ASEAN members exploring opportunities in Latin America
Posted: under Southeast Asian.
***Southeast Asian countries are looking to expand their markets to Latin America, particularly after the global economic downturn forced developed countries – which are key importers of Asian products – to cut consumption, so hurting Asian exports and economies.
Sundram Pushpanathan, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN for the ASEAN Economic Community, noted in his speech Monday the question that might arise: “Why foster trade and economic engagement between ASEAN and Latin America given the distance and logistical challenges, which may not make economic sense?”
He was speaking in a workshop on prospects for economic relations between Southeast Asia and Latin America at the ASEAN Secretariat building in Jakarta.
Indeed, there are many impediments that need to be addressed to develop a beneficial partnership, as noted by Mia Mikic, who work at the trade and investment division of the United Nations’ Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Mikic, citing data from the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), pointed out several impediments including: High transport costs, weak trade logistics, the need for quality control measures (ISO), lack of research and development (R&D) spending, and the education gap between the two regions.
Those obstacles may help explain why trade between the two regions is relatively small.
Pushpanathan said total trade between ASEAN and Latin American countries stood at US$18.37 billion and $24.07 billion in 2006 and 2007.
While the figures showed a year-on-year increase of 33.1 percent, slightly more than double ASEAN’s global trade growth, they represented in total only 1.3 percent and 1.5 percent respectively of ASEAN’s global trade for 2006-2007.
Moreover, in 2007 only five out of 10 ASEAN member countries – Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines – had a significant volume of trade with Latin American countries, he added.
But still, Pushpanathan is confident there is “untapped potential for greater trade and investment cross-flows between these two regions provided necessary steps are taken to bridge the lack of connectivity”.
Mikic said some policy options identified by ECLAC included addressing existing gaps and bottlenecks, sharp structural and policy differences, also looking at market access, high transportation costs and weak SMEs.
Pushpanathan said ASEAN should have a presence in Latin America and vice versa. Brazil in Latin America is a key emerging economy in the informal group of nations known as the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China), while Indonesia in Southeast Asia is among the few countries scoring a positive growth amid the global downturn.
Pushpanathan said key products that could be exported by ASEAN to Latin America included footwear, fertilizer, sugar, cereals, animal and vegetable fats.
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May 15 2010
Thailand to continent Malaysia and on Singapore. Some undertake effort to cross to Sarawak, but the mountainous area still feels kept away. If Malaysian continent – an interstate high-speed highway, Sarawak – small highway of the party. Those who takes the initiative to investigate Sarawak, will find deep jungle and novel mountains. Wish to direct internal Joseph Conrad? Sarawak – a place.
. Is not present very much to make in Laos, and the road is rough enough, thus the majority of people jumps through really fascinating part of the country – the south. Do not pass chance to register departure of visitors from hotel this area, especially surprising gulf of Islands, the big space of the River of Mekong from more than 4 000 islands to investigate. Who knows, probably you will see a known pink dolphin before it will go gone out!. 
and also the least quantity touristed. The majority of people does not speak, Englishmen here and there – a few the main sights, but the area holds friendly, easy charm and the unique opinion of a rural Thai life expresses to you. Roads немощены, at cities are a few tourist services, and you will not find certainly smart hotels, but you will test a Thai life under the local Thai price. For what search for real Thailand, you will find it in Isaan. 
