Danial Norjidi
The 3rd ASEAN Digital Ministers Meeting (ADGMIN) recently took place, highlighting progress towards the region’s digital transformation while also underlining deepening cooperation with dialogue partners.
Held on February 9-10 in Boracay Island, Aklan, the Philippines, the meeting was chaired by Minister of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) of the Philippines Ivan John E Uy with Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information and Ministry of Health of Singapore Dr Janil Puthucheary as the Vice-Chair.
According to a joint media statement, the meeting welcomed progress made in the second year of the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 (ADM 2025), “which laid a strong foundation in accelerating the region’s digital transformation, and transforming ASEAN into a leading digital community and economic bloc, powered by secure and transformative digital services, technologies and ecosystem.
“The meeting encouraged ASEAN member states to cooperate and implement, through a people-centred approach, the desired outcomes and enabling actions outlined in the ADM 2025 to timely adapt to the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and to do so in a way which is greener and sustainable”.
The outcome of the ongoing implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) and its implementation plan in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic were noted in the meeting. In addition, it was also agreed to further intensify cooperation among member states to accelerate the region’s digital transformation efforts to support the ACRF, and to make sure that member states have access to best practices and strategies to stimulate better use of digital services for COVID-19 mitigation and recovery efforts.
The statement further noted that continuous plans and programmes of Working Group of Digital Data Governance (WG-DDG) were acknowledged, including capacity development efforts to promote awareness and adoption of the Model Contractual Clauses (MCCs) “to help member states understand data management and cross-border data flows to boost businesses’ ability to seize opportunities in the digital economy where data protection is an essential requirement, which will be the focus before Implementing Guidelines for the ASEAN Data Management Framework (DMF) and ASEAN Cross Border Data Flows (CBDF) Mechanism, the initiative that was launched during the 1st ADGMIN.
“The meeting welcomed the efforts of member states in implementing enhanced cybersecurity measures consistent with the ASEAN Cybersecurity Cooperation Strategy 2021-2025 in view of the recent rise of global cybersecurity attacks and threats and as a response to a newer cyber development and to ensure that there are no weak links in the collective efforts of ASEAN Network Security Action Council (ANSAC) to secure the cyberspace for the region’s digital economy and community to grow”.
Also welcomed was the ASEAN Regional CERT Operational Framework, which the statement said “will better inform the resources required for the implementation of the ASEAN Regional CERT as well as further guide CERT-related capacity building efforts through regional cybersecurity capacity building programmes conducted by the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (ASCCE) and ASEAN – Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre (AJCCBC)”.
Meanwhile, “the meeting agreed on the approach of digital transformation that is people-centred, safe, secure and relevant to the needs of end users and various stakeholders aims at increasing the quality and use of e-government services and solutions that can connect businesses, and supporting innovation for new business models to facilitate cross-border trade and affordable access”.
Additionally, the use of emerging technologies such as the application of blockchain technology and artificial Intelligence (AI) were welcomed “to further digital transformation while taking into consideration on the need to establish policies and regulations to spur the development of these emerging technologies towards innovative, responsible and secure ecosystem.
“The meeting recognises the need to enhance collaborations and programmes aimed at developing analytics, AI, and digital skills fundamental to closing the talent and skill gaps in the region. As such, the meeting acknowledged the implementation of the ASEAN Strategic Guidance on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Workforce. The meeting also noted the completion of the Artificial Intelligence Landscape Study Report, and welcomed the development of an ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics in 2023.”
Also welcomed was the on-going implementation of the Bandar Seri Begawan Roadmap, an ASEAN Digital Transformation Agenda to Accelerate ASEAN’s Economic Recovery and Digital Economy Integration. “The meeting looked forward to the completion of study for the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), to examine areas that can be included in a framework to accelerate ASEAN’s digital integration towards a regionally integrated economy.”
The development progress of a 5G ecosystem in ASEAN was also recognised and the recommendations of the third ASEAN workshop on 5G were noted. The meeting encouraged member states to work more closely in collaborating national 5G policies and in developing the ASEAN 5G Roadmap.
In addition, “the meeting looked forward to further deepening the cooperation with dialogue partners and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in enhancing digital cooperation, developing human resources, exploring emerging technologies for adoption, and improving the regional capacity in securing the cyberspace in the implementation of the ADM 2025”.
ASEAN’s commitment to pursue policy and regulatory dialogue with all dialogue and development partners was reiterated at the meeting, which “also called for greater participation from the private sector to jointly develop digital infrastructure and services to support the growth of digitally-enabled innovative solutions to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth in the region and support the goals of the ASEAN Community”.
Looking ahead, the joint statement added that the meeting agreed to convene the 4th ADGMIN and Related Meetings in Singapore in January/February 2024.