USAID ASEAN Policy Implementation Activity Q2 FY2021 Quarterly Report

The project is guided by the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS), the USAID/ASEAN Development Cooperation Framework (DCF), and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. The API Phase 1 Activity will contribute to Development Objective 2 of the DCF, which is to increase ASEAN capacity to further regional economic integration and sustainable economic growth. During the second quarter reporting period from January to March 2021, API focused on completing the Business Process Analysis (BPA) exercise for the ASEAN Customs Declaration Document (ACDD) Management System. The BPA exercise recommended the use of the Application Programming Interface (API) bridge script in developing the ACDD Management System to address security issues and connectivity issues with the ASEAN Single Window (ASW) gateway. A total of six ACDD project team meetings and a data modelling workshop were convened during this period. API also expanded the coverage of its baseline study from four ASEAN Member States (AMS) to all AMS, covering Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The objective of expanding the coverage is to understand the overarching landscape of digital data governance in ASEAN and to understand how far each AMS has developed their regulations and infrastructure to support digital economy in the region. API produced its fourth Regional Trends Analysis in February 2021. In addition, API made progress on implementing the public outreach strategy to promote the National Single Window (NSW) implementation at the national level in Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines. The recruitment process to identify an appropriate communications agency to provide technical support was completed. Three infographics were produced distilling the findings from the baseline studies from Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines, which will be used as communication products targeted at bilateral USAID missions in the ASEAN region. The API project is working in collaboration with USAID/ASEAN's other activities to achieve its objectives. The project is expected to contribute to the development of the Technical Specifications for the ACDD Management System for the Bureau of Customs, Philippines. The project's progress will be monitored and evaluated to ensure that it meets its objectives and contributes to the development of the ASEAN region. API's activities are guided by the principles of the USAID/ASEAN Development Cooperation Framework, which emphasizes the importance of regional economic integration and sustainable economic growth. The project's focus on digital data governance and the development of the National Single Window (NSW) implementation is expected to contribute to the development of the ASEAN region and support the US Government's goals in the region.