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ASEAN leaders pledge to focus on food security, digital ties
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Indonesian President Joko Widodo delivers his remarks during the plenary session of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, September 5, 2023. (Reuters/Willy Kurniawan)
L
eaders of ASEAN countries have signed documents in which they promise to work together closely on food security and the digital economy for years to come.
Inked on Sunday by Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, who represented Indonesia, the agreements seek to align regulations on those issues across ASEAN member states
ASEAN-level discussions on a Digital Economic Framework Agreement (DEFA) were officially launched on Sunday with the aim of being completed in 2025.
“If the DEFA is implemented in 2025, it will increase ASEAN’s digital economy potential, which in a business-as-usual scenario would amount to US$1 trillion, but will increase to $2 trillion in 2030 with the DEFA’s implementation,” Airlangga said on Sunday, according to a press statement.
Google Asia-Pacific vice president of government and public policy Michaela Browning said on Monday that ASEAN was on track to realize the $1 trillion value ahead of 2030.
Google releases an annual report on Southeast Asia’s digital economy along with Temasek and Bain & Company.
“Every year when we review it, the region has accelerated in terms of its digital transformation, faster than expected,” Browning said.
