The UNDP Regional Project on Promoting an Enabling Environment in ASEAN will take place on 23 August 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand. The event aims to pave the way for a multi-stakeholder effort to promote an enabling environment for the private sector, minimise corruption risks and shape sustainable business practices in ASEAN.

Implemented by UNDP, in partnership with the ASEAN CSR Network and the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative, the Project specifically targets Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. Priority areas for the project include:

• Forging stronger partnerships between government and private sector,
• Reforming procurement and infrastructure,
• Promoting sustainable business practices, as well as
• Strengthening anti-corruption, accountability and judicial mechanisms.

The regional launch event will bring together around 70 participants, including senior officials from government in target countries (ministries of planning, finance, justice, anti-corruption agencies) business sector representatives (chambers of commerce, companies), civil society organisations (Transparency International, OGP) and partners (ASEAN Secretariat, OECD, UN Global Compact, UNODC, World Bank, UNCITRAL).

The regional launch event will be structured as follows:

• A high-level opening session to outline how the UNDP/FCO project fits into an effort to promote prosperity and inclusive growth in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Panel sessions to discuss the priority reform areas planned in the context of the project. The discussions will aim to identify synergies between planned interventions at the country level, learn from international good practice, as well as forge partnerships with relevant partners.

The launch event will be followed by a planning meeting on the morning of 24 August 2018 to present the planned country interventions and finalise the work plans with the guidance of the Project Board.