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(Malaysia) – On July 15, the US-ASEAN Business Council (the Council), in partnership with the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives of Malaysia, conducted a webinar for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. The event was part of a broader webinar series in response to the COVID-19 crisis. More than 100 owners and executives of Malaysian SMEs participated in the webinar session titled, “Enabling Digital Capabilities of Malaysian SMEs through the COVID-19 Crisis.”
On July 15, the US-ASEAN Business Council (The Council) conducted its inaugural Virtual ASEAN Workshop in preparation for the United Nations Food Systems Summit (FSS) in September. The event provided ASEAN FSS country conveners with a platform to share game-changing solutions raised in National Food Systems Dialogues and emphasized the private sector’s role in building more sustainable and equitable food systems to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The workshop began with opening remarks from Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Economic Community Satvinder Singh, followed by keynote addresses from Acting Administrator of the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service Daniel Whitley and Former USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney. Mr.
(Washington, DC) The US-ASEAN Business Council is pleased to announce the election of Craig S. Smith, Group President, International for Marriott International, Inc., as its new Chairman of the Board of Directors. In his capacity as Chairman, Mr. Smith will oversee the efforts of offices across eight countries, as the US-ABC – the only U.S. organization written into the ASEAN Charter – works to build trade and investment opportunities in the economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for the nearly 170 member companies of the Council.
(Washington, DC). The Board of Directors, members, and staff of the US-ASEAN Business Council offer their sincere condolences to the Aquino family, the Philippine government, and the people of the Philippines on the passing of former President of the Philippines, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Former President Aquino passed earlier this morning at age 61.
(Singapore) – Yesterday, the US-ASEAN Business Council joined a virtual discussion of the 30th Meeting of the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs. The meeting was part of 24-year long engagement between the Council and the 10 ASEAN Directors-General of Customs that has examined ways to improve trade connections in Southeast Asia. The Council’s delegation of eight leading U.S. companies was led by Senior Vice-President and Regional Managing Director of the Council, Ambassador Michael Michalak, as well as Chair of the Council’s Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee and Vice President of Public Affairs and Sustainability for UPS Asia Pacific, Shiumei Lin.
The US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) commends President Joe Biden for signing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law.
The US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) shares the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of getting as many safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of people around the world as fast as possible. U.S. leadership is needed to leverage rapidly increasing domestic vaccine production, export more of our vaccine surplus to nations in need, and help developing markets overcome the massive technical and logistical barriers to manufacture the vaccine safely, securely, and successfully.
The U.S. private sector is committed to supporting the growth and development of Myanmar’s democracy and civil society. Since the country’s political transition in 2012, the US-ASEAN Business Council and its member companies have supported efforts to develop Myanmar’s institutional, legal, and policy frameworks to promote an inclusive and sustainable economy. However, the February 1 military coup threatens to reverse the political and economic progress made, as well as the country’s future trajectory.
The US-ASEAN Business Council commends the United States Senate on passing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act on a bipartisan vote. Introduced by Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, the bill aims to combat the recent surge of violence and harassment towards Asians and Asian-Americans, which the Council strongly condemns, by directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite the review of COVID-19 hate crimes.