Ingenieur Vol 71 ingenieur July 2017 | Page 64

to achieving the political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars of an integrated ASEAN Community. INGENIEUR EXhIBIT 6 Vision and strategic objectives ASEAN Connectivity 2025 Physical connectivity To achieve a seamlessly and comprehensively connected and integrated ASEAN that will promote competitiveness, inclusiveness, and a greater sense of Community People-to-people Institutional connectivity connectivity Strategic objectives ▪ Increase public and private infrastructure investment in each ASEAN Member State, Sustainable infrastructure Digital innovation Seamless logistics Regulatory excellence People mobility as needed ▪ Significantly enhance the evaluation and sharing of best practices on infrastructure ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ productivity in ASEAN Increase the deployment of smart urbanisation models across ASEAN Support the adoption of technology by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) Support financial access through digital technologies Improve open data use in ASEAN Member States Support enhanced data management in ASEAN Member States ▪ Lower supply chain costs in each ASEAN Member State ▪ Improve speed and reliability of supply chains in each ASEAN Member State ▪ Harmonise or mutually recognise standards, conformance, and technical regulations for products in key sectors ▪ Reduce number of trade-distorting non-tariff measures across ASEAN Member States ▪ Support ease of travel throughout ASEAN ▪ Reduce the gaps between vocational skills demand and supply across ASEAN ▪ Increase the number of intra-ASEAN international students Figure 1 2. The following criteria were used to prioritise strategies to support the articulated promote competitiveness, vision statement: inclusiveness, and a iii. Relevance. The strategic areas must be within the scope of the connectivity agenda, including greater sense of Community (Figure 1). Greater being regional in nature. connectivity is the foundational supportive and i . Significance. The strategic areas must have the to have material The potential strategic areas must have the facilitative means to achieving the political- Iv. Timeliness. impact and on socio-cultural the connectivity in ASEAN. In other words, impact it must potential to achieve demonstrable over be security, economic, pillars of agenda an the 2016-2025 integrated critical ASEAN Community. to achieving the vision and goals outlined period. for ASEAN Connectivity. Based on these criteria and consultations The following criteria were used to prioritise with Government officials of ASEAN Member strategies to support the articulated vision States, Dialogue Partners, academics, multilateral institutions, business associations, private statement: i. Significance. The strategic areas must have sector representatives and other relevant the potential to have material impact on the stakeholders, the following five strategic areas connectivity agenda in ASEAN. In other words, have been prioritised for MPAC 2025: sustainable PLAN ON ASEAN CONNECTIVITY infrastructure, digital innovation, seamless logistics, it MASTER must be critical to achieving the vision 2025 and 39 regulatory excellence, and people mobility. goals outlined for ASEAN Connectivity. The five strategic areas cover and support ii. Complementarity. The strategic areas relate to opportunities to complement other ASEAN different ASEAN Connectivity dimensions and sectoral work plans. This could include issues ASEAN Community pillars. In particular, there is that span multiple sector working groups, wide coverage of the physical and institutional which may not be adequately addressed by any dimensions; as well as significant alignment with the ASEAN Community priorities. existing group (e.g., infrastructure financing). 6 62 VOL - SEPTEMBER 2017 VOL 71 55 JULY JUNE 2013