Ministerial Conference OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme

Dates: 9-10 February, 2022

Location: Online / Seoul, South Korea

Event Page Link
 

Under the theme “A human-centred future: Partnership for a smarter, greener and more inclusive ASEAN”, the Seoul Ministerial Conference will serve as an opportunity for Ministers and high-level representatives from Southeast Asian countries and OECD Members to identify the digital, environmental and social challenges faced by the region in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss how to transform them into opportunities.

The Ministerial Conference will present the achievements of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP) during its second phase (2018-2022), under the Co-chairmanship of Korea and Thailand. The first high-level policy dialogue session will consider how OECD and Southeast Asian countries can co-operate in adapting to the rapid transition to a digital economy and in harnessing the digital transformation to build a “smarter ASEAN”. The second session will be an opportunity to discuss how OECD and Southeast Asian countries can work together to enhance environmental sustainability and to address climate change, actions that are key to building a “greener ASEAN” and a resilient and inclusive future. A handover ceremony of the SEARP Co-chairs, from Korea and Thailand to Viet Nam and Australia, will follow.

The outcomes of the Ministerial Forum on the first day will feed into discussions on the future works of SEARP at its ninth Steering Group Meeting to be held on the following day. The Steering Group will acknowledge the Programme’s key achievements during its second phase and explore the “way forward”, identifying the priorities under the new Co-chairs, Viet Nam and Australia.