Desaru Coast: The 12th Working Group-ASEAN Economic Community (WG-AEC) Meeting concluded today after convening for two days at the Desaru Coast Conference Centre, near here.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the meeting was chaired by Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) senior director of ASEAN Economic Integration Division Sugumari S Shanmugam. Participants of the meeting negotiated, presented views and positions, formulated, and contributed to the development of the ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026-2030.

The meeting was physically attended by 30 delegates from all ASEAN member states, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN Secretariat, as well as virtual participation among ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste, along with appointed consultants.

Following the conclusion of the WG-AEC meeting, the 47th High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration (HLTF-EI) will convene for two days, beginning tomorrow. This will be followed by the Preparatory Senior Economic Officials’ Meeting (Prep-SEOM) for the 31st AEM Retreat scheduled for February 26 and 27.

ASEAN economic ministers are set to gather for a retreat on February 28, to be chaired by the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. They will discuss 18 priority economic deliverables (PEDs) aimed at driving regional economic integration, inclusivity, sustainability, and digital trade.

The retreat is being held in conjunction with Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN with the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, two values considered interdependent and mutually reinforcing. These elements will be embedded across all three pillars of the ASEAN Community, namely ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).

One of Malaysia’s priorities and deliverables as the chairman of ASEAN is to increase intra-ASEAN trade and investment, as well as explore and expand ASEAN economic partnerships beyond the region.