The AFA Secretary General attended the Synthesis Conference-ACSC 2007 held last October 27-28 in Singapore. This was organized by the Singapore Institute for International Affairs (SIIA).
ACSC 2007 was significant as it was a conference that the ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong requested, in his efforts to gather civil society comments and insights on relevant ASEAN matters such as the ASEAN charter, market integration, human rights, Myanmar/Burma issue, women and children. However, the Chairperson’s Report is a non-negotiated text. While there were comments on the Chairperson’s Report, it was really up to him what to include in it. AFA managed to get the phrase “farmers’ rights”, included in one sentence of the paragraph on Economic Integration and Ill Consequences:
“Economic Integration and Ill Consequences: Yet while economic integration and market opening are critical, negative consequences should be avoided. Trade and investment must be well regulated with good standards and laws to avoid harm to the environment and society. Economic development must be sustainable and equitable among diverse sectors. Market integration must be twinned with other policies for society, labour rights, trade unions, consumer rights, farmers’ rights and other issues that affect the poor and marginalized.”
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