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Joint Press Statement The 7th Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment
Langkawi, Malaysia, 9-11 September 1996 |
- Malaysia hosted the Seventh Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN) held from 9 to 11 September 1996 in Langkawi, Malaysia. The Meeting was chaired by the Honourable Dr. Delfin J. Ganapin, Jr., Undersecretary for Environment and Programs Development, Department of the Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines and attended by delegates from all ASEAN Member countries and the ASEAN Secretariat. Representatives from Lao PDR also attended the Meeting as observers.
- The Meeting reviewed the activities of the six ASOEN Working Groups on: Nature Conservation; ASEAN Seas and Marine Environment; Transboundary Pollution; Environmental Management; Environmental Economics; and Environmental Information, Public Awareness and Education. The Meeting also reviewed the status of ASEAN cooperative programmes in the field of environment with its Dialogue Partners , namely, Australia, Canada, European Union, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United States and UNDP. The Meeting also discussed cooperation on environment with UNEP and WWF.
- Following the decision made at the 5th ASEAN Summit held in Bangkok from 14 to 15 December 1995 to elevate Functional Cooperation to a higher plane, the Meeting agreed to develop possible flagship projects to raise the profile of ASOEN at the regional and international levels. Two flagship projects which were identified are the ASEAN Environment Year and the ASEAN Environment Award.
- To implement the flagship projects and the other projects of ASOEN, the Meeting identified possible funding sources such as dialogue partners, multilateral and international organisations, private sector, NGOS, ASEAN Fund and cost- sharing arrangement. The Meeting agreed that ASOEN should strive to achieve greater self-reliance in the implementation of its projects. In the preparation of national programmes on environment, the Meeting urged member countries to include regional components on HRD and information exchange at the ASEAN level which would benefit the region.
- The Meeting agreed to publish the First ASEAN State of the Environment Report before the end of the year. The Report summarizes the initiatives of ASEAN in responding to the challenge of sustainable development and presents the important issues and concerns that remain to be addressed.
- The Meeting noted with appreciation the work that has been under-taken by Indonesia and the ASEAN Haze Technical Task Force to control transboundary haze pollution and requested the Task Force to meet regularly in order to exchange up-to-date information.
- To further implement the ASEAN Cooperation Plan on Transboundary Pollution, the Meeting agreed to expedite the processing of project proposals on "Development of Information and Communication Network for ASEAN Transboundary Haze Pollution" and "ASEAN Institute Forest Management's Project on Forest Fire Management". Moreover, the Meeting agreed to collaborate with the ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting on the control of transboundary shipborne pollution.
- Since the Philippines has completed its term as the Chairman of ASOEN and in accordance with the ASEAN tradition of alphabetical rotation, Singapore will assume the Chairmanship of ASOEN after this Meeting.
- The Meeting agreed to hold the Eighth Meeting of ASOEN in Cebu, Philippines from 2 to 4 September 1997 and recommended. that the 7th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment be held in Bali, Indonesia from 24-25 September 1997.
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