D. COOPERATION MECHANISM

22. ASEAN will continue to harness existing working groups, committees and boards to plan and implement all the activities, utilizing the assistance of national institutions through networking arrangements. AMAF, with the support of its SOM, will provide the policy guidelines to these subsidiary bodies. The ASEAN Secretariat will continue to provide administrative support to SOM-AMAF and AMAF and will coordinate closely the implementation of the activities by the working groups, with all submissions of progress reports and evaluations of implementation of activities from the working groups to be channeled through it.

23. ASEAN will strive to ensure an effective cooperation machinery. The continued existence of the working groups will depend on clear terms of reference and strategic action plans which are approved for implementation by AMAF or SOM-AMAF . The establishment of experts groups and task forces under the major subsidiary bodies will be task-oriented with specific time-frames, unless otherwise decided by SOM-AMAF and/or AMAF.

24 The implementation of action programmes and activities shall be carried out by the working groups or committees or boards concerned, with the assistance of task forces or experts groups established under them and full support from Member Countries through the national focal point institutions involved. The task of the working groups shall include planning and preparation of work plans, implementation, coordination and management, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting of the progress of activities under their purview.

25 The working groups and all their subsidiary bodies shall undertake efforts to ensure timely implementation and completion of all the activities in accordance with the work plans. This would entail active pursuance of the planned activities in between their annual or semi-annual meetings and continuous coordination with the ASEAN Secretariat.