Cambodia Chairs ASEAN Meeting on Regional Development Initiatives

Cambodia Chairs ASEAN Meeting on Regional Development Initiatives

JAKARTA, March 12, 2026 — ASEAN officials met on Thursday to review progress on regional development projects aimed at narrowing economic gaps among member states, as the bloc moves forward with implementation of its integration agenda.

The 78th meeting of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force was held at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta, chaired by Cambodia’s Permanent Representative to ASEAN, Noy Choumneanh, who serves as chair of the task force for 2026.

Representatives from all 10 ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat attended the meeting.

Participants reviewed progress in implementing projects under the IAI Work Plan IV (2021–2025) and discussed measures to ensure the timely and effective completion of remaining initiatives, according to officials.

Although Work Plan IV formally concluded in December 2025, several projects will continue through mid-2026 to ensure the full delivery of planned outputs and development outcomes.

The Initiative for ASEAN Integration, launched in 2000, aims to reduce development gaps among ASEAN members, particularly supporting Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) through cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, digital connectivity, education and economic integration.

Officials said continued implementation of the remaining projects is important to sustain ASEAN’s broader goal of inclusive and balanced regional development.