In view of the social impact of the financial and economic crisis, the Sixth ASEAN Summit held in Hanoi in December 1998 proclaimed its resolve to safeguard the welfare of the poor and disadvantaged. The Hanoi Plan of Action mandates that ASEAN shall implement the Plan of Action on ASEAN Rural Development and Poverty Eradication and, in view of the financial and economic crisis, implement the ASEAN Action Plan on Social Safety Nets to ensure that measures are taken to protect the most vulnerable sectors of our societies.

The newly established Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (AMRDPE) will have a prominent role to play in coordinating the implementation of these measures. The Action Plan on Social Safety Nets (SSN) adopted by the Informal AMRDPE Meeting in Jakarta in December 1998 aims to build capacity in participating countries in: (a) assessing and monitoring the social impact of the financial and economic crisis and identifying the target groups affected and their needs; (b) developing and implementing social safety net programmes for the disadvantaged and vulnerable; (c) monitoring and improving the effectiveness of economic and social services delivery; and (d) promoting public awareness of the impact of the crisis particularly on the poor. The Ministers urged the international agencies attending the Informal AMRDPE, such as the UNDP, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank, to support ASEAN in implementing the Action Plan on Social Safety Nets.

To accomplish these tasks, the 2nd Meeting of the Senior Officials on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (SOMRDPE), held in Kuala Lumpur in October 1998, established an ASEAN Task Force on Social Safety Nets. The Task Force has been charged with developing a comprehensive regional work plan for the development of social safety nets and other forms of social protection to cushion the impact of the crisis on the vulnerable and disadvantaged. It is to serve as a forum for mobilising resources and technical assistance from international agencies, ASEAN Dialogue Partners, the ASEAN Foundation and the private sector.

With respect to ASEAN cooperation in rural development, the Framework for the ASEAN Plan of Action on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication adopted by the AMRDPE in 1997 was further operationalized into an initial short-term work programme comprising three projects. These are (a) Building and/or Enhancing Capacity for Research, Assessment and Monitoring of Poverty Incidence in ASEAN Countries (coordinated by Malaysia); (b) Regional Training Programme for Facilitators to Work in Anti-Poverty Programmes in the Rural Areas With Skills in Economic Management, Communications, Agricultural Extension, and Microcredit Services (coordinated by Indonesia); and (c) Campaign for Enhancing National and Regional Public Awareness on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (coordinated by the Philippines).

It is significant that the protection of the poor was one of the five areas covered by the peer review that was part of the ASEAN economic surveillance process in March 1999.

Since ASEAN cooperation in social development covers population groups most affected by the financial and economic crisis, such as youth, women, children and workers, the work of the sub-committees under the Committee on Social Development (COSD) has focused on addressing the social impact of the crisis. The following sections will review the activities of the COSD sub-committees during the past year.

During the year under review, the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Youth (ASY) devoted its energies to work towards the implementation of the Second ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth (AMMY II) held in 1997, particularly with respect to the Kuala Lumpur Agenda on Youth Development. Implementation of the relevant decisions have been classified into the following, with their respective coordinator: entrepreneurship (Indonesia); social/civic responsibility (Lao PDR); leadership development (Malaysia); ASEAN awareness (Philippines); science and technology (Philippines); sustainable development and rural youth (Thailand); and skills training for out-of-school youth (Vietnam). Workplans for these areas, except for the last one, are being finalised by their respective coordinators for ASY's consideration.

A major concern of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Youth is training out-of-school youth to address the unemployment problem among young persons moving from school to the workplace. In this connection, the 15th Meeting of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Youth (ASY) held from 9 to 11 April 1998 in Solo, Indonesia, adopted the ASEAN Work Programme on Skills Training for Out-of-School Youth. The importance of addressing the needs of out-of-school youth was stressed in the Hanoi Plan of Action (HPA). As one of the measures to address the social impact of the financial crisis, the HPA called for the formulation of an ASEAN Work Programme for Out-of-school Youth aimed at strengthening the capacity of this sector to obtain gainful employment.

Also included in the HPA were measures to establish and strengthen networks in skills training for out-of-school youth in ASEAN. In November 1998, the ASEAN Workshop for Programme Managers and Associated Personnel on Skills Training for Out-of-School (Phase II) was convened in Hanoi. The Workshop was funded by the Japan-ASEAN Exchange Projects (JAEP). As a result of this meeting, an ASEAN-SKILLSNET shall be established as a network of national skills training centres or agencies for out-of-school youth, to promote cooperation among out-of-school youth skills training policy makers, administrators and practitioners in the region.

Member institutions are expected to share information on curricula, job placement arrangements and expert resources as well as facilitate the exchange of training experts and the hosting of network meetings. The ASEAN SKILLSNET will serve as the primary instrument for the implementation of the ASEAN Work-programme on Skills Training for Out-of-School Youth.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Establishment of an ASEAN Network of National Skills Training Centres for Out-of-School Youth (ASEAN-SKILLSNET) was adopted by the 16th ASEAN Sub-Committee on Youth (ASY) held in Brunei Darussalam in 1999.

To facilitate the sharing and exchange of information, the Workshop agreed to compile a Directory of National Training Centres in ASEAN Countries. The workshop agreed to appoint the National Training Centres of Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam to be the ASEAN Regional Coordinating Centres for activities, information exchange, and research, respectively.

The 7th ASEAN Youth Day Meeting (AYDM VII) was held in Hanoi on 8 August 1998 in conjunction with ASEAN Day. The theme of this event was "National Policy on Youth". The ASEAN delegates, observers from Cambodia, and the Council for ASEAN Youth Cooperation discussed the concerns of the youth in the present socio-economic situation and exchanged views on the formulation of national policy on youth. The Youth Day Meeting was funded by JAEP.

ASEAN leaders have reaffirmed the important role of women in development. The HPA called for the strengthening of ASEAN cooperation in combating trafficking in women as well as crimes of violence against women. It also called on Member Countries to work towards the full implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and other international instruments concerning women.

An important part of the work of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Women (ASW) is monitoring the implementation of the 1988 Declaration on the Advancement of Women. The ASW prepares and publishes a status report every three years. The ASW at its 16th Meeting agreed to continue to issue the publication regularly, in order to monitor the progress of implementation of the Declaration. The next edition will be published in 2000. Data gathering is already in progress at the national level.

The first phase of the project ASEAN Network for Women in Skills Training was concluded with the convening of a regional seminar in Thailand in July 1998. This seminar decided to continue the project into an expanded second phase with participation of all Member Countries. This decision was endorsed by the 17th ASW Meeting held on 4-6 August 1998 in Bandar Seri Begawan. This project was implemented with technical support from the ILO.

The ASEAN Sub-Committee on Women agreed to designate July 5 as ASEAN Women's Day. That date was chosen to commemorate the signing of the Declaration on the Advancement of Women in the ASEAN Region by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers in 1988 in Bangkok. The implementation of this agreement is to be left to the discretion of the Member Countries as discussed at the 17th ASW Meeting.

Arising from the activities of the on-going project, i.e., the ASEAN Network of Clearinghouses for Women in Development, coordinated by Indonesia, Member Countries were able to provide necessary data on the status and role of ASEAN women. As a follow-up to the 17th ASW Meeting, a new project proposal is being developed by Indonesia to assist some Member Countries in setting up computerised databases/information systems for the clearinghouses for women in development, such as "Strengthening the ASEAN Women's Information Infrastructure".

Over the past year, the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Health and Nutrition (ASCH&N) made significant progress in preparing regional cooperation programmes/plans of action to address important areas of health and to give its activities greater programmatic focus. Until the formulation of such plans of action, cooperation in health and nutrition was based on ad-hoc projects, which lacked a coherent framework and hence did not have a sustainable impact on the regional health situation. The year under review saw the finalisation of the Plan of Collaboration on Health and Nutrition and the preparation of plans of action on disease surveillance and tuberculosis control, with technical assistance and funding support from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The ASEAN Medium-Term Plan of Collaboration on Health and Nutrition was approved by Member Countries in March 1999. The 16th Meeting of the ASCH&N agreed to the assignment of the coordinating countries for seven out of eight priority areas under the Medium-Term Plan. Coordinating countries have developed the priority areas into project proposals. Some of the priority areas include health and nutrition promotion, communicable disease control, and environmental and occupational health.

The ASEAN Plan of Action for Strengthening Disease Surveillance was prepared with technical and funding support provided by the WHO within the framework of the WHO-ASEAN Memorandum of Understanding on collaboration on health and nutrition. The Member Countries approved the Plan in March 1999. The 16th ASCH&N endorsed the recommendation that an Experts Group be established and meet annually and concurrently with the meetings of the ASCH&N. The Meeting agreed that Member Countries would designate their respective focal points for disease surveillance in order to facilitate regional networking.

The Plan of Action contains seven priority programme areas aimed at establishing regional self-reliance in disease surveillance and control of communicable diseases; improving prevention and control of communicable disease mechanism; and strengthening coordination in improving disease surveillance among Member Countries.

The ASEAN Medium-Term Work Programme on Tuberculosis Control was approved by the Member Countries in March 1999. The general objectives of the Work Programme are to mobilise resources for the implementation of the DOTS (Directly-Observed Treatment, Short Course) strategy in treating tuberculosis, and to promote appropriate methods for ascertaining progress towards effective national and regional DOTS TB control programme with regard to case-detection and treatment.

ASEAN has been implementing the Work Programme on Community-Based Care Programmes for the Elderly since 1997. Individual Member Countries have been designated as Country Coordinator for each programme area. Brunei Darussalam hosted the First ASEAN Seminar on Ageing in November 1998, which recommended the strengthening of existing programmes for care of the elderly in order to meet their health and social needs; reaffirmed the current policies of keeping the elderly at home and in the community for as long as possible with the support of community-based and home-based services; and emphasised the virtues of strong religious, cultural and family ties, in order to avoid institutionalisation of the elderly. Myanmar, Country Coordinator for the programme area on Epidemiological Assessment of Needs and Available Resources for the Frail Elderly, has formulated a project proposal for the consideration of the Member Countries. As agreed by Member Countries, Desk Officers for Ageing have been assigned to facilitate the regional cooperation on ageing issues.

ASEAN continued to implement projects under the Technical Cooperation in Pharmaceuticals among Member Countries, such as training in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and strengthening of Quality Assurance and Non-pharmacopoeial Analytical Methods. The Member Countries have also considered new areas for cooperation, such as ASEAN Regional Standards and Reference Substances; Inter-country Meeting on Monitoring, Detection and Control of Counterfeit Drugs; and Bi-regional Technical Cooperation among Countries in Essential Drugs.

The HPA has called for the strengthening of the education systems in Member Countries so that all groups of people, including the disadvantaged, can have equal access to basic education and/or higher learning. In view of this directive, the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Education (ASCOE) will consider regional strategies to support the goal of universal access to education at its 7th Meeting late in 1999. Strategies for collaboration with SEAMEO will also be explored to ensure that the HPA directives on access to basic education and distance education can be implemented.

The ASEAN Sub-Committee on Education (ASCOE) has been promoting ASEAN awareness in the secondary schools through the integration of ASEAN Studies in the school curriculum and running student exchange programmes. ASCOE's flagship project on Integrating ASEAN Studies in Primary and Secondary Schools Curricula aims to produce a sourcebook on ASEAN Studies, which could serve as a resource in the development of an ASEAN Studies curriculum.

The ASEAN University Network Secretariat assisted ASCOE in compiling a bibliography of ASEAN Studies to serve as the common basis for textbooks on ASEAN Studies for primary and secondary school students. The first draft of the sourcebook has been completed in book and CD-ROM formats. Once funding becomes available, a workshop will be convened to develop a common framework for the national textbooks on ASEAN Studies. Additional workshops comprising curriculum planners will be held at a later stage to explore implementation approaches to integrating ASEAN Studies.

The past year has seen the steady development of ASEAN University Network (AUN) activities in the identified priority areas of ASEAN Studies, student and faculty exchange, collaborative research and information networking.

The thrust of ASEAN cooperation in higher education focuses on the exchange of students and faculty members of the AUN participating universities, the development of executive education, and the continuous improvement of the quality of education offered by universities in ASEAN. Towards this end, the 5th Meeting of the AUN Board of Trustees held in Hanoi from 30 November to 1 December 1998 paid special attention to the AUN Educational Forum, the ASEAN Distinguished Professors Programme, the ASEAN Executive Development Programme, and the AUN Congress on University Quality Assurance.

Myanmar hosted the ASEAN Studies Workshop on Curriculum Development on 28-29 April 1999, which discussed a list of core courses for an ASEAN Studies Programme; the feasibility of developing a common curriculum and course materials for the core courses on ASEAN Studies; and the possibility of designating a resource centre for the development of ASEAN Studies.

On Student and Faculty Exchange, the Second AUN Educational Forum was hosted by Vietnam National University in Hanoi on 17-31 May 1999. The AUN Distinguished Professors Programme, which aims to promote faculty exchange, will be launched in 1999.

The University of Malaya will be offering the AUN ASEAN Studies Programme for one semester beginning in November 1999. The University will provide financial assistance for two students per semester from each AUN member university.

The AUN Board of Trustees has agreed to convene an AUN Quality Assurance Network (AUNQANET) Task Force, comprising administrators responsible for quality development in each Member University. Through the sharing and exchange of experience and best practices, the Task Force will work towards developing a common standard of quality.

A new area of interest for the AUN is the development of an Executive Development Programme (EDP), with a focus on equipping the business and management community in ASEAN with tools to find a way out of the financial crisis. The inaugural two-week EDP programme will be held in October 1999. A course module on business opportunities arising from the ASEAN Free Trade Area, the ASEAN Investment Area, the ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Scheme, and other regional economic integration initiatives will be included in the programme.

Cooperation with university networks beyond the ASEAN region has also achieved considerable progress. The proposed networking between ASEAN and European universities is now in the final stages of preparation as agreement has been reached on the signing of the Financing Agreement between the AUN and the European Commission. Furthermore, the ASEAN Subnetwork of Higher Engineering Education for Development initiated by JICA will be operated under the AUN framework in the near future.

The directive of the Hanoi Plan of Action to move forward the process of transforming the AUN into the ASEAN University will be further discussed at the proposed Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Higher Education scheduled to be held in the Philippines in 2000.

The financial crisis has exacerbated the situation of poverty in the ASEAN Member Countries and has resulted in retrenchment of the region's workers. Lack of education, lack of skills due to lack of education and lack of knowledge and resources to obtain gainful economic activities bar many retrenched workers from re-entering the labour market. This social impact is also felt in ASEAN Member Countries which were originally only indirectly affected by the crisis - for example, the "labour-exporting" countries in ASEAN now bear the double weight of slower economic growth and jobless workers who have returned home with little hope of finding gainful employment.

These were the issues on the agenda of the Meeting of ASEAN Ministers for Labour in Yangon. Other topics discussed by the ASEAN Labour Ministers were the final preparations being made for the ASEAN Regional Project on Human Resources Development Planning, the ASEAN Plan of Action on Informal Sector Development, and the operationalization of the ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network (ASEAN OSHNET).

ASEAN has undertaken to obtain assistance from multilateral agencies in developing a regional work programme to address the impact of the crisis on labour and employment. A framework regional programme has been prepared by the ASEAN Secretariat and comprises the following pilot activities: (a) sharing and exchange of experience and best practices in designing social protection and social security systems/practices; (b) promoting tripartite cooperation through increased consultations among the social partners (government, corporate management, unions and workers) in relation to economic restructuring, including the strengthening of tripartite institutions and mediation/conciliation machinery; (c) enhanced capacity for designing programmes/policies on employment generation, focusing on active labour market policies and job-retraining.

An ongoing activity in the field of labour is the ASEAN Skills Competition, which was first held in Malaysia in 1995. Since then, Member Countries have taken turns in hosting the competition every two years, with participation by skilled workers in a wide range of trade areas. The list of trade areas has also been growing over the years. The most recent skills competition, the 3rd ASEAN Skills Competition, hosted by Thailand in December 1998, listed 13 trade areas. ASEAN's newer members, Laos and Myanmar, participated in this event as observers.

ASEAN Member Countries have intensified their collaboration to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS by focusing on exchanging information on AIDS, strengthening collective responses to the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS, and mobilising resources to support implementation of priority activities. The Hanoi Plan of Action (HPA) called for the strengthening of regional networking among Member Countries in tackling the HIV/AIDS problem.

The Medium-Term Work Programme to Operationalize the ASEAN Regional Programme on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control has been developed and approved by the Member Countries in August 1998. This Work Programme is supported by the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

During the period under review, the following project activities under the Medium-Term Work Programme have been successfully implemented: (a) Seminar on HIV/AIDS Prevention Education among the Youth; (b) Experts Group Meeting on Multidisciplinary Studies Related to HIV/AIDS; (c) Seminar/Workshop for Islamic Religious Leaders; (d) Strengthening and Enhancing the Collaboration among GOs/NGOs/Private Sector/Community on HIV/AIDS Education, Prevention and Care; (e) Promoting Exchange and dissemination of information relating to HIV/AIDS among Member Countries. These projects have received funding and technical support from UNAIDS and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In view of the need to broaden collaborative efforts, ASEAN endorsed in August 1998 the General Guidelines on Strengthening and Enhancing Collaboration in HIV/AIDS Education, Prevention and Care among Government Organisations, Non-Government Organisations, Private Sector and Communities in the ASEAN Member Countries, which was earlier drafted by an ASEAN regional seminar in Manila in November 1997. The Guidelines aim to mobilise all concerned sectors in the prevention and control of the spread of HIV and to provide care for those living with HIV/AIDS.

The Hanoi Plan of Action provides for concerted regional action in the protection and development of the ASEAN child through the following: (a) implementing the ASEAN Plan of Action for Children which provides the framework for ensuring the survival, protection and development of children; (b) strengthening ASEAN collaboration in combating the trafficking in, and crimes of violence against, women and children; and (c) working towards the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and other international instruments concerning women and children.

The first phase of the Early Child Care and Development project has been implemented. The project aims to establish a regional network among child care personnel, policy makers and administrators, trainers and training agencies, educators and academicians for the exchange of information on policies and practices in the field.

At the workshop, participants discussed a study on the current framework of child care programmes in the region and identified areas for improvement, focusing on the standard of quality care, the curriculum and training of child care personnel, and the system of monitoring and licensing child care programmes.

Preparations for the publication of an updated study on the existing institutions and centres related to research and policy-making on children's issues in the region are underway. The updated study, Children in ASEAN, will build on a 1995 study and will incorporate data from the newer members of ASEAN. The ASEAN Secretariat is collaborating with UNICEF to publish the updated study in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the 44th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In line with the goal of technological competitiveness articulated in ASEAN Vision 2020, and mindful of the important role of science and technology in promoting sustainable economic growth, COST continued its efforts in human resource development, research and development, technology transfer, and S&T information dissemination.

The 8th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers for Science and Technology on 12-15 October 1998 decided to augment the ASEAN Science Fund, meet regularly every three years, with an informal meeting in between, and develop innovative systems for project management and resource generation to support regional science and technology activities.

Twenty-three projects were undertaken during the year. Of these projects, six were completed and 17 are continuing. Thirty-four proposals require further development, or are awaiting funding.

Among the projects under development, the proposal for a sub-programme element on strategic and enabling technologies under ASEAN-UNDP ASP-6 was prepared by the ASEAN Secretariat and endorsed by COST. The proposal includes networking of institutions, enhancement of ASTNET, development of new S&T indicators, and other activities designed to emphasise the role of science and technology as a tool for sustainable economic growth.

COST also undertook to form linkages to ensure continuing exchange of information and views with two other ASEAN bodies, SOM-AMAF and SOME, whose concerns involve technology development. Cooperation with ASOEN was strengthened in practical terms through the services provided by the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) to the regional haze programme.

Another COST initiative during the year was the recommendation of a policy on intellectual property rights sharing in collaborative research projects, especially those undertaken jointly with Dialogue Partners. The ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation was consulted on this matter.

COST re-affirmed its commitment to continuing support for the publication of the ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development by again approving the use of the ASEAN Science Fund for this purpose as it had done in previous years. Singapore assumed editorship of the Journal in January 1999.

The Ministers of Science and Technology have agreed to enhance regional S&T cooperation. One such policy decision concerned the development of guidelines on intellectual property rights. Noting that a number of projects implemented by COST had resulted in tangible commercialisable outputs, the Ministers called for an urgent study of the issues and requested COST to work immediately with ASEAN bodies involved in intellectual property rights to develop a set of guidelines on IPR to ensure that the interests of science and technology in projects involving Dialogue Partners and the private sector are taken into account.

After witnessing a demonstration of the ASEAN Science and Technology Information Network (ASTNET) and noting its value to regional S&T cooperation, the Ministers asked COST to study the required funding and work out a detailed sustainable funding mechanism for their approval. They further suggested that ASTNET be tried as a test case to be a basis for the study and refinement of the proposed funding mechanism. ASTNET is expected to provide up-to-date information on S&T manpower, R&D, technology offers and requests in each ASEAN member country, and technology-specific databases relevant to the R&D and business communities. It is also expected to eventually support administration, monitoring and coordination of programmes of ASEAN COST and its subsidiary groups, to improve efficiency of cooperation and coordination.

Noting the increasing difficulty of obtaining funding for science and technology projects from external sources, the Ministers agreed to augment the ASEAN Science Fund (ASF) to reach a target contribution of $1M per country, payable over a period of 10 years, with 1999 as the starting year. Each Member Country will subsequently submit a schedule of payment in accordance with its capacity to pay. The Ministers called for a review of the guidelines, including the composition and function of the ASF Advisory Committee, maturity date of the Fund, and the establishment of performance indicators for the ASF.

The eight Sub-Committees and the ASEAN Experts Group on Remote Sensing continued to implement their ongoing projects and considered new avenues of cooperation with Dialogue Partners.

Regional achievements in science and technology were given recognition through the Outstanding Scientist and Technologist Award and the Outstanding Young Scientist and Technologist Award. Meritorious Service Awards were also given to those who had devoted considerable effort in furthering ASEAN S&T cooperation. Dr. Bienvenido O. Juliano of the Philippines won the Outstanding Scientist and Technologist Award for his accomplishments in rice chemistry and technology Dr. Sirirurg Songsivilai of Thailand won the Outstanding Young Scientist and Technologist Award for his work on viral hepatitis, including the development of diagnostic tests for hepatitis C virus specifically designed for the ASEAN region.

The Sub-Committee on Food Science and Technology continued to implement the training network for the development of the food industry in the region and two projects under AAECP Phase III, one on quality assurance systems for fruits, and the other on wastewater treatment.

The SCFST moved to strengthen its collaboration with the Federation of International Food Science and Technology Associations (FIFSTA) by formalising it through a Memorandum of Understanding. FIFSTA is already co-sponsoring the ASEAN Food Conference, which is held every three years.

The SCFST also took the initiative to contact SOM-AMAF and its subsidiary bodies and to explore mechanisms of coordination and collaboration with the hope of contributing to the establishment of an intra-ASEAN trans-sectoral working mechanism.

The implementation of the ASEAN Network for Rapid Exchange of Strong Earthquake Data (ASNET-RESED) is proceeding as planned. The project hardware and software have been acquired and distributed to the node institutions in the member countries. Two Japanese experts were dispatched by the Japan Meteorological Agency to provide training and technical advice to the project participants.

The Sub-Committeeís links with WMO remained strong, with the WMO providing information, technical advice and financial assistance. The WMO-funded research attachment programme of the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) is continuing, with the Sub-Committee agreeing to work out an attachment plan to facilitate the selection of participating scientists.

The SCMG also continued its work on development of new project proposals addressing regional concerns, such as the establishment of observation and data exchange networks for marine meteorology and oceanography, climate information and prediction services, climate change, and assessment of solar energy and daylight resources.

Two major projects, the AAECP Phase III: Telecommunications Cooperation and Training Project and the ASEAN-India Digital Archive were completed during the year in review. Around 30 short courses and follow-up modules were delivered by the TCTP in the course of implementation. The courses were grouped in five clusters: Telecommunications Business Management, Telecommunications Strategic Policy Planning and Regulation, Telecommunications Network Planning and Implementation, Telecommunications Transmission Systems, and Telecommunications Business Practice. Some of the participating countries have expressed interest in further training to meet their human resources and telecommunications infrastructure development needs.

The ASEAN-India Digital Archive Project (AIDA) was completed in the first half of 1999 and produced a multi-lingual, multi-cultural archive of fonts, text, voice, pictures, and video clips of common words, phrases or events from India and the ASEAN member countries. These multi-media elements are available to software developers, teachers and students who may want to create multi-media presentations, animation and courseware. This archive is accessible via the World Wide Web at HYPERLINK http://www.nectec.or.th/sll/AIDA http://www.nectec.or.th/sll/AIDA. The SCMIT is considering follow-up technology development projects to enhance AIDA, such as data compression and search techniques.

The SCMST saw substantial progress in its cooperation projects with India and New Zealand. Research attachments to Indian institutions as part of the training component for the two projects were undertaken in the first quarter of 1999. Eight scientists from the ASEAN participating countries were fully supported by India to undergo a research attachment at a Department of Defence facility in Hyderabad. Of the eight, five were specialists in rare-earth magnets, and three in surface engineering.

The R&D components are progressing smoothly. Samples of rare-earth magnets have already been produced by the ASEAN scientists and sent to India for characterisation and analysis. The preliminary research results are promising.

The project with New Zealand also made progress with the completion of Phase 1 - Training. Two scientists from each of the ASEAN Member Countries participated in the course on corrosion prevention in infrastructure through the application of life-cycle analysis techniques conducted at the University of Auckland School of Engineering. Phase 2 consisting of in-country implementation of pilot studies commenced in April 1999.

The "ASEAN-Korea Workshop on Formulation of Biotechnology Atlas" project aims to produce by the end of 1999 an "atlas" which provides information on national biotechnology programmes of Korea and the ASEAN countries, their expertise and facilities at both public institutions and private companies, and their sources of funding. Data are being obtained through a field survey, which commenced in January 1999. Possible regional collaborative biotechnology R&D projects will be proposed, and modalities of cooperation identified.

The Sub-Committee was also active in monitoring progress of SOM-AMAF's initiative on the harmonisation of regulations on agricultural products derived from biotechnology.

The ASEAN-New Zealand Cooperation in Natural Gas Utilisation in Transport and the ASEAN-EC Energy Cogeneration Programme (COGEN) Phase II have been completed. The EU has agreed to extend COGEN for another phase. The project proposal for extension of NGUT is under development.

Meanwhile, the AAECP Phase III: Energy from Biomass Residues project is progressing steadily after a second extension to 30 June 2000. Activities relating to acquisition by the selected host companies of boilers and turbo-generators occupied most of the year in review.

The Sub-Committee completed the project on Coastal Zone Environmental and Resource Management Project under the AAECP Phase III. The project established the National Environment Resource Information Centres (NERIC), which will be responsible for collecting and managing data on coastal zones in the participating countries. The ASEAN-Canada Cooperative Programme on Marine Science (CPMS) Phase II (CPMS II), which focuses on the development of safe standards for the marine environment, was successfully completed in March 1999. ASEAN's request for a one-year transition period is awaiting approval from CIDA.

Major outputs of CPMS II include preparation of Marine Water Quality Criteria and Publication of Technical Proceedings and Training Manuals in Pollution Monitoring and Environmental Management. Meanwhile, a new project proposal entitled "Coastal and Ocean Environment Management for Economic Development, Human Health Protection and Resource Sustainability in ASEAN" has been submitted to COST for approval.

The ASEAN-EU project on Interdisciplinary Methodologies for the Sustainable Use and Management of Coastal Resource System, has developed an expert system for coastal resources management, SIMCOAST.

The Subcommittee pursued many initiatives to develop S&T management and networking, S&T human resources, technology transfer and commercialisation, information dissemination, and the establishment of the ASEAN Science and Technology Network (ASTNET). In particular, a COST website, linked to the ASEAN S&T Management Information System, was established at HYPERLINK http://www.astnet.org # www.astnet.org. The site was launched at the Eight Meeting of Ministers for Science and Technology. Of particular significance is the outcome of a COST Brainstorming Session. Recommendations of the session to develop a structure to operate autonomous enterprises spun off by COST and to find innovative ways to support future COST programmes were adopted by the ASEAN Ministers for Science and Technology.

In view of the uncertainty of obtaining sustained funding for the flagship project ASTNET, the Sub-Committee continued to explore various avenues for its sustainability, including inviting private sector support.

SCIRD spearheaded the drafting of guidelines on intellectual property rights arising from joint research projects between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners.

The ASEAN Experts Group on Remote Sensing has drafted and held preliminary discussions on the document "Framework for Enhancing ASEAN Collaboration on Remote Sensing and Related Space Technologies". This paper would be the basis for a policy recommendation to COST regarding a long-term possibility of establishing an ASEAN Space Agency and how to approach it.

The AEGRS received a number of proposals from institutions, such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the Saskatchewan Research Council, and Radarsat International, a Canadian company, seeking collaboration on projects utilising satellite imaging and earth observation for various applications. Workshops were held in March and April 1999 in Bali to further develop these proposals.

The countries participating in a pilot project on technology for updating maps using remote sensing have shared their results in an ASEAN workshop held in August 1998 in Kuala Lumpur. This project, supported by Australia, was completed with a final seminar held in Hanoi on 14-15 June 1999.

IV. Environment

The ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN) decided at its 9th Meeting on 23-25 September 1999 in Singapore to restructure its working groups from six to three working groups in order to be more issue-oriented than project-oriented while maintaining the existing ASOEN Haze Technical Task Force (HTTF). During the period under review, seven projects were completed, eight on going, and twenty-four projects pending.

The haze disaster, which occurred in late 1997 and early 1998, had drawn ASEAN Member Countries to collaborate closely in preventing, monitoring and mitigating the transboundary haze pollution problem. The efforts of the ASOEN Haze Technical Task Force (HTTF), supported by the Regional Technical Assistance (RETA) on Strengthening ASEAN's Capacity to Prevent and Mitigate Transboundary Atmospheric Pollution, have helped to implement the Regional Haze Action Plan (RHAP). The RHAP has three components - preventive measures (coordinated by Malaysia), monitoring measures (coordinated by Singapore) and strengthening fire-fighting capabilities (coordinated by Indonesia). RETA is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and implemented by the ASEAN Secretariat.

RETA convened an Open Forum Discussion Meeting with all major donors on 11 May 1998. At this meeting, two collaborative partnerships between the RETA and major donor organizations in support of the RHAP were formalized. The following day, RETA convened its Inception Workshop. Attended by representatives of all major donor organizations, NGOs and Government of Indonesia agencies which were actively involved in the prevention and mitigation of land and forest fires and consequent haze, the Workshop endorsed the RETA Work Plan and agreed that the RETA would emphasize the operationalization of the RHAP as an integral part of its Work Programme.

At the 4th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Haze (AMMH) on 19 June 1998 in Singapore, the Ministers discussed the progress made in achieving the objectives set out for preventive measures, regional monitoring mechanisms and fire-fighting capability under RHAP. The Ministers called for the expeditious implementation of the national haze action plans and for the inclusion of implementation details into the RHAP.

The Haze Technical Task Force continues to monitor the implementation of the three components of RHAP and the activities of the Working Group on Sub-Regional Fire-fighting Arrangements for Sumatra and Borneo. RETA informed the meetings of the progress of the new collaborative partnerships and the future direction of RETA. The Environment Ministers agreed that RETA would undertake a study on possible funding resources both within ASEAN and from outside sources to ensure long-term sustainability and continuity of SRFAs and implementation of the RHAP.

The ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Haze (AMMH) met three times during this year to provide overall direction and guidance to the HTTF in its work. One significant outcome from the 6 th AMMH held in Bandar Seri Begawan on 16 April 1999 was the adoption of the policy on zero-burning, and to promote this policy among plantation owners and timber concessionaires. The Ministers also agreed to use the presumptive clause in the law and regulation against open burning and committed themselves to strict enforcement of zero-burning regulations. The Ministers endorsed the early establishment of the Coordination and Support Unit (CSU) within the ASEAN Secretariat to take over the core functions of the RETA once the latter phases out later this year. The Ministers also launched the ASEAN Haze Action Online, which is the Internet-based Website developed through the RETA project. The Website provides the public with access to various fire-and-haze information from the region and the world. The Website address is http://www.haze-online.or.id.

The Hanoi Plan of Action has mandated the formulation and adoption of an ASEAN protocol on access to genetic resources. Pursuant to this directive, the Philippines hosted a workshop in December 1998, which formulated a draft text of an ASEAN framework agreement on access to genetic resources.

The ASEAN Regional Centre of Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC), an ASOEN flagship project funded by the European Union, is now in the operational stage. ARCBC is designed to serve the ASEAN Member Countries through a network of National Biodiversity Reference Units (NBRUs). The project will assist NBRUs in data management and exchange, provide needed hardware to NBRUs, train staff of NBRUs, and offer grants for research and training on matters related to biodiversity conservation. In addition, the project will try to bring EU institutions into partnership with ASEAN counterparts.

In line with the decision of the Second ASEAN Informal Summit in Kuala Lumpur in December 1997, a Consultative Working Group Meeting on ASEAN Cooperation on Water Conservation was held in Manila on 23 February 1999.

The Meeting recommended the establishment of an ASEAN Network of Water Resource Agencies (ANWRA), which will promote cooperation among Member Countries in ensuring the conservation and sustainability of water resources and the systematic transfer of knowledge and technology. The proposed establishment of ANWRA as a working-level body under the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN) is expected to contribute to the realisation of an ASEAN regional water conservation programme embodied in the Hanoi Plan of Action.

The Coastal Zone Environmental and Resources Management Project (CZERMP) was completed in June 1998 with the exception of activities in Vietnam which wouldcontinue until June 1999. This project is a result of collaboration between ASOEN and the ASEAN Committee on Science and Technology (COST), supported by Australia under Phase III of the ASEAN-Australia Economic Cooperation Programme (AAECP).

At its 9th Meeting in Singapore, ASOEN decided that one of the three new established working groups, the ASEAN Working Group on Coastal and Marine Environment (AWGCME), would continue to oversee ASEAN cooperation on the protection of coastal and marine environment. This working group will focus on the promotion of regional policies and activities for the prevention and control of marine pollution and on the management of ASEAN coastal zones as generally identified in the Hanoi Plan of Action.

The ASEAN Working Group on Transboundary Pollution (AWGTP) has agreed to strengthen the exchange of information among national focal points of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. It has also agreed to develop a mechanism to expedite the approval process with regard to the trans-shipment of hazardous waste from one member country to another. A booklet is being compiled to document ASEAN Achievements and Future Directions in Pollution Control.

Following the decision at the Second ASEAN Informal Summit, an ASEAN Experts Group Meeting on Nuclear Safety and Waste Management met in Manila on 26-28 August 1998. While it acknowledged the importance of existing mechanisms on nuclear safety and nuclear waste management under the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Meeting recommended the establishment of a sub-committee/experts group on nuclear safety and waste management within the ASEAN institutional framework to address the specific and common interest of ASEAN Member Countries and enhance efforts towards better and safer environment in the region.

Environmental Management

An ASEAN Workshop on Long-Term Environmental Goals for Ambient Air and River Qualities was held on 19-22 July 1998 in Sydney, with funding support from Australia. The workshop's aim was to push the implementation of the Framework to Achieve Long-Term Environmental Goals for Ambient Air and River Water Quality for ASEAN Countries, endorsed at the 7th AMME on 16-18 September 1997 in Jakarta, and the development of air quality legislation and monitoring and reporting measures as indicated in the ASEAN Regional Haze Action Plan. The Workshop produced recommendations on next steps for achieving ASEAN's harmonized environmental air and river quality standards by 2010.

An ASEAN-USAID Environmental Improvement Project (EIP) was completed in June 1998. This project provides assistance in policy and institutional development, technical assistance and training, and help in technology commercialisation and investment promotion.

The Environmental and Natural Resources Accounting (ENRA) project was completed in May 1998. Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand collaborated in the study. An overview of the ENRA final report was presented at the 8th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Economics (AWGEE) on 14-15 July 1998 in Kuala Lumpur. AWGEE proposed that, as a follow-up activity, a pilot project using ENRA tools for a specific resource, such as forestry or water, be undertaken.

The 8th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Information, Public Awareness and Education (AWGEIPAE) on 11-12 September 1998 in Bandar Seri Begawan, discussed the preparation of the Second ASEAN State of the Environment Report (SoER) and the harmonization of Environmental Database in ASEAN Countries.

ASEAN aims to produce the Second ASEAN SoER by the year 2000 (the First ASEAN SoER was published in 1997) to provide the region with a periodic assessment of the state of its environment for policy action. The Second ASEAN SoER will be a comprehensive accounting of environmental conditions and the major factors causing them, especially those with regional implications, such as the haze and land degradation.

To support the implementation of the SoER and harmonize the standard environmental database in the ASEAN region, a series of training was conducted in Thailand in 1998 and 1999 on the state of the environment database and reporting. It was organised by the Environmental Research and Training Centre of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Thailand in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme.

Another project under this working group, which has just been initiated, is the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan funded by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. This project would provide a framework for catalyzing, coordinating and organizing environmental education in ASEAN and improve the delivery systems for environmental education at all levels.

ASEAN countries share many of the environmental concerns of the global community. ASEAN's commitment to international cooperation for the protection and enhancement of the environment was spelled out in the several ministerial statements and action plans, and through accession to international environmental agreements. ASOEN has, therefore, decided to establish the ASEAN Working Group on Multilateral Environmental Agreements (AWGMEA) to enhance cooperation among the Member Countries in multilateral agreements on environment and to reach a common ASEAN approach, where appropriate, in the negotiation and implementation of these agreements.

The problem of drug abuse and trafficking has remained a menace to the ASEAN region. Despite stiff laws and punitive measures enacted by ASEAN governments, the problem has continued to plague the region. In view of this, ASEAN has over the past year taken concrete steps to rid the region of drug abuse.

The 6th ASEAN Summit renewed this commitment and the Hanoi Plan of Action called on the Member Countries to "Implement the ASEAN Work Programme to Operationalize the ASEAN Plan of Action on Drug Abuse Control by 2004, and continue developing and implementing high-profile flagship programmes on drug abuse control, particularly those related to prevention education for youths, and treatment and rehabilitation."

In July 1998, Member Countries issued a "Joint Declaration For A Drug-Free ASEAN" which embodies fourteen specific measures to reduce demand and supply and eradicate illicit drug production, processing, trafficking and use in ASEAN by the year 2020. The Declaration calls for the promotion of linkages among regional institutional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters (ASOD), the ASEAN Chiefs of National Police (ASEANAPOL), and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime. Other measures focus on protecting the region's youth from drugs, tackling the growing problem of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS), and reinforcing cooperation in investigation and mutual legal assistance.

Keeping in mind that the illicit drug trade is a crime with transnational dimensions, ASEAN Member Countries adopted an "ASEAN Declaration on Transnational Crime" in December 1997. An Experts Group Meeting was convened in Quezon City in November 1998 to draft an ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime. The Plan of Action proposed a feasibility study on establishing an ASEAN Centre on Transnational Crime.

A Regional Conference on Drug Abuse Among the Youth in Hanoi on 26-27 November 1998 was attended by delegates from ASEAN Member Countries, representatives from ASEAN Secretariat, Cambodia and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP). The Conference endorsed the "Appeal to the Youth in the ASEAN Region for A Drug-Free Life" and the Agenda of Action on Prevention and Control of Drug Abuse Among the Youth in the ASEAN Region.

The 21st ASOD Meeting, held in Jakarta on 6-8 April 1999, discussed measures to implement the HPA and the Joint Declaration For A Drug-Free ASEAN. The Meeting reviewed the regional situation on drug abuse and illicit traffic and exchanged information and experiences in preventive education; treatment and rehabilitation; law enforcement; and research. The Meeting was attended by Observers from Cambodia, Interpol, UNDCP, ASEAN-NGOs for the Prevention of Drug and Substance Abuse and the Colombo Plan .

The 21st ASOD Meeting observed that, during the past year, the preparations for the implementation of projects included in the Work Programme had been accelerated. However, because of the regional financial and economic crisis the implementation of several priority activities was deferred. In this connection, the Meeting requested the ASEAN Secretariat to seek funding support for three high-profile projects: (a) Enhancement of Community-based Drug Prevention Activities; (b) Youth Empowerment Against Drug and Substance Abuse; and (c) Training on Intelligence Operations Management and Supervision.

ASEAN has implemented the ASEAN-EU Three-Year Plan on Action in Preventive Drug Education. The project has greatly improved country capacities to develop community-based drug prevention programmes. The Plan has several project components, including (a) drug information; (b) parent-youth movement; (c) integrated, multi-pronged prevention programmes involving the media, community and parents; and (d) prevention and control programmes and increasing awareness.

Cooperation with regional and international organizations and other countries in the field of drugs and narcotics continued. The 21st ASOD Meeting in April 1999 agreed to invite Papua New Guinea, United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), Interpol, the Colombo Plan, the ASEAN-NGOs for the Prevention of Drug and Substance Abuse, and the Foreign Anti-Narcotic Community (FANC) as Observers to future ASOD Meetings.

Nineteen ninety-eight marked the twentieth year since the establishment of the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (COCI) and the ASEAN Cultural Fund (ACF). Through the ACF, the Committee has carried out projects that have promoted mutual understanding and solidarity among member countries, people to people interaction and contacts, information exchanges and skills development, cultural performances, festivals and exhibitions.

In its twentieth year, COCI implemented several "flagship" projects as called for by the ASEAN leaders during their Fifth Summit in Bangkok in 1995. These projects involved (a) expanding the ASEANWEB to include homepages for culture and information; (b) establishing a satellite channel to broadcast news and information across the region daily; (c) producing a performing arts show to be toured around the region and outside; and (d) organizing cultural immersion programmes for the youth to enable them to learn about each other's cultures and build lasting friendship among them.

For the year 1998-99, the 33rd Meeting of COCI in Singapore on 25-28 May 1998 endorsed 20 projects (seven in the culture sector, ten under information, one special project and two projects with co-funding arrangements with Australia and Japan). In addition, COCI continued to provide funding support for the annual meetings of the four COCI working groups and a meeting of the Advisory Committee on the ACF. US$1.8 million was approved to fund these projects. (Listing on page 84).

Publication on ASEAN Traditional Festivals. The project will publish the research work conducted by member countries on traditional festivals in ASEAN. The publication is intended to serve as reference material on ASEAN cultural heritage for students, academicians and researchers. The publication will be divided into two volumes, the first covering the continental countries of Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, and the second covering the insular countries of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore. The publication date is scheduled in December 1999.

Workshop on Standardisation of Archaeological Conservation and Restoration Procedure. The workshop was held in May 1999 and attended by archaeologists, conservators and other experts on cultural heritage conservation and restoration. The workshop sought to identify common problems in archaeological conservation and restoration and recommended applicable methods and procedures.

Conference Workshop on Emergency Planning Disaster Management for ASEAN Museums and Heritage Institutions. ASEAN officials involved in museum, archival and library management convened in Brunei Darussalam in December 1998 to learn about ways to manage emergencies and disaster problems encountered in their respective institutions. The workshop held exchanges and lectures on disaster and emergency preparedness and first aid treatments of damaged artefacts. A publication on Standard Guidelines on the Principles of Emergency Planning and Disaster Management and other topics of the conference will be issued.

Compilation of ASEAN Traditional Children's Songs, Dance, Games and Story Telling. This project consists of a preparatory meeting, research work, regional seminar, publication of the compilation, and production of video tapes. The publication and video cassettes are expected to be finished at the end of year 2000. They will cover the traditional daily-life songs, dances, games and stories for children. These will be made available for schools and other institutions of member countries to promote cultural understanding.

ASEAN Youth Friendship Camp for the Study of Cultural Heritage. This youth camp was held in Thailand in March 1999. Focusing on the theme of "archaeology in relation to art and environment", the friendship camp, as a cultural immersion activity, exposed the participating young people to various facets of their cultural heritage: exploration of cultural or archaeological sites, on-the-spot tutorials from cultural experts, practical appreciation courses on traditional arts and crafts, and other activities that stimulated their interest in archaeological studies.

ASEAN Flagship Voyage: A Performing Arts Tour Across ASEAN. As a "flagship" activitiy of COCI, this project is a performing arts production of Ramayana, the great traditional Asian epic common to all ASEAN countries. As a contemporary production, the performance focused on the positive values embodied in the characters of the epic. The performance was premiered in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in December 1998, to coincide with the 6th ASEAN Summit. The next phase of the project will be a tour around the region and the production of video tapes for possible airing on ASEAN television.

International Exhibition on ASEAN Contemporary Art is a thematically curated exhibition put together to travel to Europe and elsewhere in the year 2000. The project is under coordination by the Singapore Art Museum, with the collaboration of ASEAN art historians and curators. The exhibition of around 60 to 70 contemporary ASEAN artworks will be accompanied by a catalogue in English, with translations in the language of the international touring venues.

The Journalist Encounter on Economic Trends and Development of ASEAN Countries in Jakarta in November 1998 was attended by 35 journalists from ASEAN. The seminar was conducted to improve knowledge and understanding among journalists of the economic trends in ASEAN Member Countries. It consisted of a series of lectures on the current social and economic issues facing the region.

7th ASEAN Editors Conference. The ASEAN Editors Conference has been a forum to bring into dialogue editors and representatives of the news agencies of ASEAN with their counterparts from both print and electronic media. The 7th Conference took place in Jakarta in April 1999 and focused on the topic "The Current Economic crisis in Southeast Asia and Its Impact on the Media Industry".

Formulation of Communication Plans for ASEAN Vision 2020. The information sectors of member countries are being tapped to help disseminate the ASEAN Vision 2020 through this project.

Production of Multi Media Briefing Materials on ASEAN. This project aims to produce an interactive CD on ASEAN for the use of speakers, lecturers, information officers, and ASEAN diplomats. It is being coordinated by the Philippines and is expected to be completed in 1999.

Workshop on the Role of Puppetry as a Traditional Media Disseminating ASEAN's Success Story in entering the 21st Century. The workshop was held in Jakarta in September 1998. The participants exchanged views on ways of keeping traditional puppetry as an effective medium for development communication.

Communication Education and Media Needs in ASEAN. The project aims to identify the emerging market needs and technological advances affecting print and broadcasting media in ASEAN and assess communication education's effectiveness in meeting these needs, and suggest strategies and plans for media training institutions to adapt to these needs. The project consists of a training needs survey, regional seminar, and publication of the compilation of studies on the topic. The seminar is scheduled in September 1999 in Singapore.

ASEAN Film Week. This was held in November 1998, bringing to Hanoi a number of film personages introducing ASEAN film and video to Vietnamese audiences.

ASEAN in Action V. This is ASEAN's radio programme produced in the national languages of member countries and aired on their national networks at least once a week. Now on its fifth year, the project coves a variety of topics ranging from public affairs to "infotainment".

ASEAN TV News Exchange. The project is a regular exchange of audio and video news materials among ASEAN national television networks for use in their news programmes. The exchange is held weekly and usage has increased since 1997.

Development Plan for AV Archiving in the Region: the ASEAN Catalogue of Film and TV Productions. An assessment meeting was held in the Philippines in October 1998 to thresh out technical problems faced by some members in their database maintenance. The assessment meeting also reviewed how member countries have followed the guidelines and recommendations of the Workshop and to wrap up full implementation of the project as a three-year project of ASEAN with Australia. The prototype ASEAN on-line database website was created and launched in February 1999 and hyperlinked to the ASEAN Regional Website for Culture and Information.

The Hanoi Plan of Action reiterates the need to make people of the region aware of ASEAN programmes to help instil in them a sense of regional identity and spirit of cooperation. The promotion of ASEAN activities, particularly on the economic and social recovery measures, is also expected to contribute to the restoration of confidence in the region.

The ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information and the Committee on Culture and Information have started to look into the following issues that have arisen to realign their work programmes, structure and priorities for the next three to six years: (a) Implementation of the HPA; (b) Public Awareness of ASEAN Programmes and Issues; (c) Communications Programme to Promote ASEAN Economies; (d) ASEAN Satellite Channel; (e) Mass Media Networking and Linkages; (f) Cultural Performances and Exhibitions; (g) Youth Camps and Exchanges; (h) Multi-Media Training; and (i) Cultural Heritage.

Expansion of the ASEANWEB. The ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information, two years after agreeing to put up homepages for culture and information on the ASEANWEB, inaugurated the new website during their fifth conference in Bangkok in July 1998. The expansion included the development of a regional homepage on ASEAN culture and information activities and national homepages of the Member Countries on their cultural and mass media institutions activities and current highlights.

Strengthening the Public Information and Public Relations Thrusts in Promoting ASEAN. The project seeks to provide basic news and information materials on ASEAN to mass media and other audiences to inform them about ASEAN regional cooperation. Among the activities undertaken were: a workshop among Secretariat officers on writing press releases in August and September 1998; the production of three booklets on how regional cooperation takes place in ASEAN; and the issuance of press releases.

ASEAN Satellite Channel. A meeting of experts on the implementation of the ASEAN Satellite Channel was held in Singapore in October 1998. The meeting recommended the appointment of Singapore International Media (SIM) to act as network coordinator for the channel. Annual subscription cost for each Member Country amounts to US$ 50,000. Official confirmation is being awaited.

The experts recommended that for a start, the ASEAN Satellite Channel will operate on the following basis: (a) six to eight hours of broadcast per day; (b) programmes contributed by members to consist of news and current affairs, entertainment, lifestyles, sports and education; (c) members to downlink and re-broadcast the channel domestically, either through cable or terrestrial TV, or through their own direct-to-home infrastructure; and (d) the network coordinator to choose its own satellite operator based on commercial and technical considerations.

The ASEAN-Australia project on Regional ASEAN Policy and Strategy for Cultural Heritage Management aims to create a Plan of Action, which will map the processes and procedures for the development of the ASEAN regional policy. The project will consist of the following activities: seminars and workshops to study the existing ASEAN policies on cultural heritage, visit of AusHeritage consultants to ASEAN countries, and a full report by the consultants.

ASEAN-Japan Multinational Cultural Mission. A review meeting on the MCM was held in Hanoi in April 1999 where it was noted that the MCM has successfully concluded its activities. ASEAN and Japanese representatives agreed that the MCM was a useful way of encouraging and deepening intellectual and cultural discourse to promote closer relations between ASEAN and Japan. They recommended that similar forums be continued with the active participation of private sector representatives.

The Second Study Tour of Korean Libraries by Korean and ASEAN Senior Librarians gave ASEAN senior librarians the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience on the application of information technology in libraries. The study tour, held in Korea from 26 October to 2 November 1998, presented an understanding of the latest trends in library developments in Korea, in particular, the current state of operations of a digital library.