Analysis and proposals for ASEFs strategy and long-term financial sustainability

Location: Multi Country

The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) was set up in Singapore to promote exchanges between think tanks, peoples and cultural groups. ASEF is a high profile institution of exceptional strategic and high level political and public interest at the centre of ASEM Asia-Europe political and cultural relations. The European Commission has awarded two grant contracts to ASEF. The first phase of EC support to the Foundation was subjected to an external expert evaluation in February 2002. This assignment had to build upon the results of that evaluation.

At the ASEF Summit of September 2002 in Copenhagen the Heads of State opined that ASEF’s finances should be made viable in the long term and urged ASEM partners “to adopt the necessary measures to ensure ASEF’s long-term financial sustainability before the next Summit.”  Following subsequent ASEF board and other meetings this requirement was discussed in greater detail. Therefore, it was deemed necessary that a concise and clear consultant study report providing an analysis and proposals for ASEF’s strategy and long term financial sustainability was required.

The results of this study were to be presented by the ASEF management to the ASEF Board of Governors at their meeting in Dublin on 27-28 May 2004. The study was also to be made available to the members of the ASEF Board of Governors and to all ASEM partners who are the sponsors of ASEF. The aim of the study was to facilitate ASEM partners’ assessment, before the next ASEM Summit in Hanoi in October 2004, of the necessary measures to reinforce ASEF’s long-term strategy and long-term financial sustainability.