ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Retreat
28-29 March 2019, Phuket, Thailand
1. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand hosted the ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Retreat on the 28th to 29th March 2019 in Phuket, Thailand. The meeting was attended by the ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers (TELMIN), Secretary General of ASEAN and delegates from 10 ASEAN Member States. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Dr. Pichet Durongkaveroj, Minister of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand.
2. The Ministers discussed and exchanged views for moving ASEAN toward the digital ASEAN which included following key points;
– Considered changing the name of ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers’ Meeting (TELMIN) (e.g. ASEAN Digital Ministers) to reflect the changing landscape of the sector and signal their direction towards engaging more on cross-cutting/horizontal issues and digital transformation.
– Stressed the importance of adopting a proper branding in naming the next masterplan (e.g. ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025) given the horizontal implications of digital transformation
– Provided the following broad guidance for the next masterplan,:
a) included the related issues such as digital data protection, cross-border data flow, cybersecurity, ecosystems (infrastructure, legal, regulatory), and other emerging issues
b) greater participation by more players, both in the public and private sectors, in the digital economy and society;
c) engaged the private sector and industry players more, in recognition of their role as key drivers of the regional economy; and
d) played a more active role in the ongoing related initiatives, in other sectors and to look into how the regional ICT initiatives can support, and converge with, these other initiatives.
3. The Ministers welcomed Indonesia’s initiatives on the hosting of the ASEAN Public Private Forum on Digital Economy in September 2019 and the ASEAN Digital Talent Scholarship, as well as Thailand’s updates on the ASEAN Smart Cities Network and to host the ASEAN Smart Cities Network including Conference and Exhibition on 22-24 August 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand.
4. The Ministers recognised the need for cross-pillar coordination on cybersecurity, both at the national and regional level, and the existing platforms such as the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity (AMCC) and the ASEAN Network Security Action Council (ANSAC).
