USABC and ERIA Strengthen Partnership with MoU Signing

(Jakarta, Indonesia) The US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), strengthening their partnership and building on the momentum of the ASEAN Business Mission to Jakarta in December 2024. 

The signing ceremony was opened by ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe, who remarked, “There are alignments in priority areas in our work such as public health, digital transformation, energy transitions, and more. Under the umbrella of this MoU, we can do more together to ensure that our research and policy recommendations are relevant for the business community.” ​ 

Amb. (ret.) Ted Osius, Senior Vice President & Regional Managing Director of USABC, emphasized the significance of the MoU signing, noting that it “marks a significant milestone in strengthening collaboration between the U.S. private sector and ERIA in support of ASEAN’s inclusive and sustainable development goals.” 

USABC and ERIA explored potential areas for collaboration, including healthcare, energy, the digital economy, environment and sustainability, and food and agriculture. Both parties also emphasized their shared commitment to advancing high-impact initiatives, such as active ageing, sustainable healthcare, and the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) negotiations. 

The MoU was formally signed by Amb. (ret.) Ted Osius and Dr. Takayuki Yamanaka, Chief Operating Officer of ERIA, underscoring both parties’ commitment to collaborate on addressing regional challenges and supporting ASEAN’s long-term growth and development objectives.