ASEAN-U.S. leaders adopt a statement on digital development
During the 9th ASEAN-U.S. Summit, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States of America had a virtual meeting on 26 October 2021 where they adopted a joint statement on digital development. The statement covers a wide range of areas for cooperation including cybersecurity, the development of ASEAN’s digital infrastructure, economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, digitalisation in the energy sector, and human capital development among other topics. The statement underlines ‘further cooperation in bridging the digital divide and information and communication technology (ICT) development gaps within ASEAN, including for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), through developing digital competencies, to include cybersecurity best practices, market-driven approaches, and exchange of views on regulatory best practices, while promoting the importance of performance, security, and resilience in next-generation ICT networks.’ Such areas are meant to be implemented in cooperation with the private sector as well as relevant stakeholders.
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