ASEAN push for integration

ASEAN economic ministers on Friday agreed to spur stronger cooperation and make more of an effort to enhance the region’s integration in preparation for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015. Speaking during the press conference on the closing of the 44th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings in Siem Reap during the last week in August, Cham Prasidh, Cambodia’s ASEAN economic minister, highlighted the fruitful and successful outcome of the meetings, however he said challenges still remain to be addressed and more work is to be done before the group is fully ready for integration. … The ministers acknowledged the need to ensure the timely realisation of the AEC by 2015 through the prioritisation of the concrete key measures to address challenges faced in the implementation of the AEC as mentioned in the Phnom Penh Agenda for ASEAN Community Building issued by the leaders at the 20th ASEAN Summit held in April this year, according to the joint media statement on Friday. …

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