METRO MANILA – The Philippines as ASEAN Chair, through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), on Friday called on the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) to transform the bloc’s geoeconomics task force into a more formal unit to be called “ASEAN Geoeconomic Group.”
DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque, in her opening remarks to the 32nd AEM Retreat, said, “For ASEAN, resilience is no longer an aspiration. It is our primary shield. While we remain the global champions of the open market, the current landscape demands that the openness be backed by coordination and foresight.”
“This is why the transition of the ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force into the ASEAN Geoeconomic Group is so critical. Alongside the High-Level Task Force on Economic Integration, this body will ensure that we are not just reacting to global shifts, we are navigating them together,” Roque said.
The ASEAN Geoconomic Task Force was created to discuss the bloc’s coordinated strategies in dealing with international trade uncertainties and to further boost the region’s economic resilience. The Task Force aims to implement a cohesive, unified decision-making process across various issues.
On Thursday, DTI Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty emphasized that it is crucial for the ASEAN 11 Member States to remain united in protecting and advancing the bloc’s economic integration agenda amid global challenges, such as surging oil prices driven by tensions in the Middle East.
No comments:
Post a Comment