United States Assistance to ASEAN

The framework for U.S. assistance to ASEAN is the ASEAN-US Enhanced Partnership(EP) which was launched November 2005 in a Joint Vision Statement. ASEAN and the US hold a common vision of durable peace, stability and shared prosperity based on the development of democratic, equitable and caring societies. The EP is comprehensive, action-oriented, and forward looking, encompassing political and security cooperation, economic cooperation, and social and development cooperation and building upon previous ASEAN-US programs.

The Enhanced Partnership supports implementation of the ASEAN Vientiane Action Program (VAP) that aims to achieve an open, dynamic and resilient ASEAN Community by 2020. The VAP outlines programs for each of the three pillars of the ASEAN community, security, economic, and socio-cultural, as well as for narrowing the development gap among and within ASEAN Member Countries.

The Plan of Action to implement the ASEAN-US Enhanced Partnership was signed by Secretary of State Rice and Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member Countries on July 27, 2006 during the ASEAN-US Post Ministerial Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ASEAN Member Countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, the U.S. State Department, the US Agency for International Development and other USG agencies worked together to develop a Plan of Action that covers a comprehensive set of mutually beneficial activities to be undertaken over the next five years.

A Multi-Sector Endeavor The Enhanced Partnership will foster cooperation among all sectors of our societies, all branches of government, state, provincial and local, non-governmental organizations, private business, educational institutions and individuals. It will help the U.S. and ASEAN meet the challenges and reap the benefits of an increasingly globalized world.

Partnership Built on a Solid Base The Enhanced Partnership builds on the cooperation developed since 1977 when the U.S and ASEAN established their Dialogue relations. Since then, the U.S. has provided over $75.4 million to support scholarships, training and other programs in agriculture, health, the environment, economic integration, trade, investment and many other areas.

Fostering Economic Integration and Development

A key element of the ASEAN Cooperation Program is its support of ASEAN’s effort to achieve economic integration. ACP programs are helping ASEAN to:

Enhance cooperation: the ASEAN-US Technical Assistance & Training Facility a US State Department/US Agency for International Development project, is increasing the capacity of ASEAN to become a stronger regional economic institution by providing regional technical assistance and training consistent with the Vientiane Action Programme. For further details on project activities please see the ASEAN-US Facility page.

Understand standards and conformity: the U.S. Department of Commerce has sponsored a number of trainings in the ASEAN region and the U.S. concerning standards and conformity assessment. This includes programs to improve safety standards in ASEAN's automotive industry, one of ASEAN's 12 Priority Sectors for Integration.

Protect and enforce intellectual property rights (IPR): the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) signed an arrangement with ASEAN to cooperate in IPR in April 2005. Since then and building on USPTO work started with other U.S. funding, the U.S. has been a leader on IPR cooperation with ASEAN, helping to institutionalize consistency in IPR issues across ASEAN Member Countries. To date, 800 people have received training on protection and enforcement of IPR.

Develop sound competition policy: the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice has provided regional technical assistance on competition policy, placing a resident advisor in the region and sponsoring workshops, trainings and study tours to share knowledge and build capacity. These efforts have helped ASEAN Economic Ministers to endorse, in August 2007, the establishment of the ASEAN Experts Group on Competition.

Build Regional Cooperation on Transnational Challenges

The U.S. government has historically provided assistance to ASEAN on some transnational issues, such as narcotics trafficking and control. However, the ACP has stepped up efforts to combat transnational challenges and expanded areas addressed. ACP efforts are clearly focused on ASEAN at large. For example, assistance

Supports the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): USAID is supporting the region's premier security entity by creating an ARF website and providing necessary computer equipment to the Forum.

Improves responses to crisis and disaster: the U.S. Forest Service's Disaster Mitigation Program provides training and simulation to ASEAN and its member countries to help them utilize the Incident Command System (ICS). The ICS is a management framework that helps interagency response teams define and coordinate responsibilities during complex events such as a forest fire, earthquake, tsunami or terrorist attack.

Combats the spread of HIV/AIDs: Through USAID's POLICY Project, an advisor was placed at the Secretariat to assist ASEAN fight the spread of HIV and AIDS. The project is working to increase access to antiretroviral drugs, improve surveillance of the spread of HIV/AIDS and improve care and support for victims of the disease.

Improves data collection on trafficking in persons (TIP) among ASEAN Member Countries: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) conducted a pilot research project to improve data collection on trafficking within ASEAN. The project catalogued the data government agencies were already collecting on trafficking, examined its relevance and usefulness to ASEAN objectives in preventing trafficking, and recommended steps for ASEAN and its member countries to improve data collected.

Conducts a counterterrorism assessment: ASEAN has been undertaking serious efforts in combating transnational crime, as demonstrated by the adoption of the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime in 1999 and its Work Programme in 2002. USAID provided an ASEAN consultant to work with the Secretariat to develop implementation strategies for the counterterrorism component of the Plan of Action. The consultant produced a menu of options for donor assistance.

Helps to create environmentally sustainable cities: The U.S. Council of State Governments helped to advance ASEAN's work on Environmentally Sustainable Cities. Oregon, New Hampshire and Maryland were each paired with two ASEAN cities to work with issues of clean air, land and water. The states presented demonstration projects to support ASEAN's Framework for Sustainable Cities in Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Ha Long, Balikpapan City and Iloilo City.

Builds capacity for enforcement of wildlife trade laws: The U.S. is helping strengthen ASEAN trade and customs controls for endangered species. Among other accomplishments, the project helped facilitate a Special Meeting for ASEAN Officials that launched the ASEAN Wildlife Law Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN).

Support the ASEAN Secretariat

The U.S., under the heading of the ASEAN Cooperation Plan, has helped strengthen the Secretariat by improving its human and institutional capacity. For example, the U.S.

Increased the internet bandwidth capacity of the Secretariat: USAID helped improve ASEAN Secretariat infrastructure by increasing internet bandwidth in September 2004;

Funded ASEAN Associate Officer internships at the Secretariat: USAID has funded four Associate Officers to participate in year long internships at the ASEAN Secretariat, building the capacity of the Secretariat to carry out its duties and increasing understanding of ASEAN throughout the region;

Increased human capacity through specialized training programs: various U.S. Government entities have provided training to ASEAN Secretariat staff in information technology, international security, environment and trade.