JAKARTA, 30 June 2026 - The Regional Workshop on the ASCC Strategic Plan's Cross-Pillar Strategic Measures, which took place on 29-30 June, brought together stakeholders from the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and ASEAN Connectivity to deepen collective understanding and reinforce linkages across the ASCC Strategic Plan's cross-pillar Strategic Measures.

The workshop was Co-Chaired by the Ad Hoc Working Group to Develop the ASCC Strategic Plan (AHWG) Philippines, Hannah A. Giray-Carcido, Bureau Director, Policy Development and Planning Bureau, Department of Social Welfare and Development of the Republic of Philippines, and Sara Abdullah, Senior Assistant Director, International Relations Division Strategy, International and Research Directorate of the Ministry of Social and Family Development of Singapore on behalf of AHWG Co-Chair Singapore.

On behalf of Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASCC, Director of Sustainable Development Directorate of the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), Ky-Anh Nguyen, welcomed all participants and underscored the importance of strengthening cross-pillar coordination to address regional challenges, leveraging existing mechanisms, and translating the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 into coherent and integrated action.

In her opening remarks, Hannah A. Giray-Carcido, highlighted the importance of the workshop in deepening stakeholder understanding of ASEAN's shared priorities. She further shared that the cross-pillar Strategic Measures of the ASEAN Strategic Plans move beyond coordination as it emphasise collaboration and coordination, and the intersecting work of APSC, AEC, ASCC and the ASEAN Connectivity.

Over the two-day workshop, the workshop highlighted the cross-pillar strategic measures of each ASEAN Community Pillar and ASEAN Connectivity and discussed the cross-cutting challenges and opportunities. The discussions also explored existing cross-pillar collaboration and coordination mechanisms, relationships, and good practices that could be further strengthened and scaled up to advance the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its Strategic Plans. Participants identified key areas to support enhanced collaboration, and highlighted coordination challenges that require collective actions and synergised efforts.

In her closing remarks, Sara Abdullah, reflected on the long journey undertaken to develop the ASCC Strategic Plan. She noted that the workshop marked an important milestone in ASEAN's collective efforts to strengthen cross-pillar linkages, which is essential to realising the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

The Regional Workshop was organised by ASEC, with the support from the Government of Japan, through the Supporting the ASCC Strategic Plan project under the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund 3.0.