.