Hanoi--12 August 2014: Secretary General of ASEAN, H.E. Le Luong Minh, said that ASEAN has to maintain its central role in regional security and economic architecture to ensure the grouping sustainable progress.

In his key-note speech, he said that ASEAN wants to double its GDP and halves the poverty in the region, it is imperative that the grouping remains cohesive and adopt common agendas impacting on their future.

Regarding the community-building in ASEAN, H.E. Le Luong Minh pointed out that the grouping has done well with over 80 per cent of action plans outlined in the blueprints. He said ASEAN is focusing on completing the remaining targets by the end of 2015.

He also outlined three challenges related to the new geopolitics in the region, the global financial uncertainties and the need for capacity-building within ASEAN.Above all, he added ASEAN still need to be "deep vigilant" in ensuring a responsive and comprehensive strategy is in place "to prepare and counteract these changing dynamics in both political and economic fronts."

H.E. Le Luong Minh also commended ERIA for its research works that help the ASEAN members to integrate economically. Since its inception 2008, ERIA has organized seminars, workshops, policy studies and conferences including hundreds of papers on economic performance in the region.

To download the Press Release, please click on the following PDF file:

Press Release - ASEAN faces up the Post-2015 challenges