NEAT MEMORANDUM No. 15
NETWORK OF EAST ASIAN THINK TANKS ( NEAT)I.

INTRODUCTION

The Network of East Asia Think Tanks (NEAT) is track two of the ASEAN Plus Three (APT)that supports the goal of community building in East Asia. East Asian countries seek to promote
the welfare and well-being of its peoples by realizing the East Asian Vision of Peace, Prosperityand Progress. To advance peace and prosperity in the region, the East Asia community building
process is to be based on universal values, including good governance, the rule of law,democracy, human rights, international law and norms.
NEAT Myanmar and NEAT China co-hosted the 28th NEAT Country Coordinators Meeting(CCM) on 8 May 2018 and 29th NEAT CCM and the 16th NEAT Annual Conference (AC) from17 to 18 September 2018 in Yangon, Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The theme of the 16th
NEAT AC is “Strengthening Cooperation in Communications”. Representatives from ASEAN
Plus Three (APT) countries participated in the meetings.

II.

NEAT ACTIVITIES IN 2018

In 2018, NEAT organized four Working Group (WG) meetings on Mapping the Blueprint for theEast Asia Economic Community sponsored by NEAT China, East Asian Socio-CulturalConnectivity: Building an Institutional Network sponsored by NEAT Korea, Enhancing the East
Asian Food Security Mechanism- APTERR’s Contribution to Food Security and Disaster
Management sponsored by NEAT Japan and Mainstreaming Disability in East Asia Economic
Community: Breaking Barriers and Creating Inclusive Society Through Mutual Collaboration
sponsored by NEAT Thailand.
III.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the 29th NEAT CCM and working groups activities in 2018, NEAT respectfully
submits recommendations in the following four areas for consideration of the APT leaders:1. Mapping an EAEC Blueprint for post-2020 Era
In line with the spirit of an East Asian community developed through the East Asian Vision
Group Report I and II composed of political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars, weemphasize the need to strengthen existing plans of regional cooperation. It is highly
recommended to pinpoint a new vision for the post-2020 EAEC era and map an EAEC blueprint
for it, aiming to realize an open community of shared future featuring inclusive, innovative andsustainable development through enhancing regional economic integration which facilitates freer
movement of goods, services, investment, technology and people within the region.

a. To initiate a task force on EAEC in 2018
i. To designate a High-Level Task Force (HLTF), comprising representatives from bothgovernments and think-tanks of the APT countries, to forge a new vision of EAEC andits blueprint and submit to 23rd APT Summit for consideration.
b. To reinforce ASEAN’s centrality in EAEC buildingi. To integrate the processes of AEC and EAEC building in a symbiotic way;
ii. The Plus Three countries should provide stronger support in terms of finance,expertise, technology, and human resources, etc.
c. To strengthen institutional capacity buildingi. To establish an EAEC Council as the principal body for the overall implementation ofthe strategic measures;
ii. To upgrade “10+3 office” to “EAEC Unit” in the ASEAN Secretariat;
iii. To strengthen ministerial cooperation mechanism in science, technology, andinnovation (STI);
iv. To strengthen cooperation between the ASEAN Secretariat and the Trilateral
Cooperation Secretariat (TCS).
d. To enlist more input for EAEC buildingi. To expand APT Cooperation Fund to provide sufficient financial support for EAECbuilding;ii. To develop effective partnerships with external parties and international organizations.
e. To set up an EAEC databasei. To set up an EAEC database and form this database by integrating the ASEAN
database with the Plus Three database, which can also be an area for the ASEAN
Secretariat and the TCS to cooperate.
2. East Asian Socio-Cultural Connectivity:
Socio-cultural elements have increasingly become significant to build an East Asian Community
given the increasing demand for harmonized policies in dealing with various socio-culturalchallenges. The institutionalization of socio-cultural connectivity is more necessary now andcalls upon cooperation among the governments to arrange socio-cultural policies in the processof community building in the region. The following are key policy recommendations:a.

To build a network among the socio-cultural institutes in the member countries. Uponthe recommendation of NEAT coordinators, the representing institute will share
information and update the state of the member states national and regional sociocultural policies and challenges.

b.

To organize a regular policy forum that enables the regional network of socioculturalinstitutes to conduct collaborative research on the socio-cultural community andvarious sociocultural challenges the region is facing, which will lead to form an
epistemic community that consists of scholars, policy makers and other stakeholders
including those who participated in the NEAT process previously.

c.

To establish an inter-governmental research and monitoring unit, the so called Centre
for Socio-Cultural Cooperation for ASEAN and East Asia, which will handle selectedsocio-cultural cooperation programs mainly in the field of education and research tofulfill its main task and monitor the progress of the ASCC and APT plans for sociocultural cooperation.

d.

To secure durable financial resources (i.e. the APT cooperation fund) to pursue theinstitutionalization of socio-cultural connectivity.

3. Enhancing the East Asian Food Security Mechanism:
Food security should be better achieved through the collective and concerted regional actions.
The ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) is a unique program materialized
under the APT cooperation. Since its establishment in 2012, all parties of APTERR committed toearmarking certain quantity of rice reserve, and a considerable amount of rice was released fromthe APTERR stockpiled emergency reserves to the areas damaged by the typhoon, drought andother emergencies. Although being greatly appreciated by the recipients, the current program has
many challenges to become more effective mechanisms of regional cooperation for foodsecurity. Thus, the following policy recommendations are made.
a. To enhance awareness of APTERR
i. To make all possible efforts to raise the awareness of the APTERR and to gain theirfull support for its programs.
b. To coordinate with other agencies and groups
i. To strengthen the coordination with other national and international agencies, NGOs
and private sectors that are also conducting various activities that enhance foodsecurity in East Asia;
ii. To play a leading role in collecting, analyzing and disseminating information on ricestocks and emergency food deliveries, in close collaboration with the ASEAN Food
Security Information System (AFSIS).
c. To encourage the use of “earmarked” reserves
i. To encourage the use of earmarked reserves by finding appropriate measures including

flexible pricing mechanisms.
d. To strengthen “stockpiled” rice reserve mechanism
i. To improve the quality and quantity of rice stockpiles through technical assistanceand collaboration with local experts ;ii. To examine the change of operational rules regarding the partial encashment of stock
piled rice after reserve period so that various activities can be implemented more
effectively.
e. To devise the form of stockpiled ricei. To plan and store partly the stockpiled rice reserves in a manner that can meet both
requirements for immediate consumption at emergencies and for the use of post
reserve period including disaster management training or dietary education.
f.

Towards common regional policies
i. To accelerate discussions based on the experience of APTERR how to reach a morecollective and inclusive common food security policy in the APT region.

4. Mainstreaming Disability in East Asia Economic Community: Breaking Barriers ofCreating Inclusive Society Through Mutual Collaboration
The objectives of the working group are to enhance the quality of life and promote an inclusive
society for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). Based on the WG discussion, the key
recommendations consist of four categories, including:a.

Policy, funding, and attitudes toward PWDs
It is important to have a clear policy, adequate funding to support, and inter-agency
collaboration to enhance the inclusiveness and quality of life of PWDs. In addition,
APT countries need to address the challenges on the negative attitudes anddiscrimination toward PWDs.

b.

Education administration and provision
APT countries need to provide adequate training to teachers, family members, otherprofessionals and stakeholders who work in the interest of PWDs. In addition, it iscrucial to make education and curriculum flexible in order to provide opportunity, fullaccess, and participation of PWDs based on the labor market and society needs.

c.

Employment and livelihood provision
It is crucial to provide PWDs with employment opportunity. To achieve this goal, APT
countries should review and revise their employment policies and provide customized
employment and job coach for PWDs. Additionally, the governments have to make theassistive technologies available and create a barrier-free environment for PWDs. TheAPT should concern and support the ageing PWDs and those affected by disasters.

d.

Utilizing research regarding PWDs in the policy formulation and implementation
processes
To promote and sustain the knowledge and practices in PWDs, APT should establish a“Regional Disability Studies Center.” The Center will keep the accurate record on
PWDs and facilitate the utilization of research and practices in the policy formulationand implementation processes.

The detailed reports appear in the ANNEX.

IV. CONCLUSIONNEAT greatly appreciates serious consideration by the APT SOM, Ministers and Leaders of therecommendations in this Memorandum, and welcomes opportunities to interact further withdecision-makers its content. We reiterate our continued support to build a sounder, healthier andflourishing East Asian Community. We look forward to supporting more positive contribution
towards the socio-economic development of the community in the region.