MITI Leads Discussion On PEDs, AEC Blueprint At ASEAN Meet

KUANTAN, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Progress on Malaysia’s Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) is among the key agenda items discussed at the 48th Meeting of the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration (48th HLTF-EI).

The two-day meeting, which begins today and is chaired by Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) secretary-general Datuk Hairil Yahri Yaacob, also reviews the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025, with a focus on expediting pending commitments.

In a statement, MITI said the session would also include exchanges of views on regional and global economic developments, including updates from the ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force. It will also provide updates on the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and the AEC Strategic Plan 2026–2030, which guide ASEAN’s long-term economic development agenda.

“The meeting will also discuss preparations for the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026, including continuity of initiatives and forward planning,” according to the statement issued during the HLTF-EI welcome dinner tonight.

The 48th HLTF-EI, part of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 themed “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” focuses on key deliverables and strategic direction for ASEAN’s economic future.

On the sidelines of the meeting, an ASEAN–United Kingdom (UK) Analytical Dialogue will also be held between the HLTF-EI and UK senior economic officials, including the Chief Economist of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The dialogue aims to foster high-level knowledge sharing on emerging global economic risks and megatrends, assess their potential impact on ASEAN’s economic integration agenda, and promote working-level collaboration on the development of analytical tools and methodologies for monitoring and assessing global and regional economic risks.

Through strong leadership and regional cooperation, Malaysia aims to ensure the outcomes of the 48th HLTF-EI pave the way towards a more robust and future-ready ASEAN beyond 2025.

-- BERNAMA