Being Canada’s ambassador to ASEAN holds a very special meaning. I have had the chance to visit the 10 countries of ASEAN, to meet their communities and to learn about the art and culture when advancing ASEAN-Canada partnership. The more the merrier – meetings, dialogues and discussions are never uneventful since you can be sure you have 10 counterparts waiting to agree with you – or to offer you different views.

Uniquely, it resembles the feeling of being in a big family, diverse but always a warm welcome. And family means you are here for both the good times and the challenging times. 

Now more than ever, the COVID-19 pandemic has proven the crucial role multilateral institutions have. Canada has provided funding up to CAD$5 million (US$4 million) to the COVAX Facility to design and implement the dose sharing mechanism that is now serving as the platform for countries committing to share doses via COVAX. On the ASEAN level, the ASEAN-Canada Mitigation of Biological Threat program, has helped both ASEAN countries and Canada to mitigate COVID-19 risks and to allocate logistical needs in the Southeast Asia region.

Further, Canada is committed to working collaboratively with others, including governments, multilateral institutions, and industry, to identify and remove bottlenecks, and accelerate the production and equitable distribution of affordable, safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines and other medical countermeasures.

The pandemic has unfortunately increased the risks for women and girls especially in fragile and conflict-affected contexts and this challenges us to re-examine threats to human security. It forces us to rethink the linkage between peace, humanitarian and development and the critical need for women’s leadership and participation to ensure effective and comprehensive response, from policy decision-making to peace building and pandemic response.

ASEAN has made important strides to advance women, peace and security agenda, including the adoption of the first Joint Statement on Promoting Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN in 2017, the launch of the ASEAN Women’s Peace Registry in 2018, and convening the first ASEAN Symposium on Women, Peace and Security in 2019 and the ASEAN Ministerial Dialogue on Strengthening Women's Role for Sustainable Peace and Security in 2020.

We are excited to support ASEAN and UN Women on a five-year program called “Empowering women for sustainable peace: preventing violence and promoting social cohesion in ASEAN” – to advance and strengthen women’s leadership and participation in conflict prevention, resolution and recovery in Southeast Asia.

Bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and ASEAN has remained strong despite the impact of the pandemic, reaching CAD$26.6 billion in 2020.  As a group, ASEAN ranked as Canada’s fifth largest merchandise trading partner in 2020. Services trade totaled CAD$6.6 billion in 2019, up from CAD$6.1 billion in 2018, with Canadian services exports to ASEAN totaling CAD$2.5 billion and ASEAN services exports to Canada amounting to CAD$4.1 billion in the same year.

In addition, aligning with one of Brunei Darussalam’s ASEAN chairmanship priorities, Canada is seeking to launch negotiations for a free trade agreement with ASEAN.  A possible ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement would create significant economic gains for ASEAN and Canada – not just from trade in goods and services, and investment, but also in terms of people-to-people ties and education.

In fact, Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) project is supporting more than 100 students for the 2021-2022 academic year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were significant impacts on the international education sector in Canada and in ASEAN member states. However, Canada remains committed to supporting students and mid-career officials in the ASEAN member states to take advantage of the SEED exchanges despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic. We look forward to relaunching the mid-career component as soon as the conditions allow for it.

Last but not least, people-to-people ties are at the heart of the ASEAN-Canada partnership. Through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives in ASEAN, Canada has supported many great initiatives by regional think tanks and civil society organizations. For example, progress on gender equality and women empowerment must be conveyed in a manner that is understood by everyday people not just at meetings. This is where partners, such as the Jakarta Feminist Association, help through their wide ranging networks.

Our partnership is almost as old as the ASEAN itself and it is no coincidence. Much has been done in the past 44 years and surely, there is much more to do for both Canada and ASEAN to make the most of its partnership. Just like family, Canada stands ready with ASEAN to care, to prepare and to prosper. I have no doubt that Canada and ASEAN will grow stronger bond and innovative partnership in many more years to come.

It has been a privilege to be part of the ASEAN family. Thank you for the wonderful past three years, ASEAN.

 ***

The writer is ambassador of Canada to ASEAN.

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