ASEAN Collaboration Must Be Maximized To Withdraw Investments Of 20 Trillion US Dollars

Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) 2023 Arsjad Rasjid (medium) answered journalists' questions after opening the ASEAN Business & Investment Summit at the Sultan Hotel, Jakarta, Sunday (3/9/2023). (Between/Galih Pradipta)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Arsjad Rasjid emphasized the need for mutual cooperation and collaboration between ASEAN countries to be able to maximize investment potential in areas estimated at up to 20 trillion US dollars until 2045.

"With the presence of an epicenter of growth in ASEAN, we see that we can achieve up to 20 trillion US dollars until 2045. The potential is enormous," he said at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) in Jakarta, Sunday., ASEAN

ASEAN BAC, in line with the theme "ASEAN Centrality Through Innovation and Inclusiveness", encourages the establishment of a solid business ecosystem within the ASEAN region, so that all member countries can develop together.

According to Arsjad, in the past many people were pessimistic about ASEAN's move as a regional organization. However, in the midst of various crises and geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges that have brought disaster, ASEAN can survive and even take the opportunity to become the center of world growth.

He also emphasized that ASEAN's centrality is not only looking at strategic geographical positions but how to reconstruct a mindset so that it can grow together.

Arsjad also talked about his trip around ASEAN to find answers to ways to get businesses in the ASEAN region to grow.

"From these interactions, we collect all aspirations about how ASEAN must advance. Everything is translated into policy recommendations," he said as quoted by Antara.

The policy recommendation was submitted to President Joko Widodo as Chair of ASEAN 2023 on September 1 at the Presidential Palace.

"President Joko Widodo supports our vision to encourage the realization of ASEAN who are members when the public and private sector work closely together to develop our territory," he said.

There are five principles, namely peace, prosperity, human, planet earth and important partnerships echoed to support ASEAN's inclusive development.

"Together, we will navigate challenges and seize opportunities and create a legacy that will form the ASEAN economic landscape for future generations," he said.