The first elected Secretary-General of ASEAN with the rank of Minister (his predecessors had been Secretaries- General only of the ASEAN Secretariat), Dato' Ajit Singh on that occasion recalled the challenges that he faced when he assumed office five years ago. These were, he said, "to rise to the expectations of the member countries, to build an organization worthy of its name and to give it effective leadership and strength so that it was accepted and respected both within and outside the government circles and one which would take the lead in initiating ideas and activities which would be ASEAN focused and ASEAN-centric."
He then cited some of the accomplishments of the ASEAN Secretariat during his tenure: the considerable progress achieved in the implementation of AFTA in spite of obstacles; the preparations for Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to join ASEAN; the growth of relations between ASEAN and India, Pakistan, China and Russia; the development of closer ties with other regional organizations like the South Pacific Forum, the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Mercando Commun Delsur (MERCOSUR) and the (Southern African Development Community (SADC); the adoption of ASEAN's new flag and logo; and the adoption of ASEAN Lanes at immigration entry points and the Green Lane to expedite clearance of AFTA products at customs checkpoints of member countries.
In the short span of five years, he said, the Secretariat has come of age and has made a considerable impact both within and outside ASEAN. It has also "won the trust and confidence of member countries."
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas agreed that much had been accomplished during the past five years. "Dato Ajit Singh," he said, "ably served at a time when ASEAN was going through a period of rapid transition and tremendous expansion… We intend not only to conserve and consolidate the gains of that period but also to utilize them as basis for further growth." Thus he stressed the importance of continuity in the work of ASEAN.
At the same time, he pointed out that ASEAN today faces complex and formidable challenges in its political and economic environment, including recent events that have placed the economies of the region under a terrible strain. "From this turmoil," he said, "the ASEAN region has taken so severe a blow that we must now summon the faith, the courage and the creativity that attended the founding and growth of the Association in order to cope with current and anticipated challenges and vicissitudes and to move on toward our ultimate goals." Thus he stressed renewal, which must complement ASEAN's commitment to continuity.
"We have the resources not only to survive but to prevail over the vicissitudes of our time, not just to prove the skeptics wrong but to substantiate our faith in ourselves and in the vision that we share," Minister Alatas said.
Mr. Severino also spoke of renewal, even as he paid tribute to his predecessor for bequeathing him and the ASEAN family the legacy of "a great staff and a functioning and dynamic organization," meaning the ASEAN Secretariat.
He also cited a number of challenges confronting ASEAN. There is the challenge of enlargement, for an enlarged ASEAN is also more complex and divergent. We have to make use of our complexity and strengthen our solidarity, he said, so that such complexity and diversity do not become centrifugal forces for ASEAN.
In an increasingly interdependent and globalized world, he said, more and more areas of human activity are subject to ASEAN cooperation. This challenge of scope, he pointed out, must be met without straining the resources of ASEAN or its member-states.
Observing that financial concerns can no longer be separated from commercial and investment concerns, nor can the environment or science and technology be set apart from the demands of economic growth, he stressed the imperative of approaching ASEAN cooperation in an integrated manner.
Then there is the challenge of identity. "It is time," he said, "for ASEAN to raise a higher profile and project a sharper image for the Association and its member-nations in the world, as well as to be better known among its own people. In good times or in bad, a positive image is something that serves us all well."
Pledging, on behalf of the ASEAN Secretariat, to take up these challenges "within the limits of the resources given us by the member-states," he appealed for the cooperation and support, as well as counsel and guidance, of the Indonesian Government, the ambassadors of the ASEAN countries and Dialogue Partners, the mass media, and his predecessor, Dato' Ajit Singh.
To the ASEAN Secretariat, he addressed the concluding words: "Let us now get to work." And they did.
Message from the Secretary-General
No more Days of Haze if Action Plan Works
Audio Visual Archivists meet in Manila
Multinational Cultural Mission
