ASEAN SECRETARIAT HOLDS BRAINSTORMING MEETING ON STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Jakarta, Nov. 25 (ANTARA) - The Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat is holding a three-day a brainstorming meeting on stakeholder engagement which started on Nov. 23, 2009.

"This Symposium aims to design a system to facilitate CSO dialogue, conversation and interaction with the official process," said ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan in his welcome address.

"Civil society organisations (CSOs), think tanks, universities and other national and regional stakeholders around the ASEAN region have came together to brainstorm on possible methods of engagement between these stakeholders and the ASEAN governments," the ASEAN Secretariat said on its official website.

The symposium was designed to help in the development of a method for stakeholder engagement to support and further the process of realising the ASEAN Community. In particular, the method will support the building of a people-oriented and inclusive ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community pillar.

Referring to the ASEAN Charter, Dr Surin said that "building a harmonious community needs the involvement of all stakeholders. Article 13 of the Charter calls for the promotion of a people-oriented ASEAN in which all sectors of society are encouraged to participate in, and benefit from, the process of ASEAN integration and community building".

Moderated by Mechai Viravaidya, founder and Board Chairman of the Population and Community Development Association of Thailand, the symposium also featured speakers from the European Commission, the Norwegian Children and Youth Council and the Southern Africa Development Community Council of Non Governmental Organizations - organisations that have had experiences in successful methods of regional stakeholder dialogue.

The ASEAN Secretariat Symposium on Methods of Stakeholder Involvement in Regional Organisations is organised by the ASEAN Secretariat, in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). The FES has worked in all ASEAN Member States and with governments, CSOs and other regional integration bodies.