Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
July 29, 2005
U.S. ASEAN Cooperation Plan (ACP)The ASEAN Cooperation Plan (ACP) is a U.S.-funded initiative that supports U.S.-ASEAN activities to advance mutual interests in areas such as promoting trade and countering transnational crime. Then-Secretary Powell announced the plan in August 2002 with the aim of strengthening the ASEAN Secretariat; building regional cooperation to address transnational challenges including terrorism, human trafficking, and infectious diseases; and fostering ASEAN economic integration and development. Since its inception, the program has initiated over 20 projects valued at more than $9 million. It has reinforced the broader U.S.-ASEAN relationship by bringing together many different government agencies, state governments, non-government organizations, and academics, and private sector entities. Below are some illustrative projects.
Fostering ASEAN Economic Integration and Development
- Providing a U.S. trade expert at the ASEAN Secretariat to support the organization’s integration and the Vientiane Action Program, including holding seminars on trade negotiations, trade in services, rules of origins and a study of the potential benefits of a free trade agreement between the U.S. and several ASEAN countries.
- Seminars and studies on a variety of other trade issues, including AFTA procedures to promote intra-ASEAN trade, biotechnology, industrial standards and competition policy.
- Support for effective protection of intellectual property rights through training of ASEAN country judges, prosecutors, investigative officials, and others.
- Studies and technical assistance to promote the information and communications technology sector and cybersecurity in ASEAN countries.
Supporting the ASEAN Secretariat
- Increasing the Internet bandwidth capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat, creating an interactive ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Website, and establishing a portal for ASEAN member countries.
- Financing of ASEAN Secretariat staff support at ASEAN Summit in Vientiane.
- Training of Secretariat staff in information technology, international security, environment, and trade.
Building Regional Cooperation on Transnational Challenges
- Projects to assist in the regional fight against HIV/AIDS.
- Support for the Framework for Environmentally Sustainable Cities in ASEAN, improved enforcement of wildlife trafficking laws, and other environmental work.
- A seminar to increase capacity and foster cooperation on maritime security.
- Cooperative work on statistics to address the problem of Trafficking in Persons and workshops on developing ASEAN women’s entrepreneurial skills and empowerment.
- Training and technical assistance for disaster management through the Incident Command System.
- Seminars to build capacity and cooperation on cyber-security.
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