In December 1997, ASEAN leaders resolved to build an economic community to increase the region’s economic potential. This resolution was followed through when the ASEAN leaders agreed during the Ninth ASEAN Summit in October 2003 in Bali to establish an ASEAN Economic Community by 2020, the end-goal of regional economic integration.
Now let me point and discuss how ASEAN ought to bridge the development gap, which exists within the CLMV.