CSIS NAMED SECRETARIAT FOR U.S.-ASEAN EMINENT PERSONS GROUP
February 2, 2012
WASHINGTON, February 2, 2012 – The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Southeast Asia Program was named secretariat for the United States–Association of Southeast Asian Nations Eminent Persons Group (U.S.-ASEAN EPG) yesterday by the U.S. Department of State.
The U.S. members of the U.S-ASEAN Eminent Persons Group were announced by President Barack Obama in November 2011 during the third U.S.-ASEAN Leaders Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. The role of the group is to provide specific, technical recommendations to leaders on how to significantly enhance ASEAN capacity, including in areas such as economic and social development, integration among ASEAN member countries, and strengthening of ASEAN trade-readiness.
The president nominated three U.S. members of the EPG: The Hon. Charlene Barshefsky, former U.S. trade representative; Mr. Muhtar Kent, chairman & CEO of the Coca-Cola Company and CSIS trustee; and the Hon. J. Stapleton Roy, former U.S. ambassador to China, Indonesia, and Singapore and CSIS distinguished senior advisor. The ASEAN nations have each appointed one member to the U.S.-ASEAN EPG.
“Our mission is an important one, and we are grateful to CSIS for its support,” said Ambassador Roy. “Its work on developing the conceptual basis for an enduring U.S. strategy toward ASEAN will be a valuable point of reference for our efforts.”
The CSIS Southeast Asia Program, led by Ernest Bower, will provide research and technical support to the EPG. CSIS expects to coordinate closely with leading think tanks in each of the ASEAN countries to support the effort.
The EPG will likely meet twice in 2012 and will prepare an interim report for the U.S.-ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference in Phnom Penh in July and a final report with recommendations for consideration at the fourth U.S.-ASEAN Leaders Meeting in Cambodia in November.
For more information on the U.S.-ASEAN EPG, its mission, members, and calendar of events, please go to: www.csis.org/program/us-asean-eminent-persons-group
For more information about CSIS and CSIS experts please contact aschwartz@csis.org or call (202) 775-3242.
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The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 1962 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. It seeks to advance global security and prosperity by providing strategic insights and policy solutions to decisionmakers.
