Page 45 - ASEAN BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT SUMMIT 2019

ASEAN Business & Investment Summit 2019 45

Economics, the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Development, the German Development
Agency (GIZ), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). Secondly, it was contained
in the 2019 ASEAN’s chair statement of the ASEAN Leaders Summit (Retreat) in June 2019 and
in Thailand’s 2019 priority economic deliverables via “Guideline on Skilled Labors/Professional
Services Development in response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)”. This guideline has
been adopted by the ASEAN Economic Ministers on September 2019 and will be submitted to the
ASEAN Leaders at the 35th ASEAN Summit for their notation. Thirdly, the project was approved by
ASEAN-BAC as a Legacy Project and a working group has been set up to formulate action plan and
make recommendations on how to benefit and address adverse impacts from 4IR. Fourthly, the
AHEAD Project was presented in ASEAN’s various government bodies e.g. Senior Economic Officials
Meeting (SEOM), Finance Ministers and Central Governors Meeting, AEM Retreat, and Leaders’
Retreat. Lastly, the project shall push forward ASEAN private sector’s advice and recommendations
toward their government agencies.

Finally, the AHEAD Legacy Project is not only for the need to enhance human empowerment
but it is to look ahead at the challenges and opportunities of economic aspects which are brought
about by 4IR. AHEAD program of activities will contribute to the inclusive growth and complement
the ASEAN’s efforts in putting priority to digitize ASEAN in the years to come.