The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hosted their 15th Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals (ASOMM) May 2 to 4, 2018, in the Philippines. The IGF attended ASOMM, meeting with and listening to feedback from the ASEAN Member States (AMS) on their priorities and to understand specific alignment on an ASEAN-IGF Mineral Cooperation Action Plan (MCAP). This event also provided IGF team members with the opportunity to work with the AMS and existing ASEAN partners to draft a joint workplan for the ASEAN-IGF MCAP, with guidance from and aligned with the Working Groups on Capacity Building and Sustainable Mineral Development, as well as with the Joint Working Group.
Because both ASEAN and IGF are committed to responsible and sustainable mineral development and good governance designed to maximize mining’s benefits for their members, IGF is collaborating with ASOMM to support the existing five-year ASEAN Minerals Cooperation Action Plan, currently being implementing by member States and overseen by the Working Groups.
This action plan aims to create a vibrant and competitive ASEAN mineral sector for the well-being of the ASEAN people through enhancing trade and investment, and strengthening cooperation and capacity for sustainable mineral development in the region. Now that it is in its third year of the five-year strategic action plan, and now that it has reviewed the IGF MCAP concept note, ASOMM Working Groups look forward to discussing how IGF works in other regions, the forum’s strategic direction, and a draft workplan on aligned strategic priorities.