President Anibal Cavaco Silva of Portugal guided his country from a third world European periphery to a modern state well integrated into Europe and the world during his two terms as Portuguese Prime Minister. Today with his vision, his intellectual capacity grounded on technical competence, and sensibility to political, economic and social actors, Cavaco Silva is trying to guide his country from crisis with the newly formed government of Portugal. Cavaco Silva just trounced his political detractors by winning an outright majority in the first round of Portugal's Presidential Electins early this year to begin his second popular Presidential mandate. He holds a PhD in Ecnomics with specialty in Public Finance from York University in England. Good luck with this reading....
Tomada de posse
Discurso na íntegra de Cavaco Silva
21.06.2011 - 15:10
Votar | 0 votos 16 de 31 notícias em Política« anteriorseguinte »
O XIX Governo Constitucional, que hoje toma posse, foi formado tendo em conta os resultados das eleições legislativas do passado dia 5 e, nos termos do acordo de coligação entre o Partido Social Democrata e o CDS-Partido Popular, dispõe de apoio maioritário na Assembleia da República.
Tal como afirmei ao intervir nas Comemorações do 25 de Abril, o apoio parlamentar maioritário afigura-se essencial na actual conjuntura, de modo a que o novo Executivo enfrente de imediato e com determinação os grandes desafios que lhe são colocados no plano económico e social, e dê cumprimento aos compromissos assumidos no plano internacional.
A tomada de posse de um Executivo com apoio maioritário permite reunir as condições de governabilidade necessárias para um tempo que vai exigir grandes sacrifícios dos cidadãos e um enorme sentido de responsabilidade patriótica por parte de todos os agentes políticos e também dos agentes económicos e sociais.
Competirá ao novo Executivo, e aos dirigentes dos dois partidos que o integram, assegurar que a coligação governativa tenha solidez, consistência e durabilidade.
Portugal não está em condições de viver crises políticas sucessivas. Como deixei bem claro na comunicação ao País que efectuei na véspera das eleições, os portugueses iriam escolher um Governo para um horizonte temporal de quatro anos, o período da legislatura.
Ao apoio parlamentar maioritário, de que este Governo dispõe, acresce a cooperação activa do Presidente da República. Tal como sucedeu com os anteriores Executivos, a quem nunca faltei com a minha palavra e com a minha lealdade, pode o novo Governo contar com a cooperação do Presidente da República ao serviço do superior interesse nacional.
Ao primeiro-ministro cessante, que presidiu ao Governo de Portugal durante seis anos, bem como aos membros dos seus governos, expresso público reconhecimento pelos serviços prestados e desejo os maiores sucessos pessoais e profissionais.
Senhor primeiro-ministro,
Senhoras e senhores ministros,
No ciclo político que agora se inicia é fundamental que o Governo tenha presente que o facto de dispor de maioria no Parlamento não deve afastá-lo da busca de compromissos alargados a outras forças políticas.
Perante a gravidade da situação, perante a dimensão dos sacrifícios que vão ser pedidos aos portugueses – possivelmente, os maiores sacrifícios desde que foi instaurada a democracia –, o novo Executivo tem de saber dialogar e obter consensos partidários que vão para além da maioria que o sustenta.
Da oposição espera-se uma atitude construtiva e responsável, para que nesta hora decisiva, em que todos estão comprometidos com o futuro do país, o interesse nacional seja colocado acima dos interesses partidários.
É fundamental, por outro lado, que à procura de consenso com as outras forças políticas se associe o diálogo e a concertação com os agentes económicos e sociais.
A actual crise não reclama apenas sentido de responsabilidade da classe política. Também a responsabilidade de empregadores e trabalhadores irá ser posta à prova perante os portugueses, na certeza de que a situação actual não se compadece com divisões e conflitos.
Ninguém pode ter a pretensão de julgar que está acima da grave situação económica do país, que as adversidades irão passar-lhe ao lado, deixando incólume o seu estatuto, quando milhares à sua volta sofrem privações e se debatem com o flagelo do desemprego ou do emprego precário.
Numa altura de grande exigência, é menor a tolerância dos cidadãos para com desigualdades e privilégios sem sentido.
A justiça na repartição dos sacrifícios tem de ser uma marca da governação que agora se inicia.
Há também que adoptar uma atitude firme no combate à corrupção e às situações de promiscuidade entre interesses privados e o interesse público.
À legitimidade para reclamar sacrifícios tem de corresponder uma cultura do exemplo, assente em valores éticos e princípios de serviço público.
O desempenho de funções públicas e a selecção dos altos responsáveis da administração têm de ser pautados exclusivamente por critérios de competência e de mérito. As eleições servem para devolver a escolha ao povo, não para promover o rotativismo das clientelas.É igualmente essencial que neste ciclo político se instaure uma relação renovada entre o poder e os cidadãos. Uma relação que seja de maior proximidade e respeito e, ao mesmo tempo, de maior independência recíproca.
A sociedade civil, as empresas, os cidadãos em geral têm de se libertar de uma histórica dependência face ao Estado e este, por seu turno, tem de abandonar a tentação de dominar actividades privadas ou de sobre elas exercer uma tutela paternalista ao serviço de interesses particulares.
O Estado tem de estar mais próximo daqueles que verdadeiramente precisam, não daqueles que dispõem de canais privilegiados de acesso aos decisores políticos.
Estes são princípios fundamentais para a governação de legislatura que agora começa, e tão mais relevantes quanto o quadro económico e social em que Portugal se situa é extremamente difícil.
Nos últimos anos, a economia portuguesa apresentou um crescimento económico débil, que nos afastou da média europeia.
Ao mesmo tempo, verificou-se um aumento excessivo do peso do Estado, um desequilíbrio acentuado das contas públicas, uma perda significativa da competitividade do nosso tecido empresarial e um agravamento substancial dos níveis de endividamento doméstico e externo.
Desde meados de 2010 que o Estado e o sistema bancário enfrentam sérias dificuldades de financiamento, que levaram também a um agravamento das condições de acesso ao crédito por parte das empresas e dos cidadãos.
O investimento caiu para níveis inferiores aos verificados há quinze anos e o desemprego tem vindo a aumentar de forma acentuada e persistente, atingindo hoje níveis alarmantes.
Nos últimos meses, a economia portuguesa voltou a apresentar sinais de forte recessão, não acompanhando a recuperação da economia mundial.
Em suma, Portugal vive uma situação de emergência, caracterizada por enormes dificuldades económicas, financeiras e sociais.
Esta situação tornou inevitável o recurso à ajuda externa e o cumprimento de um exigente programa de austeridade e de reformas, no sentido de satisfazer as necessidades imediatas de financiamento da economia portuguesa.
É neste quadro que o XIX Governo Constitucional toma posse e inicia funções. Compete-lhe, em primeira linha, assegurar o cumprimento rigoroso do programa de assistência financeira acordado com a União Europeia e o Fundo Monetário Internacional.
Trata-se de um programa delineado para três anos, que contém um vasto e muito exigente conjunto de compromissos, objectivos e metas, envolvendo a correcção de desequilíbrios internos e externos, o reforço da estabilidade do sistema bancário e reformas de natureza estrutural, abrangendo diversos sectores do Estado e da sociedade.
O programa de ajustamento é especialmente rigoroso e detalhado no que respeita aos objectivos de natureza orçamental. Portugal necessita de reduzir o seu défice público de 9,1 por cento do produto em 2010 para 5,9 por cento já este ano e para 3 por cento em 2013, de forma a iniciar então uma trajectória sustentada de redução da dívida pública.
Os compromissos internacionais assumidos por Portugal constituem, sem dúvida, um caderno de encargos de grande responsabilidade, tanto mais que os prazos definidos para a concretização das várias medidas são extremamente apertados e o cumprimento das diversas metas estará sujeito a um escrutínio atento, quer pelas instituições internacionais, quer por parte dos mercados.
O Governo só poderá ter sucesso se agir com determinação e sentido de urgência, sem deixar, todavia, de proceder à análise ponderada dos problemas e de promover a transparência e o rigor na decisão e na aplicação das políticas públicas.Neste contexto, é essencial que fique claro para os agentes políticos e sociais e para todos os portugueses que o cumprimento deste programa, tendo custos e exigindo muitos sacrifícios, constitui uma solução que se tornou inevitável.
Estou firmemente convicto de que o cumprimento escrupuloso do programa de ajustamento é o caminho que melhor serve o interesse nacional nos próximos anos, embora não seja um caminho isento de riscos, sobretudo de natureza externa.
Na verdade, se Portugal falhar o cumprimento de aspectos essenciais deste acordo poderá ficar sujeito a restrições de financiamento ainda mais graves do que as actuais. Daí iriam decorrer consequências dramáticas para o funcionamento do sistema económico e financeiro, limitando-se durante vários anos as perspectivas de crescimento do País e de criação de emprego.
Senhor primeiro-ministro,
Senhoras e senhores ministros,
Importa ter presente que as tarefas deste Governo não se esgotam no mero cumprimento do acordo com as instituições internacionais.
Assim, uma das funções primordiais do XIX Governo Constitucional consiste em atenuar os elevados custos sociais das medidas que terão de ser tomadas. Considero ser prioritário garantir uma repartição equilibrada dos sacrifícios e uma utilização muito criteriosa dos recursos públicos, com vista a ajudar os cidadãos efectivamente mais carenciados.
A condição-chave para o sucesso reside na redução significativa do desequilíbrio externo, a par da consolidação das finanças públicas, e na capacidade dos agentes nacionais, em particular o Estado e os bancos, para acederem aos mercados financeiros em condições de normalidade.
Torna-se assim fundamental reconquistar a confiança dos mercados e dos investidores internacionais e criar condições para colocar Portugal numa trajectória de crescimento sustentado no médio e longo prazo.
As políticas públicas na área económica devem ser avaliadas em função do seu contributo para o aumento da competitividade externa. Este é, sem dúvida, o objectivo mais decisivo, mas igualmente o mais desafiante.
Tudo o que puder contribuir para a redução do défice externo, quer pela diminuição da nossa dependência face a bens importados quer pelo aumento sustentado das nossas quotas exportadoras, tem de ser valorizado em função daquele objectivo.
O futuro depende igualmente da criação de condições favoráveis ao desenvolvimento da iniciativa privada, à inovação, ao empreendedorismo e à motivação dos jovens para a actividade empresarial e para a aquisição de qualificações e competências.
Não é fácil modernizar e renovar, em pouco tempo, o tecido empresarial do País e orientá-lo mais fortemente para a produção de bens e serviços que concorram com a produção externa.
Mas este é um caminho que temos de reforçar com a maior premência. Desde logo, enraizando critérios de competitividade externa no funcionamento das empresas e melhorando o papel da diplomacia económica, mas também privilegiando a aquisição de produtos nacionais e desenvolvendo hábitos de poupança.
Além disso, é essencial reafectar o crédito disponível para as pequenas e médias empresas competitivas, para o sector de bens transaccionáveis e para investimentos de qualidade que incorporem maioritariamente recursos nacionais e que sejam factor de reforço da posição concorrencial das empresas portuguesas.
Temos de apostar seriamente na melhoria do sistema judicial, na qualificação dos recursos humanos e no aproveitamento e valorização das vantagens comparativas e naturais de que Portugal dispõe nos chamados sectores tradicionais e em áreas como o turismo e bem-estar, a agricultura e a floresta.Portugal pode ainda beneficiar, em termos exportadores, do conhecimento, da experiência e dos investimentos acumulados nos últimos anos em muitos ramos de actividade económica, incluindo, por exemplo, sectores de futuro como a saúde e a biotecnologia, as tecnologias de informação e comunicação, as energias renováveis e as indústrias amigas do ambiente.
O impulso vigoroso de uma produção portuguesa de qualidade, competitiva, com procura no mercado interno e externo, será o elemento fulcral para que a economia nacional cresça e possamos resolver o nosso maior problema: o nível desmesurado e insustentável do desequilíbrio externo.
Os portugueses, todos os portugueses, terão de dar o seu contributo individual para a causa colectiva, consumindo produtos nacionais, poupando mais, reduzindo o seu endividamento, trabalhando e produzindo melhor.
Reafirmo o que já disse em várias ocasiões: não podemos continuar a viver acima das nossas possibilidades, a gastar mais do que aquilo que produzimos e a endividar-nos perante o estrangeiro.
Os próximos tempos exigirão muito dos portugueses, mas o sucesso dependerá da forma como soubermos agir. O ajustamento que é pedido a Portugal terá custos elevados no imediato, mas ambiciona colocar o país num rumo de crescimento sustentado e de criação de emprego.
A perseverança e a responsabilidade que o povo português já mostrou ao longo da História serão novamente postas à prova. O tempo é de união e de coragem. Temos de trabalhar sem medo do futuro.
O Governo que inicia funções tem responsabilidades acrescidas, uma vez que os sacrifícios pedidos são enormes, as expectativas geradas são extremamente elevadas e as exigências impostas não têm paralelo na nossa História recente. Não podemos falhar, sob pena de a situação se tornar economicamente irreversível e socialmente insustentável.
Também, por isso, é importante que o povo português seja especialmente atento, numa atitude cívica responsável e exigente.
Será também essa a atitude do Presidente da República. Manterei, como sempre, uma postura de isenção e imparcialidade no tratamento das diversas forças políticas, cooperando lealmente com o Governo, empenhado em contribuir para a resolução dos problemas com que o País se confronta.
Senhor primeiro-ministro,
Senhoras e senhores ministros,
Para enfrentar a actual situação do País, dispõe o Governo da força de um resultado eleitoral inequívoco, de uma maioria no Parlamento e da cooperação do Presidente da República.
Não há motivos para deixar de fazer o que deve ser feito, a começar pelo cumprimento dos compromissos que assumimos perante as instituições internacionais. Os custos de um falhanço seriam absolutamente catastróficos e durariam por muitos e muitos anos, hipotecando drasticamente o futuro das gerações mais jovens.
Vivemos, pois, um tempo de grandes decisões. A altura é de agir, de actuar com rapidez e de imediato. É isso que os portugueses querem do novo Governo, foi para isso que nele depositaram expressivamente a sua confiança.
O momento é de muito trabalho, de acção ponderada, de diálogo político e social.
O presente exige o melhor de nós, seja do Governo que hoje toma posse, seja do Parlamento renovado, seja de todos os cidadãos.
Ninguém está imune à crise. Cada um de nós será chamado a dar o seu contributo para vencermos as adversidades do presente.
Cada português tem uma quota de responsabilidade no futuro do seu país.
Estamos juntos neste desígnio comum que partilhamos há vários séculos.
É com orgulho que queremos continuar Portugal. Para isso, temos todos de começar já hoje a trabalhar em conjunto.Em nome de Portugal, desejo ao novo Governo os maiores sucessos.
Obrigado.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Fulbright - SERN Scholarship
Fulbright-SERN
Scholarships
with the support of the Bayu-Undan project
and
Scholarships for Advanced Studies
in the United States of America
The Secretary of State for Natural Resources (SERN), the United States Embassy and the Bayu Undan Joint Venture are pleased to announce a new program.
The Fulbright-SERN scholarship program will award up to ten scholarships to Timorese to pursue Master's or Doctoral degrees in fields of study related to the natural resources and energy sector.
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program will award two scholarships to Timorese to pursue Master's degrees in fields that benefit Timor-Leste.
Students selected will begin their academic programs in U.S. universities in August 2012. The grants cover expenses incurred for travel to and from the United States, tuition and books, health insurance, and room and board. The deadline for submission of applications is Friday, July 22, 2011. Complete information and application forms and instructions can be picked up at the U.S. Embassy or downloaded from U.S. Embassy Dili Website or Facebook page. You can also email FulbrightTimorLeste@state.gov or call 3324684 Ext. 2146 for further information.
SECRETÁRIA
DE ESTADO DOS
RECURSOS NATURAIS
This email is UNCLASSIFIED.
Scholarships
with the support of the Bayu-Undan project
and
Scholarships for Advanced Studies
in the United States of America
The Secretary of State for Natural Resources (SERN), the United States Embassy and the Bayu Undan Joint Venture are pleased to announce a new program.
The Fulbright-SERN scholarship program will award up to ten scholarships to Timorese to pursue Master's or Doctoral degrees in fields of study related to the natural resources and energy sector.
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program will award two scholarships to Timorese to pursue Master's degrees in fields that benefit Timor-Leste.
Students selected will begin their academic programs in U.S. universities in August 2012. The grants cover expenses incurred for travel to and from the United States, tuition and books, health insurance, and room and board. The deadline for submission of applications is Friday, July 22, 2011. Complete information and application forms and instructions can be picked up at the U.S. Embassy or downloaded from U.S. Embassy Dili Website or Facebook page. You can also email FulbrightTimorLeste@state.gov or call 3324684 Ext. 2146 for further information.
SECRETÁRIA
DE ESTADO DOS
RECURSOS NATURAIS
This email is UNCLASSIFIED.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
ASEAN Readiness in Achieving the ASEAN Economic Community 2015: Perspectives and Challenges
ASEAN’s Readiness in Achieving the ASEAN Economic Community 2015: Prospects and Challenges
– MAY 1, 2010
POSTED IN: DEFENCE & FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ECONOMY
By Pushpanathan Sundram
From left to right: ASEAN Deputy Secretary General for ASEAN Economic Community P. Sundram, ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan (Credit: ASEAN Secretariat)
Singaporean Pushpanathan Sundram has been the Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Economic Community since 1 January 2009. Appended below is the edited version of his speech delivered at the recently concluded ASEAN Roundtable 2010.
It is an honour and privilege for me to address this year’s ASEAN Roundtable. I wish to thank the ASEAN Studies Centre of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for inviting me to this important meeting.
Let me also take this opportunity to convey the sincere regrets of H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, for not being able to be with you today. He extends his best wishes to you and is looking forward to receiving your pertinent recommendations on further enhancing the building of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).
ASEAN in Today’s Context
In today’s rapidly evolving economic and financial landscape spurred by globalisation, ASEAN lies in the midst of the strategic and dynamic region of East Asia. To maintain its centrality in the region and as an increasingly important player in the global stage, ASEAN needs to be more integrated as a grouping; more engaged with the global economy; and more pro-active and nimble to respond to changing circumstances in a rapidly shifting but increasingly interdependent world. New issues and challenges are confronting ASEAN and therefore pushing ahead with integration and strengthening ASEAN institutions, mechanisms and processes will be crucial for the region to address these developments.
As a region, ASEAN Member States have worked together to ensure peace, stability, prosperity and development for all of them and the region as a whole. The regional resilience that ASEAN has brought about has contributed to national resilience and vice-versa. ASEAN has enjoyed rapid growth and development in the last four decades. The development has helped ASEAN to be a pillar of strength and catalyst for regionalism in Asia. The regional role of ASEAN has been further enhanced by its community building efforts, particularly the AEC.
ASEAN Charter and ASEAN’s Readiness for Community Building
The readiness of ASEAN for community building was clearly reflected by the signing of the ASEAN Charter in 2007 and later its ratification in 2008. After four decades, ASEAN has a constitution to base its work on and to pursue with determination the establishment of an ASEAN Community with three inter-locking pillars of which AEC is one of them. The other two are the ASEAN Political-Security Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.
The Charter also puts in place the institutions and mechanisms that will support the building of the ASEAN Community. For the economic pillar, an AEC Council was established and was given the mandate to oversee the implementation of the AEC. The Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN was also set-up to handle the day-to-day work of ASEAN covering all the three pillars. This body coordinates closely with the ASEAN Secretariat in moving forward the agenda of the ASEAN Community.
The Secretary-General of ASEAN has also been given more mandates to coordinate the work of ASEAN as its Chief Administrative Officer. The Secretariat itself has undergone a complete transformation last year from just providing basic services to that of initiating, coordinating and facilitating the community building agenda of ASEAN. Indeed, the mechanisms under the Charter had provided the much needed coordination between the national and regional levels to see through the implementation of the AEC Blueprint.
Apart from setting the mechanisms under the Charter in motion, ASEAN also adopted the Blueprints for the three Communities. The AEC Blueprint was adopted in 2007 and serves as the comprehensive and coherent master plan for building the economic community characterised by a single market and production base; a competitive economic region with equitable development, and a region that is fully plugged into the global economy.
In order to ensure a more rules-based ASEAN Community, the ASEAN Secretariat was also given the mandate to undertake compliance review for the three pillars to ensure Member States are implementing their commitments under the three Blueprints in a timely manner. For the AEC, a scorecard mechanism was adopted to track the implementation of measures in the AEC Blueprint, which is reported to the AEC Council and the ASEAN Summit. The public version of the first AEC Scorecard has been issued and we hope to receive the comments and inputs of the business community, scholars and other stakeholders to further improve the Scorecard.
Efforts are also ongoing to beef up the procedures to put into operations the dispute settlement mechanism under the AEC for covered economic agreements so that festering economic disputes can be resolved in a more rules-based manner and quickly thereby promoting greater confidence and transparency for the business community in the region. A Protocol to the ASEAN Charter on Dispute Settlement Mechanisms has been adopted recently that aims to put in place a mechanism to help Member States resolve disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the ASEAN Charter. The Dispute Mechanism also applies to other ASEAN instruments which do not specifically provide for dispute settlement mechanisms.
Milestone Achievements in 2010
Apart from the institutional mechanisms and processes, ASEAN’s readiness for the AEC 2015 is reflected by its achievements in the last two years since the signing of the Charter and the adoption of the AEC Blueprint. In this regard, ASEAN has secured a few landmark achievements in 2010. Beginning 1 January 2010, the ASEAN-6 countries achieved zero tariffs covering 99.65 % and for the CLMV 98.6% at 0-5% tariff rates of the total tariff lines traded under the Common Effective Preferential Tariff Scheme for ASEAN Free Trade Area (CEPT-AFTA) making this the most tangible high-impact outcome for ASEAN.
1 January 2010 also saw the realisation of the ASEAN-China and ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and the commencement of the implementation of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA and the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement. ASEAN’s success in engaging pro-actively with its major trading partners in free trade agreements is bearing fruit. Two-way trade has been enhanced and cements ASEAN’s central role within the region. ASEAN’s trade with China, Korea, and Japan remains strong and is growing, while ASEAN is also expected to reap benefits from its newly signed FTAs with Australia-New Zealand and with India.
Another important achievement of ASEAN is that despite the current financial crisis, it has been able to achieve full economic recovery supported by the fiscal and monetary stimulus packages of the individual Member States and the improving economic situation. Overall, we have a good story to tell as ASEAN is expected to achieve a growth rate of 4.9% to 5.6%, after a feeble 1.5% in 2009 due the global economic crisis. There are signs that the region as a whole may attain even higher growth rates if the situation continues to improve. We are already witnessing increasing exports and capital inflows; inflation continues to remain subdued and manageable; and our currencies are appreciating. With the upbeat projection, ASEAN economies are starting to look at exit strategies while being vigilant to any emerging risks. This will provide further incentive for ASEAN to push ahead with its economic integration.
Progress in Implementing the AEC Blueprint
Let me now touch on some of the key progress achieved in economic integration, which is another indication of the commitment and readiness of ASEAN to achieve the AEC by 2015.
The ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) is expected to be fully ratified by the first half of 2010. The ATIGA will provide a single legal enactment to effectively implement the stipulated tariff reduction up to 2015 as well as to promote trade facilitation.
To further ensure tariff reductions are not nullified by non-tariff measures (NTMs), ASEAN is working on trade facilitation issues to ensure NTMs do not impede trade. ASEAN has adopted a Trade Facilitation Framework to address systematically issues such as removal of non-tariff barriers, simplification and harmonisation of customs, standards and conformance, and sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures. It is planning to establish an ASEAN Trade Repository by 2015 that would serve as a gateway of regulatory information at the regional and national levels.
With a view to achieving more expeditious customs clearance, the Member States are developing the ASEAN Single Window, which would provide an integrated platform of partnership among government agencies and end-users in the movement of goods across the region by connecting their National Single Windows. We are also working on a self-certification scheme for the declaration of origin. This will provide certified economic operators to self certify the originating status of goods in place of the existing system of presenting certificate of origins issued by government authorities.
On improving standards and conformity assessment, ASEAN has concluded two Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) in the electrical and electronic sector and the cosmetic sector. MRAs for agro-based products and automotives are being developed for possible conclusion in 2010. We are also working on a conformity marking scheme to support the expeditious clearance of products through the customs that have conformed to ASEAN Harmonised Technical Regulations/Requirements.
In the area of services, the ASEAN Member States are close to completion of the 7th package of services commitments under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS). The services sector of ASEAN received the highest amount of FDI, accounting for 50.6% of total ASEAN FDI in 2009. ASEAN’s exports of commercial services to the world is also showing an encouraging trend, more than doubling from US$68 billion in 2000 to US$162.8 billion in 2009.
In investment, ASEAN has witnessed a steady increase in intra-ASEAN FDI flows, accounting for 18.2% (US$10.8 billion) of total ASEAN FDI (US$59.7 billion) inflows in 2008, compared with a share of 13.8% in 2006. For the same period, total FDI inflows increased by 8.6%. The ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA), which is expected to come into effect this year, will help to market ASEAN as a single investment destination and buttress the single market and production base of ASEAN. It will liberalise, facilitate, promote, and protect investments in the region by ASEAN investors and ASEAN based foreign investors.
MRAs in the services sector are being actively pursued to facilitate the flow of professional services providers in the region, in accordance to domestic rules and regulations. The MRAs include surveyors, engineering services, nursing services, architectural services, tourism professionals, accountancy, medical practitioners and dental practitioners. More is expected to be negotiated and concluded in the near future supporting the development of the services sector in ASEAN.
In the finance sector, the enlarged US$120 billion swap arrangement under the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) was operationalised on 24 March 2010. This multilateral swap facility will assist the ASEAN and Plus Three countries of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea with short-term liquidity difficulties. An independent surveillance office for the CMIM will be established in Singapore by early next year.
The establishment of the US$ 700 million Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility (CGIF) is also expected to be launched in May by the ASEAN Plus Three Finance Ministers. This will help in the development of deep and liquid local currency and regional bond markets. An ASEAN infrastructure fund is also being considered to finance regional infrastructure building crucial for the establishment of a well-connected and integrated single market and production base in ASEAN.
In the transport sector, three framework agreements on facilitation of goods in transit, multimodal transport and facilitation of inter-state transport have been concluded. These agreements will simplify and harmonise trade and transport procedures and documentation, formulate uniform guidelines and requirements for registration of transit transport and multimodal transport operators and promote ICT applications for seamless cargo transportation.
Besides, the ASEAN Multilateral Agreement on Full Liberalisation of Passenger Air Services, extending unlimited air traffic rights to all cities in ASEAN has been finalised and is expected to be signed in November 2010. In terms of air connectivity, negotiations with China have entered into the final stages. Meanwhile, the ASEAN Strategic Transport Plan for 2011-215 is being developed to cover all modes and aspects of transport connectivity.
As connectivity is crucial to building a vibrant internal market and linking it to the global economy, ASEAN has embarked on developing a Master Plan on Connectivity. The Master Plan will focus, among others, on transport, information communication technology (ICT), energy and cross-border linkages, and facilitation for the smooth movement of people, goods and services.
Challenges to Address
Let me now address the several challenges facing ASEAN in achieving AEC 2015. Firstly, ASEAN has to manage the integration process and achieve the targets within the timeframes that have already been agreed. The recently concluded 16th ASEAN Summit in Viet Nam has called for the speeding up of the implementation of ASEAN agreements through timely ratification of agreements and protocols as well as concrete actions.
The ASEAN Leaders have emphasised the need to set-up a monitoring mechanism to ensure effective implementation, identification of priorities for each period and implementing bodies and improve the coordination among the pillars as well as resource mobilisation. These are very important issues to be addressed if ASEAN is to see the successful implementation of the ASEAN Community as a whole by 2015.
According to the first AEC Scorecard, ASEAN has a 75.5% achievement rate for the period 2008 to 2009. This is primarily due to the non-implemented measures involving the ratification of important economic agreements related to trade in goods, investment, transport and the cosmetics directive. Indeed, of the 124 economic agreements under AEC, only 73 per cent of them have been ratified by all ASEAN Member States. ASEAN Member States will have to look at ratifying them in a timely manner so that integration could be speed up.
More importantly, ASEAN Member States will have to transpose these regional commitments into national obligations through their respective domestic processes and at a quicker pace. The domestic legal enactments relating to ASEAN commitments could be monitored as part of the scorecard process.
Secondly, ASEAN countries should actively address the non-implementation of regional commitments, which should include capacity building to tackle any inadequacies in implementing commitments; peer reviews for sharing and learning of best practices as well as transparency and confidence-building; and utilising the dispute settlement mechanisms already in place to resolve issues in a rules-based manner. There could also be specific target-setting to encourage ASEAN to achieve more. For example, there could be specific targets for bringing down the costs of doing business in ASEAN.
Thirdly, a robust regional surveillance mechanism is necessary to track emerging risks in the AEC and to deal with them in a timely manner. In this regard, the ASEAN Secretariat will soon be establishing a Macroeconomic and Finance Surveillance Office which will undertake surveillance on economic and financial integration issues. The office, as a start, will embark on trade, investment, and macroeconomic surveillance for the AEC.
Fourthly, financing the development of an ASEAN single market and production base will continue to be a challenge. In this regard, ASEAN countries should look at innovative and creative ways to augment the funds being provided by dialogue partners and donors to support ASEAN economic integration. While ASEAN Dialogue Partners are keen in supporting ASEAN integration, such assistance is mostly limited to the softer side of integration such as capacity building, training and sharing of best practices and experiences.
The ASEAN Development Fund is undersized relative to what ASEAN intends to achieve by 2015. The Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) and Credit Guarantee Investment Facility (CGIF) are examples where ASEAN is starting to put in its own resources for its own development but more will need to be done to achieve the ambitious goal of AEC.
One way forward would be to look at public-private partnership models. The participation of government in such high cost endeavours will reduce the risks of investors and make investing in such long-term projects attractive. The multilateral development banks, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank should also be actively engaged in such financing schemes. Our immediate neighbours such as China, Japan and Republic of Korea as well as India, Australia and New Zealand could be partners in some of these schemes as ASEAN’s growth will also impact these economies positively.
Fifthly, the development divide within ASEAN certainly deserves more attention to realise the AEC by 2015. The assistance to the CLMV countries needs to be stepped up to enable them to catch up with the ASEAN-6, so that they can effectively participate in building the AEC and fully benefit from it. Preliminary findings of a study on the impact of accelerating the AEC from 2020 to 2015 reveal that CLMV countries are benefitting in terms of increased trade and FDI flows amongst the CLMV countries, and with the ASEAN-6, and East Asia.
New approaches are being examined to assist the CLMV countries. One is “ASEAN help ASEAN approach” where the ASEAN-6 countries are sharing their expertise and experiences with these countries through bilateral development assistances. Two, intra-ASEAN investments from ASEAN-6 to these countries are increasing and this would help to transfer knowledge and technical know-how for their development and integration into the AEC. Three is to introduce targeted and tailored programmes for each of these countries to meet ASEAN economic integration goals such as the on-going Laos Pilot Project (LPP). This is tripartite cooperation model involving Lao PDR as the recipient of aid, JICA as the donor, and the ASEAN Secretariat as the facilitator.
Sixthly, the private sector of ASEAN must be better engaged in building the AEC as they are the principal driver of regional economic integration. There should be regular sector-specific dialogue with the business community so that ASEAN can address their concerns and create a more facilitating environment for doing business in the region. More technical meetings of ASEAN in the economic arena could also be opened up to the participation of the business community. More efforts are also needed to better engage the peoples of ASEAN, in particular the civil society, the strategic think-tanks and economic institutes to tap their expertise and knowledge. A good intellectual foundation and peoples’ participation will provide a stronger underpinning for the development and consolidation of the AEC.
Finally, if the private sector in ASEAN is the “driver” of economic integration, the ASEAN Secretariat must be the “lubricant” of this integration. The ASEAN Economic Ministers at their last meeting have given their strongest endorsement yet for an enhanced role of the Secretariat. A strengthened Secretariat will contribute more to regional economic surveillance; compliance monitoring; economic dispute settlement; and implementing major economic integration programmes. ASEAN must explore the tremendous potential of developing the ASEAN Secretariat by investing in its human resources and systems.
Concluding Remarks
The key challenge for ASEAN is to stay the course in community building as a whole. While readiness is important, it is not sufficient to deliver the AEC by 2015. The building of the AEC will need strong leadership, vision, political will as well as strong mechanisms and institutions to support coordination and implementation, both at the national and regional levels. ASEAN must continue to stay open and engage its partners to maximise the gains from the AEC given our outward-looking economic orientation. A transformation of mindset from “national interest to regional action” to “regional interest to national action” is also necessary for community-building as a whole.
The time left for the establishment of the AEC is less than 6 years. A greater sense of urgency is therefore necessary to achieve the goal of AEC and to maintain ASEAN’s centrality.
– MAY 1, 2010
POSTED IN: DEFENCE & FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ECONOMY
By Pushpanathan Sundram
From left to right: ASEAN Deputy Secretary General for ASEAN Economic Community P. Sundram, ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan (Credit: ASEAN Secretariat)
Singaporean Pushpanathan Sundram has been the Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Economic Community since 1 January 2009. Appended below is the edited version of his speech delivered at the recently concluded ASEAN Roundtable 2010.
It is an honour and privilege for me to address this year’s ASEAN Roundtable. I wish to thank the ASEAN Studies Centre of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for inviting me to this important meeting.
Let me also take this opportunity to convey the sincere regrets of H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, for not being able to be with you today. He extends his best wishes to you and is looking forward to receiving your pertinent recommendations on further enhancing the building of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).
ASEAN in Today’s Context
In today’s rapidly evolving economic and financial landscape spurred by globalisation, ASEAN lies in the midst of the strategic and dynamic region of East Asia. To maintain its centrality in the region and as an increasingly important player in the global stage, ASEAN needs to be more integrated as a grouping; more engaged with the global economy; and more pro-active and nimble to respond to changing circumstances in a rapidly shifting but increasingly interdependent world. New issues and challenges are confronting ASEAN and therefore pushing ahead with integration and strengthening ASEAN institutions, mechanisms and processes will be crucial for the region to address these developments.
As a region, ASEAN Member States have worked together to ensure peace, stability, prosperity and development for all of them and the region as a whole. The regional resilience that ASEAN has brought about has contributed to national resilience and vice-versa. ASEAN has enjoyed rapid growth and development in the last four decades. The development has helped ASEAN to be a pillar of strength and catalyst for regionalism in Asia. The regional role of ASEAN has been further enhanced by its community building efforts, particularly the AEC.
ASEAN Charter and ASEAN’s Readiness for Community Building
The readiness of ASEAN for community building was clearly reflected by the signing of the ASEAN Charter in 2007 and later its ratification in 2008. After four decades, ASEAN has a constitution to base its work on and to pursue with determination the establishment of an ASEAN Community with three inter-locking pillars of which AEC is one of them. The other two are the ASEAN Political-Security Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.
The Charter also puts in place the institutions and mechanisms that will support the building of the ASEAN Community. For the economic pillar, an AEC Council was established and was given the mandate to oversee the implementation of the AEC. The Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN was also set-up to handle the day-to-day work of ASEAN covering all the three pillars. This body coordinates closely with the ASEAN Secretariat in moving forward the agenda of the ASEAN Community.
The Secretary-General of ASEAN has also been given more mandates to coordinate the work of ASEAN as its Chief Administrative Officer. The Secretariat itself has undergone a complete transformation last year from just providing basic services to that of initiating, coordinating and facilitating the community building agenda of ASEAN. Indeed, the mechanisms under the Charter had provided the much needed coordination between the national and regional levels to see through the implementation of the AEC Blueprint.
Apart from setting the mechanisms under the Charter in motion, ASEAN also adopted the Blueprints for the three Communities. The AEC Blueprint was adopted in 2007 and serves as the comprehensive and coherent master plan for building the economic community characterised by a single market and production base; a competitive economic region with equitable development, and a region that is fully plugged into the global economy.
In order to ensure a more rules-based ASEAN Community, the ASEAN Secretariat was also given the mandate to undertake compliance review for the three pillars to ensure Member States are implementing their commitments under the three Blueprints in a timely manner. For the AEC, a scorecard mechanism was adopted to track the implementation of measures in the AEC Blueprint, which is reported to the AEC Council and the ASEAN Summit. The public version of the first AEC Scorecard has been issued and we hope to receive the comments and inputs of the business community, scholars and other stakeholders to further improve the Scorecard.
Efforts are also ongoing to beef up the procedures to put into operations the dispute settlement mechanism under the AEC for covered economic agreements so that festering economic disputes can be resolved in a more rules-based manner and quickly thereby promoting greater confidence and transparency for the business community in the region. A Protocol to the ASEAN Charter on Dispute Settlement Mechanisms has been adopted recently that aims to put in place a mechanism to help Member States resolve disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the ASEAN Charter. The Dispute Mechanism also applies to other ASEAN instruments which do not specifically provide for dispute settlement mechanisms.
Milestone Achievements in 2010
Apart from the institutional mechanisms and processes, ASEAN’s readiness for the AEC 2015 is reflected by its achievements in the last two years since the signing of the Charter and the adoption of the AEC Blueprint. In this regard, ASEAN has secured a few landmark achievements in 2010. Beginning 1 January 2010, the ASEAN-6 countries achieved zero tariffs covering 99.65 % and for the CLMV 98.6% at 0-5% tariff rates of the total tariff lines traded under the Common Effective Preferential Tariff Scheme for ASEAN Free Trade Area (CEPT-AFTA) making this the most tangible high-impact outcome for ASEAN.
1 January 2010 also saw the realisation of the ASEAN-China and ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and the commencement of the implementation of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA and the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement. ASEAN’s success in engaging pro-actively with its major trading partners in free trade agreements is bearing fruit. Two-way trade has been enhanced and cements ASEAN’s central role within the region. ASEAN’s trade with China, Korea, and Japan remains strong and is growing, while ASEAN is also expected to reap benefits from its newly signed FTAs with Australia-New Zealand and with India.
Another important achievement of ASEAN is that despite the current financial crisis, it has been able to achieve full economic recovery supported by the fiscal and monetary stimulus packages of the individual Member States and the improving economic situation. Overall, we have a good story to tell as ASEAN is expected to achieve a growth rate of 4.9% to 5.6%, after a feeble 1.5% in 2009 due the global economic crisis. There are signs that the region as a whole may attain even higher growth rates if the situation continues to improve. We are already witnessing increasing exports and capital inflows; inflation continues to remain subdued and manageable; and our currencies are appreciating. With the upbeat projection, ASEAN economies are starting to look at exit strategies while being vigilant to any emerging risks. This will provide further incentive for ASEAN to push ahead with its economic integration.
Progress in Implementing the AEC Blueprint
Let me now touch on some of the key progress achieved in economic integration, which is another indication of the commitment and readiness of ASEAN to achieve the AEC by 2015.
The ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) is expected to be fully ratified by the first half of 2010. The ATIGA will provide a single legal enactment to effectively implement the stipulated tariff reduction up to 2015 as well as to promote trade facilitation.
To further ensure tariff reductions are not nullified by non-tariff measures (NTMs), ASEAN is working on trade facilitation issues to ensure NTMs do not impede trade. ASEAN has adopted a Trade Facilitation Framework to address systematically issues such as removal of non-tariff barriers, simplification and harmonisation of customs, standards and conformance, and sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures. It is planning to establish an ASEAN Trade Repository by 2015 that would serve as a gateway of regulatory information at the regional and national levels.
With a view to achieving more expeditious customs clearance, the Member States are developing the ASEAN Single Window, which would provide an integrated platform of partnership among government agencies and end-users in the movement of goods across the region by connecting their National Single Windows. We are also working on a self-certification scheme for the declaration of origin. This will provide certified economic operators to self certify the originating status of goods in place of the existing system of presenting certificate of origins issued by government authorities.
On improving standards and conformity assessment, ASEAN has concluded two Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) in the electrical and electronic sector and the cosmetic sector. MRAs for agro-based products and automotives are being developed for possible conclusion in 2010. We are also working on a conformity marking scheme to support the expeditious clearance of products through the customs that have conformed to ASEAN Harmonised Technical Regulations/Requirements.
In the area of services, the ASEAN Member States are close to completion of the 7th package of services commitments under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS). The services sector of ASEAN received the highest amount of FDI, accounting for 50.6% of total ASEAN FDI in 2009. ASEAN’s exports of commercial services to the world is also showing an encouraging trend, more than doubling from US$68 billion in 2000 to US$162.8 billion in 2009.
In investment, ASEAN has witnessed a steady increase in intra-ASEAN FDI flows, accounting for 18.2% (US$10.8 billion) of total ASEAN FDI (US$59.7 billion) inflows in 2008, compared with a share of 13.8% in 2006. For the same period, total FDI inflows increased by 8.6%. The ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA), which is expected to come into effect this year, will help to market ASEAN as a single investment destination and buttress the single market and production base of ASEAN. It will liberalise, facilitate, promote, and protect investments in the region by ASEAN investors and ASEAN based foreign investors.
MRAs in the services sector are being actively pursued to facilitate the flow of professional services providers in the region, in accordance to domestic rules and regulations. The MRAs include surveyors, engineering services, nursing services, architectural services, tourism professionals, accountancy, medical practitioners and dental practitioners. More is expected to be negotiated and concluded in the near future supporting the development of the services sector in ASEAN.
In the finance sector, the enlarged US$120 billion swap arrangement under the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) was operationalised on 24 March 2010. This multilateral swap facility will assist the ASEAN and Plus Three countries of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea with short-term liquidity difficulties. An independent surveillance office for the CMIM will be established in Singapore by early next year.
The establishment of the US$ 700 million Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility (CGIF) is also expected to be launched in May by the ASEAN Plus Three Finance Ministers. This will help in the development of deep and liquid local currency and regional bond markets. An ASEAN infrastructure fund is also being considered to finance regional infrastructure building crucial for the establishment of a well-connected and integrated single market and production base in ASEAN.
In the transport sector, three framework agreements on facilitation of goods in transit, multimodal transport and facilitation of inter-state transport have been concluded. These agreements will simplify and harmonise trade and transport procedures and documentation, formulate uniform guidelines and requirements for registration of transit transport and multimodal transport operators and promote ICT applications for seamless cargo transportation.
Besides, the ASEAN Multilateral Agreement on Full Liberalisation of Passenger Air Services, extending unlimited air traffic rights to all cities in ASEAN has been finalised and is expected to be signed in November 2010. In terms of air connectivity, negotiations with China have entered into the final stages. Meanwhile, the ASEAN Strategic Transport Plan for 2011-215 is being developed to cover all modes and aspects of transport connectivity.
As connectivity is crucial to building a vibrant internal market and linking it to the global economy, ASEAN has embarked on developing a Master Plan on Connectivity. The Master Plan will focus, among others, on transport, information communication technology (ICT), energy and cross-border linkages, and facilitation for the smooth movement of people, goods and services.
Challenges to Address
Let me now address the several challenges facing ASEAN in achieving AEC 2015. Firstly, ASEAN has to manage the integration process and achieve the targets within the timeframes that have already been agreed. The recently concluded 16th ASEAN Summit in Viet Nam has called for the speeding up of the implementation of ASEAN agreements through timely ratification of agreements and protocols as well as concrete actions.
The ASEAN Leaders have emphasised the need to set-up a monitoring mechanism to ensure effective implementation, identification of priorities for each period and implementing bodies and improve the coordination among the pillars as well as resource mobilisation. These are very important issues to be addressed if ASEAN is to see the successful implementation of the ASEAN Community as a whole by 2015.
According to the first AEC Scorecard, ASEAN has a 75.5% achievement rate for the period 2008 to 2009. This is primarily due to the non-implemented measures involving the ratification of important economic agreements related to trade in goods, investment, transport and the cosmetics directive. Indeed, of the 124 economic agreements under AEC, only 73 per cent of them have been ratified by all ASEAN Member States. ASEAN Member States will have to look at ratifying them in a timely manner so that integration could be speed up.
More importantly, ASEAN Member States will have to transpose these regional commitments into national obligations through their respective domestic processes and at a quicker pace. The domestic legal enactments relating to ASEAN commitments could be monitored as part of the scorecard process.
Secondly, ASEAN countries should actively address the non-implementation of regional commitments, which should include capacity building to tackle any inadequacies in implementing commitments; peer reviews for sharing and learning of best practices as well as transparency and confidence-building; and utilising the dispute settlement mechanisms already in place to resolve issues in a rules-based manner. There could also be specific target-setting to encourage ASEAN to achieve more. For example, there could be specific targets for bringing down the costs of doing business in ASEAN.
Thirdly, a robust regional surveillance mechanism is necessary to track emerging risks in the AEC and to deal with them in a timely manner. In this regard, the ASEAN Secretariat will soon be establishing a Macroeconomic and Finance Surveillance Office which will undertake surveillance on economic and financial integration issues. The office, as a start, will embark on trade, investment, and macroeconomic surveillance for the AEC.
Fourthly, financing the development of an ASEAN single market and production base will continue to be a challenge. In this regard, ASEAN countries should look at innovative and creative ways to augment the funds being provided by dialogue partners and donors to support ASEAN economic integration. While ASEAN Dialogue Partners are keen in supporting ASEAN integration, such assistance is mostly limited to the softer side of integration such as capacity building, training and sharing of best practices and experiences.
The ASEAN Development Fund is undersized relative to what ASEAN intends to achieve by 2015. The Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) and Credit Guarantee Investment Facility (CGIF) are examples where ASEAN is starting to put in its own resources for its own development but more will need to be done to achieve the ambitious goal of AEC.
One way forward would be to look at public-private partnership models. The participation of government in such high cost endeavours will reduce the risks of investors and make investing in such long-term projects attractive. The multilateral development banks, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank should also be actively engaged in such financing schemes. Our immediate neighbours such as China, Japan and Republic of Korea as well as India, Australia and New Zealand could be partners in some of these schemes as ASEAN’s growth will also impact these economies positively.
Fifthly, the development divide within ASEAN certainly deserves more attention to realise the AEC by 2015. The assistance to the CLMV countries needs to be stepped up to enable them to catch up with the ASEAN-6, so that they can effectively participate in building the AEC and fully benefit from it. Preliminary findings of a study on the impact of accelerating the AEC from 2020 to 2015 reveal that CLMV countries are benefitting in terms of increased trade and FDI flows amongst the CLMV countries, and with the ASEAN-6, and East Asia.
New approaches are being examined to assist the CLMV countries. One is “ASEAN help ASEAN approach” where the ASEAN-6 countries are sharing their expertise and experiences with these countries through bilateral development assistances. Two, intra-ASEAN investments from ASEAN-6 to these countries are increasing and this would help to transfer knowledge and technical know-how for their development and integration into the AEC. Three is to introduce targeted and tailored programmes for each of these countries to meet ASEAN economic integration goals such as the on-going Laos Pilot Project (LPP). This is tripartite cooperation model involving Lao PDR as the recipient of aid, JICA as the donor, and the ASEAN Secretariat as the facilitator.
Sixthly, the private sector of ASEAN must be better engaged in building the AEC as they are the principal driver of regional economic integration. There should be regular sector-specific dialogue with the business community so that ASEAN can address their concerns and create a more facilitating environment for doing business in the region. More technical meetings of ASEAN in the economic arena could also be opened up to the participation of the business community. More efforts are also needed to better engage the peoples of ASEAN, in particular the civil society, the strategic think-tanks and economic institutes to tap their expertise and knowledge. A good intellectual foundation and peoples’ participation will provide a stronger underpinning for the development and consolidation of the AEC.
Finally, if the private sector in ASEAN is the “driver” of economic integration, the ASEAN Secretariat must be the “lubricant” of this integration. The ASEAN Economic Ministers at their last meeting have given their strongest endorsement yet for an enhanced role of the Secretariat. A strengthened Secretariat will contribute more to regional economic surveillance; compliance monitoring; economic dispute settlement; and implementing major economic integration programmes. ASEAN must explore the tremendous potential of developing the ASEAN Secretariat by investing in its human resources and systems.
Concluding Remarks
The key challenge for ASEAN is to stay the course in community building as a whole. While readiness is important, it is not sufficient to deliver the AEC by 2015. The building of the AEC will need strong leadership, vision, political will as well as strong mechanisms and institutions to support coordination and implementation, both at the national and regional levels. ASEAN must continue to stay open and engage its partners to maximise the gains from the AEC given our outward-looking economic orientation. A transformation of mindset from “national interest to regional action” to “regional interest to national action” is also necessary for community-building as a whole.
The time left for the establishment of the AEC is less than 6 years. A greater sense of urgency is therefore necessary to achieve the goal of AEC and to maintain ASEAN’s centrality.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Sidadania, Fuk Mean, ho Tetum...
Benvindu ba Maluk sira,
Hau contenti maluk sira iha tempo bele akompaina Blog ida ne'e tanba koalia buat diak ruma konaba isu importante nasional Timor Lorosae. Posting Reflesaun 20 de Maiu hetan reasaun makas mas la os konaba substansia maibe ba ataka karakter ka character assassination fali. Hanesan bai-bain subar iha anonimu nia kotuk para ema keta hare ho lalika hola responsabilidade. Iya dala rum a ita dehan la gentle. Ida be subar tiha ho hetan oportunidade trata ema fuik Los ne'e opportunista ka lae? Buat tolu mak hau hakarak koalia maka cidadania, Fuk mean, Lian Tetum.
1. Konstituisaun RDTL ho Lei no. 9/2002 la hate ten katak Timor Lorosae unika cidadania mas cidadaun nebe mak Timor oan sira hetan on a bele husik hela ninia cidadania TL bainhira sira hakarak. Se lae bele akumula dupla ka triplu sidadania. Tanba ne'e mak iha passports rua tolu ka liu. Konstituisaun nebe prepara hosi Assembleia Constituinte iha 2002 nebe autor Partidu Fretilin tanba sira mak maioria kuase absolutu. Ema barak usa fasilidade legal ida nee. Problema mosu bainhira Joao Mariano Saldanha (JMS)usa ema kontra liliu Bankada FRETILIN nebe foti iha Parlamentu Nasional haluha tiha sira mak autor Konstituisaun ho Lei no. 9/2002 nia. Depois mosu diskusaun vulgar iha Tatoli ho ohin lorin iha tan Odanmatan.Blogspot.com nebe badinas tebes tuir jsaldanha11.Blogspot.com. Mas Ida ne'e hanesan jogu politiku duke aspetu seriu ka credible seluk. Ataka governu, ataka asesor, ataka se deit mak halu servisu ba oin iha governu ne'e nia laran. Konsertesa iha frakesa iha area barak mas iha area ekonomia lamas tuir la hetan. Performansia phenomenal ekonomia TL ho kresimentu media double digit tinan hat nian laran hanesan rekor iha mundu. Ida ne'e rekoinesidu iha mundu ona. Iha aspetu balu hanesan desiquilibriu, Dili Centered Development, ho buat seluk tan hanesan agenda para atu hadia ho decentraliza atividade ekonomika ba distritu, sub-distritu ho suku sira. Maibe labele nega performansia ekonomia iha tinan hat nia laran ne'e. La os mos hanesan entre 2002 ho 2007 economy headed for crash iha tinan 2006. Hakarak hatene asesor makroekonomia see? Ho manan hira? Cek ho governu anterior..... Manan mungkin 5 kali lipat duke JMS hetan. Tanba sa? Tanba komprende ekonomia deit, la komprende politika kuandu buat rua kait ba malu ho pre kondis malu. Hatene ekonomia deit mak tur deit iha uma laran, hatene politika deit mak rungu ranga iha liur. Ekonomia ho politika tenki hasoru malu iha varanda para atu defini objectivu nasional duke baku malu iha liur ho baku computer mesak iha uma laran. Nee mak asesor makroekonomia ka ekonomia governu anterior la iha mas fiar tomak ba Malae. Malae manivela sala, ekonomia lao la los politika mos lao la los. No fim ekonomia crash ho hakfodak ita hotu iha lona okos....
2. Kulit Malae, laran Tetum. Sala, kulit Mateebian hun, laran Timor. Ba sira nebe hakerek Fuk mean ne'e la koinese Foho Lulik Matebian. Ka por konveniensia atu skor credit politika. maibe tama sala. Fuk mean sira hosi Matebian sorisorin iha Quelicai, Uatu-Lari, Baguia ne'e ho nia istoria rasik. Hosi Baguia mak hau seidauk hatene loloos, mas sira nebe tun mai Quelicai ho Uatu-Lari maka ne'e. Ida deit iha Matebian leten balu tun ba Abu ho Laisorulai (Quelicai), balu tun ba Laluwou (Uatu-Lari). Hosi ne'e balu tun mai Ira Lere ho balu tun mai Osobubu-Nunumalau ho Uatu Ita. Iha parte sira nee Fuk mean barak iha ne'e. Lena ho Buibela mos Fuk mean iha. Dala Ida tan, sala...sala... Kulit asli Timor, laran Timor, koala Makasae ho Naueti.
3. JMS hakarak ita hotu halu Tetum no 1, tuir mai Portugues, Ingles ho Bahasa. Buat rum a sala? La sala ida. Hau la presiza esplika naruk. Husu alin oan sira eskola primaria mos keta hakarak hanesan ne'e karik? Tetum no. 1. La os atu halakon sira seluk.
Mas usa fali passporte portugues? Oh, sira iha Timor tinan 450 nia laran. Pasaporte no 1 TL, 2 Portugues depois mak seluk. Hanesan ne'e mos lingua Tetum no 1, Portuguese 2 ho seluk tuir mai. Maun ho Abin Deputadu FRETILIN sira keta haluha tanba nain hira mak uluk desidi konaba cidadania ho lingua hotu iha Assembleia Konstituinte tanba nainhira mak maioria. Konsertesa 2007 Mai oin lae ona..... Lingua ita presiza mud a hanesam dulas bosok deit. La os atu halu lakon ida. Keta koalia barak, to'o haluha tiha katak iha Matebian Hun neba ne'e iha ema Fuk mean, la os misto.....
Hau contenti maluk sira iha tempo bele akompaina Blog ida ne'e tanba koalia buat diak ruma konaba isu importante nasional Timor Lorosae. Posting Reflesaun 20 de Maiu hetan reasaun makas mas la os konaba substansia maibe ba ataka karakter ka character assassination fali. Hanesan bai-bain subar iha anonimu nia kotuk para ema keta hare ho lalika hola responsabilidade. Iya dala rum a ita dehan la gentle. Ida be subar tiha ho hetan oportunidade trata ema fuik Los ne'e opportunista ka lae? Buat tolu mak hau hakarak koalia maka cidadania, Fuk mean, Lian Tetum.
1. Konstituisaun RDTL ho Lei no. 9/2002 la hate ten katak Timor Lorosae unika cidadania mas cidadaun nebe mak Timor oan sira hetan on a bele husik hela ninia cidadania TL bainhira sira hakarak. Se lae bele akumula dupla ka triplu sidadania. Tanba ne'e mak iha passports rua tolu ka liu. Konstituisaun nebe prepara hosi Assembleia Constituinte iha 2002 nebe autor Partidu Fretilin tanba sira mak maioria kuase absolutu. Ema barak usa fasilidade legal ida nee. Problema mosu bainhira Joao Mariano Saldanha (JMS)usa ema kontra liliu Bankada FRETILIN nebe foti iha Parlamentu Nasional haluha tiha sira mak autor Konstituisaun ho Lei no. 9/2002 nia. Depois mosu diskusaun vulgar iha Tatoli ho ohin lorin iha tan Odanmatan.Blogspot.com nebe badinas tebes tuir jsaldanha11.Blogspot.com. Mas Ida ne'e hanesan jogu politiku duke aspetu seriu ka credible seluk. Ataka governu, ataka asesor, ataka se deit mak halu servisu ba oin iha governu ne'e nia laran. Konsertesa iha frakesa iha area barak mas iha area ekonomia lamas tuir la hetan. Performansia phenomenal ekonomia TL ho kresimentu media double digit tinan hat nian laran hanesan rekor iha mundu. Ida ne'e rekoinesidu iha mundu ona. Iha aspetu balu hanesan desiquilibriu, Dili Centered Development, ho buat seluk tan hanesan agenda para atu hadia ho decentraliza atividade ekonomika ba distritu, sub-distritu ho suku sira. Maibe labele nega performansia ekonomia iha tinan hat nia laran ne'e. La os mos hanesan entre 2002 ho 2007 economy headed for crash iha tinan 2006. Hakarak hatene asesor makroekonomia see? Ho manan hira? Cek ho governu anterior..... Manan mungkin 5 kali lipat duke JMS hetan. Tanba sa? Tanba komprende ekonomia deit, la komprende politika kuandu buat rua kait ba malu ho pre kondis malu. Hatene ekonomia deit mak tur deit iha uma laran, hatene politika deit mak rungu ranga iha liur. Ekonomia ho politika tenki hasoru malu iha varanda para atu defini objectivu nasional duke baku malu iha liur ho baku computer mesak iha uma laran. Nee mak asesor makroekonomia ka ekonomia governu anterior la iha mas fiar tomak ba Malae. Malae manivela sala, ekonomia lao la los politika mos lao la los. No fim ekonomia crash ho hakfodak ita hotu iha lona okos....
2. Kulit Malae, laran Tetum. Sala, kulit Mateebian hun, laran Timor. Ba sira nebe hakerek Fuk mean ne'e la koinese Foho Lulik Matebian. Ka por konveniensia atu skor credit politika. maibe tama sala. Fuk mean sira hosi Matebian sorisorin iha Quelicai, Uatu-Lari, Baguia ne'e ho nia istoria rasik. Hosi Baguia mak hau seidauk hatene loloos, mas sira nebe tun mai Quelicai ho Uatu-Lari maka ne'e. Ida deit iha Matebian leten balu tun ba Abu ho Laisorulai (Quelicai), balu tun ba Laluwou (Uatu-Lari). Hosi ne'e balu tun mai Ira Lere ho balu tun mai Osobubu-Nunumalau ho Uatu Ita. Iha parte sira nee Fuk mean barak iha ne'e. Lena ho Buibela mos Fuk mean iha. Dala Ida tan, sala...sala... Kulit asli Timor, laran Timor, koala Makasae ho Naueti.
3. JMS hakarak ita hotu halu Tetum no 1, tuir mai Portugues, Ingles ho Bahasa. Buat rum a sala? La sala ida. Hau la presiza esplika naruk. Husu alin oan sira eskola primaria mos keta hakarak hanesan ne'e karik? Tetum no. 1. La os atu halakon sira seluk.
Mas usa fali passporte portugues? Oh, sira iha Timor tinan 450 nia laran. Pasaporte no 1 TL, 2 Portugues depois mak seluk. Hanesan ne'e mos lingua Tetum no 1, Portuguese 2 ho seluk tuir mai. Maun ho Abin Deputadu FRETILIN sira keta haluha tanba nain hira mak uluk desidi konaba cidadania ho lingua hotu iha Assembleia Konstituinte tanba nainhira mak maioria. Konsertesa 2007 Mai oin lae ona..... Lingua ita presiza mud a hanesam dulas bosok deit. La os atu halu lakon ida. Keta koalia barak, to'o haluha tiha katak iha Matebian Hun neba ne'e iha ema Fuk mean, la os misto.....
Monday, June 6, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Reflesaun 20 de Maiu
MONDAY, MAY 30, 2011
Reflesaun 20 Maiu 2011
Happy 20 de Maiu!
Loron 20 Maiu hanesan loron istoriku ida ba Timor Lorosae tanba iha loron ne'e, Timor Lorosae restaura independensia unilateral hodi hetan rekoinesimentu international ho soberania hosi Nasaun Unida. Ita komemora loron istoriku ne'e hodi hare lalaok nasaun nia durante tinan 9 nia laran hosi 2002. Ita hare ba situasaun ekonomika, politika, ho kultura hodi fo hanoin ba ita konaba oinsa mak lao ba oin hanesan nasaun ida nebe foin moris ho istoria nebe naruk.
Objetivu nasaun nia maka povu tenki moris diak, moris iha paz, ho moris iha unidade ho demokrasia nia laran. Nai ulun sira ho komponenti tomak nasaun nia tenki servisu ho objetivu komum atu loke oportunidade ba povu atu hetan aihan, hetan servisu, hetan eskola, ho hetan aimoruk bainhira sira moras. Nai ulun sira tenki servisu makas atu loke dalan hodi povu haruka sira nia oan sira ba eskola, iha oportunidade atu fila liman (bisnis), ho iha oportunidade atu lao tuir estrada nebe diak ho kaber. Objetivu sira ne'e hotu ita bele hetan bainhira povu Timor Lorosae bele moris hamutuk, moris iha paz, ho moris iha liberdade nia laran. Ho lian barak, ita hakarak iha nasaun Timor-Lorosae ne'e, povu bele moris diak, povu bele moris hamutuk, ho povu bele moris hakmatek. Ita kondena violensia, ita kondena kiak, ho ita kondena moras.
Ita mos kondena inkompetensia lideransa sira nia, bainhira iha oportunidade atu hadia povu nia moris, bainhira ita iha osan atu hadia povu nia moras, ho bainhira ita iha oportunidade atu hadia povu nia estrada.
Timor Lorosae ohin loron iha osan hodi hadia povu nia moris. Maibe ita seidauk usa didiak. Planu seidauk los, implementasaun seidauk pas, ho osan lakon mak barak. Desafiu ekonomiku ba Timor Lorosae maka oinsa halu planu diak hodi determina prioridade tuir povu nia nesesidade, halation hamlaha, hamosu servisu, ho hadia estrada.
Ohin loron Timor Lorosae presiza heroi foun asuwin foun. Aswain foun atu kombate inefisiensia ka korupsaun, aswain foun atu hadia infrastructura, aswain foun atu hasae produsaun agrikultura, ho aswain foun atu usa Tetum hanesan Lia Ofisial no. 1 iha Timor Lorosae. Dalam ba dezenvolvimentu presiza iha estabilidade, presiza iha pas, ho presiza iha unidade.
So hanesan ne'e maka ita sinti katak nasaun ne'e la hela ba oin, nasaun ne'e bele loke dalan ba nia oan sira hela hamutuk iha uma ida naran Timor Lorosae, Timor-Leste, East Timor ho Timor
Timur. Itanharuk ba hero sira, ho ita haruk ba povu Timor-Leste tomak hosimOe-Cussi liu hosi Memo to'o Tutuala.
Posted by Joao Mariano Saldanha at 3:38 PM
Reflesaun 20 Maiu 2011
Happy 20 de Maiu!
Loron 20 Maiu hanesan loron istoriku ida ba Timor Lorosae tanba iha loron ne'e, Timor Lorosae restaura independensia unilateral hodi hetan rekoinesimentu international ho soberania hosi Nasaun Unida. Ita komemora loron istoriku ne'e hodi hare lalaok nasaun nia durante tinan 9 nia laran hosi 2002. Ita hare ba situasaun ekonomika, politika, ho kultura hodi fo hanoin ba ita konaba oinsa mak lao ba oin hanesan nasaun ida nebe foin moris ho istoria nebe naruk.
Objetivu nasaun nia maka povu tenki moris diak, moris iha paz, ho moris iha unidade ho demokrasia nia laran. Nai ulun sira ho komponenti tomak nasaun nia tenki servisu ho objetivu komum atu loke oportunidade ba povu atu hetan aihan, hetan servisu, hetan eskola, ho hetan aimoruk bainhira sira moras. Nai ulun sira tenki servisu makas atu loke dalan hodi povu haruka sira nia oan sira ba eskola, iha oportunidade atu fila liman (bisnis), ho iha oportunidade atu lao tuir estrada nebe diak ho kaber. Objetivu sira ne'e hotu ita bele hetan bainhira povu Timor Lorosae bele moris hamutuk, moris iha paz, ho moris iha liberdade nia laran. Ho lian barak, ita hakarak iha nasaun Timor-Lorosae ne'e, povu bele moris diak, povu bele moris hamutuk, ho povu bele moris hakmatek. Ita kondena violensia, ita kondena kiak, ho ita kondena moras.
Ita mos kondena inkompetensia lideransa sira nia, bainhira iha oportunidade atu hadia povu nia moris, bainhira ita iha osan atu hadia povu nia moras, ho bainhira ita iha oportunidade atu hadia povu nia estrada.
Timor Lorosae ohin loron iha osan hodi hadia povu nia moris. Maibe ita seidauk usa didiak. Planu seidauk los, implementasaun seidauk pas, ho osan lakon mak barak. Desafiu ekonomiku ba Timor Lorosae maka oinsa halu planu diak hodi determina prioridade tuir povu nia nesesidade, halation hamlaha, hamosu servisu, ho hadia estrada.
Ohin loron Timor Lorosae presiza heroi foun asuwin foun. Aswain foun atu kombate inefisiensia ka korupsaun, aswain foun atu hadia infrastructura, aswain foun atu hasae produsaun agrikultura, ho aswain foun atu usa Tetum hanesan Lia Ofisial no. 1 iha Timor Lorosae. Dalam ba dezenvolvimentu presiza iha estabilidade, presiza iha pas, ho presiza iha unidade.
So hanesan ne'e maka ita sinti katak nasaun ne'e la hela ba oin, nasaun ne'e bele loke dalan ba nia oan sira hela hamutuk iha uma ida naran Timor Lorosae, Timor-Leste, East Timor ho Timor
Timur. Itanharuk ba hero sira, ho ita haruk ba povu Timor-Leste tomak hosimOe-Cussi liu hosi Memo to'o Tutuala.
Posted by Joao Mariano Saldanha at 3:38 PM
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