14th ASEAN Summit

14th ASEAN Summit
The 14th ASEAN Summit marks a new chapter for ASEAN following the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter last December. Under the theme ‘ASEAN Charter for ASEAN Peoples’, the 14th ASEAN Summit underlines new era of ASEAN with people at the heart of cooperation. Besides, there are three sub-themes, namely ‘Towards More Effective Community-Building’, ‘Enhancing Regional Resilience against Global Threats’, and ‘Reinforcing ASEAN Centrality in the Evolving Regional Architecture’.
‘Towards More Effective Community-Building'
Thailand will use this opportunity to lay the foundation for realising ASEAN Community by the year 2015. In order to make ASEAN a more rules-based and effective organisation, it will push for the operationalisation of new ASEAN organs under the Charter. These include the three ASEAN Community Councils (ASEAN Political and Security Community (APSC) Council, ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council) and the Committee of Permanent Representatives in Jakarta. An ASEAN human rights body will also be established by the end of this year to enhance promotion and protection of human rights in the region. The ASEAN Secretariat will also be strengthened, both in terms of budget and personnel, so that it can fulfil its additional responsibilities and functions as required by the Charter.
Efforts will be further enhanced to promote people's participation in ASEAN community-building process. ASEAN Leaders will meet with representatives from various groups, including members of the parliament, youth leaders and civil society organisations. This will be an important turning point to create a sense of ‘ASEAN citizenship' among ASEAN people.
‘Enhancing Regional Resilience against Global Threats'
In order to enhance regional resilience against global threats by strengthening multi-dimensional human security in ASEAN Community, ASEAN cooperation will be strengthened to be able to address and alleviate issues affecting people's well-being in a timely and concrete manner. This includes addressing issues of food security, energy security and disaster management. ASEAN Leaders will also discuss ways and means to mitigate the effects of the financial and economic crisis on the ASEAN Community, based on the recommendations by the ASEAN Finance Ministers' Meeting in Phuket on 22 February 2009.
‘Reinforcing ASEAN Centrality in the Evolving Regional Architecture'
While enhancing ASEAN Community-building efforts, ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture will also be reinforced. The Summit will be a good opportunity for ASEAN to show to the rest of the world that ASEAN is still very much relevant. The ten Member Countries of ASEAN are integral parts of a wider integrated East Asia community which has been, and will continue to be, the engine of the world's economic growth.
It is expected that at least 25 declarations, agreements and statements will be signed or adopted by ASEAN Leaders, ASEAN Foreign Ministers and ASEAN Economic Ministers during the Summit. These documents reflect ASEAN effort to response to challenges in a more timely and concrete manner. They will cover issues relating to ASEAN community-building, food and energy security as well as economic cooperation. Of all these outcome documents, the Declaration on the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community 2009-2015 will be signed by ASEAN Leaders. This Declaration will be a cover-declaration for the three ASEAN Community Blueprints.