16 December 2013 - Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN, met with ERIA Executive Director Hidetoshi Nishimura in Jakarta on December 13 to discuss cooperative activities between the Philippines and the economic policy think-tank.

“I see a lot of potential to cooperate because ERIA (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia) has the mandate in the ACC (ASEAN Coordinating Council) and the EAS (East Asia Summit) and has the desire and expertise in many areas of economic policy research,” Ambassador Buensuceso told Executive Director Nishimura during their meeting in ERIA’s office in Jakarta.

Ambassador Buensuceso cited research in biofuels and other sources of non-renewable energy as potential areas of cooperation between the Philippines and ERIA. Executive Director Nishimura said that ERIA has conducted studies on East Asia standards on biodiesel.

Ambassador Buensuceso and Executive Director Nishimura also agreed to closely coordinate, as ASEAN envisions to create a forum dedicated to Public-Private Partnership (PPP) programs and initiatives in the region.

ERIA was established in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2008 by a formal agreement among Leaders of sixteen countries in the East Asian region to conduct research activities and make policy recommendations for further economic integration in East Asia. It works closely with both the ASEAN Secretariat and sixteen Research Institutes to undertake and disseminate policy research and provide analytical policy recommendations to ASEAN Leaders and Ministers at their regional meetings. As an international economic policy think-tank, ERIA is ranked 28th in a global survey by the University of Pennsylvania this year. END