Can the ASEAN Economic Community Avoid the Pitfalls of the EU?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Amid the setbacks faced by the European Union with the exit of Britain from this once exclusive economic community, can the newly-launched ASEAN Economic Community maintain its course in unifying the economies of its 10 member countries towards a goal of shared prosperity? This theme will bet he main topic of discussion among ASEAN business leaders and statesmen when they meet in Bali, on October 28-29, at a ‘ regional unconference’  titled ASEAN Unity Through Changes and Innovation.

The two-day gathering in Bali, hosted by the alumni of Indonesian Eisenhower Fellows, will discuss changes that will impact on economic development, such as governance, reforms and innovation.  “Good governance and innovation is the most basic need if economies are to progress,” said National Planning Board Chairman, Bambang Brodjosumantri, one of the speakers and an alumni of the Eisenhower Fellowship program.  Scheduled to speak at the conference will be fellow EF alumni and regional luminaries such as Thailand’s Central Bank Governor, Veerathai Santiprabhob, ACER Internasional Chairman, Stan Shih and Christine Todd Whitman, president of The Whitman Strategy Group from the US, who chairs the Eisenhower Fellowships Executive Council.

“ASEAN, as the regional community of Southeast Asian nations, has become increasingly close.  We, the Eisenhower Fellowship alumni, see many challenges ahead,” said Svida Alisjahbana, CEO of the Femina Group and the current chairperson of the EF alumni association.  “The ‘unconference’ format will enable participants to dialogue actively and collaboratively to identify challenges, seek solutions and innovations which we hope will define steps for the future,” said Svida.

The Bali event will feature speakers from countries in the region, coming from varied backgrounds as business, civil society, social entrepreneurs, parliamentarians, academics, government officials and the media. “Quite a number of Eisenhower Fellows in Southeast Asia  are now in prominent positions at various sectors,” said Svida.

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