ASEAN and the world

On September 19th, the 68th annual Emmy Awards was held at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown, Los Angeles, California, and broadcast in the U.S. by Fox. Andy Samberg hosted the show for the first time.

ASEAN member states and China have agreed to boost partnership in implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) called for the settlement of all sovereign and territorial disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means without using or threatening to use violence in the final document adopted by the 17th NAM Summit in Venezuela which concluded on September 18th.

Myanmar’s army beefed up security measures in Laukkai, the capital city of the semi-autonomous Kokang region, in the northern state of Shan after a blast occurred at a private house of a Kokang ex-official.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) kicked off its 17th Summit in Margarita, Venezuela on September 17th.

(CPV) - Yields on bonds in emerging East Asian markets declined as inflationary pressures remained largely muted and persistently low global growth increased the attractiveness of East Asian bonds, ADB’s latest Asia Bond Monitor said.

The Cambodian government on September 16th announced a special loan package of USD27 million to buy paddy from farmers to stabilise rice prices, which are plummeting.

Malaysia’s Institute for Medical Research (IMR) has been carrying out tests to determine the type of Zika virus on two new patients.

The Indonesian government has deployed over 22,000 soldiers, policemen and firefighters along with 24 aircraft to extinguish forest and agriculture fires in the western parts of the country.

On September 14th, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim won a second five-year term after nominations to lead the global development bank closed with no other candidates proposed.

The Indonesian government has deployed over 22,000 soldiers, policemen and firefighters along with 24 aircraft to extinguish forest and agriculture fires in the western parts of the country.

(CPV) - The Nordic Development Fund (NDF) has contributed EUR7 million to a newly established multi-donor trust fund—administered by ADB— which will help Southeast Asian countries develop a robust portfolio of climate-resilient projects.

On September 14th, lawmakers in Turkmenistan unanimously adopted a new constitution extending the presidential term from 5 years to 7 years and lifting a 70-year age ceiling.

Typhoon Meranti has hit Taiwan, China, forcing schools and offices across the south of the island to close and dozens of flights to be canceled, according to the official China News Agency.

The Thai Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) on September 13th reported that around 200 Zika virus cases have been recorded since January, 2016, making Thailand one of the countries with the highest rate of Zika virus cases in the region.

Severe floods have hit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s northeast, killing at least 133 people and leaving 395 missing.

On September 12th, the United Kingdom's former Prime Minister David Cameron resigned his seat in the Parliament, just months after leaving 10 Downing Street.

The 86th L’Humanite (Humanity) newspaper festival, organised by the French Communist Party (PCF), has opened at La Courneuve Park in Paris.

An earthquake measuring 5.7 on Richter scale has hit northwestern Tanzania, killing 13 people and leaving 203 injured.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak made an official visit to Thailand on September 9th for the sixth annual consultation (AC) between the two countries.

(CPV) - ADB and the Government of Myanmar signed agreements on September 9th 2016 for a USD60 million loan and USD4 million grant to provide Mandalay—the country’s second largest city—with a sustainable, modern wastewater and drainage management system.

The mushrooming of unauthorised non-governmental organisations in donation drives lately could be linked to the self-claimed Islamic State (IS) militant groups that collect funds to finance their activities, a Malaysian official stated.

On September 7th, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his counterpart Narendra Modi pledged to strengthen ties in the key areas of counter-terrorism.

Uzbekistan’s Parliament has approved Prime Minister, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, 59, as Acting President after the death of President Islam Karimov last week.

Leaders of ASEAN countries and the bloc’s partners participated in the closing ceremony of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related meetings in Vientiane on September 8th afternoon.

American engagement with Asia will endure after he leaves the While House, Barack Obama has said during his final visit to the region as US president.

The 21st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) featuring 301 films from 69 countries will open in Busan, the Republic of Korea, from October 6th - 15th.

External partners put forth measures to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN in various fields during the ASEAN+1 Summits with the Republic of Korea (RoK), Australia and the United Nation, ASEAN+3 Summit, and Mekong-Japan Summit, held in Vientiane, Laos, on September 7th.

The Singapore Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency have announced there were 16 new cases of Zika virus infection, four of which were not linked to existing cluster areas.

ASEAN leaders continue to voice deep concerns about the East Sea situation in the Chairman’s Statement of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits, which was issued on September 7th afternoon.