US-ASEAN Business Council Engages the ASEAN Economic Ministers in Developing Collective Strategies to Navigate the Global Economic Dynamics
(Manila, the Philippines) On September 20-22, 2026, the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), co-led by Marc P. Mealy, Executive Vice President of Research & Chief Policy Officer and Claudia Chan, Senior Director for Public Policy & Sustainability of Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific and USABC ASEAN Committee Chair, convened delegation of U.S. companies to the 58th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Meeting.
During the annual AEM-United States Trade Representative (USTR) Consultation session, USABC and its members presented the 2026 White Paper, Navigating ASEAN Centrality: Building a Competitive, Resilient, and Future-Ready ASEAN through Integrated Innovation.The paper outlined the U.S. private sector’s recommendations to strengthen collaboration across three areas: industrial resilience, digital connectivity, and sustainable prosperity, underpinned by closer public-private collaboration and effective implementation.
“ASEAN’s next phase of economic integration will depend on translating regional commitments into practical and effective implementation. U.S. companies stand ready to contribute their expertise and innovative solutions to strengthen supply-chain resilience, unlock ASEAN’s digital economy potential, and advance ASEAN’s sustainability agenda,” said Marc P. Mealy, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer of USABC, during the AEM-USTR Consultation Session.
On the sidelines of the AEM Meeting, USABC held bilateral meetings and pull-asides with senior officials from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Philippines, and the USTR. USABC also hosted its first Exclusive Dinner with the ASEAN Economic Ministers and the ASEAN Secretariat for a candid exchange on shared regional economic priorities, while showcasing USABC members’ initiatives and innovations.
Looking ahead, USABC remains committed to supporting ASEAN’s economic regional integration, in alignment with the Philippines’ Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Action Plan 2026-2030.
USABC member companies participating in the mission include Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific, Visa, Citi, Amazon Web Services, BowerGroupAsia, and SAP.
Read the Joint Media Statement of the AEM-USTR Consultation: https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/AEM-USTR-f.pdf
