Background & Objectives
Background
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an international body that promotes and facilitates cooperation among ten countries in Southeast Asia, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The region has a combined GDP of USD 3.0 trillion in 2018, with an average annual growth of 5.3% during 2000-2018. To maintain this growth rate, ASEAN member countries realized the need to capitalize on the opportunities presented by innovation and employ the concept of bioeconomy as a key to sustainability.
To present the latest development of innovation and bioeconomy initiatives in ASEAN, the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), in collaboration with the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), is hosting ASEAN Innovation Roadmap & Bioeconomy Forum on 16 – 20 November 2020 at Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok.
Objectives
The forum aims to showcase potential of ASEAN as a powerhouse of innovation and bio-based industry. This event will be held in conjunction with the Global Bioeconomy Summit 2020, which Thailand is co-hosting.
About Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS)
The Global Bioeconomy Summit is the world’s leading international conference that facilitates the discussion, information sharing and promotion of bioeconomy. GBS serves as an important platform to drive bioeconomy policy through international collaboration by ways of building a collaboration framework in policy making and planning, sharing experience and knowledge, establishing standards, inspiration and strategies to drive the creation of new bio-based businesses and services, developing indicators and monitoring system, employing S&T to alleviate global challenges with real results delivered to the civil society.
GBS was first launched in 2015 in Germany with positive feedback and outcomes. The second summit in 2017 was a success with over 700 participants from 70 countries around the globe. The third summit is scheduled on 19 - 20 November 2020 with Thailand as a co-organizer and representing the ASEAN region.
Due to the COVID-19 situation, GBS will be held in a virtual format instead of a physical event. There will be live-streaming discussions and activities from Germany along with live streaming activities from co-organizing countries to audiences from all over the world.
As a co-organizer of GBS2020, Thailand will be hosting an on-site event “ASEAN Innovation Roadmap & Bioeconomy Forum”, featuring discussions, talks, workshop and exhibition in a wide range of topics. Some activities in the on-site event in Thailand will be part of GBS2020 and webcasting to GBS audiences around the world. The on-site event will also include the webcasting of speeches and policy addresses on bioeconomy from world leaders and representatives from many countries. In addition, the on-site event will have exhibitions featuring projects and programs supporting bioeconomy such as bio-based products, community development and ecotourism, and investment incentives to promote new businesses in bioeconomy sector.
