6th High-Level Brainstorming Dialogue on Enhancing Complementarities between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana was appointed Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on 13 September 2018.

Prior to joining ESCAP, Ms. Alisjahbana was Professor of Economics at Universitas Padjadjaran in Bandung, Indonesia, a position she assumed in 2005. She joined Universitas Padjadjaran as a lecturer in 1988. Since 2016, she has served as Director for the Center for Sustainable Development Goals Studies at Universitas Padjadjaran and Vice Chair of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences.

She also serves on the Governing Board of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and member of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (Akademi Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia - AIPI), the Forum of Statistics Community (Forum Masyarakat Statistik or Advisory Council of the Indonesian Statistics), the International Advisory Board of the Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies and Council Member of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI).

From 2009 to 2014, she was Minister of National Development Planning and the Head of the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), Indonesia. She served as Co-chair of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation from 2012 to 2014. From 2009 to 2014, she was Alternate Governor of the World Bank and Alternate Governor of the Asian Development Bank representing the government of Indonesia. In 2016, she was a member of the High Level Independent Team of Advisors to support the ECOSOC Dialogue on the longer term positioning of the United Nations Development System in the context of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

Ms. Alisjahbana has been involved in various research projects and consultancies to the United Nations University/Institute for Advanced Study in Tokyo, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the European Commission, and the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Ms. Alisjahbana earned her Bachelor degree in Economics and Development Studies from Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia, a Masters degree in Economics from Northwestern University, USA and a Ph.D in Economics from University of Washington, USA. She was awarded the Mahaputra Adipradana Order (Bintang Mahaputra Adipradana) from the Republic of Indonesia, honorary brevet from the Indonesian Navy and honorary flight wing from the Indonesian Air Force.

Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi was the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Brunei Darussalam since 2006.

During his tenure, he served as Brunei Darussalam’s Senior Official for the ASEAN Economic Community Pillar (SEOM), APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting). He was a member of the High Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration (HLTF-EI) since 2001, serving as the HLTF-EI Chair in 2017. He was Brunei Darussalam’s Chief Negotiator for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), as well as for the P4, precursor to the TPP negotiations. Previously, he was also the Co-Chair during the negotiations for the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), and also served as Brunei Darussalam’s Chief Negotiator for the Brunei Darussalam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (BJEPA).

From June 2011-2017, he was the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). He was also on the External Advisory Board for the ASEAN 2030 Study being undertaken by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

He entered the Government Service as an education officer in 1977 and served as principal of a Secondary School from 1981 – 1985. From February 2001 – July 2005, he was appointed as Director-General, International Relations and Trade Development, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources. In September 2005, he was appointed as Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

He graduated from the City of London Polytechnic in B.Sc (Hons) Economics in 1976 and received his Post Graduate Certificate of Education in 1977.

He was conferred the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit, (Gwanghwa Medal) by President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in on 6 April 2022 for his contributions in strengthening relations and cooperation between ASEAN and the Republic of Korea. He was awarded The Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei, second Class (D.P.M.B) in 2007. He is married with two sons.

Kaveh Zahedi is the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP). He oversees ESCAP’s substantive programmes on finance, trade, energy, transport, environment, natural disasters, social development, and statistics all in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He also supervises ESCAP's institutes on ICT for Development (Incheon), disaster information management (Tehran), agricultural mechanization (Beijing), statistics (Chiba) and technology transfer (Delhi). He helps to run the UN Regional Cooperation Platform, facilitates collaboration with UN Resident Coordinators and Country Teams and oversees implementation of the UN regional reform process.

Prior to this, Mr. Zahedi worked at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) including as its Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific and as Deputy Director of the Division of Economy, overseeing work on green economy, resource efficiency and climate change. He also set up and headed the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. Over two decades Mr. Zahedi has worked for the United Nations in Kenya, Mexico, Europe and Thailand.

Before joining the United Nations, Mr. Zahedi worked at an NGO as project manager for micro credit and development projects in Latin America and the Middle East. He holds a Master’s degree from the Fletcher School, Tufts University, USA, and a BSc first class degree in Economics & Geography, from University College London.

H.E. Ekkaphab Phanthavong is appointed as the Deputy Secretary‐General (DSG) of ASEAN for Socio‐Cultural Community (ASCC) from 2021 to 2024.

He supports the Secretary‐General of ASEAN in the implementation of the ASCC Blueprint 2025 and leads the ASCC Department of the ASEAN Secretariat. He oversees the implementation of projects under ASCC that focus on forging a common identity and building a caring and sharing society.

DSG Phanthavong has served numerous appointments at the Lao PDR Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Before assuming his current role, he was the Ambassador/ Permanent Representative of Lao PDR to ASEAN from 2018‐2021. Prior to that, he served as the Deputy Director‐General of the ASEAN Department at the Lao PDR MOFA.

DSG Phanthavong holds an MA in International Relations from Flinders University, South Australia and a diploma in English Language from the Pedagogical University of Vientiane, Laos.

Birgit Hansl, a German national, is the World Bank Country Manager for Thailand since November 2018.

Prior to this position, she was based in Manila as the Lead Economist and Program Leader for Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. In this role, she oversaw a large program focused on fiscal reforms, competition policy, trade and customs modernization, public financial management reforms, digital economy policy and financial sector reforms. Her work in the Philippines also supported fragile and conflict-affected areas in Mindanao where she led the World Bank Mindanao Jobs Report and developed a strategy for regional development.

Since joining the Bank in 2005 through the Young Professionals Program, Birgit worked for the World Bank’s programs in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Before joining the Bank’s Manila-based team, she worked as the Moscow-based Lead Economist and Program Leader for Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions for the Russian Federation in the Europe and Central Asia region. There, she strategically shaped and managed a large knowledge-based program that focused on analytical work, Reimbursable Advisory Services and technical assistance.

She is an experienced economist in the World Bank’s Macro-Fiscal Management Global Practice, with special interest in in macroeconomic modelling and forecasting, growth and productivity analysis, trade diagnostic, and public finance and institution building.

Prior to joining the World Bank, Birgit worked in academics from 1997-2005, including the London School of Economics, the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, the Humboldt University of Berlin, and the University of San Francisco. She also worked for a number of bilateral and multilateral organizations, including the United Nations Development Program, the British Department for International Development and the World Health Organization.

Birgit holds a Ph.D. and Master of Arts Degree in Economics from the London School of Economics. She completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of California San Francisco and Berkeley. She also holds a Masters’ degree in Economics from the Humboldt University Berlin.

She is married with three children and her hobbies include long-distance running, surfing and basketball.

Jean-Louis VILLE is currently the acting Director for Middle East, Asia and Pacific at the European Commission in the Directorate General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) as well as the Head of Unit in charge of East Asia and the Pacific. Previously he occupied the position of Acting Director for Human Development and Migration in DG DEVCO (previous name of DG INTPA) as well as Head of Unit, in charge of Human Rights, Gender, and Democratic Governance.

Having worked for the European Commission since 1987, he has occupied several positions in various Directorate Generals (Agriculture, Budget and Development and Cooperation) as Head of Unit for Budget, Finance and Contracts, Regional Programmes for the East and South Neighbourhood. He also served for a period as Deputy Head of the private Office of the Rt Hon C. PATTEN during his mandate as European Commissioner for External Relations.

Mr VILLE studied political sciences in Strasbourg, European Affairs in Bruges and European law in Paris.

Ms. Isabelle Louis has been Deputy Regional Director of UNEP Asia Pacific office since September 2014 and was Acting Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific office during March 2016- March 2017. She has over 25 years of experience in sustainable development and natural resource management at global, Asia Pacific regional and national levels.

 She coordinates the UNEP’s work programme in the region pursuant to the organization’s mandate to support UN Member States on issues related to the environment, sustainability and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. She oversees UNEP’s work related to strategic priorities:  climate change, pollution, nature-based solutions, resource efficiency, environmental law and governance, with approaches including science-based policies, sustainable financing, gender, human rights, and environment and health. She also facilitates UNEP’s strategic partnerships in the region. 

Before joining UNEP, Isabelle was the Director of the Asia Pacific Programme for WWF International, based in Switzerland and Singapore, and Deputy Executive Director at WWF Malaysia, prior to that. She has a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology and BSc (Hons) in Botany from Sheffield University in the United Kingdom, followed by a Teaching Fellowship at the National University of Singapore and a Post doctorate Fellowship at Harvard University.

Hironobu Mita is the Deputy Director of Environmental Strategy Division, who is in charge of regional decarbonization.

He joined MOEJ since 2008 and has 14 years of experience in various fields such as climate change, nuclear regulation, revitalization in Fukushima Prefecture.

Sanjay K Srivastava, Ph D (Applied Physics), is presently Chief of Disaster Risk Reduction at UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). He was the Head of SAAARC Disaster Management Centre from 2007-2008; Deputy Project Director of Disaster Management Support Programme at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO); Scientist/Engineer at ISRO HQ Bangalore since 1991.  He is the recipient of ISRO’s Team excellence award in 2008-09 for his contributions towards harnessing space technology applications. He has been a lead author of ESCAP’s flagship publication – Asia-Pacific Disaster Report since its inception in 2010 and WMO’s State of Climate publications (2021) for Asia and Southwest Pacific.