NEWS

The 4th Joint Meeting of the Japan Task Force and the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee

    The 4th Joint Meeting of Japan Task Force and the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee was held on 9 September 2012 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Participants from Japan side were Mr. Jun SHIMMI, Deputy Director-General, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the head of the Delegation, Mr. Kimihiro ISHIKANE, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Mission of Japan to ASEAN as well as representatives of JICA and KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation). Participants from ASEAN included members of the ASEAN Coordinating Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) and officials concerned in the ASEAN Secretariat.

    In the meeting, Japan elaborated the progress of 33 "Flagship Projects," that were announced by Japan’s Prime Minister Noda in ASEAN-Japan Summit in the last November, as well as other projects. The meeting also held discussion on how to solve challenges to implement specific projects.

    In the morning of 9 September, prior to the Meeting, the first informal consultations on ASEAN connectivity between ACCC and ASEAN dialogue partners as well as the development partners was held. ASEAN provided the explanation on the Project Information Sheets which contained details of 15 prioritized projects in the ASEAN Connectivity Master Plan, while the dialogue partners and development partners gave introduction of their ongoing connectivity-support projects. It was agreed that this type of meeting would be continuously organized in order to provide transparency among dialogue partners and development partners so that each partner can pursue synergy effect with other projects and avoid duplication between similar projects.