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More than a year after the last big DELGOSEA get-together, celebrating the successful end of the EU-cofinanced DELGOSEA project, the wider network will meet again with the aim of promoting a public discussion about ASEAN as a value-based community of nations in Southeast Asia. The conference theme will be ‘5-years ASEAN Charter’ with Article 1 of the ASEAN Charter providing the starting point for the debate, stating that one of the purposes of ASEAN is ‘to strengthen democracy, enhance good governance and the rule of law, and to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms’ and another one ‘to promote a people-oriented ASEAN in which all sections of society are encouraged to participate in and benefit from the process of ASEAN integration and community building.

The conference organisers, the KAS and UCLG ASPAC, have engaged some high-profile keynote speaker, with Hon. Adolfo Severino, former Secretary General of ASEAN, presenting ‘5-Years ASEAN Charter - Perspectives for the development of ASEAN as a value based community’ and Mr Gerhard Stahl, Secretary General of the Committee of the Regions of the EU, explaining ‘Institutional mechanisms for promoting good local governance in the European Union.

Three discussion panels will focus on issues close to the heart of DELGOSEA’s membership such as administrative and financial decentralisation in the ASEAN states, people participation in local decision-making and as assessment of good local governance in the region.

With around 100 representatives of municipalities, CSOs, local government associations, academia and media from all 10 ASEAN states invited, the organisers are looking forward to exciting and stimulating discussions.

The Welcome Remarks were given by the chairman of the Standing Committee, Mayor Khajonhkiat Nipatpokai. The Keynote speech was held by Mr Gerhard Stahl, the Secretary General of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union, who outlined the institutional mechanisms for promoting good local governance in Europe.

Dr. Peter Köppinger of KAS Philippines and Bernardia Tjandradewi of UCLG ASPAC were chairing the core member meeting, raising questions of how to divide responsibilities between network members and how to improve the internal structure of the network.

Experts on decentralisation held a session on the status of administrative and financial decentralisation in ASEAN.

An expert panel was organised discussing models of people participation in ASEAN and insights were shared by Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang, Marisa Lerias and Mr Suhirman.

The last panel of the DELGOSEA conference focussed on 'Transparency, Accountability, Professionalism, Effectiveness - assessment of good local governance in ASEAN member states.