Inclusion of NEAT Efforts on the Chairman’s Statement of the 24^th ASEAN Plus Three Summit

Source: ASEAN Secretariat (2021). Taken during the 24^th APT Summit, 27 October 2021. https://asean.org/chairmans-statement-of-the-24th-apt-summit/

The contributions of the Network of East Asia Think Tanks (NEAT) were recognized during the 24th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit held on October 27, 2021. The Summit was chaired by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. To quote from the Chairman's statement:

"We also recognised the important contributions of the Network of East Asia Think-Tanks (NEAT) towards APT cooperation. We welcomed the outcomes of the 33rd NEAT Country Coordinators Meeting (NEAT-CCM) on 20 April 2021 and 34th NEAT-CCM on 1 September 2021, and the five NEAT working group meetings on various topics held this year, which advocated for regional preparedness and resilience in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on helping MSMEs and working towards sustainable development in the region."

This recognition is one positive step towards NEAT’s goal of having its policy recommendations adopted by key policymakers.

NEAT, as a track two process of the APT, provides intellectual support for East Asian cooperation. NEAT reaffirms that the goal of community building in East Asia is promoting the welfare and well-being of the people and realize the East Asian Vision of Peace, Prosperity and Progress.

Amidst the pandemic, NEAT maintained its core activities which are convening of country CCMs and organizing working groups (WGs).

The 33rd and 34th NEAT CCM were held virtually last 20 April 2021 and 1 September 2021, respectively. NEAT Philippines hosted these meetings with the participation of twelve (12) Country Coordinators from APT countries and their delegation. In addition, five (5) WGs were organized on these topics: (1) Climate Change and East Asian Sustainable Development (18 June by NEAT China); (2) ASEAN Plus Three and COVID-19 Pandemic: Country Responses and Regional Cooperation (14 July by NEAT Indonesia); (3) Toward 20501 Carbon Neutrality in East Asia (17 August by NEAT Japan), (4) East Asia cooperation and Human Security in the Post-Covid 19 Era (23 July by NEAT Korea); and (5) ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation on MSMEs: Accelerating Digital Adoption to Thrive in the New Normal (21 July by NEAT Philippines).

NEAT 2021 activities were led by NEAT Philippines through the Philippine Institute for Development Studies in partnership with the Office of ASEAN Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs Philippines, University of the Philippines- Asian Center, and the Foreign Service Institute Philippines. For more information on NEAT 2021 and its events please visit its website https://neat.org.ph/. You may also access the Chairman’s Statement of the 24^th ASEAN Plus Three Summit via this link  https://asean.org/chairmans-statement-of-the-24th-apt-summit/.