The IAI Program

The INITIATIVE FOR ASEAN INTEGRATION (IAI) was launched by the ASEAN Leaders at the 4th ASEAN
Informal Summit in Singapore 2000 with the objective of narrowing the development gap between the
old and new member countries of ASEAN members. The aim of this initiative is to assist the New Member
Countries namely, Cambodia, the Lao PDR, the Union of Myanmar and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
(CLMV) in their development programme by assisting them in expediting greater regional economic
integration, promoting equitable economic development and helping alleviate poverty.
The IAI Work Plan for CLMV focuses on the priority areas of Infrastructure (Transport, Energy), Human
Resource Development (Labour, Employment, Civil Service), Information and Communication Technology
(ICT Legislation, e-Governance), Regional Economic Integration (Trade, Investment, Custom, Standards).
The Work Plan will be implemented on a six-year basis (July 2002-June 2008) and annual reviews will be
conducted to allow necessary redirections of the programme objectives and revisions of the programme
outputs. The Work Plan will continue to reflect the ASEAN’s commitment, priority and responses to changing
circumstances.
The IAI work plan was endorsed at the 35th AMM in Bandar Seri Begawan in 2002 and submitted to the
8th ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh. In addition, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers also agreed to launch the
IAI Joint Initiative among the ASEAN 6 to help Cambodia, the Lao PDR, the Union of Myanmar and the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam.