ASEAN Annual Report 2020-2021
ASEAN published Annual Report 2020-2021 in August 2021 showcasing its community building efforts during the period. A midst the ongoing global pandemic, ASEAN is committed to safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of its people, in line with the theme of ‘We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper’ under Brunei Darussalam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2021.
The Report highlights achievements in each ASEAN Community Pillars including through projects supported by the Government of Japan through Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). Japan continued to support establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases to strengthen ASEAN’s regional capabilities during public health emergencies. As iterated by Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide at the Japan-ASEAN Summit in November 2020 “I am delighted to be able to jointly announce the establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases. Japan will spare no effort in helping the Centre develop into an institution…”
Japan’s support in ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community is evitable through the development of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work Programme for 2021-2025 which was adopted on 27 November 2020. Furthermore, to further increase awareness of ASEAN, the Culture Sector launched the ASEAN Cultural Heritage Digital Archive, so ASEAN’s people can appreciate online the rich cultural artefacts from AMS. To foster understanding, tolerance, and a sense of ASEAN’s agenda among the peoples of individual AMS, the Culture Sector is leading the development of a Regional Policy Framework to guide ASCC efforts. Both initiatives are also supported by the Government of Japan through Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) which are currently underway.
