World Economic Forum on East Asia

The 22nd World Economic Forum on East Asia will be the first
leading international gathering of senior decision-makers from
industry, government, academia and civil society to be held in
Myanmar after a series of bold economic and political reforms.
Through its unique multistakeholder platform, the meeting will
be an unrivalled opportunity to understand and shape
Myanmar’s ongoing reforms and reconciliation process. In
addition, as Myanmar assumes the chairmanship of ASEAN in
2014, it will have a critical role in guiding the bloc’s 10 member
economies towards planned economic integration in 2015. In
this regard, the meeting will provide value not only to
participants from the ASEAN region, but also to those who see
in the ASEAN countries an important evolving geopolitical and
geo-economic pillar of the global economy.

Under the theme Courageous Transformation for Inclusion and
Integration, the programme will focus on three core pillars:
Inspiring Inclusive Transformation
– How will Myanmar balance rapid social, economic and political
reforms while ensuring equitable and sustainable growth,
employment creation and resource security?
– As a new democracy with renewed economic and geopolitical
aspirations, what lessons will Myanmar take to its 2014 ASEAN
chairmanship?
– What are the human capital challenges for Myanmar as it
prepares to create more jobs and open its economy?
– How can smart growth solutions be implemented to further a
more participatory society/democracy and create an enabling
environment Realizing Regional Integration
– How will ASEAN’s emerging and fast-growing economies such
as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar become better connected to
the region through improved infrastructure?
– How will ASEAN unify its efforts to strengthen risk resilience?
– How will ASEAN balance its inherent internal diversity with its
strategic bilateral relationships with key partners such as
China, India and the United States?
– How can East Asia continue to invest in human capital, build
social infrastructure and promote inclusive growth while staying
competitive in the global investment market?
Scaling Regional Solutions for Global Resilience
– In what ways can Asian innovations in energy, sustainability
and resource management address global challenges?
– How can foreign investors partner with local institutions to
deliver on regional development goals?
– How can Asian family values be channelled to address
challenges of social protection and welfare for the ageing
population?
– How will government and institutions develop the financial
policies to manage inflation, capital outflows and rebalance
growth towards greater domestic and regional demand?for technology entrepreneurs?