ASEAN ON TRACK TO MEET POVERTY REDUCTION TARGET BY 2030

MELAKA, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- The proportion of ASEAN’s population living below the national poverty line declined from 13.3 per cent in 2016 to 10.8 per cent in 2023, placing the region firmly on track to achieve its poverty reduction target by 2030.

Deputy Minister of Economy Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib said although the statistics show a downward trend, ASEAN member states must acknowledge that challenges remain.

“Development gaps persist both across and within our member states. Rural poverty, limited access to quality education and digital exclusion continue to test our shared commitment to leaving no one behind.

“These disparities demand targeted policies, guided by robust data and inclusive engagement,” she said in her keynote address at the 15th Session of the ASEAN Community Statistical System Committee (ACSS15) here today.

The five-day programme, themed ‘Advancing ASEAN Through Inclusive Data and Innovation’, was also attended by Chief Statistician Datuk Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin and Director of the ASEAN Integration Monitoring Directorate, ASEAN Statistics Division (ASEANStats), ASEAN Secretariat Dr Ahmad Zafarullah Abdul Jalil.

Hanifah Hajar also called for stronger emphasis on statistical literacy and public trust.

“When citizens understand and believe in the data, they become active participants in shaping the policies that affect their lives. This is the essence of inclusive governance,” she said.

She added that ASEAN continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience and dynamism in the global economy, with total trade in goods reaching approximately USD3.56 trillion in 2023, accounting for eight per cent of global trade, despite representing only three per cent of the world’s population.

“This underscores ASEAN’s growing role as a hub for production networks, investment and supply chain integration.

“Our strength lies not only in scale but in openness and adaptability. Approximately 78 per cent of ASEAN’s trade occurs with partners outside the region, reflecting our deep connectivity with the global economy.

“Meanwhile, intra-ASEAN trade, which accounts for 22 per cent of total trade, continues to grow a promising sign of deepening regional integration,” she said.

Hanifah Hajar noted that the challenge ahead is to ensure ASEAN’s trade dynamism translates into inclusive and sustainable growth.

“This requires data-informed strategies that promote equitable access to markets, strengthen SME participation and support the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025.

“I also applaud the initiative to establish a one-stop reference centre for ASEAN-level data — a unified portal consolidating harmonised indicators, metadata, dashboards and open datasets across member states.

“This is more than a technical milestone; it is a bold step toward transparency, accessibility and regional solidarity,” she added.

-- BERNAMA