ASEAN and the world

(CPV) – ADB’s operations—comprising approvals of loans and grants, technical assistance, and cofinancing—reached an all-time high of USD27.15 billion in 2015, an increase of about 19% over the USD22.89 billion in 2014, according to provisional figures released on January 8th 2016.

The Cambodian economic growth will continue to reach about 7 percent annually over the next three years, according to the Global Economic Prospects report released by the World Bank on January 7th.

A witness told the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) on January 6th, that the Khmer Rouge killed Vietnamese people in Cambodia’s Prey Veng province.

China’s landing of two civilian planes on an illegally-built runway in the Chu Thap (Fiery Cross) reef, in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago on January 6th, has sparked protests in the region, and the world.

Indonesia will prioritise four areas in its foreign policy in 2016, including ensuring the country’s sovereignty, strengthening citizenship protection, bolstering economic diplomacy and intensifying its position in international forums.

The Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) marked the 37th anniversary of the historical victory against the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime (1975-1979) in Phnom Penh on January 7th.

Indonesia has inked a USD1.3 billion agreement with the Republic of Korea to jointly develop the RoK’s next generation fighter jets, announced Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) on January 7th.

(CPV) - ADB has returned to the US dollar bond market with the pricing of a USD3.25 billion 3-year global benchmark bond, proceeds of which will be part of ADB’s ordinary capital resources and used in its non-concessional operations.

The World Bank (WB) has lifted its Indonesian economy’s prospect forecast for 2016 to 5.3 percent from 4.7 percent.

The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will support the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member nations in creating and applying credit guarantee systems.

(CPV) - The day of reckoning arrived with more than two million citizens from the Central African Republic going en masse to cast their votes on Wednesday, December 30th 2015, to choose their president and representatives in the Central Assembly.

Chairman of Myanmar’s Parliament Shwe Mann said on January 6th that members of Aung San Suu Kyi’s victorious National League for Democracy will take office in parliament on February 1st.

(CPV) - The Japanese government has provided an emergency grant of USD2 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in response to the needs of host communities and displaced Syrians in Lebanon.

(CPV) - Weak growth among major emerging markets such as China, while Russia and Brazil will weigh on global growth in 2016, but economic activity should still pick up modestly to a 2.9% pace, from 2.4% growth in 2015, as advanced economies gain speed, according to the latest World Bank’s global economic prospects.

The Philippine National Food Authority (NFA) is planning to import more rice from Vietnam and Thailand in an effort to have a sufficiency of rice throughout the country this year.

Sam Rainsy, leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) are facing two arrest warrants and a subpoena of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for different charges.

The Philippines’ inflation rate was reported at 1.4 percent in 2015, lower than the forecast 2 to 4 percent for the whole year, said the country’s central bank BSP.

The Government of the Philippines has set a 7-percent target in economic growth for the first half of 2016.

Cambodia welcomed an estimated 4.8 million tourists in 2015, up 8 percent from the previous year, the Khmer Daily quoted Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon as saying.

The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) – a key pillar in the ASEAN Community which came into being on December 31st, 2015 – has set a foundation for the start of a new chapter in economic integration in the Southeast Asian region.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on January 1st called on all citizens to join hands in turning Thailand into a stronger nation.

The 35th ASEAN Travel Forum (ATF 2016) will be held from January 18th to 22nd in the Philippines, aiming to boost efforts to turn Southeast Asia into a global tourist destination, according to the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT).

Former ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan announced on January 1st that he will run for Prime Minister of Thailand in the next general election.

Indonesian police on December 31st arrested three people with suspected links to the Islamic State (IS) during an operation in Central Sulawesi province to hunt for Santoso, the country’s most-wanted man.

The ASEAN Economic Community gets a lot of mention these days, but ASEAN’s journey of economic integration has actually been underway for decades.

Its summits and ministerial meetings get a lot of media coverage, but ASEAN’s engagement with its stakeholders, partners and constituencies goes far beyond official venues.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman announced the official formation of the ASEAN Community on December 31st.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has pledged to increase grants for Indonesia by 14 percent to USD146 million for the next five years against USD127 million allocated in the previous corresponding period.

A ceremony was held in the Lao capital city of Vientiane on December 30th to welcome the establishment of the ASEAN Community (December 31st, 2015).

The Singaporean government has been working hard to draw up policies and introduce measures to help its businesses to tap opportunities offered by the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), expected to be formed on December 31st.