Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India 2016

Regional integration efforts have intensified at varying levels over the years to implement the regional integration initiatives of ASEAN, ASEAN+3 and ASEAN+6. Current efforts are still not enough to achieve integration targets despite important and positive achievements. In particular, ASEAN countries need to take active steps to realise a single economic market by 2015 and beyond, and make additional efforts, including: i) co-ordinating between regional initiatives and national agendas, and regional and sub-regional initiatives, avoiding duplication and moving in the same direction; ii) reducing disparities in the region by supporting the further development of the CLM countries; iii) moving towards a “Global ASEAN” that is integrated in the global economy and stronger ties with the ASEAN+3 and ASEAN+6 frameworks; and iv) strengthening monitoring capacity through better indicators and peer learning to make the regional agenda more effective