ASEAN SEOM Retreat To Understand Outstanding Issues From Previous ASEAN Chairmanship
KOTA KINABALU, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- The two-day ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) Retreat 2025, which ends tomorrow, is a vital preparatory meeting aimed at updating outstanding issues from the previous ASEAN chairmanship.
The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), who will take the lead in ASEAN’s Economic Pillar under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, in a statement tonight, said the retreat also put particular emphasis on the implementation status of Laos’ priority economic deliverables (PEDs).
In a statement today, the ministry said one of the significant agenda items is a presentation by Malaysia on the proposed PED for 2025, which MITI developed and formulated together with Malaysian ministries and agencies under the ASEAN Economic Pillar for deliberation among the ASEAN member states.
“ASEAN SEOM Leads are expected to refine and endorse the final PEDs during the next SEOM Meeting in January 2025 and will be subsequently submitted to the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) for formal adoption during the AEM Retreat scheduled for February 2025.
“Additionally, the retreat will also assess the implementation of the 2024 annual priorities and deliberate on the proposed priorities for 2025 pertaining to the sectoral bodies under SEOM’s jurisdiction,” it said.
MITI said the progress on drafting the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, in alignment with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, will also be part of the discussions in the retreat.
The meeting will be presided over by MITI’s deputy secretary-general (Trade) Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, also the SEOM chair for 2025, and will assemble SEOM leads from all member states.
Malaysia will be represented by MITI’s senior director of the ASEAN Economic Integration Division, Sugumari S Shanmugam.
Meanwhile, Mastura, in her welcoming remarks at the retreat’s welcoming dinner here tonight, said as ASEAN looks ahead to next year’s agenda, the member states are not only focused on executing the list of PEDs set forth by Malaysia.
She said ASEAN is also poised to achieve another significant milestone with the launch of the AEC Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, alongside the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
“It is indeed remarkable to witness history unfolding once again during Malaysia’s Chairmanship. With the unwavering support of all ASEAN member states, Malaysia is fully confident that we will successfully achieve the all-planned activities.
“Together, through our collaborative efforts and shared commitment, we can advance our objectives and further strengthen the ASEAN community. Let us remain united in our pursuit of excellence as we embark on this crucial journey together,” she said.
-- BERNAMA