Luang Prabang Joint Declaration, 2010

WE, the Heads of Civil Service of Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (the Plus Three Countries), on the occasion of our ASEAN Conference on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) Plus Three Meeting in Luang Prabang, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, on 29 October 2010;

RECALLING the initial agreement reached at the inaugural ASEAN Conference on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) Plus Three Meeting in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, on 30 October 2009 to pursue cooperation on civil service matters;

RECOGNISING the direct responsibility of the ACCSM Plus Three to take an active part in implementing the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan (2007 – 2017), particularly in promoting good governance, enhancing administrative effectiveness, efficiency and transparency through policy dialogue and capacity building activities;

REAFFIRMING our common belief that civil service cooperation will contribute significantly to strengthening the foundations of ASEAN Plus Three cooperation, facilitate economic and institutional connectivity, and promote people-to-people contacts in East Asia;

REAFFIRMING ALSO that civil service cooperation is a key to narrowing the development gaps among ASEAN Member States and between ASEAN and the Plus Three Countries;

BELIEVING that we have the precious experiences, modern know-how and best practices in civil service matters that should be shared to benefit all in ASEAN Plus Three Countries;

AND CONVINCED that our civil service cooperation will contribute to strengthening peace and security, as well as promoting prosperity and social well-being in East Asia and beyond;

THEREFORE WE HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

1. We will meet once every two years to discuss civil service policy issues of common interest;
2. We will explore practical areas of cooperation in line with the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan (2007-2017), starting with the following:
   1. Strengthening E-governance
   2. Improving effectiveness, efficiency, transparency and productivity in public sector, and
   3. Strengthening human resource management and human resource development
3. We will endeavour to implement civil service cooperation projects and undertake relevant cooperative activities that will develop best practices in civil service matters to benefit all in ASEAN Plus Three Countries;
4. We will endeavour to mobilise necessary resources and expertise to support timely and efficient implementation of this Joint Declaration;
5. We will report our progress to the ASEAN Plus Three Summit through ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers Meeting;
6. We will establish the ACCSM Plus Three Joint Technical Working Group to carry out appropriate follow-up measures, including formulating a work plan, under our policy guidance;
7. The ACCSM Plus Three Joint Technical Working Group will operate under the rules of procedure to be determined by the ACCSM Plus Three, and
8. The ASEAN Secretariat will be requested to provide necessary support for the ACCSM Plus Three Joint Technical Working Group.

ADOPTED by the Heads of Civil Service of Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (the Plus Three Countries) on this Twenty-Ninth Day of October in the Year Two Thousand and Ten in Luang Prabang, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.