SEASN Promotes Sustainability for Future Challenges

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 9 2015 (Bernama) -- The South East Asia Sustainability Network (SEASN), initiated by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) indirectly provides more space for ASEAN Community members to collaborate in the exchange of ideas.

Higher Education Deputy Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching said the establishment of SEASN brought the agenda of ASEAN which focused on cooperation and regional security.

However, now ASEAN had grown to take larger steps to expand this regional cooperation in the areas of politics, economics, social, technology and others, she said at the SEASN Thematic Working Group (TWG) On Wehab+3 and SEASN Assembly 2015 here Wednesday.

Her speech text was read out by USM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Omar Osman.

Yap said through the organisation of SEASN and TWG, the participating countries could expand the sustainability agenda that had now become an important agenda in the United Nations.

The United Nations has now introduced Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to replace the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), where this year will be the final reporting of MDGs," she said.

She said the SDGs contained 17 goals with 169 targets covering a broad range of sustainable development issues that included eradicating poverty and hunger, improving health and education, making cities more sustainable, combating climate change and protecting oceans and forests.

Meanwhile, Omar who is also SEASN chairman, said at the press conference that the idea of SEASN was to exchange information and experience throughout the ASEAN countries to develop new ideas in sustaining the socio-environment.

SEASN currently comprises 38 institutions from five ASEAN countries, namely Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.

-- BERNAMA