HA NOI, 24 June 2025 – The Twelfth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group to develop the ASCC Strategic Plan (AHWG) was convened on 23-24 June in Ha Noi, Viet Nam. The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Christina Yeo Ken Yin, Undersecretary of the International Relations Division (Culture), Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, and Mike Mohen A. Padilla, Section Chief of External Affairs Division, Policy Development and Planning Bureau of the Philippines. The two-day meeting was convened to consolidate and refine the key performance indicators for each strategic measure of the ASCC Strategic Plan, based on inputs from the ASCC Sectoral Bodies.
In his welcoming remarks, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Viet Nam, Vu Chien Thang, underscored the significance of the adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, commended the efforts of the Ad-hoc Working Group, and reaffirmed Viet Nam’s commitment to supporting the Strategic Plan’s implementation through coordinated development of the Results Framework and operationalisation of its communication plan.
In her opening remarks, Dr Christina, Ad Hoc Working Group (AHWG) Co-Chair from Malaysia, congratulated members of AHWG on the successful adoption of the ASCC Strategic Plan by the ASEAN Leaders during the 46th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in May 2025. As part of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, the ASCC Strategic Plan aims to foster a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centered ASEAN.
The meeting commenced with the drafting of the ASCC Results Framework, which will translate the ASCC Strategic Plan into concrete and measurable indicators with baseline data and targets to support its implementation, monitoring and reporting.
Mike Mohen A. Padilla, Ad Hoc Working Group Co-Chair from the Philippines, highlighted that a clear and inclusive Results Framework is essential to turning the ASCC Strategic Plan into real, measurable progress. He emphasised that its values rest not only in technical complexity but also in guiding impactful, people-centred actions toward the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
The meeting also reviewed the timeline for finalising the ASCC Results Framework and reflected on lessons learned from the monitoring and evaluation of the ASCC Blueprint 2025. Discussion highlighted the importance of consultations with ASCC and cross-pillar sectoral bodies who are part of the Strategic Plan’s implementation. The Meeting also noted the planned capacity-building for ASCC Sectoral Bodies on results framework and theory of change, as well as the updates on communication and outreach initiatives for the ASCC Strategic Plan.
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASCC, San Lwin, highlighted the importance of finalising the ASCC Results Framework prior to the start of the ASCC Strategic Plan’s implementation as it will serve as a critical tool and benchmark for its progress.
The Meeting was supported by the Government of Australia through the Development of the ASCC Results Framework and Baselining of the ASCC Strategic Plan Project under the Australia for ASEAN Futures Initiative (Aus4ASEAN Futures).