Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – From March 12th to 13th, 2026, the 32nd ASEAN Economic Ministers' Seminar and related events were successfully held in Taguig City, Philippines. Dr. Wa Wa Maung, Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations of Myanmar and Minister of ASEAN Economic Affairs, led the Myanmar delegation to the meeting, actively participating in discussions on various agendas and offering suggestions for regional economic cooperation.
The seminar consisted of two core sessions, focusing on in-depth consultations on key issues concerning ASEAN economic development:
The first session: Building Consensus on Public-Private Partnerships and Policy Support
At the session, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) detailed its priority projects and related initiatives for 2026; the ASEAN and East Asian Economic Institute (ERIA) proposed a new industrial policy framework aimed at further enhancing ASEAN economic resilience; and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) released initiatives to strengthen its strategic partnership with ASEAN. After carefully listening to the report, the ASEAN economic ministers offered constructive suggestions on deepening private sector participation and strengthening public-private partnership mechanisms, laying the foundation for subsequent policy implementation.
The second meeting focused on promoting economic integration and external cooperation.
The ASEAN economic ministers exchanged views on the regional and global economic outlook, the core recommendations of the ASEAN Geoeconomic Working Group (AGTF) and the High-Level Working Group on ASEAN Economic Integration (HLTF-EI), and simultaneously assessed the progress of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) implementation and the advancement of sustainable development initiatives across its pillars. The meeting formally approved the concept paper on Priority Economic Outcomes (PEDs) within the mandate of the ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting (AEM), which will be fully implemented during the Philippines' ASEAN chairmanship in 2026. In addition, the ministers provided key guidance on completing and signing the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) by 2026, discussed matters related to the "ASEAN + 1" (10+1) free trade agreement with countries such as Canada, South Korea, and India, and exchanged views on strengthening inter-group economic cooperation with external partners such as the European Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Dr. Wa Wa Maung, Union Minister of Myanmar, emphasized at the meeting that with the current increase in geopolitical and geoeconomic uncertainties, economic security has become a core issue for regional development. He pointed out that ensuring economic security is a key prerequisite for enhancing the resilience of regional value chains, achieving stable economic growth, and deepening cooperation among member states; the ongoing conflict in the Middle East may pose a potential challenge to regional energy security, necessitating strengthened energy cooperation among ASEAN member states; at the same time, facing multiple challenges such as rising energy and transportation costs, pressure on food security, volatile commodity prices, and supply chain disruptions, all parties in the region need to further strengthen coordinated responses. Furthermore, Dr. Va Wa Maung reiterated the importance of ASEAN centrality and called for upholding the unity principle of "no member state falling behind" to jointly address economic challenges through deepened public-private partnerships.
Dr. Va Wa Maung clearly stated that Myanmar will work closely with other ASEAN member states to ensure the timely implementation of priority economic outcomes during the Philippines' chairmanship; he also emphasized that constructive communication in the "ASEAN+" Free Trade Agreement negotiations is the core guarantee for achieving mutual benefit and win-win results for all parties.
The meeting ultimately adopted the "Joint Statement of ASEAN Economic Ministers on Strengthening ASEAN Economic Resilience to Address Recent Global and Geopolitical Economic Developments," providing direction for regional economic cooperation. In addition to the core meeting, Dr. Wawa Maung participated in several side events: attending the ASEAN Green Economic Transformation Report launch jointly hosted by the Asian Development Bank and the Philippine government; visiting the Philippine SME Exhibition Hall (Likhang Filipino) in Manila to learn about the characteristics of Philippine SME products and engaging in in-depth exchanges with relevant parties on promoting bilateral trade cooperation between Myanmar and the Philippines; and attending the ASEAN Economic Ministers' Welcome Dinner hosted by the Philippine government to further enhance communication and mutual trust among regional economic and trade partners.
The meeting was chaired by Philippine Secretary of Trade and Industry Maria Cristina A. Roque, and attended by economic ministers and delegations from ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretary-General, the ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General, and relevant officials from the ASEAN Secretariat. (End)
