ASEAN has had to carve a niche in the proliferation of regional associations and bilateral relationships which mark the accelerating era of globalization. The economic pivot point for the decade was certainly the 1997 Asian crisis, while the war on terrorism has had a ripple effect on intra-ASEAN co-operation. ASEAN’s resilience and ability to adapt has allowed the organization to navigate on a steady course into the 21st century.
• Sharon Siddique is a Director of Sreekumar Siddique & Co., a regional research consulting firm. She specializes in policy design and strategy for public and private sector corporations, and in risk assessments of countries in Southeast Asia.
• Sree Kumar is a Director of Sreekumar Siddique & Co., a regional research consulting firm. His areas of specialization include economic and political analyses, project feasibility studies, and policy design for government agencies.