The ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) convened its first meeting in 2021 in a virtual format on January 28.

The meeting appreciated the role and contributions of Vietnam as the ACCC Chairman in 2020 with the completion and adoption of mid-term review report implementing the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 (MPAC 2025) at the 37th ASEAN Summit in November last year.

Participants focused their discussion on the way to implement recommendations in the report in order to enhance effectiveness of projects in the master plan and promote the connection in fields.

They emphasised that the effective implementation of the MPAC 2025’s projects and activities will support and contribute to carrying out the post-2025 ASEAN Community Vision and the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework.

The meeting recognised and highly valued progresses in implementing the MPAC 2025. Particularly, 13 out of 15 initiatives in the master plan’s strategic areas, namely sustainable infrastructure, digital innovation, seamless logistics, regulatory excellence and people mobility, are being carried out. Projects in the list of ASEAN potential infrastructure works continue to be promoted through programmes on capacity building and technical assistance.

The event also passed orientations and priorities on connectivity in Brunei’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2021 and a three-year working plan for 2021-2023 in order to accelerate the MPAC 2025.

Accordingly, ASEAN will focus resources and call on outside partners to support and promote projects in the strategic areas, and especially prioritise unimplemented projects and those contributing to the bloc’s recovery efforts.

It also agreed to give information on and encourage the synchronous participation of ASEAN specialised agencies in implementing projects within the MPAC 2025, increase coordination mechanisms, while connecting the implementation of the MPAC 2025 with initiatives on regional connectivity and ASEAN partner countries.

At the 28th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, in September 2016, ASEAN leaders adopted the MPAC 2025 with a vision of a seamlessly and comprehensively connected and integrated ASEAN.

The ACCC was established to oversee, assess and make periodic reports to the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) and the ASEAN Summit on situation and challenges in implementing the MPAC 2025.