BOX 15
SHOWCASING THE REGION’S POTENTIAL

The ASEAN Finance Ministers Investors Seminar was held in September 2004, in New York. Organised by MAS on behalf of ASEAN Finance and Central Bank authorities, the seminar was first mooted at the ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting in Singapore in April 2004.

About 200 participants attended, with 130 coming from the US. The seminar showcased various aspects of ASEAN’s growth potential. As a combined entity, ASEAN's consumer market is already larger than the Indian market and close to the coastal markets of China.
 
ASEAN has a GDP of close to US$700 billion and a population of 540 million growing at more than 2% a year. Based on current growth trends, the region will have a combined GDP exceeding US$1 trillion by 2010.

The region offers investors an attractive combination of a high degree of market stability as well as liquidity and easy access in the capital markets.
The seminar received largely positive feedback from investors who felt that it had provided an in-depth look at ASEAN’s economic prospects and investment opportunities.

Given the success of this first seminar at promoting ASEAN to international investors, the ASEAN Finance Ministers have agreed to a second seminar to be held in London in 2005.